Collyhurst Nursery School

Collyhurst Nursery School Inspection report

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105385 Unique Reference Number Manchester Local Authority 324215 Inspection number 2–3 March 2009 Inspection dates Colin Smith 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 3–5 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 91 School (total) The governing body Appropriate authority Miss Alison Jones Chair Mrs Christine Rigby Headteacher 8 May 2006 Date of previous school inspection Teignmouth Avenue School address Collyhurst Manchester M40 7QD 0161 205 1744 Telephone number 0161 203 5831 Fax number

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3–5 Age group 2–3 March 2009 Inspection dates 324215 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 11 Inspection Report: Collyhurst Nursery School, 2–3 March 2009

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by one Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

Collyhurst Nursery is broadly average in size and caters for children aged three to five years. It serves a largely disadvantaged community that is part of the planned regeneration strategy for Manchester. The proportion of children eligible for free school meals is well above average and one third of the children require additional learning, language or emotional support. Most of the children are of White British heritage. A small number are from minority ethnic backgrounds, largely African or mixed heritage. A very small number speak English as an additional language. The Principal, deputy Principal and Early Years Foundation Stage leader have all been appointed within the past 18 months. The nursery is also registered to provide full day care for up to 68 children aged six months to three years of whom 44 may be under two years of age at any one time. It is open on weekdays from 08.00 to 18.00 all year round, except for one week during the Christmas holidays. All of

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Description of the school

the 16 day-care staff hold early years national vocational qualifications to level 2 or 3. The setting receives the support of Sure Start. This provision is registered on the Early Years Register and forms part of this inspection. The nursery and day-care unit is part of a children's centre, which provides a wide range of health and welfare services for the local community.

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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: Collyhurst Nursery School, 2–3 March 2009

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Grade: 2

The overall effectiveness and value for money provided by the nursery, pre-nursery groups and day-care provision are equally good. This is largely because the same demands and high expectations are made of all services. As new leaders were appointed, governors achieved their vision of a fully integrated and seamless service, within the children's centre. Consequently, new leaders of the main nursery, pre-nursery provision, advisory and outreach services now all work as a team, with a designated leader for each of the pre-nursery groups who is answerable to the overall Principal. The nursery is widely respected for the outstanding way that children's welfare is promoted. Members of staff in all parts of the nursery believe that children can only learn when they are happy and secure. To this end, children are exceptionally well cared for and safeguarded. When difficulties arise, highly effective links with parents and outside agencies ensure that problems

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Grade: 2

are resolved quickly and barriers are often removed completely. These factors are at the heart of children's outstanding personal development. Their behaviour, independence, enjoyment in learning, safety awareness, and respect and concern for others, are excellent. They are becoming good future citizens with a zest for learning. Good achievement starts in the younger children's groups and continues throughout the nursery. Despite their low starting points, the skills attained by the current older nursery children are typical for their age in most areas of learning, apart from their writing skills which are below expectations, particularly among boys. Improvements in children's mathematical development this year are a consequence of shared planning to ensure that activities are challenging and well matched to children's different learning needs. A combination of engaging and well-planned, indoor and outside activities and effective

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Grade: 2

teaching helps children to learn successfully. A good balance of activities chosen by children and led by adults helps children to acquire key literacy and numeracy skills and also become independent learners at the same time. A key strength of the nursery provision is the way children's learning is assessed. A new system of devising codes to represent children's different stages of development is proving highly effective in tracking their progress and planning the next steps. Some, but not all, of the teaching staff provide excellent models of how to question children to move their learning forward. Senior staff are working hard to share this good practice with all members of staff to ensure that children's speaking and reasoning skills are strongly developed on every occasion. Although all key leaders are new in post, the day-to-day operation of the nursery is smooth and efficient. Parents are consulted, involved and supported every step of the way. Not

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Grade: 2

surprisingly they hold the nursery in high regard and are unanimous in their praise for the 'welcoming atmosphere', the 'excellent feedback' and the 'high level of care provided.' The leaders have made a swift and accurate analysis of the work of the nursery and their self-evaluation matches the findings of the inspection in every area. Key leaders have valuable experience of advising schools. Their expectations and aspirations are now being applied to Collyhurst Nursery. Building on the nursery's former strengths, leaders are now providing a clear vision and pathway for the future. This gives the nursery its good capacity for further improvement. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Collyhurst Nursery School, 2–3 March 2009

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve children's writing skills, particularly those of boys.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure that children's speaking and reasoning skills are fully developed by every member of staff.

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Grade: 2

Many children enter the nursery school with knowledge and skills well below those expected for their age. Their good achievement in the pre-nursery groups prepares them well for the final year of their nursery education. Children make exceptionally good progress in their personal development and reach standards above those expected for their age. Their progress in communication and literacy is largely good, particularly in developing listening and early reading skills, which are often the focus of effective group activities. Their speaking and reasoning skills develop well in most instances, although not to the same degree in all. Children's writing skills are improving but are still below those expected for their age by the end of the nursery year. In particular, some of the boys lack the motivation to write and do not have the fine motor skills required. Children's attainment in numeracy, last year, was below that expected for their

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Grade: 2

age. Nursery staff have responded decisively by providing additional activities, carefully planned to match children's different learning needs. The strategy has worked. Children are now achieving well and the older four-year-olds are working securely within the mathematical levels expected. Children achieve well in their physical and creative development and in their knowledge and understanding of the world. Children receiving additional learning and language support are helped to make good progress.

