Emneth Nursery School

120765 Unique Reference Number NORFOLK LEA LEA 280885 Inspection number 3 May 2006 to 4 May 2006 Inspection dates Ms. Cheryl Thompson LI Reporting inspector

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

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Hollycroft Road School address Nursery Type of school PE14 8AY Maintained School category 3 to 5 Age range of pupils 01945 582401 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils - Fax number 80 Number on roll Mr.Michael White Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs. Jill Wharton Headteacher 3 April 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 280885 3 May 2006 - 3 to 5 4 May 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 an Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

Emneth Nursery is oversubscribed and has 80 children aged three to five on roll who attend part time. Attainment on entry is below that typically found for the age group especially in the area of speech and language. The school serves the local community, smaller outlying villages and parts of Wisbech. The school is also the Neighbourhood Nursery and a Children's Centre. It provides integrated care, healthcare and education for babies and children up to the aged of five. The school has an 'I Can' accreditation for providing expert speech and language support. Almost all children are White British with very small numbers of minority ethnic pupils and travellers. A fifth of the pupils have identified learning difficulties or disabilities. Their needs include social, emotional and behavioural needs, and speech and communication difficulties.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Emneth Nursery School, 3 May 2006 to 4 May 2006

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Grade: 1

Emneth Nursery is an outstanding school where every child matters and receives a first class education. All children achieve well. Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the school and children love being there. It provides excellent value for money. The school views itself as good but has been over-modest in recognising its achievements. The keys to the school's success are the headteacher's exceptional leadership and vision, and the excellent provision by the nursery team. Relationships are exceptionally good, not only between staff and children but between staff and parents. Teaching is outstanding and based on a very clear understanding of what each child knows and needs to learn next. The excellent curriculum is carefully planned for children to learn through lively and meaningful experiences. By the time they leave the school, children have made significant progress so that their skills and understanding are typical of

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Grade: 1

what is expected of children that age and their personal development is well ahead. Within this positive picture and immense success there is, nevertheless, one area which could be improved. Whilst letter sounds (phonics) are taught thoroughly, there is not enough structure to the school's programme to help the older and more able children to make even better progress. Improvement since the last inspection has been excellent. Since January, 2004, the headteacher, staff and governors have managed tremendous changes to the school; the building work, becoming a Neighbourhood Nursery and establishing a Children's Centre. The skill evident in managing change and the quest for excellence combine to demonstrate that the capacity for further improvement is excellent.

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What the school should do to improve further

- Ensure that older and more able children make even better progress in learning letter sounds (phonics).

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Grade: 2

All children achieve well at Emneth. They make good progress and develop a wide range of skills and knowledge which they apply successfully to the interesting activities provided for them. Progress in personal, social and emotional development is exceptionally good. Older children in the nursery are very independent, confident learners who plan what they want to do and know exactly how to go about achieving their aims. Through their expert assessment of each child's learning, staff set appropriate targets for the next steps in learning which they share with parents. Staff keep a close eye on each child's progress to make sure they have as many opportunities as possible to achieve their targets and consolidate their knowledge and understanding. Children with learning difficulties make very good progress because staff are knowledgeable and have very profitable links with outside agencies. Children's speech

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Grade: 2

and language development come on well because staff know how to encourage children to articulate words clearly and use a wider range of vocabulary correctly. The school 2 Inspection Report: Emneth Nursery School, 3 May 2006 to 4 May 2006 has rightly identified that it needs to have more structure to its way of teaching letter sounds (phonics) to help the older and more able children make even better progress in developing literacy skills.

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Grade: 1

Children's personal development and well-being are outstanding. Within a very secure, friendly environment, all staff encourage confidence and independence. They support children in making choices about their activities and behaviour. As a result, children are gently guided to think about the consequences of their actions and to make considered choices. Behaviour is excellent. Children are kind and considerate to one another. They know how to be safe on the climbing frame and when using the big toys. At 'sorting time', children willingly help each other to tidy up before group time. Dinner time is a happy, social occasion and, for their age, children have remarkably good table manners. The nursery team make learning fun; consequently, children love learning and within seconds of arriving in the nursery, they are purposefully engaged in an absorbing activity. One parent commented that their child so loves school he

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Grade: 1

wants to attend at weekends. Children know that fruit and vegetables are 'good food' and choose these at snack times.

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Grade: 1

There are a good number of highly skilled and knowledgeable teachers at this nursery. As a result teaching and learning are outstanding. This reflects the headteacher's quest to secure 'the best' for the children. The use made of the wide range of high quality professional development opportunities available to all staff is at the heart of the school's success in maintaining the highest levels of teaching skill and expertise. The nursery team of teachers and practitioners work extremely well together; planning lively activities and meaningful experiences for the children. For example, children are growing vegetables from seed and have made bird-scarers to 'stop the big birds from pecking the leaves'. An important feature of the team's work is their evaluation of how successful their planning has been. Excellent checks on how well children are doing quickly highlight if children need extra support or can be challenged further.

