Osborne Nursery School

Osborne Nursery School Inspection report

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103145 Unique Reference Number Birmingham Local Authority 286573 Inspection number 23 May 2007 Inspection date Joyce Cox 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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Nursery Type of school Maintained School category 3 °4 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 60 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Alan Tike Chair Jane Taylor Headteacher 11 June 2001 Date of previous school inspection Station Road School address Erdington Birmingham B23 6UB

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0121 675 1123 Telephone number 0121 675 6410 Fax number

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3 °4 Age group 23 May 2007 Inspection date 286573 Inspection number .

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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

Osborne Nursery welcomes children from three to four years old. Half of the children attend full time whilst others attend either morning or afternoon sessions. Attainment on admission is below the expected levels for children of this age and a significant proportion have weak communication skills. Just under half of the children come from minority ethic backgrounds, with a very small number who are at an early stage of learning English. An above average number of children have learning difficulties or disabilities. The Nursery is shortly to become a Children's Centre and works very closely with a number of local agencies and schools to provide additional support for children and their families. The Nursery has secured many awards for its work, including a Basic Skills Quality Mark and the Birmingham Quality Framework Gold Award.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 10 Inspection Report: Osborne Nursery School, 23 May 2007

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Grade: 2

This is a good nursery with outstanding features where children of all abilities and backgrounds succeed and thrive. One parent, summing up the views of many, wrote, 'This is an outstanding place with friendly and approachable staff.' Staff are very skilled in giving care and encouragement and this ensures that children's achievement is good in all areas of learning. Children make exceptional progress in their personal, social and emotional development and are well equipped for their future education. It is evident from the moment the children, parents and carers enter the Nursery, where they are warmly met with a smile every day by the staff, that this is a bright, safe, and lively place where learning is fun. Staff sensitively encourage all children to become confident and happy learners, prepared to try out new experiences and activities. By the time they leave the Nursery, children are working at the levels which are set for their age. A rich and varied curriculum

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Grade: 2

indoors and outdoors, combined with good teaching, provides constant enjoyment, excitement and adventure. All children's individual learning needs are identified and met because the quality of assessment is excellent. Consequently, provision for the above average number of children with learning difficulties and disabilities is outstanding, enabling them to access all activities and achieve extremely well. Adults have excellent relationships with each other and the children and inspire confidence and success. The children's behaviour and attitudes are exemplary and contribute much to their good achievement. The headteacher and deputy headteacher provide excellent leadership and management, sharing a passionate determination to provide high quality education for all children. This is reflected in the skilful ways in which the school has successfully evaluated and refined its work over the years. However, some subject leaders are new to the Nursery and their roles, and are not fully

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Grade: 2

involved in raising achievement in their areas of learning. The school is currently in the early stages of developing more effective ways to support children's learning when they select their own activities, but some staff need more help with this. Since the last inspection, the school has improved its tracking of children's progress and has raised standards in language and mathematics. There is clear evidence of a good capacity to build on the school's many strengths as it embarks upon becoming a Children's Centre. Governors provide good support to the school and are increasingly involved in evaluating its work. The Nursery works exceptionally well with other agencies. It has also established excellent relationships with parents, who express complete confidence in the staff and the outstanding care, guidance and support they provide.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Help staff to find the best ways to support children's learning when they pursue their own activities. • Develop the role of subject leaders so that they are fully involved in raising standards and achievement in their areas of learning.

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Grade: 2

Children's attainment meets the expected levels for their age by the time they leave Nursery. Their achievement is good and they are well prepared for their Reception classes. Children with 4 of 10 Inspection Report: Osborne Nursery School, 23 May 2007 learning difficulties and disabilities make excellent progress because of sensitive, loving support and the exciting practical activities and resources, such as the enticing sensory room, that capture their interest. Those children from minority ethnic backgrounds and the few children who speak English as an additional language achieve well. Although some children's speech and language are relatively weak at first, the Nursery's good focus on this aspect ensures they progress well. The learning needs of more able children are also successfully met by carefully planned group work.

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Grade: 1

The children's well-being lies at the heart of all that the Nursery does. Consequently, children develop extremely positive attitudes to learning because the adults make it so enjoyable and exciting for them. Children are friendly towards each other and mix well together. This is a happy, interesting and exciting Nursery where children gradually become confident enough to work independently and learn to take turns and share resources. They remain busy throughout sessions, persevering with tasks. They respond positively to encouragement and praise, which spur them on to try even harder. Excellent relationships, friendships and behaviour ensure the Nursery is a great place to be. These features mean that children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. Children enjoy eating healthy fruit snacks and have free access to drinks of water and know that 'exercise is good for your body'. They have an excellent

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Grade: 1

involvement in their learning through reviewing their special books (Records of Achievement) with an adult. They learn to contribute to the community by being helpers and happily raise money for others, for example by doing a sponsored 'pedal push'. Most children attend regularly and know how to keep themselves safe by sticking to the rules, such as those about sharing toys and respecting other children's space when playing outdoors. The skills children learn and the independence they develop prepare them well for later life.

