Harrington Nursery School

Harrington Nursery School Inspection report

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112474 Unique Reference Number City of Derby Local Authority 310897 Inspection number 26 °27 June 2008 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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Nursery Type of school Community School category 3 °4 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 79 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Jeevan Bubber Chair Mrs Sherida Morgan Headteacher 28 February 2005 Date of previous school inspection Harrington Street School address Peartree Derby Derbyshire DE23 8PE 01332769821 Telephone number Fax number

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3-4 Age group 26 °27 June 2008 Inspection dates 310897 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

This is an average-sized nursery school in inner city Derby. The catchment includes an area of considerable social and economic deprivation. In partnership with the local infant and junior schools, the nursery is designated as a full service extended school, including a Children's Centre. A very high number of children are entitled to free school meals. A high number enter and leave the nursery other than at the usual times and include families of asylum seekers, refugees, economic migrants and a high number of children who are vulnerable. There is a wide ethnic mix with a very high percentage speaking English as an additional language, the main first languages being Urdu, Punjabi and Hindi. Fourteen other languages are spoken and numbers of children originating from Eastern Europe are rising. A very high proportion of children have a learning difficulty and/or a disability, including statements of special educational

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Description of the school

need. Attainment on entry to the nursery is well below the level expected. The nursery has achieved the Healthy Schools Award, English Nature Schools Award, a Stop the Rot Award and a European Funding Award.

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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: Harrington Nursery School, 26 °27 June 2008

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Grade: 2

This is a good school with some outstanding features and some areas for further development. It was considered a satisfactory school at the time of the last inspection and it has flourished and developed since then, giving confidence that it has a good capacity to continue to improve. The school's success arises from the outstanding leadership of the headteacher, supported by a strong and committed governing body and a hardworking staff team, who take excellent care to meet the personal, social, emotional and academic needs of children. Everyone goes the extra mile to achieve their stated aim that all children 'sparkle'. This means that 'star potentials are reached in a kind, lively learning environment'. As a result, children become well rounded individuals and make good progress in their knowledge and skills. Children who find learning more difficult get excellent support so that they make outstanding progress. This includes

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Grade: 2

those who are vulnerable, begin with considerable barriers to learning and those who are in the early stages of learning English. Because children are encouraged to express their opinions, become independent and accept responsibility, they grow in confidence and make exceptional progress. By the time they leave the Nursery, their personal skills are outstanding, equipping them well for the next stage of their education and the choices they will have to make about their lives. Teaching and learning are good because teachers, who are excellent role models for children, conscientiously plan lessons using their good subject knowledge to interest children and involve them in taking their learning forward. These lessons are based on a good curriculum that provides stimulating, enjoyable and lively play activities that develop very positive attitudes to learning. School leaders are aware of the need to ensure that the best features of these

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Grade: 2

lessons are consistently applied in order to quicken further the progress that all children make. Leadership and management are good because the head teacher knows the school well and is tenacious in her efforts to make it even better. She recognises that not all leaders are yet playing their full part in making sure that improvement takes place as quickly as possible. A considerable strength is the way leaders and staff nurture partnerships with parents and the wider community, extending services and providing opportunities that enable everyone to be involved in school life, whatever their backgrounds. This helps to ensure the strong and positive family atmosphere that prevails throughout the nursery and in which children and their parents feel safe and confident to make the most of these opportunities. One parent wrote 'Harrington Nursery have from the very beginning catered for my daughter and have shown much care and

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Grade: 2

consideration for her and have also supported us as a family. The staff have helped to develop her enquiring mind and have nurtured her in their care. I know she will be very sad to leave!'

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Grade: 2

As this is a Nursery School, the Effectiveness of the Foundation Stage is contained within the Overall Effectiveness of the School.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure that the quality of teaching consistently matches the high quality of the best seen.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure that all leaders are playing their full part in quickening further the pace of school improvement. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Harrington Nursery School, 26 °27 June 2008

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Grade: 2

Children achieve well over their time in nursery. When they start, they often have much lower levels of knowledge and skills than most children of their age. The school now has a proven record of ensuring that children make good progress in all areas of the Foundation Stage curriculum. In their personal development, they make remarkable progress to surpass the levels expected. When they leave the nursery, most children have begun to catch up well with other children of a similar age and they are certainly prepared well for future learning. Those who remain in the nursery for longer, catch up and sometimes surpass them. In English, an increasing number reach expected levels, with the exception of their ability to link sounds and letters and this remains a focus for the future. In mathematics, they are similarly successful, though their calculation skills remain lower than other areas. Children in the early stages of learning English

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Grade: 2

and those who find their learning more difficult, due to a range of often considerable barriers, are supported extremely well and often make exceptional progress.

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Grade: 1

Immediately on stepping into the Nursery, children's happiness and enjoyment is absolutely clear and reflected in their good levels of attendance. Their love of learning begins from the moment they start at the Nursery because it is extremely well promoted by all adults, as is their outstanding spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Care is taken to help children think positively about themselves and others and as a result, children show respect for themselves, adults and for each other. Their behaviour is outstanding. They learn to share, take turns, and cope well with their emotions. They develop an excellent sense of right and wrong. Early on, children develop independence and confidence to make choices, including about how to keep themselves and each other safe. Their understanding of how to eat healthily develops extremely well as a result of the school's emphasis on this with children and with their parents.

