Boston Nursery School

Inspection Report The Boston Nursery School

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126564 Unique Reference Number LINCOLNSHIRE Local Authority 293589 Inspection number 15 °16 February 2007 Inspection dates Joanne Harvey 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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Church Road School address Nursery Type of school Boston Maintained School category Lincolnshire PE21 0LJ 3 °4 Age range of pupils 01205358647 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01205356741 Fax number 75 Number on roll (school) Mrs Kate Buckley Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Heather Steed Headteacher 7 May 2002 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 293589 15 °16 February 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 an Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

This is a smaller than average size school. It is situated in the docklands area of Boston but serves a wide area of the town, including areas of social and economic disadvantage. Children come to the nursery with much lower levels of knowledge, skills and understanding than most children of a similar age, and very often with exceptionally low levels of speech and language skills. There are an average number of children with learning difficulties or disabilities and currently no children have a statement of special educational need. Most children are White British, but there are a high number of children attending the nursery who are at the early stages of learning English as an additional language. The school has achieved a Basic Skills Quality Mark.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: The Boston Nursery School, 15 °16 February 2007

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Grade: 1

This is an outstanding and highly effective nursery school giving excellent value for money. It was considered to be an effective school at the time of the last inspection and it has continued to flourish and develop since then. The school's success arises from highly effective leadership from an outstanding headteacher, supported by committed governors and an able and hardworking staff team, who together ensure that the needs of children and their families are at the centre of all that they do. They really do achieve their stated aim to help children 'take GIANT steps into a world of wonder, imagination, knowledge and understanding.' Therefore, children thrive and become very well rounded individuals. As a result, their progress and achievement are extremely rapid, from very low starting points, they reach and some surpass the standards expected for their age. This is certainly a very happy and harmonious school. Because children are encouraged

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Grade: 1

to express their opinions and to accept increasing responsibilities, they grow in confidence and their personal development is outstanding. They are equipped well for the next stage of their education and the choices they will have to make about their lives. It is no surprise that parents are highly supportive of the school. One wrote: 'In my opinion they are wonderful with all of the children, encouraging them to be independent and confident yet giving support when needed. The staff really seem to care, and it shows. They deserve a tick and a gold star!' Teaching and learning are excellent because teachers have exceptional knowledge and understanding of how children learn. They carefully plan lessons which take children's learning forward from whatever level they have reached previously. They provide stimulating and enjoyable structured or play activities which fully involve children in their own learning, bring lessons alive and develop very positive attitudes. Children

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Grade: 1

who find learning difficult and those who are in the early stages of learning English get outstanding support so that they make excellent progress. The impact of leadership and management is outstanding because the headteacher employs rigorous procedures for checking the work of the school and focussing resources very carefully where they are needed most. She ensures a shared vision for the school and a commitment to continuous improvement from all staff and governors so that, good as the school is, there is no complacency. The school gathers and uses particularly high quality information about how well the children are doing in their personal and social development, their language and literacy skills and their mathematical understanding. Senior leaders do not have such a clear picture of children's progress in other areas of learning. The success the school has had in the past, and its determination to do even better,

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Grade: 1

mean that the capacity for sustained and further improvement is great.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Ensure senior leaders gather and use high quality information about how well children make progress in all areas of their learning. 2 Inspection Report: The Boston Nursery School, 15 °16 February 2007

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Grade: 1

Children achieve extremely well. When they start at the nursery, most children have much lower levels of knowledge, skills and understanding than is usual for their age. Aspects of their English skills are particularly low. The school has a proven track record of ensuring that children consistently make at least good and very often exceptional progress in all areas of the curriculum. Consequently, by the time they leave the nursery, many have caught up with other children of a similar age nationally, and some are doing even better than expected at this age. Children who are in the early stages of learning English as an additional language and those with learning difficulties or disabilities also make exceptional progress.

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Grade: 1

Personal development is outstanding. Children's happiness and enjoyment is in no doubt. When asked how they feel on the days they come to nursery one child said, 'When I wake up I smile.' This positive attitude begins from the moment they start at the nursery where freedom to learn is extremely well promoted, as is spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Care is taken to help children think positively about themselves, others in school and people from other cultures and as a result, children show respect for themselves and for others. They learn to share, take turns, and cope with their emotions, and they develop a good sense of right and wrong. Lunches are calm times when conversations flow. Early on, children develop independence and confidence to make choices, including about how to keep safe. This prepares them well for their lives in and out of school both now and in the future. Children develop

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Grade: 1

a good understanding of healthy lifestyles because of the school's keen promotion of healthy eating and physical activity. Attendance is effective, though ensuring all pupils attend regularly remains a high priority.

