Pennywell Early Years Centre

Inspection Report Pennywell Early Years Centre

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108753 Unique Reference Number Sunderland LEA 278041 Inspection number 13 July 2006 to 14 July 2006 Inspection dates Mr John Heap Reporting inspector

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This inspection was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Portsmouth Road School address Nursery Type of school Pennywell Maintained School category Sunderland, Tyne and Wear 3 to 4 Age range of pupils 0191 5536820 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 0191 5536822 Fax number 93 Number on roll Mrs Kay Dodd Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Judith Donnelly Headteacher 1 November 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 278041 13 July 2006 - 3 to 4 14 July 2006 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied.

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by one Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

Since March 2006, the school is part of a newly formed Children’s Centre. It serves an area of high disadvantage. Levels of attainment on entry to the school are well below average overall. Almost all of the children are White British and there are very small groups of refugees and children in the care of the local authority. An above average proportion of children have learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The school had previously achieved Beacon and Early Excellence Centre status.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Pennywell Early Years Centre, 13 July 2006 to 14 July 2006

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Grade: 1

The school very cautiously judges itself as good with many excellent features. The inspection judges the school to be outstanding and providing excellent value for money. This is a further improvement on the very effective judgement of the previous inspections. It also confirms the school’s previous Beacon and Early Excellence Centre status. This school does not allow itself to be complacent because the excellent leadership and management continually seek improvement. Consequently, the school is well placed to improve further and manage well the transition to a Children’s Centre. Very good indicators for this are the excellent links with outside agencies that foster the exemplary provision for all the children, such as the high quality teaching, curriculum and care. All children benefit equally from all that the school offers. Children make excellent progress from the well below average attainment they start with. Gains

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Grade: 1

in knowledge, skills and understanding mean that standards improve to a below average picture when they move to the reception class. Personal development is exemplary and children make the most progress in personal, social and emotional development. Parents and children are clear that school is very enjoyable, but a small minority are poor attenders and this affects their progress. The school has robust systems in place to monitor attendance and follow-up any difficulties that arise. However, there is still this small number of cases where the school’s best efforts are not being successful.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve the attendance of the few children whose standards are affected by periods of absence.

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Grade: 1

Children enter the Nursery with a wide range of ability, but overall their attainment is well below typical expectations. A particular challenge is the very low level of communication, language and literacy skills. This leads to high levels of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The school has very detailed evidence that shows attainment is still below national expectations when they leave the Nursery. However, most children make excellent progress because: • their needs are identified early • provision is matched very accurately to individual and group needs • targets are challenging. Children settle quickly to school routines and clearly enjoy learning in this rich and stimulating learning environment. Achievement is best in personal, social and emotional development, mathematical development and knowledge and understanding of the world. In these areas of learning, most children are on course to reach the nationally

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Grade: 1

expected learning goals by the end of the Foundation Stage (Nursery and Reception) 2 Inspection Report: Pennywell Early Years Centre, 13 July 2006 to 14 July 2006 in the next school. Progress is at least good in communication, language and literacy, physical development and creative development. Children with extra learning and social needs benefit greatly from the exemplary provision and support and make excellent progress.

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Grade: 1

Children’s personal development, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is outstanding. This is because staff provide them with interesting and inspiring activities. Eyes widened and all the children went ‘wow’ when the potato tub was tipped over and the vegetables appeared from the soil. Children know that healthy eating is important and that there is a difference between right and wrong. They play safely and take part vigorously in exercise sessions. Parents and children are extremely happy with all that the school provides and one child spoke for many when he said that he ‘loved’ the staff. Children thoroughly enjoy school and demonstrate high levels of concentration for ones so young. They are extremely proud of their achievements and show them with confidence and courtesy. This high level of confidence and pride is also matched by some parents, as when a small group of parents and children

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Grade: 1

produced multimedia presentations together. Children know that there may be differences between themselves and those from other cultures, but that there are more importantly a range of similarities. Children contribute to wider society through their donations to charity. Attendance is satisfactory, with a small minority attending infrequently. Children are very well placed to prosper in their future education because of the excellent progress in personal, social and emotional development and their very strongly developing basic skills.

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Grade: 1

The quality of teaching and learning is excellent. This judgement is even better than the previous inspection when it was very good. Practitioners have excellent knowledge and understanding of the Foundation Stage curriculum and the way that young children learn. They know their children really well because of the exhaustive and excellent assessment and recording of children’s achievements. As a result, interesting and challenging tasks are devised for individuals and groups. Learning is promoted by the very strong balance between teacher-led activities and the choices that children make for themselves. Areas for learning are very well resourced and staff make challenging interventions at the right time. Every opportunity to develop basic skills is taken, most particularly the development of speaking, listening, reading, writing and number skills. Information and communication technology (ICT) is used extensively to stimulate

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Grade: 1

children’s curiosity and develop their basic skills. Children are managed superbly and there is little disruption around the excellent indoor and outdoor areas for learning. 3 Inspection Report: Pennywell Early Years Centre, 13 July 2006 to 14 July 2006 A significant strength of the school is the excellent teaching and learning of children with extra needs. These include the speech and language group, the nurture group and the more able group. Evidence in lessons and from records shows that these children progress really well. Parents are rightly delighted with the support for these children.

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Grade: 1

The school provides an excellent curriculum. All requirements of the national guidelines for the Foundation Stage are fully met. An outstanding range of activities is provided in a very interesting and thought-provoking way. A particular example is the way that the superb outdoor environment has the same range of activities as indoors and the more traditional outdoor activities. Borders are packed with a range of plants, including vegetables. Children use these facilities exceptionally well to develop observation, searching and descriptive skills. Resources are excellent and the superb ratio of staff to children means that the youngsters work happily in small groups, engage in quality conversation and make rapid progress. A major strength is the use of group discussion to explore feelings and raise self-esteem. The curriculum is extensively enriched by a wide range of visits, visitors and activities planned to enhance personal development.