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Grade: 2

Teachers, teaching assistants and nursery nurses work very well as a team and have a good understanding of how young children learn. They carefully plan activities for the children that take account of their age, abilities and interests. Consequently, children enjoy their time at school very much. Staff manage children well and take every opportunity to encourage children to communicate in each area of learning, insisting on spoken language rather than pointing and gestures. Children are encouraged to make choices and work together and this effectively supports their personal development. A current focus within teaching and learning is on improving the ways staff support and record achievement when children are engaged in their own selected activities. Some staff need further help with this work.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is varied and rich and is based on a good understanding of the learning needs of young children. Children with learning difficulties and disabilities enjoy and benefit from all the activities provided because of the excellent support both they and their families receive. The stimulating and attractive environment both inside and outside is used well to enrich 5 of 10 Inspection Report: Osborne Nursery School, 23 May 2007 children's play and enhance their learning. Children find learning fun because practical activities, such as growing tomatoes, not only captivate them but also help them to become independent in their learning. Good use is made of visits and visitors to extend and enrich children's learning. For some staff, information and communication technology (ICT) is an area of relative weakness, but support is helping them becoming increasingly confident at using ICT in the classroom.

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Grade: 1

Parents are delighted with the outstanding care, guidance and support provided. One parent wrote, 'My son had problems taking turns but the staff worked hard with him and he soon learnt that he can't always be first.' Staff excel at supporting and encouraging all children and this particularly helps those with learning difficulties and disabilities. Several parents echoed the comment of one who wrote 'The total inclusion of children with special needs is invaluable in helping other children realise that although some children have extra needs they are equally important.' Excellent links with outside agencies mean that staff can quickly obtain resources and guidance when necessary. Staff make excellent use of the comprehensive assessment system to guide children on the next steps in their learning. They are vigilant in tracking children's progress and extremely knowledgeable about all aspects of child protection and

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Grade: 1

safety issues. There are excellent opportunities for parents to be involved in family learning and parents' classes provide an invaluable link between home and school.

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Grade: 2

The school has a long track record of maintaining a good quality of education and providing outstanding levels of care. Senior leaders successfully share their good practice and expertise with other local schools and agencies. Evaluation of the school's work is perceptive and self-critical; it leaves no room for complacency. For example, the previous inspection report identified the need to raise children's attainment in language and mathematics. Senior leaders tackled this by first assessing children's well-being on entry to identify potential underachievers and then introducing highly effective measures to strengthen children's attitudes and dispositions to learning. Subsequently, standards rose. The headteacher and deputy headteacher have successfully created a vibrant, happy ethos, which is reflected in the interesting curriculum and stimulating teaching. As a result, children of all abilities and backgrounds achieve well.

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Grade: 2

Recent difficulties with retaining and recruiting staff mean that some subject leaders are new to the school but they are well supported by senior staff in leading their areas of learning. Governors offer good support and are increasingly adept at assessing the school's work and monitoring its initiatives. 6 of 10 Inspection Report: Osborne Nursery School, 23 May 2007 .

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Grade: 2

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 7 of 10 Inspection Report: Osborne Nursery School, 23 May 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? 3 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 1 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1 The behaviour of learners 2 The attendance of learners 1 How well learners enjoy their education 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 1 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. 8 of 10 Inspection Report: Osborne Nursery School, 23 May 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? 9 of 10 Inspection Report: Osborne Nursery School, 23 May 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

24 May 2007 Dear Children, Inspection of Osborne Nursery School, Birmingham, B23 6UB I enjoyed my visit to your Nursery very much. I really enjoyed watching some of the exciting things you do indoors and outdoors. Your mums and dads think that you go to a good nursery and I agree with them. There are lots of great things about your Nursery: • You are good at working hard, helping each other and listening to your teachers, and do well in all your lessons. • The staff care about you very much. They are good teachers and make learning really interesting and fun, giving you many exciting things to do. • Your headteacher and deputy headteacher are very clever at running the school and make sure you all have a good time and do well. • Anybody who needs extra help is always given it. • You love learning new things and are very good at sharing, taking turns, talking and being kind to each other. The staff have lots of ideas to make the Nursery even better. One of the best is for teachers

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

to show each other good ways to help you learn when you choose your own activities. It would also be good if all staff could help the headteacher more to make sure you all learn as much as you possibly can in all lessons. It was good to see that you are all so happy at Nursery and doing so well. I wish you all the very best for the future. Joyce Cox Lead inspector 10 of 10 Inspection Report: Osborne Nursery School, 23 May 2007

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