Pembury House Nursery School

Pembury House Nursery School Inspection report

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102071 Unique Reference Number Haringey Local Authority 307892 Inspection number 26 °27 September 2007 Inspection dates Margaret Goodchild 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 84 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs M Mansfield Chair Ms V Buckett Headteacher 21 January 2002 Date of previous school inspection Lansdowne Road School address Tottenham London N17 9XE 020 8801 9914 Telephone number 020 8885 3714 Fax number

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3-4 Age group 26 °27 September 2007 Inspection dates 307892 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 an Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

Pembury House Nursery School became a children's centre in September 2005 to provide extended services for families in Tottenham Hale. The nursery falls within the five per cent of most deprived wards in the country with high levels of unemployment. The vast majority of the children are of minority ethnic heritage and nearly half are learning English as an additional language. The largest minority ethnic groups are of Somalian, Black Caribbean, Turkish and Polish origin. A small number of children have learning difficulties and disabilities. Attainment on entry is broader than it was at the time of the last inspection but it remains a little below average. As part of a children's centre, the nursery works closely with a number of partner agencies. Pembury House is the 'Lead Children's Centre' in the 'Children's Network Cluster' and has additional responsibilities to support newly designated children's centres in neighbouring

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Description of the school

wards, for which the head of centre is currently seconded to the local authority for two days a week. Childcare provision for children under-three and out-of-school-care for children up to the age of eight, which are also part of the work of Pembury House Nursery and Children's Centre, were inspected by the Childcare Inspectorate (CCI) in 2005.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: Pembury House Nursery School, 26 °27 September 2007

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Grade: 2

This is a good nursery school with a number of outstanding features. Its work is highly appreciated by parents, who are very grateful that their children are having 'such an overwhelmingly positive start to their education'. The staff care for the children exceptionally well and the nursery gives them a wonderful start in their personal development. It helps them to acquire a strong sense of their own identity as well as learning to show concern for others and to play safely together. It does a great deal to foster their curiosity and sense of wonder and, as a result, the children are happy and confident. It is clear that they enjoy their time in the nursery very much. Children achieve well overall and they are likely to reach, and in some areas exceed, national expectations by the end of the Foundation Stage. Their achievement is outstanding in personal, social and emotional development, physical development and creative development. It is good

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Grade: 2

in communication, language and literacy, mathematical development and knowledge and understanding of the world. Teaching and the curriculum are both good overall with some outstanding features but with one or two things that are not quite as good as they could be. The nursery is best at promoting children's personal, physical and creative development. Staff are good at supporting children's language and communication skills, their mathematical skills and their knowledge about the world around them. However, there are fewer opportunities than there should be for children to begin to find out about sounds and letters and, for those who are ready, to develop their early writing skills. Challenging activities that develop investigative and problem-solving skills in more able children, through mathematics and finding out about the world, do not take place as frequently as they should. In all other ways, the staff do everything they possibly can to

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Grade: 2

encourage the children to do their best and to become receptive and enthusiastic learners. The nursery is led and managed well by a team of highly dedicated staff. The head of centre provides very clear direction to the work of the nursery and the children's centre as a whole. Managers continuously work to make the nursery even better and the commitment to provide ever richer experiences for the children is very strong. However, senior managers do not match information about what children can do when they begin and end their time in the nursery with national information about what is expected of this age group. This makes it difficult for them to be clear about how effective the nursery is in different areas of learning or how much progress children are really making. The nursery has made good improvement since the last inspection and its designation as a children's centre has led to significant increase in the range of services

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Grade: 2

it provides for families. This aspect of its work, together with its partnership with parents, is outstanding. The nursery is well placed to improve further and gives good value for money.