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Grade: 1

Care, guidance and support are outstanding. A significant strength is the way that the school reaches out to parents and helps them. One parent talked about the way the school’s guidance on discipline had significantly improved the quality of life for her and her son at home. The school knows children and families really well. Child protection and health and safety procedures are robust. Assessment systems are excellent and a major factor in children’s outstanding learning. Staff are vigilant and assessment notes go into incredible detail, particularly in relation to the recording of the development of children’s language and literacy skills. Links with outside agencies are excellent. Other professionals praise the school staff for the way they most willingly seek advice, take notice and then use the guidance to support children. Procedures for monitoring attendance are robust and the school does all that it can to ensure that all children

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Grade: 1

Leadership and management are outstanding. The highly motivated headteacher has a very clear vision for the school. Self-evaluation is very focused and owes much to the exhaustive monitoring and evaluation of the work of the school. All activities are evaluated for effectiveness. All staff know that the primary focus is the progress made by all the children in the school. To this end the headteacher has evolved systems that very efficiently promote excellent progress and the school is well placed to improve 4 Inspection Report: Pennywell Early Years Centre, 13 July 2006 to 14 July 2006 further. Other schools have benefited from this exemplary practice through the school’s Beacon and Centre of Excellence status. Key staff provide very strong leadership in a range of roles related to curricular, care and academic support. These colleagues appreciate the enlightened way that leadership and management roles have been

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Grade: 1

delegated. They like leading and form a strong, cohesive team. This is extremely important given the gradual change in the school’s character in its transition to a Children’s Centre. Highly effective improvement planning benefits from: • the gathering of evidence from all in the school • meticulous planning and evaluation. The governing body is very supportive and has very useful educational expertise in its ranks. Its hard work means that legal requirements are met and monitoring activities are regular and helpful. The school has only had a governing body since 2003 and its progress is good. Currently, governors rely too much on the headteacher for the monitoring and evaluation of the school rather than setting their own systems for monitoring and evaluation. Financial management is very prudent and the large budget surplus is earmarked for appropriate expenditure. 5 Inspection Report: Pennywell Early Years Centre, 13 July 2006 to 14 July 2006

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set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s

website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Pennywell Early Years Centre, 13 July 2006 to 14 July 2006

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Overall

Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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learners?

NA 1 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA 1 The quality and standards in foundation stage NA 1 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation NA Yes The capacity to make any necessary improvements NA Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

NA 1 How well do learners achieve? NA 3 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

NA 1 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 1 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

NA 1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 1 The behaviour of learners NA 3 The attendance of learners NA 1 How well learners enjoy their education NA 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices NA 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles NA 1 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community NA 1 How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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needs and interests of learners?

NA 1 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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needs and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low.

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and supporting all learners?

NA 1 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 1 How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review NA 1 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can NA 1 How effectively and efficiently resources are deployed to achieve value for money NA 2 The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities NA Yes The adequacy and suitability of staff to ensure that learners are protected

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The extent to which schools enable learners to be healthy

Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to eat and drink healthily Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to take regular exercise Yes Learners are discouraged from smoking and substance abuse NA Learners are educated about sexual health

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The extent to which providers ensure that learners stay safe

Yes Procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements Yes Risk assessment procedures and related staff training are in place Yes Action is taken to reduce anti-social behaviour, such as bullying and racism Yes Learners are taught about key risks and how to deal with them

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The extent to which learners make a positive contribution

Yes Learners are helped to develop stable, positive relationships Yes Learners, individually and collectively, participate in making decisions that affect them Yes Learners are encouraged to initiate, participate in and manage activities in school and the wider community

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The extent to which schools enable learners to achieve economic well-being

Yes There is provision to promote learners’ basic skills Yes Learners have opportunities to develop enterprise skills and work in teams NA Careers education and guidance is provided to all learners in key stage 3 and 4 and the sixth form NA Education for all learners aged 14–19 provides an understanding of employment and the economy

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE T 0207 421 6800 F 0207 421 6707 Ofsted helpline 08456 404045 To the children of: Pennywell Early Years Centre Portsmouth Road Pennywell Sunderland Tyne and Wear SR4 9AX 13 July 2006 Dear Children I had a lovely time in your excellent school this week. Thank you for the warm welcome and help you gave to me. I have returned home with lots of memories and I shall try to share some of them with you in this letter. Your behaviour is excellent and you find lots of ways to help each other when working or playing together. You use the excellent facilities really well, including the outside areas. I did enjoy the looks on the faces of some of you when the potatoes appeared, almost like magic, from the soil! The adults in the school are very friendly and work hard. Some of you told me that you ‘love’ them. They give you a fantastic number of exciting things to learn. Around the school were

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

lots of good paintings and I looked at photographs of you working hard and enjoying your lessons. The staff are really good at showing you and your parents the best way to do things. I thought the way that some of you and your parents did splendid presentations in the ‘click and play’ session was a great credit to all. You will be ready to go successfully and happily to your next school. The staff and governors work very hard to support you and your parents and make sure you have everything that you need and deserve. They are rightly proud of your achievements and are always looking for ways to make things even better for you. Sometimes, a few children miss a lot of school and I have asked the school to try and improve on this. Finally, keep working hard and enjoy your summer holiday. Very best wishes John Heap

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