St Werburghs Park Nursery School

St Werburghs Park Nursery School Inspection report

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108902 Unique Reference Number Bristol, City of Local Authority 309831 Inspection number 16 September 2008 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. The registered childcare, managed by the governing body, was inspected under section 49 of the Childcare Act 2006.

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Nursery Type of school Maintained School category 0–4 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 151 School (total) 39 Childcare provision for children aged 0 to 3 years The governing body Appropriate authority Claire Kendell-Muniesa / John Rogers Chair Elizabeth Jenkins Headteacher 18 April 2005 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Glenfrome Road School address St Werburghs Bristol BS2 9UX 01179 030323 Telephone number 01173772363 Fax number

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0–4 Age group 16 September 2008 Inspection date 309831 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. 2 of 9 Inspection Report: St Werburghs Park Nursery School, 16 September 2008

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors, who evaluated the overall effectiveness of the school and investigated the following issues: how the setting is raising the achievement of boys who speak English as an additional language, and the impact of the school's extended services on children and families and the local community. Evidence was gathered from: the school's self-evaluation; the school's assessment records; observation of the school at work; discussions with staff, parents and governors; analysis of parental questionnaires. Other aspects of the school's work were not investigated in detail, but the inspectors found no evidence to suggest that the school's own assessments, as given in its self-evaluation, are not justified. These have been included where appropriate in this report.

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Description of the school

Children come from a diverse range of cultures and backgrounds. A third of the children speak English as an additional language. The school runs breakfast, after-school and holiday clubs, two drop-in baby sessions, a drop-in 'Stay and Play', childminder drop-in and a variety of parent groups. The school is recognised locally and nationally as having outstanding, innovative early years practice and is currently being featured in the National Strategy Documents. The school offers a range of extended services through the development of the Children's Centre core offer. Partnerships are in place with the local playgroup, staff from the partner primary school and within the extended schools group in East Central Bristol. The school achieved Healthy Schools Status in March 2008, holds Investors In People Status, achieved the silver award for Eco Schools in August 2007, and had outstanding across every category in its July 2008 Ofsted Early Years Inspection. Children and staff have won second

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Description of the school

prize in the Bristol Schools' Allotment Competition for two years running and this year was awarded the Gold Medal for Bristol in Bloom School Gardens Competition and First Prize in the Allotment Competition

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 9 Inspection Report: St Werburghs Park Nursery School, 16 September 2008

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Grade: 1

This outstanding nursery and children's centre gives excellent value for money. The key reason for its many successes is that the headteacher is a superb leader who has the highest possible aspirations for herself, her staff and children. The headteacher and staff clearly value each child as being uniquely special. A sensitively planned induction programme means that all children have a very happy and successful start to their education. An outstanding partnership with parents and carers is swiftly established through home visits, detailed information and various parenting classes. Baby massage, and parent/carerand baby singing sessions are just two of the excellent opportunities available. Babies and toddlers in the 0-3 provision develop a strong sense of security through close and caring contact with key adults who spend time with them and their families and whom they get to know really well. The all-round development of the

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Grade: 1

youngest children is successfully promoted by activities specially planned or adapted to their needs. For example, balloons filled with water encourage their curiosity. They can choose what they want to play with, gradually developing longer periods of concentration as they use all their senses. Home learning packs provide fun for babies and children of all ages, and warm and welcoming staff ensure that the home/school bond is firmly established. Parents and carers feel they are valued and active partners because staff spend time with them to gather information about their children. One parent commented, 'Staff are great here, they really care about the children and always have time to listen to my problems too.' The school has maintained and built upon the significant strengths of its last inspection. The completion of attractive additional indoor space to provided stunning community rooms and the introduction of highly successfully language groups have been just two of the most

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Grade: 1

significant steps forward. Senior leaders are accurate in their self-evaluation and the capacity for future improvement is outstanding. All parents speak in glowing terms about the school's considerable achievements. One parent, wrote, 'The quality of care and education is excellent. The children's personal interests are communicated to the staff and used skilfully in planning and the excellent learning diaries give a very clear picture of children's development.' On entering the school, visitors are instantly struck by the exciting, stimulating and vibrant learning environment. Bright rooms filled with excellent displays convey the outstanding achievements of the children and the high expectations of staff. The children are excited about coming to school and love to learn new things. This is because relationships between staff, children and parents/carers are excellent and because a well-planned, stimulating and exciting

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Grade: 1

curriculum supports their learning really well. Children's personal development and well-being are excellent because adults skilfully help them to understand their feelings by talking through potential conflicts. They behave very well and children from many different backgrounds and cultures work and play in harmony. Children work very well with adults and independently. From a low entry point, especially in terms of their communication and literacy skills, children, including those who learn English as an additional language, reach close to the expected standards in all the areas of learning on entry to their Reception classes. As a result of excellent assessment and successful language groups, boys who have English as an additional language, who had been identified as not achieving as well as others, have made significant progress in all areas of their learning. Those who have learning difficulties and /or disabilities make excellent

