Woodlands Park Nursery School and Childrens Centre

Inspection Report Woodlands Park Nursery Centre

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102073 Unique Reference Number Haringey Local Authority 286269 Inspection number 2 °3 October 2006 Inspection dates Sue Vale Reporting inspector

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

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Woodlands Park Road School address Nursery Type of school Tottenham Community School category London N15 3SD 3 °4 Age range of pupils 02088020041 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 08700333146 Fax number 76 Number on roll (school) Ms Thelma Lawson Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Peter Catling Headteacher 4 February 2002 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 286269 2 °3 October 2006 3°4 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

Woodlands Park Children's Centre is in Tottenham in London. The community is ethnically, socially, culturally and economically diverse and the nursery serves an area of mixed housing. The largest ethnic minority groups are African-Caribbean, Turkish and Kurdish and Albanian/Kosovan. Few children speak English as their first language when they start at nursery. The Nursery Centre was opened in 1977 to offer integrated education and care for children from 7 months to 4 years of age. There are 120 children on roll. 44 places are for 3 -4 year olds receiving nursery education. There is a higher than average number of children with learning difficulties and disabilities because the centre has designated places specifically for these children. In 1997 the Centre was given Early Excellence status and became a designated Children's Centre in 2004.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Woodlands Park Nursery Centre, 2 °3 October 2006

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Grade: 2

Woodlands Park Children's Centre provides a good standard of education in the Nursery. It fulfils successfully the needs of its children and the local community and has excellent partnerships with other institutions. One parent's comment encapsulates the feelings of others, 'We could not be happier with Woodlands Park Nursery - our son is completely stimulated, happy and encouraged to develop.' Central to this is the outstanding leadership of the headteacher whose clear vision is key to the centre's success. Children are educated in a safe, secure environment. They achieve well and by the time they leave Nursery are well on their way to reaching the goals expected for their age. They are actively encouraged, through good teaching, to enjoy learning, to try things out for themselves and to live a healthy life style. They are very well prepared for the next stage of their education. Staff know and cater for the individual needs of children well. The curriculum has

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Grade: 2

improved since the previous inspection and provides an interesting range of activities to support children's learning. It does not develop children's knowledge skills and understanding of information and communication technology (ICT) as effectively as other areas. The centre has identified this in their own evaluation as an area for future development. Leadership and management overall are good. Excellent leadership by the headteacher means that the centre has the capacity to build on its strengths. Adults know the children in their care very well and plan for individual interests and needs. The care, guidance and support, which individual children receive and, in particular those with learning difficulties and disabilities, are outstanding. These are main reasons why children make good progress and achieve well. The governing body is relatively new and, while supportive, is aware of the need to develop as a critical friend in order to

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What the school should do to improve further

* Enhance the use of ICT to support children's learning. * Develop the skills of the governing body to enhance their effectiveness.

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Grade: 2

The children achieve well. They make good progress in acquiring knowledge and understanding of new skills especially in spoken English. There is a good focus on developing children's positive self-esteem, confidence and independence through praise and allowing them to make their own decisions about what they want to do. This is influential in helping children to make good progress and to reach average standards for their age. Most children are on target to reach the early learning goals 2 Inspection Report: Woodlands Park Nursery Centre, 2 °3 October 2006 by the time they leave the nursery in communication language and literacy, mathematics, creative and in their personal social and emotional development. Many exceed what is expected of them in their physical development. There are limited opportunities for children to develop their knowledge, skills and understanding of ICT. Those children at an early stage of learning English make equally good progress as

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Grade: 2

their peers. Well planned activities and a curriculum which actively encourages the development of spoken English helps children to make good progress in this area. There is no significant variation in the performance between different groups. Children with learning difficulties and disabilities also make good progress and achieve well through the encouragement and good interaction with staff.

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Grade: 2

Personal development and well-being are good. The nursery encourages children to become happy, inquisitive, independent learners and behave well. As a result, they show enormous enjoyment of all they do. Attendance is satisfactory, although there are a small number of families whose children do not attend regularly. Relationships between home and school are strong and the introduction of healthy living and family learning classes is having a positive impact on children's personal development and the well-being of the whole family. As the nursery is part of the children's centre they are in a fortunate position to be able to have access to a wide range of help and support from other agencies. This is very positive, well utilised and really helps to develop children's well being. Staff are regularly updated and trained in child protection procedures. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are good. Children enjoy healthy

