Horden Nursery School

113986 Unique Reference Number Durham LEA 279289 Inspection number 23 November 2005 to 24 November 2005 Inspection dates Heather Evans Reporting inspector

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

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Cotsford Park School address Nursery Type of school Horden Community School category Peterlee, County Durham 3 to 4 Age range of pupils 0191 5865415 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 0191 5865415 Fax number 103 Number on roll Mrs E Wood Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Miss Barbara Wilkin Headteacher 1 February 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 279289 23 November 2005 - 3 to 4 24 November 2005 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

This is a 52 place nursery in Horden, situated in a very deprived area of County Durham. Everyone attends part time. On entry children’s levels of attainment vary. Most are well below those expected for children of the same age nationally. Almost all pupils are white British and they all speak English as their first language. An above average number of children have learning difficulties and/or disabilities and an average number have statements of special educational need.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Horden Nursery School, 23 November 2005 to 24 November 2005

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Grade: 1

Inspection evidence supports the school’s view that Horden Nursery is an outstanding school. Children make rapid progress and achieve outstandingly well. This includes the above average number who have learning difficulties or other disabilities. The improvements since the last inspection, as well as the opinions of the parents, support this view. Taking the cost, the good provision and children’s progress into account, the school provides excellent value for money. • The very good achievement seen at the time of the previous inspection has been improved to an outstanding level. The enhanced accommodation has increased opportunities for learning both indoors and out, and further improvements are planned. The staff assessment of what each child knows and can do and how they track individual progress to plan what to do next is outstanding. The curriculum is interesting and exciting. The outstanding quality of teaching is the direct result of the clear vision

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Grade: 1

and inspired leadership of the headteacher and the outstanding skills of the nursery team. The relationships between adults and children are outstanding as is the children’s behaviour. Parents are delighted about how well their children are developing and hold the school in very high regard. The management team are very well placed to achieve the plans designed to enhance the nursery.

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What the school should do to improve further

• There are no significant weaknesses but the provision would be enhanced by the completion of the plans for refurbishment of the space for staff and parents and establishing a private office for the headteacher.

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Grade: 1

Because children leave the nursery before any reporting stage the staff grade standards as good and progress and achievements as outstanding. There is very detailed evidence to support this view. When children join the nursery overall their attainment is well below average. They settle quickly and make very good progress. In all areas of learning most children achieve levels that indicate that they are on course to attain the nationally expected learning goals for the end of the Foundation Stage by the time they leave the reception class in the next school. To achieve these levels from such limited starting points is outstanding. These exceptional achievements are only possible because of the school’s overall provision and precisely targeted challenging activities. Children who have learning difficulties or disabilities achieve as well as they do because their needs are identified soon after entry and the school provides support carefully

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Grade: 1

matched to individual needs. Those who learn easily and work well independently are provided with challenging and stimulating activities that help them to learn more 2 Inspection Report: Horden Nursery School, 23 November 2005 to 24 November 2005 quickly. Assessment strategies show that there is no difference between boys and girls whatever their background or family circumstances.

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Grade: 1

Provision for children’s personal, social and emotional development is outstanding. Staff visit parents in their homes before the children start school and build purposeful relationships with them. Family workers then encourage parents and continue to work with them. The school’s thoughtful and always relevant routines are carefully explained so that children follow them and become confident learners. The very purposeful activities encourage children and parents to grow together in the positive ethos that has been established. In this supportive atmosphere children learn how to concentrate and do remarkably well. They demonstrate their achievements with enjoyment and confidence. Children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. Collected evidence shows how they learn of other cultures through activities and stories. Children learn from the superb examples set by the staff and show delight and amazement in

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Grade: 1

new discoveries such as creating models of snapping crocodiles using natural materials, including horse chestnut casings. They demonstrate good manners and relate to one another very well. They are encouraged to plan healthy snacks as part of their growing understanding of the need for fresh air, exercise and patterns of healthy eating. Facilities for outdoor play are designed to inspire children’s imagination in a safe environment; all risk assessment procedures are thorough and well-planned. Children attend very regularly and there are few absences because children and parents recognise the benefits they gain at the school.

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Grade: 1

The quality of teaching is even better than in the previous inspection in 2000 when it was judged to be very good. It is focussed and demonstrates many outstanding features. Activities capture children’s interest and challenge their thinking. All the staff know the children very well and provide work that systematically extends earlier achievements. They encourage children to think hard and achieve very well. Day-to-day planning and assessment are used with great skill to ensure that no learning opportunities are missed. Record keeping is meticulous and used in lesson planning so that learning is always carefully organised. Learning is enjoyable; information and communication technology is used very effectively to support teaching and increase the rate of learning. Progress towards each learning goal is evaluated extremely well, and quiet guidance and encouragement help children, including those capable of learning quickly, to develop very well. Children

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Grade: 1

who have learning difficulties or disabilities are also helped to learn well and have very 3 Inspection Report: Horden Nursery School, 23 November 2005 to 24 November 2005 good support. Teachers plan activities that develop children’s skills and experiences and constantly extends their vocabulary. Within the relaxed but carefully planned organisation children behave very well. At the end of sessions children are encouraged to listen to what others have done, to praise what they like and sometimes to use puppets or toys to suggest possible alternatives.