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Grade: 1

Children's initial and lasting experiences of the nursery are of a warm, reassuring atmosphere in which their confidence blossoms. They are very safe and happy, and attendance is good. Children follow the 'golden rules' unquestioningly. They play together harmoniously, behave impeccably, respect and appreciate each other's cultural differences and show an impressive capacity to be self-sufficient in exploring and learning for themselves. This is a significant stride forward, given their almost total dependence on adults when they first enter the pre-nursery groups. Children are surrounded by a stimulating range of experiences, which arouses their curiosity and captures their imagination. Pleasure and wonder in learning are mirrored in their animated expressions, for example as they watch seeds grow or plunge their arms into the pink, frothy bubbles in the water tray. Communal snack times and exciting outdoor play ensure that

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Grade: 1

children appreciate the importance of good diet and exercise. They show great maturity in keeping safe, for example as they run, climb and whizz around the outdoor areas on cycles without any mishaps. Their growing sense of responsibility is evident in their energetic contributions to tidying up after activities. Their good achievement in literacy and numeracy, fascination for information and communication technology (ICT) and rapidly developing social skills ensure that firm foundations are laid to help secure their future economic well-being. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Collyhurst Nursery School, 2–3 March 2009

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Grade: 2

Good provision in the pre-nursery groups ensures that by the time they reach their final nursery year most children are in a strong position to pursue their interests, choose their own activities and satisfy their curiosity. These qualities are enhanced through the varied selection of exciting and well-structured learning activities provided indoors and outside. During favourite activities, such as role-play, ICT and physical outdoor play, children sustain their concentration for long periods. Nursery staff in all of the different age groups operate very effective systems to observe, assess and record children's responses. A clear picture emerges of each child's development and interests. These form the basis of the next round of planning through which children's individual learning needs are well catered for. A new initiative involving members of staff working with groups of children of similar ability for short intensive periods is helping to

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Grade: 2

raise achievement in literacy and numeracy. There are examples of excellent teaching where probing questioning is used very skilfully to improve children's speaking and reasoning skills. However, occasionally key people spend too long explaining or asking questions that only require a single word answer and opportunities are missed to extend children's learning further.

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Grade: 1

From the moment children enter the blue room at six months to two years of age no stone is left unturned in removing any obstacles to ensure that each one is happy, secure and ready to learn. Nursery staff are painstaking in identifying and supporting the most vulnerable children. Particularly strong and purposeful relationships are forged with parents, carers and health professionals. A major advantage of the nursery setting in the children's centre is the depth and extent of expertise available to draw on when difficulties arise. Moreover, the nursery often arranges for teaching and medical staff and social workers to make home visits to support children and their families. Parents have learnt to trust these services and there are many success stories where children's learning has taken off and family circumstances have been revitalised. All of the necessary steps are taken to ensure that children are protected and well

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Grade: 1

supervised. Regular checks are made to minimise any potential hazards and staff ensure high levels of hygiene at all times. This safe and supportive environment enables children to thrive.

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Grade: 2

The appointment of new leaders has brought a wealth of expertise and commitment to the nursery and its extended services. The new leadership team is diligent in checking the work of the nursery to ensure that its strengths are maintained and areas for development identified. To this end, clear action plans are devised and their implementation monitored carefully to check that improvements are forthcoming. The good contribution made by knowledgeable and well-informed governors, and the shrewd guidance provided by the school improvement partner, are vital parts of the process. Setting challenging targets for individual children to reach has already had a positive impact on raising standards in numeracy and is now being applied to raise achievement in writing. The nursery is highly inclusive and equality is strongly promoted 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Collyhurst Nursery School, 2–3 March 2009 by challenging stereotyping, presenting positive images of the achievements of minority groups

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Grade: 2

and providing good-quality additional support for children from diverse and often deprived backgrounds. The nursery makes a good contribution to community cohesion. A policy is in place, the school is reviewing the character of the neighbourhood and has already set the wheels in motion to involve 'hard to reach' families in the life and work of the nursery. Senior staff and governors know there is more to do to fulfil their ambitions. For example, they are investigating ways of pulling together children's individual assessments to identify collective starting and finishing points in order to measure and keep under review the performance of the nursery as a whole. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Collyhurst Nursery School, 2–3 March 2009 .

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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: Collyhurst Nursery School, 2–3 March 2009

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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? 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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Achievement and standards

2 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 2 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 2 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 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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The quality of provision

2 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? 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Collyhurst Nursery School, 2–3 March 2009

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Leadership and management

2 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 2 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 2 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 2 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? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Collyhurst Nursery School, 2–3 March 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Inspection of Collyhurst Nursery School, Collyhurst, M40 7QD Do you remember when I came into your classes? Thank you for talking to me and showing me the things you do. Now it's my turn to tell you what I have found out about your nursery. It is a good nursery. Grown-ups take very good care of you and keep you safe. I think this is why you are all so happy and kind to each other. I know that you try very hard to keep the golden rules. You are gentle to one another and I saw lots of good sitting, good listening and excellent behaviour when I visited. When you started nursery some of you were very shy and didn't want to leave your mothers. Now look at you! You can take care of yourselves, choose your own things to do and even help with the tidying up. That is very good. Your learning is good. This is because your teachers and helpers try very hard to make each day interesting. They teach you about letters and numbers and show you how to read books

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

and even plant seeds. This helps you to do well in the nursery. By the time you are ready to leave you can do all the things that children of your age should be able to do. Your parents like this nursery. They say it is very friendly. They like your teachers and helpers and grown-ups and think that the people in charge do a very good job. I agree with them in every way. Even though your nursery is good I want to help it to be even better.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ I have asked your teachers and helpers to try to make writing more interesting for you so that you will be good at it when you are older. ■ I have also asked your teachers and helpers to do everything they can to help you to speak clearly and explain your ideas. 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Collyhurst Nursery School, 2–3 March 2009

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