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Grade: 1

There are regular 'children's meetings' where all staff discuss together how children are getting on. This makes sure that children's development is tracked very carefully and needs are met. Nursery always make time to talk with parents and carers about their child's progress. Regular, formal meetings with 'key workers' help parents and carers know how their child is getting on and what the next steps are to promote effective learning. 3 Inspection Report: Emneth Nursery School, 3 May 2006 to 4 May 2006

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Grade: 1

The curriculum is outstanding and the use made of the outside area to promote learning in all areas of the curriculum is particularly effective. High quality resources are used very creatively to motivate and capture the interest of children. Staff provide meaningful learning opportunities through skilful use of play activities. Exceptionally good adult involvement in these play situations promotes good, meaningful learning. Adults enable children's thinking, speaking and listening skills to be developed effectively by asking questions, such as, 'What do you think you will need?', or 'What do you think will happen?' Children are encouraged to work together and to help one another, which prepares them well for their future. A good range of visits to places of interest and the use of knowledgeable visitors help broaden children's knowledge of the world and life outside the home and school.

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Grade: 1

The care, guidance and support provided at Emneth are outstanding. There is an exceptional commitment to providing high quality care. All staff know all children very well and use this knowledge to set suitable targets for future learning and personal development. This knowledge is also used to identify children who may have learning or physical difficulties so that appropriate support can be put in place. Parents value the quality of care the school provides and it is clear they feel comfortable visiting the nursery and leaving their children. They speak glowingly of the staff's knowledge of their child. Child protection arrangements are firmly established and known by all staff. Very good links with a wide range of health, social and educational outside agencies ensure that, if a child is noted to require specific help, the help is quickly organised. As part of the Children's Centre, the school has access to and makes good use of the

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Grade: 1

skills of a nurse, mid-wife and speech and language therapist to meet the needs of the children in its care.

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Grade: 1

Leadership and management are outstanding. Fundamental to the school's success is the headteacher's inspirational vision that 'Every child matters and deserves the best' and her determination and her insistence on 'high quality'. The senior team and governors share the headteacher's vision and quest for high quality. This determination is evident in the ethos of the Children's Centre. The headteacher set out to create an 'Emneth team' and has ensured that all professionals, including the midwife and staff nurse, are employees of the school and as a result are all part of the same team. The focus on high quality is evident in the commitment to on-going professional development undertaken by all staff and in details such as the attractiveness of resources, the cleanliness of the building and the very nourishing meals provided for children. The headteacher provides an exceptionally clear direction and purpose for

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Grade: 1

4 Inspection Report: Emneth Nursery School, 3 May 2006 to 4 May 2006 the school and has created an atmosphere where everyone in the school feels valued, cared for and respected. Parents, too, know that their views are listened to and valued. The very strong focus on all staff knowing children exceptionally well as individuals makes sure that they are all treated fairly and helped to make at least good progress. Staff with leadership roles know what is expected of them and respond exceptionally well to the demands made of them. The work of the governors is outstanding. They support the headteacher wholeheartedly but are not afraid to question or put forward alternative ideas. They have taken on the challenge of managing the Children's Centre most successfully and are fully involved in helping the school continually improve its work. The headteacher and senior staff have a very clear understanding of the school's

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Grade: 1

strengths and areas they want to improve. The two issues raised by the last inspection have been dealt with very effectively. This, together with the school's development planning, demonstrates an excellent capacity to improve further. 5 Inspection Report: Emneth Nursery School, 3 May 2006 to 4 May 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: Emneth Nursery School, 3 May 2006 to 4 May 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 2 How well do learners achieve? NA 3 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

NA 2 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 2 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 1 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 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 NA 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

Thank you for welcoming me to your school, I really enjoyed being with you and seeing all the exciting things you do. I could see that you loved being in school and that you know all the staff take great care of you. I was very impressed with how kind and helpful you are to one another and how good you are at sorting time - well done! When I had my dinners with you, I noticed how good mannered you are and how grown up you are when you use your knife and fork. I think you go to an outstanding school and this is because your headteacher, Jill, makes sure you get excellent teaching. Your key workers work very hard to make sure you have exciting things to do to help you learn and they always make sure you get help if you need it. I have asked Jill to do one thing to make your school even better. I have asked her to make sure that you can learn letter sounds more quickly. I hope you continue to love coming to school and

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

that your beans continue to grow and the birds are scared away by your shiny scarers.

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