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Grade: 1

The curriculum is exceptionally good. It exceeds the requirements set out in the national guidance for the Foundation Stage. It is packed with an outstanding range of interesting and stimulating activities that are superbly matched to children’s needs and interests. The good number of staff means that children are able to work and learn in small groups, engage in talk with adults at every step and as a result make rapid progress. Since the previous inspection changes to the accommodation have made it possible to use both the inside and outside of the school for learning. The high quality resources in the school support all areas of learning very well. This includes the gazebo and exciting balancing equipment. The plasma screen reminds children and their parents of recent activities such as making Christmas cakes and measuring ingredients. Regular visits to the seashore and to the nearby wooded area extend children’s experiences.

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Grade: 1

These visits extend their knowledge and understanding of the world. Making music, gardening, singing and painting activities enrich their day-to-day experiences. Children are alert to the need to keep their school and the grounds clean and tidy. They are learning how their actions influence the way the school is appreciated by the community. The building alterations are not yet complete. The remodelling of the administration facilities to provide a room for staff and parents and a private office for the headteacher to enable discussions and interviews is the school’s next priority.

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Grade: 1

The quality of care provided is outstanding. All adults know the children and their needs exceptionally well. They have created an invigorating learning environment. Teaching and maintenance staff make the school a very safe place for learning. All adults are committed to the children’s welfare. The excellent relationships between the staff and parents and amongst the children help learning begun in school to continue in the home. Very effective assessment systems track how well each child makes progress. Staff check that the needs of children and their families are met effectively. Parents recognise how well their children are developing and are delighted with the skills they are learning. The school goes out of its way to work closely and effectively with a range of agencies, parents and other local schools. Child protection is secure and risk assessments are carried out rigorously. 4 Inspection Report: Horden Nursery School, 23 November 2005 to 24 November 2005

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Grade: 1

Leadership and management by the headteacher and the governors are outstanding. Working as a team they have established excellent relationships and together they promote very high expectations for every child. Experienced and new staff work together in setting challenging work, and staff members are rightly proud of the professionalism and team spirit that pervades the school. The management team has a very positive view of what has already been accomplished. Staff are keen to raise the profile of the school to an even higher level in the coming months. The skills of the headteacher and her staff are used to good effect outside the school, for example in training the staff from other nurseries. Students and teachers from other places visit this school to work alongside the skilled staff. The governing body is very effective in ensuring that all statutory responsibilities are met. They are very experienced and represent the local community very well. The

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Grade: 1

delegated budget is managed prudently and wisely. Strategic planning is outstanding. Staffing is good; resources are totally suitable and are of very good quality. 5 Inspection Report: Horden Nursery School, 23 November 2005 to 24 November 2005 .

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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: Horden Nursery School, 23 November 2005 to 24 November 2005

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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 2 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 2 The attendance of learners NA 1 How well learners enjoy their education NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices NA 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles NA 2 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 1 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 Yes 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 www.ofsted.gov.uk Horden Nursery School Cotsford Park Horden Peterlee County Durham SR8 4TB November 24 2005 Dear Children Thank you for welcoming me to your nursery to see how you work with your teachers, I enjoyed my visit very much. I found out a lot of things and these are some of my special memories. Hordon is an outstanding nursery because you all come into school smiling and ready to work and learn together. Your teachers and nursery nurses are very friendly and they plan many exciting things for you to share. They show you how to learn so many things to get you ready for the big school and you are all learning very quickly. You speak and sing very well especially when you are working with your ‘beat babies’ and you use the computers very well to count and make up stories or paint pictures. The story of how you made Christmas cakes that was on the big screen for your mams and

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

grannies made me feel very hungry. Your models and sculptures are very interesting. The things you do for others are helping you to grow up as very kind and caring children. Your teachers want to make your school even better by making a special room where your teachers can think and work. They plan to share this with your families so they can learn how to play with you at home. Miss Wilkin really needs an office of her own. She has always made your part of the school so special that she has waited for a room for her writing for a very long time. Thank you again for letting me work with you, so that I could see you make a healthy soup and listen to your ideas. Yours sincerely, Heather Evans, Additional Inspector. Annex B

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