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Grade: 1

progress relative to their starting points and capabilities. Staff sensitively and gently encourage all children to communicate in more than single words and gestures and use sign language if necessary. Many of the staff are bilingual and speak a wide variety of languages, often engaging 4 of 9 Inspection Report: St Werburghs Park Nursery School, 16 September 2008 with children in their first language to settle and reassure them. The outdoor learning area is used every day and there are excellent opportunities for all children to develop their physical skills; they love to dig up potatoes and harvest peas and beans in their award-winning allotment and ride bikes. However, there are currently fewer chances for children to develop some of the other areas of their learning in the outdoors. A key reason why children's achievement is so high is that the quality of teaching and learning is outstanding. Staff use detailed observations and excellent assessment data extremely well

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Grade: 1

to plan the next steps in each child's learning, play and development. Consequently, children can build on what they already know and make excellent progress in their learning and development. There are obvious strengths in the skilful way in which staff use exciting, colourful and often natural resources to make children's learning enjoyable and in their high expectations for children's work and behaviour. Senior leaders make excellent use of precise assessment information and learning diaries to catalogue and track children's achievements and to identify quickly any children in need of additional support. They ensure all children achieve exceptionally well and are successfully prepared for their next schools. The headteacher and her staff give top priority to promoting the welfare of all children. A systematic and rigorous approach to safeguarding protects children and reassures parents/carers. Adults are vigilant in enabling children to learn how to keep themselves safe. The setting is

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Grade: 1

exceptionally well equipped and secure and this safe and very supportive environment enables children to blossom and become very good learners. Good health and well-being are promoted very effectively, and necessary steps, such as closing a classroom during a sickness bug, are taken to prevent the spread of infection. Excellent links with a wide range of outside agencies provide very high levels of support for children and their parents/carers. Children are totally happy, secure and confident and parents say how much their children look forward to the start of each new day. All cultures and festivals are respected and celebrated. Much of the school's success is due to the dynamism and dedication of the headteacher and the deputy headteacher. They provide outstanding direction.The governing body have an excellent knowledge of the school's work. Rigorous and accurate evaluation of every aspect of the school's performance leads to considered and highly effective action. The setting's education

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Grade: 1

and care and its range of extended services are highly effective in meeting the needs of children and parents/carers. The school actively embraces and celebrates the multicultural community it serves. Everyone is treated with unconditional respect, and resources are carefully selected to reflect local families' different cultures. Consequently all community members have an increased understanding and tolerance of others' beliefs and values.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Enhance the outdoor learning environment so that children have the same opportunities to develop their skills outside as they have inside. 5 of 9 Inspection Report: St Werburghs Park Nursery School, 16 September 2008 .

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What the school should do to improve further

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 of 9 Inspection Report: St Werburghs Park Nursery School, 16 September 2008

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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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EYFS?

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? 1 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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Achievement and standards

1 How well do children in the EYFS 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/or disabilities make progress

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children?

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 The extent to which learners enjoy their education 2 The attendance of learners 1 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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The quality of provision

1 How effectively are children in the EYFS helped to learn and develop? 1 How effectively is the welfare of the children in the EYFS promoted? 7 of 9 Inspection Report: St Werburghs Park Nursery School, 16 September 2008

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Leadership and management

1 How effectively is provision in the EYFS led and managed? How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education 1 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 1 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 1 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 1 How well does the school contribute to community cohesion? 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 of 9 Inspection Report: St Werburghs Park Nursery School, 16 September 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

17 September 2008 Dear Children Inspection of St Werburgh's Park Nursery and Children's Centre, Bristol, BS2 9UX Thank you for the great day we spent with you. We really enjoying watching all the exciting things you do. We are so pleased to tell you that your school is fantastic, but you and your mums and dads know that already! These are some of the things that we thought were excellent:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You are very good at working hard, helping each other and listening to your teachers, and you do well in all your activities. ■ The grown-ups take really good care of you; they are brilliant teachers and make learning interesting and fun. ■ The people in charge are very clever at running the school and make sure you all have a really good time and do well. ■ Anybody who needs extra help with learning or speaking English is always given it.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You love learning new things and are very good at sharing nicely, taking turns, and being kind to each other. ■ Your teachers and your mums and dads work together very well.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

The headteacher and staff have many good ideas to make the school even better. We agree with their ideas and also think it would be good if they could make sure you are able to learn as much in your outdoor area as you can indoors. It was good to see that you are all so happy and doing so well and that your mums and dads think it is such a great place. We had a lovely day at your school and really enjoyed seeing you all. Joyce Cox Lead Inspector 9 of 9 Inspection Report: St Werburghs Park Nursery School, 16 September 2008

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