Hadfield Nursery SchoolOfsted inspection, 31 Oct 2007

Hadfield Nursery School Inspection report

p.1

112469 Unique Reference Number DERBYSHIRE LA Local Authority 310895 Inspection number 31 October 2007 Inspection date Jane Melbourne HMI Reporting inspector

p.1

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.1

Nursery Type of school Community School category 3 °4 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 99 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mr David Wilcox Chair Mrs Kathleen Beswick Headteacher 29 November 2004 Date of previous school inspection Queen Street School address Hadfield Glossop Derbyshire SK13 2DW 01457 852297 Telephone number 01457 852297 Fax number

p.1

3-4 Age group 31 October 2007 Inspection date 310895 Inspection number .

p.1

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

Introduction

The inspection was carried out by one of Her Majesty's Inspectors (HMI).

p.3

Description of the school

Hadfield Nursery School serves the town of Hadfield and the surrounding villages. There is a diverse range of families using the nursery. Most children are of white European backgrounds. There are currently three children who speak English as an additional language and a small number of children who have been identified as having learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Children are admitted at the start of the term following their third birthday. They attend either morning or afternoon sessions, with an option of taking up a preschool or after school session or a lunchtime place. Attainment on entry is around the expectation for their age and stage of development. The school recently received the Basic Skills Quality Mark and has achieved Health Promoting Schools status.

p.3

Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 9 Inspection Report: Hadfield Nursery School, 31 October 2007

p.3

Grade: 1

This is an outstanding school, which serves the local community extremely well. Parents speak very favourably of it and know that their children are safe while they are there. The school has continued to make excellent progress since the previous inspection, which found all aspects to be very good. All staff have a very clear understanding of how children learn in the Foundation Stage. They are committed to do the best for the children in their care and to make sure they deliver an exciting curriculum in a caring and stimulating environment. Staff make learning enjoyable by ensuring that there is a broad range of activities that suit children's interests and that children can mostly work on independently. If something, such as the jungle role-play area, particularly captures their imagination, then the staff extend its use to maximise learning from it. The opportunities for inside and outdoor learning ensure that many different learning

p.4

Grade: 1

preferences are addressed and that equal opportunities for all children are covered very effectively and innovatively. Children have ample time to complete things to their satisfaction. They are confident in less familiar situations and are prepared to have a go, even if they do not succeed first time. There is a very effective key worker system in operation. Key workers plan for and deliver adult led sessions, which are tailored to the needs of their group. They are also responsible for monitoring the progress of their group by making timely observations and continually assessing individual needs. Staff are knowledgeable of each child's next steps and prepare effectively for this. All pupils make outstanding progress through a combination of excellent teaching, delivered by highly skilled practitioners who know the children exceptionally well. The programme is tailored constantly to individual needs. Favourable staffing ratios and

p.4

Grade: 1

close links with outside agencies allow for a high level of support for each child as and when needed. Support assistants and volunteers who are skilled in particularly supporting the younger and less independent children, or those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities complement this. As soon as the children enter the school, they immediately settle to what is provided. The careful organisation of the sessions allows maximum time for their active participation. Because staff's expectations are high and the children's responses to the worthwhile activities are so well checked and assessed, rapid progress is achieved. By the time they go on to the next phase of their education, most children are already on course to achieve the early learning goals expected for the end of the Foundation Stage or are already exceeding them. They receive ongoing opportunities to develop their language for thinking and mathematical skills in everyday

p.4

Grade: 1

situations. They are allowed to solve problems by themselves or with others. Children make particularly good progress in their use of information and communication technology (ICT). This is evident in their confidence in using computers independently and in using cameras to make simple films. An exceptional feature is how the well-equipped outdoor provision enhances children's learning in all areas. In planned and spontaneous activities outside, children's enjoyment is high. All staff have successfully addressed the issue of raising boys' achievement, providing activities and reading material that appeal to them. Senior leaders have also worked hard to raise the staff's awareness of how to challenge those children who find things easy. The depth of questioning and opportunities for children to talk about their own ideas has raised the achievement of potential high attainers. The school's atmosphere is calm and purposeful. Children are clear about what is expected of