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Grade: 2

snacks and meals, and they are encouraged to participate in physical activities. Their enthusiastic attitude to learning prepares them well for their next stage in their education.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good. The teachers' good knowledge of the early years' curriculum and of individual children's interests and abilities mean that children make good progress in most areas of their learning and achieve well. Sessions and activities are well planned. The introduction of 'Island groups', where children move into small, more intimate groups with their allotted key worker, enhances children's confidence and gives them opportunities to express themselves in a smaller secure environment. These sessions are well led by the key workers. Children genuinely enjoy learning because teachers encourage them to make their own independent choices. They want to participate and are eager to try out new 3 Inspection Report: Woodlands Park Nursery Centre, 2 °3 October 2006 activities. Good intervention by adults when extra help comfort or support are needed contributes effectively to children's good progress. This is particularly true in the area

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Grade: 2

of children's imaginative development. Support staff work very well with those children with learning difficulties and disabilities and with those who are new to learning English. Currently not enough is done to support the development and increase of children's knowledge of ICT. Adult observations of what the children know and understand contribute well to children's overall good progress. This is because daily meetings are constructive in what needs to be taught the next day in order to move children's learning on.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good and is enhanced by visits to local places of interest. Staff plan and prepare activities which encourage children to want to learn and to try out new things. Spoken language is taught very well through encouragement and very good role modelling of language by teachers and adults working with the children. This is particularly helpful to those children who are learning English as an additional language. A more effective use of visual displays is required to develop children's phonetic skills further. The curriculum does not develop children's understanding of ICT as effectively as it does other areas. There are plans to develop this area of the curriculum, but opportunities are missed for children to use ICT across in subjects.

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Grade: 1

The care, guidance and support for children are outstanding. The nursery is safe and secure and staff work very closely with parents to ensure their children's well-being. Many parents wrote to the inspector expressing their confidence in the way the nursery looks after their children. 'I know that my children are safe, well looked after and that they enjoy themselves. Another commented that the centre gives 'Fantastic care.' This sums up how many parents feel, and is a reflection of the very positive care and guidance given to children and families alike. This is particularly strong for those families whose children have learning difficulties or disabilities. Risk assessments are carried out, both around the nursery and for when children go out on visits to places of local interest. The recently introduced system of planning has greatly improved the way that staff monitor and support individual learners. This meets the particular

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Grade: 1

interests of children and enhances their personal, social and emotional development so that they become confident, independent and happy learners. 4 Inspection Report: Woodlands Park Nursery Centre, 2 °3 October 2006

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. Leadership by the headteacher is outstanding. The headteacher has a clear, focused and very accurate evaluation of the children's centre's strengths and areas to improve. This vision is key to the centre's success and is a fundamental reason why it so successfully fulfils the needs of its children and the local community. The nursery is very well placed to continue providing a good start to children's education. The senior management team is good. Members support the head teacher's vision through practical ways to move the centre forward. Professional development is given a high priority for all staff and governors and this, along with a well written development plan, helps keep staff focused on what can be achieved. The staff are committed and willing to improve and get things better. Parents' views are regularly sought and taken into account when planning activities. An example of this was how

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Grade: 2

the centre acted on parents' concerns about healthy eating in the school. This has resulted in a revised menu for children and the introduction of healthy snacks. Governance is satisfactory. Governors are a relatively new body and only in their second year of a delegated budget. They are very supportive of the children's centre. They are aware of their need to develop as a critical friend in order to be of real help to the centre. 5 Inspection Report: Woodlands Park Nursery Centre, 2 °3 October 2006 .

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Grade: 2

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Woodlands Park Nursery Centre, 2 °3 October 2006

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Inspection judgements

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

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Overall effectiveness

How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 2 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

2 How well do learners achieve? 3 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The behaviour of learners 3 The attendance of learners 1 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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and interests of learners?

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

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and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low. 7 Inspection Report: Woodlands Park Nursery Centre, 2 °3 October 2006

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and supporting all learners?

How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 8 Inspection Report: Woodlands Park Nursery Centre, 2 °3 October 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

It was lovely to meet you when I came to visit your children's centre. I enjoyed playing in the home corner with you and watching you make Gingerbread men. Your children's centre is a good one. There are lots of things which you do well. * You really like coming to your nursery. You like learning lots of interesting new things. * Some of you show a real interest in wanting to learn and to try out new activities and things to do. * Your teachers and other staff, plan good activities for you and help you to make good progress in your learning. They are good teachers. * You have an excellent headteacher who leads the nursery and the children's centre very well. * There are very good links with the nursery part of the children's centre and other parts of the community in which you live. * The teachers and other staff look after you very well. In order to make your nursery even better: * Your teachers need to give you more opportunities to use information and communication

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

technology. * I have asked the Governors who are adults who help to run the school to make a few changes to what they do. Regards Sue Vale Lead inspector. 9 Inspection Report: Woodlands Park Nursery Centre, 2 °3 October 2006

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