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Grade: 2

As a nursery school, the Foundation Stage is completely covered by the Overall Effectiveness section. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Pembury House Nursery School, 26 °27 September 2007

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure that all staff know how to introduce children to letters and sounds, to encourage their early writing skills and how to challenge the most able in mathematical development and knowledge and understanding of the world. ■ Record children's attainment on entry and exit, in relation to 'development matters' from national guidance for the Foundation Stage, and use the resulting information to monitor the nursery's effectiveness.

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Grade: 2

In communication, language and literacy, mathematical development and in knowledge and understanding of the world, children are likely to meet national expectations by the end of the Foundation Stage. In personal, social and emotional development, physical development and creative development, they gain a wealth of skills and are likely to exceed expectations. Children readily communicate with adults and one another, and those acquiring English as an additional language make good progress. Children enjoy books and stories and some are beginning to make marks for a purpose, for instance to represent their name. However, their progress in developing early writing skills and in using phonics to help them to match letters and sounds is not as good as it is in other areas. Children are acquiring a good range of skills in mathematical development, where improvement has been good since the last inspection, and in knowledge

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Grade: 2

and understanding of the world. Nevertheless, more able children are not regularly challenged as much as they should be in developing skills of investigation and problem solving, including through the use of computers. There are, otherwise, no significant differences in the achievement of different groups of children, including those of minority ethnic heritage.

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Grade: 1

Personal development and well-being are outstanding and parents say that their children are happy and excited about the time they spend in the nursery. Children apply themselves and try hard in response to the opportunities provided. Behaviour is good and children learn and play harmoniously together regardless of their diverse backgrounds. They work with great absorption and care, especially in activities that promote their creative and physical development. This was especially evident when they were combining paper and fabric fragments with buttons to form a collage or concentrating to shoot a basketball through the net. Photographs of children engaged in the 'installations' project show faces filled with rapture and, when they have made something, they show pride and a sense of ownership. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. Children's emerging understanding of healthy lifestyles

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Grade: 1

is outstanding, supported by daily involvement in challenging physical activity. Children make an outstanding contribution to the nursery as much by their spontaneity and enthusiasm as by helping with tidying up and sharing their ideas. Attendance is satisfactory overall: those who attend full time do so regularly but this is not the case for a few of those who attend part time. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Pembury House Nursery School, 26 °27 September 2007

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Grade: 2

Sessions are planned well overall to provide a hive of productive activity and nursery practitioners are generally clear about what is expected of them. All the staff are highly skilled in promoting children's personal, social and emotional development and relationships between children and adults are outstanding. Staff manage children's behaviour well and are skilled in teaching them how to play harmoniously and to find ways of resolving conflicts. As a result, the nursery is a calm and orderly, yet lively and exciting place. In creative development, the staff ensure that children make continuous choices and decisions in response to varied resources. Expectations are generally very high and teamwork is strong. However, staff are less skilled in promoting children's development in literacy or that of more able children in mathematical development and knowledge and understanding of the world than they are in the other areas of learning.

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Grade: 2

Good systems are in place for assessing children's interests, recording the details of their development in each area of learning and for setting individual targets. The involvement of parents at every stage in this process is exemplary.

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Grade: 2

A good range of adult-led and child-initiated activities is provided in each session. The outdoor area makes a strong contribution to children's development and the open-plan accommodation is used imaginatively, divided into separate areas representing the six areas of learning. This provides children with good opportunities to work alone or with others and they have ready access to a wide range of resources to stimulate their development. The curriculum is enriched by exceptionally good use of visiting specialists. In one project, children worked with an artist-in-residence and used threading, weaving and wrapping techniques to combine materials for a dramatic largescale 'installation' in the outdoor area. In another, they worked with a performing artist where spontaneous sounds were used to stimulate mark making. The outdoor area provides a wealth of different climbing and balancing opportunities and an area is set

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Grade: 2

aside for basketball, with a proper net. In addition, children have daily access to wheeled toys and a good range of small world, moulding and construction materials. Opportunities to develop their communication, language and literacy, mathematical development and knowledge and understanding of the world are good overall. Children learning English as an additional language and those with learning difficulties and disabilities are supported well. Those who are most able are extended well in some areas but activities do not always provide them with as much challenge as they should.