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Grade: 1

They thoroughly enjoy taking part in the many opportunities they are offered to be physically active. Consequently, they are prepared well for their lives in and out of school both now and in the future.

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Grade: 2

Teaching is good. Adults are good role models and promote positive relationships and outstanding behaviour. Most have high expectations of children so that they are attentive and respond quickly to instructions. Stimulating lessons are planned, based on accurate assessment, a good understanding of child development and the Early Years curriculum. Some teaching is outstanding. The best lessons are delivered in a lively style with key workers being active in ensuring all children remain engaged and challenged or knowing when to stand back and give time to explore ideas in depth. In these lessons, skilful questioning is used to encourage children to reflect, express their ideas and extend their thinking and speaking skills. Key workers demonstrate an excellent understanding that children learn in different ways at different times, and are flexible in varying activities accordingly. Leaders are aware that these best features of

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Grade: 2

teaching and learning are not yet consistently applied. For example, learning proceeds at a 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Harrington Nursery School, 26 °27 June 2008 slower pace when adults talk too much or the focus is on the task rather than the intended learning outcome for the children.

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Grade: 2

Care is taken to ensure the curriculum includes an exciting range of well resourced activities which stimulate and develop children's learning and which are adapted to fit in with their differing needs and interests. Activities, either adult-led or based on play, ensure that all areas of learning are covered well. Indoor and outdoor activities, resources, visits out and visitors often inspire a sense of awe and wonder in the children and provide exciting and memorable ways for them to learn, often in ways that wouldn't otherwise be experienced. Topic themes allow the reinforcement of learning in different and meaningful ways. Music sessions, differentiated groups, and story times extend children's vocabulary, their personal and physical skills and promote a love of learning. The curriculum for personal, social and health education is particularly effective in promoting children's outstanding personal development. The use of

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Grade: 2

computer based learning is developing suitably. Leaders are looking forward to bringing more rigour to developing children's ability to link sounds and letters and to the developments that are planned to further improve the outdoor environment.

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Grade: 1

Collaborative work between agencies is important in ensuring the outstanding care, safeguarding and welfare of children at Harrington Nursery School. Adults take exceptional care to know children and their families very well and are extremely quick to respond to any worries. Great emphasis is placed on the development of the whole child, with staff working together most effectively to meet children's personal, social and emotional needs. Therefore, children separate well from their carers and settle in to nursery life quickly and happily. Those who may be at risk, those who find learning more difficult or have other barriers to learning are all extremely well cared for. Very well developed arrangements for outreach, including portage and a specialist key worker for English as an additional language, are particularly effective in this regard. Child protection and safeguarding arrangements are thorough. Because adults get to know children

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Grade: 1

so well, the next stages of learning are also well known to key workers, children and parents. Their progress is carefully tracked and action to address any difficulties is swift and effective.

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Grade: 2

The headteacher has a strong vision and gives clear strategic direction to the work of the school. Governors have a very clear understanding of the school's effectiveness, hold leaders to account for their work and get involved in practical ways to make sure that goals are reached. Self-evaluation is accurate and resources are plentiful and used well. Leadership of provision for children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those who are in the early stages of learning English is very strong. It results in the outstanding care they receive and the progress they make. Leaders recognise that there is still more work to be done to ensure that the quality of all teaching and learning is as good as the best in school and that all leaders and managers are equally effective in checking the effectiveness of the curriculum. Very positive and successful partnerships are pursued with great tenacity in order to enhance provision for children and

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Grade: 2

6 of 11 Inspection Report: Harrington Nursery School, 26 °27 June 2008 their families. School and community are rightly proud that after all their hard work, their additional community room has just opened. They are looking forward to extending further the school's work as an important centre for its community. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Harrington Nursery School, 26 °27 June 2008 .

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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: Harrington Nursery School, 26 °27 June 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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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 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 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 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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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: Harrington Nursery School, 26 °27 June 2008

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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 1 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: Harrington Nursery School, 26 °27 June 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

30 June 2008 Dear Children Inspection of Harrington Nursery School, Derby, DE23 8PE. Thank you for making me so welcome when I came to inspect your nursery recently. This letter is to tell you what I thought about it. I think you go to a good nursery school. There are some important things about your nursery that are outstanding. I saw you having so much fun and doing lots of exciting things. You are extremely well behaved and everyone gets on so very well together. I saw you all working and playing hard in classes, having lunch together quietly and playing and working well outside too. All the grown ups look after you so well that you become very nice people to spend time with indeed. They help you to do well with your learning too so that by the time you leave nursery you are prepared well for your next school. They work hard in partnership with others to greatly extend the services available to you and to your families.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Even though you already do well, I think there are things that can be done to help you do even better. Everyone at nursery is very keen to make it as good as it can be too. So, to make the nursery even better I have asked the headteacher and everyone else who leads the nursery to make sure that the teaching is always as good as the very best I saw. Also, that everyone plays their full part in helping the nursery to be as good as it can be by each doing all they can to check on its work and make sure the things put in place to make it even better are working as well as they can. I am sure Mrs Morgan and the other staff and governors will continue to work hard to make the school an exciting and interesting place for you and you can do your bit by continuing with your excellent behaviour and hard work and coming to nursery every day. Joanne Harvey Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Harrington Nursery School, 26 °27 June 2008

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