Thomas Wall Nursery School

Inspection Report Thomas Wall Nursery School

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102956 Unique Reference Number Sutton Local Authority 286534 Inspection number 18 °19 January 2007 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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Robin Hood Lane School address Nursery Type of school Sutton Maintained School category SM1 2SF 3 °4 Age range of pupils 020 8642 5666 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 020 8643 2578 Fax number 120 Number on roll (school) Mrs Angela Maslin Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Catherine Lester Headteacher 18 June 2001 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 286534 18 °19 January 2007 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 two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

The nursery children attend part-time. Sixteen places are reserved for children with complex communication difficulties. There are fluctuating numbers of children learning English as an additional language. The future of the nursery has been under discussion. During the week of the inspection it was agreed that the nursery would be federated with the adjoining primary school. The interim headteacher had been in post for one week.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Thomas Wall Nursery School, 18 °19 January 2007

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Grade: 2

Thomas Wall Nursery is a good school and children receive a good start to their education. The newly appointed interim headteacher has a clear understanding of the strengths of the nursery and what it needs to do to improve further. Governors make a strong contribution and are fully supportive of the nursery's work and its development. Most of the children begin school with a wide range of abilities but with broadly average knowledge, skills and understanding. Consistently good teaching and an interesting, varied curriculum in which children are encouraged to be independent helps them to settle in quickly and make good progress. By the time they leave nursery, they are working at above expected levels for their age in numeracy, personal social and emotional development and in knowledge and understanding of the world. Well planned practical activities allow children to develop their own interests and abilities.

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Grade: 2

This provides them with a strong foundation for the next stage of their education. As a result, children achieve and progress well towards the early learning goals. Children's individual interests and learning are observed and carefully noted in their individual portfolios. These observations are used effectively to support those children who need extra help and to develop their confidence. They are not used so effectively in challenging the more able children to move on to the next step of their learning. Children's personal development and well-being are good. Children are very happy and keen to discover more about the world around them. Children quickly become independent and confident learners and they work and play together very well. Many children show mature attitudes for their age. The school has tackled the issues from the last inspection effectively. The school's good record of improvement shows that its capacity to improve further is good.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Challenge the more able children, in order to move them on to the next step in their learning.

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Grade: 2

Children achieve well, including those with English as an additional language and those with disabilities or learning difficulties. Most children settle quickly and make a very good start to school life, becoming competent learners who thrive in their academic and personal development. This grounding provides the springboard for success. Consequently, children achieve well and reach at least expected levels in all areas of learning. This is because of good quality teaching which promotes basic skills well, along with an interesting practical curriculum. A number of children exceed expectations in their personal, social and emotional development, numeracy and their knowledge 2 Inspection Report: Thomas Wall Nursery School, 18 °19 January 2007 and understanding of the world. There are a small number of more able children who, whilst very happy and content, are not sufficiently challenged in their learning.

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Grade: 2

Children's personal development and well- being are good. They make good progress in their personal development. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is also good. Children are very happy and keen to discover more about the world around them. This is helped by the interesting learning environment, both indoors and outside, that motivates and stimulates their curiosity. Children are very eager to come to nursery. They show a real interest in trying out new things; many are keen to share what they are discovering with others. Children quickly become independent and confident learners and they work and play together very well. They show mature attitudes for their age in choosing activities and trying out new experiences. This prepares them well for the next step in their education. Children make a positive contribution to the nursery community. They work safely, and are effectively encouraged to adopt a

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good. Teacher's very good knowledge of the early year's curriculum and of individual children's interests and abilities mean that children make good progress in their learning and achieve well. As one parent commented, 'the teaching is full of enthusiasm; each child is taught as an individual and feels valued.' This is because sessions and activities are well planned although more could be done to support the more able children. The emphasis on providing an interesting and stimulating curriculum means that children want to participate and are eager to try out new activities. Support staff work well with those children with learning difficulties and disabilities and with those who are new to learning English. Children genuinely enjoy learning because teachers encourage them to make their own independent choices. They are pleased with their achievements and eager to share their new

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good. Good knowledge of how young children learn ensures that staff plan and prepare activities which really motivate children to want to learn. A group were fascinated by the large blocks of frozen ice, and there were squeals of delight when they started to thaw and different animals could be seen inside them. Basic skills are taught well through encouragement and interesting, practical 'hands-on' 3 Inspection Report: Thomas Wall Nursery School, 18 °19 January 2007 activities. There is good use of information and communication technology through the use of interactive white boards used by the children themselves. The staff have recently introduced 'sustained thinking' into their planning but it is too soon to see the impact of this yet. Children with learning difficulties and disabilities and those who are new to learning English are fully catered for in the nursery. The curriculum

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Grade: 2

for the children in the communications unit is very good and specifically adapted to meet their individual needs.

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Grade: 2

The care, guidance and support provided for pupils is good. The care and support for the children is particularly effective. Children receive a positive start to their school life because the staff have a high commitment to meeting the needs of all children. Child protection procedures are fully in place and are understood and followed by staff. Risk assessments for school visits and procedures for monitoring the health and safety of the children are robust. Good links with other agencies ensures that children with physical and learning difficulties and English as an additional language are well supported in meeting their individual needs. Parents of children in the communications unit are particularly pleased with the support which they receive. One mother commented, 'I feel that they listen to the parents. I found the parent support programme very helpful'. The academic guidance is satisfactory overall. Children's progress is tracked carefully

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Grade: 2

through their individual portfolios to highlight their achievements. However, adults do not always make sufficient use of the information to move individual children's learning forward for example, in challenging the more able children.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. There is a strong sense of team work throughout the nursery and particularly within the communications unit. The interim headteacher, in the very short space of time since joining the nursery, has clearly recognised its strengths and areas for development. Good procedures for the day-to-day management ensure that things run smoothly. The governing body is very supportive and are clear in their understanding of the strengths and areas for development for the nursery. They have been a driving force in the formation of the Federation between the nursery and the adjoining infant school in order to serve the best needs and interests of the children. 4 Inspection Report: Thomas Wall Nursery School, 18 °19 January 2007 .

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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. 5 Inspection Report: Thomas Wall Nursery School, 18 °19 January 2007

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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? 2 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 2 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?

2 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. 6 Inspection Report: Thomas Wall Nursery School, 18 °19 January 2007

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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? 7 Inspection Report: Thomas Wall Nursery School, 18 °19 January 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

It was lovely to meet you and to spend time with some of you when I came to visit your nursery. I enjoyed playing with the play dough and joining you outside. Thomas Wall nursery is a good nursery. There are lots of things which you do well; • You are very happy at your nursery. • You like learning lots of interesting new things, and you are eager to try new things. • Some of you are very grown up and show that you can do many things without the help of a grown-up. • Your teachers plan good activities for you and help you to make good progress in your learning. • You are looked after very well. • There are lots of exciting and interesting things for you to do. In order to make your nursery even better; • I have asked the teachers to help those of you who find things easy, to give you harder things to do to help you get ready to move into reception. Best wishes Sue ValeLead inspector 8 Inspection Report: Thomas Wall Nursery School, 18 °19 January 2007

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