p.4

Grade: 1

them, so they behave and cooperate well. This is evident as children remind each other about boundaries set and as they share the play equipment. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural 4 of 9 Inspection Report: Hadfield Nursery School, 31 October 2007 development is outstanding. They clearly understand about right and wrong. The school has developed positive links with a school in Manchester to promote children's multicultural awareness further. The leadership and management of the school are also outstanding. The headteacher successfully motivates staff and has extremely high expectations. The teamwork is exceptional. Everyone gives of their best and subject areas are successfully led, ensuring that new ideas and initiatives are put into practice, so helping to sustain the cycle of continuous improvement. Governors are effective in their support of the school and know it well. They do not yet take a sufficiently

p.4

Grade: 1

pro-active role in monitoring and evaluation in all areas. Monitoring by leading staff is becoming increasingly effective, although this is more thorough in some areas than others because of staff's multiple roles. The school is rigorous in it's analysis of it self and of pupil progress, although sometimes the timing of this comes a little too late in the school year to be of maximum use. The nursery has built very positive links with parents who benefit from sharing the responsibility of educating their children in some joint projects. Staff have worked hard to address children's transition into the nursery and onward to the next phase of their education. They have therefore developed systems of assessing children's progress that will be meaningful to the children's future teachers in Reception classes. Home visits are popular with families and enable staff to be more familiar with individual children before they enter the nursery. The

p.5

Grade: 1

impact of improvements in the past is considerable, which shows that self-evaluation is effective and staff and governors have correctly identified and prioritised what needed to be done. The school's capacity to make improvement is very high indeed.

p.5

What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure that governors are involved more fully in driving the monitoring and evaluation of all aspects, using information gained to raise standards even further. ■ Review the timing of whole school assessment to ensure that staff have ample time to further improve outcomes for children before the next stage of their education. 5 of 9 Inspection Report: Hadfield Nursery School, 31 October 2007 .

p.5

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: Hadfield Nursery School, 31 October 2007

p.6

Inspection judgements

School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

p.7

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? 1 The effectiveness of the Foundation Stage 1 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

p.7

Achievement and standards

1 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 1 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

p.7

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 2 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

p.7

and interests of learners?

1 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

p.7

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 of 9 Inspection Report: Hadfield Nursery School, 31 October 2007

p.7

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 1 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? 8 of 9 Inspection Report: Hadfield Nursery School, 31 October 2007

p.8

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

1 November 2007 Dear Children Inspection of Hadfield Nursery School, Hadfield, SK13 2DW Thank you for making me so welcome when I visited your nursery school a few days ago. I had a lovely time with you and can see why you enjoy the activities so much. It was good to talk to some of you while we ate lunch together. There were so many things that impressed me:

p.9

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You all want to come to nursery and get busy straight away

p.9

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your Mums and Dads make sure you read at home and check that you always change your book ■ You have lots of exciting things to do and many of you particularly like the outside area

p.9

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Excellent help is given to those of you that find things difficult

p.9

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ All the staff work really hard together to make sure you all learn as well as you can, so you are all doing very well indeed ■ You are safe at nursery and enjoy what you do.

p.9

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You are making especially good progress in using computers and cameras.

p.9

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

All of your teachers, led so well by Mrs Beswick, keep making things better all the time, so I know that your nursery will continue to get even better. Here are two things, which will help to make a difference:

p.9

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ The school governors need to help more with checking that everything is always as good as it can be in all areas. ■ Check how you are all doing a bit sooner in the school year so that your teachers have more time to help you if you need it before you go to your next school. You can help by making sure you always try hard. Yours sincerely, Jane Melbourne Her Majesty's Inspector 9 of 9 Inspection Report: Hadfield Nursery School, 31 October 2007

p.9