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Grade: 1

Being part of a children's centre, there is a strong link between the quality of care and the nursery's partnership with parents: both are outstanding. Parents say that they are delighted with the 'exemplary care' and appreciate particularly the way the key workers 'demonstrate deep individual knowledge' of their children. All the staff show a deep sensitivity to children's feelings and place great emphasis on supporting and tracking their individual development. Procedures for safeguarding and protecting children are very thorough, and the nursery has good systems for promoting children's attendance. In its efforts to counter disadvantage 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Pembury House Nursery School, 26 °27 September 2007 amongst local families, Pembury House works closely with a large number of other agencies as well as employing its own staff to co-ordinate work with parents and the community. It provides

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Grade: 1

an excellent range of services, including family and toddler groups, health visitor and ante-natal clinics, crand;egrave;ches, a book and toy library, parenting workshops, job clubs, adult education, English language classes and advice on a range of social issues. This support to families contributes a great deal to children's achievement and well-being.

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Grade: 2

The head of centre provides very clear strategic direction for the nursery within the broader context of its work as a children's centre supporting a number of other developing centres. She is supported very well by the deputy head and senior teacher and receives good support from other staff with management responsibilities. Responsibilities are clearly allocated and senior managers are accurate in their evaluation of the nursery's overall effectiveness. Staff morale is high and this has enabled them to cope with a great deal of change since the last inspection. Staff at all levels reflect continuously on what is working well and what could be improved. The work of all the practitioners in the nursery is monitored effectively and there are comprehensive systems for checking children's progress against their individual targets. However, as at the time of the last inspection, the nursery does not keep a record of children's

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Grade: 2

attainment on entry and exit, matched to national guidance. This leaves an important gap in its self-evaluation. Many staff are deepening their skills through following accredited courses but managers have, rightly, identified the need to include all staff in formal performance management to link training more closely to development priorities. Governance is good. The governing body has been strengthened since the last inspection, governors bring valuable expertise to the nursery's work and they are closely involved in the strategic development of the children's centre. They do not, however, have good enough systems in place for collecting information for themselves about the nursery's work. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Pembury House Nursery School, 26 °27 September 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. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Pembury House Nursery School, 26 °27 September 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? Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 2 The effectiveness of the Foundation Stage 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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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?

1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 How well learners enjoy their education 3 The attendance of learners 2 The behaviour of learners 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. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Pembury House Nursery School, 26 °27 September 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 2 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 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? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Pembury House Nursery School, 26 °27 September 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

9 October 2007 Dear Children Inspection of Pembury House Nursery School,London,N17 9XE I really enjoyed my visit to your nursery to see all the lovely things you do there. Now I am writing to let you know what I found out about it. You are lucky to go to such a good nursery. Many of your mums and dads wrote to tell me how pleased they are with it and I am not surprised. It made me happy to see how much you enjoy all the exciting activities and how well you get on with each other. The nursery is helping you to be confident and to know that you matter. I especially liked seeing the pictures of 'the installation', where you tied and wove all sorts of interesting things together. I could see how much you loved doing it and how hard you tried. You are doing really well with learning to climb and balance on the apparatus outside, and finding out a lot of other new things indoors too. As the nursery is part of a children's centre, it also provides fantastic help to your families

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

and this helps you very much. The head of centre and the other people who work at the nursery want to make it even better for you. I have asked them to make sure that:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ you find out about letters and sounds and, once you are ready, have more chance to learn to write ■ those of you who have been going to the nursery for longer or who are learning quickly have more difficult work to do in mathematics and in finding out about the world ■ they improve the way they check what you can do when you start at nursery and again before you leave to see how much progress you have made. Best wishes, Ms M Goodchild Lead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Pembury House Nursery School, 26 °27 September 2007

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