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Grade: 1

Teaching is outstanding. Very good relationships provide a supportive yet challenging environment for learning. Adults have high expectations of children so that they are attentive, rarely passive and respond quickly to instructions. Stimulating lessons contribute significantly to children's extremely good progress. Assessment information is used effectively to plan work that challenges pupils of all abilities. Teachers use their very good knowledge and understanding of how children learn to ensure a variety of tasks which motivate, encourage and include them all. This includes the improving use of computers to help learning. The children have so much fun they do not realise that adults' careful questioning challenges them to think and work really hard. Teaching 3 Inspection Report: The Boston Nursery School, 15 °16 February 2007 assistants contribute fully to planning and assessment across school. Everyone is

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Grade: 1

involved in the very effective support given to children who have additional learning needs. As a result these children make extremely good progress.

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Grade: 1

The curriculum is outstanding. Great care is taken to ensure a beguiling range of well resourced activities which simulate, promote and develop children's learning. The indoor and outdoor activities and resources inspire a sense of awe and wonder in the children. The range of activities, led by an adult or based on play, ensures that all areas of learning are covered well and learning is enriched in many ways. Circle and story times extend children's vocabulary and promote a real love of learning. Good use is made of the local environment and links with local business and public service partners. Visitors to the school, such as bell ringers, a jazz band and a tractor on loan, add creative and real life experiences. These activities help children discover their tastes and talents and develop important personal skills. All children have full access to a curriculum that stimulates them to learn.

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Grade: 1

Standards of care are outstanding. Staff get to know children and families very well and are extremely quick to respond to any worries. Great emphasis is placed on the personal, social and emotional development of each child. Therefore children separate well from their carers and settle in to nursery life very quickly. Children who have learning difficulties or disabilities and those who are in the early stages of learning English as an additional language are very well supported and do extremely well. Child protection and safeguarding arrangements are thorough. Teachers know exactly what the next stages of learning are and use assessment well to plan these at the right level for all children. Systems for measuring how well children are progressing have developed well since the last inspection, particularly in language and literacy, mathematics and personal, social and emotional development. They are not yet developed to the same

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Grade: 1

high standard in the other areas of learning.

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Grade: 1

Leadership and management are outstanding. There is a proven track record of maintaining standards whilst continuing to make improvements, giving every confidence that the school can develop still further from here. Teamwork is exemplary, as seen for example in the excellent and varied contribution made to the school as a whole by teaching assistants and the home visitor. The school's self-evaluation is developing well. Increasingly effective systems provide detailed information about how well all children are doing, particularly in language and literacy, mathematics and personal, social and emotional development. Information is not yet of such high quality for other 4 Inspection Report: The Boston Nursery School, 15 °16 February 2007 areas of learning. Resources are used extremely well and response to children's changing needs is quick. Governors have a clear understanding of the school and its development

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Grade: 1

and hold it accountable. The headteacher makes an outstanding contribution, particularly through her work to promote partnerships which greatly enhance provision for children and their families. These include The Children's Centre Network and The Boston Children and Families Partnerships. Parents take advantage of the many learning opportunities made available to them including Peers Early Education Partnership (PEEPS), 'Keeping up with the Children' and other family learning courses. 5 Inspection Report: The Boston Nursery School, 15 °16 February 2007 .

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Grade: 1

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: The Boston Nursery School, 15 °16 February 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 effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 1 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

1 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 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?

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: The Boston Nursery School, 15 °16 February 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? 8 Inspection Report: The Boston Nursery School, 15 °16 February 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

17 February 2007 Dear Children The Boston Nursery School, Church Road, Boston, Lincolnshire, PE1 0LJ Thank you for making me so welcome when I came to visit your nursery recently. This letter is to tell you what I thought about it. I think you are very lucky to go to such a wonderful nursery school. I saw you having so much fun and doing lots of exciting things. You are very well behaved and everyone gets on well together. I saw you all working and playing hard in classes, having lunch together quietly and sensibly and playing and working outside too. Because all the grown ups work very hard and look after you so well, you do very well with your learning and you become very nice people too! Everyone at nursery is very keen to make it as good as it can be. The adults know exactly how well you are doing in your language and literacy, mathematics and personal and social skills. To make the nursery even better I have asked them to check as carefully how well you are

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

learning in other areas too. I am sure Mrs Steed and the other staff will go on working hard to make the school an exciting and interesting place. You can do your bit by continuing with your excellent behaviour and hard work. Joanne Harvey Lead Inspector 9 Inspection Report: The Boston Nursery School, 15 °16 February 2007

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