Sunny Brow Nursery School

Sunny Brow Nursery School Inspection report

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105760 Unique Reference Number Rochdale Local Authority 324262 Inspection number 2–3 December 2008 Inspection dates David Halford 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 Community School category 3–5 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 49 School (total) 40 Childcare provision for children aged 0 to 3 years The governing body Appropriate authority Mr H West Chair Mrs J White Headteacher 19 October 2005 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Sunny Brow Road School address Archer Park Middleton Manchester Lancashire M24 2AH 0161 643 3306 Telephone number 0161 643 3306 Fax number

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3–5 Age group 2–3 December 2008 Inspection dates 324262 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 10 Inspection Report: Sunny Brow Nursery School, 2–3 December 2008

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by an Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

Sunny Brow Nursery School provides part-time nursery education for children between the ages of 3 and 5. In addition, it offers a small number of paid places for before-school, additional sessions with lunch and after-school care. It serves a mixed community in social and economic terms and the large majority of children come from White British backgrounds. On entering Nursery, most children demonstrate skills which are broadly typical for their age. All of the children speak English as their first language. There are currently only a small number of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The school is particularly popular with parents. It is situated in extensive grounds which are used exceptionally well as a learning resource.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 10 Inspection Report: Sunny Brow Nursery School, 2–3 December 2008

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Grade: 1

Sunny Brow is an outstanding nursery school where the children thrive in a stimulating, happy and caring learning environment. The views of parents who responded to the questionnaire were unanimous in their praise. One wrote simply, 'What an amazing school!' whilst another wrote, 'In my opinion, Sunny Brow is everything anyone could ask for in a nursery'. The inspection confirms the views of these parents. Children settle remarkably easily into school routines. The inspirational quality of children's learning, outstanding personal development and exceptional quality of welfare and care reflect the fact that this is a school where every child is special. Children's engagement with school is reflected in their good attendance. They behave exceptionally well both inside the building and outside. Relationships with adults and each other are excellent. Opportunities abound for the children to develop their independence,

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Grade: 1

especially in the garden area and in the extensive grounds in which a 'Forest School' has been created. Children grow in confidence rapidly, make friends readily and play exceptionally well together. Those who attend the additional provision and that offered at the start and end of the day are equally secure and at ease and are provided with a very wide range of high quality, interesting activities. The school also offers excellent opportunities for parents and toddlers to play together and has started to offer 'baby massage' sessions for children from three months old. Outstanding learning and development opportunities provided for children mean that all achieve extremely well, often from broadly average starting points, to reach standards above those expected for their age. Children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities achieve equally well. Very effective learning takes place because staff know and track the progress of each

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Grade: 1

individual meticulously. Staff are 'as one' in seeking to make learning exciting but challenging. All staff are very successful in settling children into routines, carefully monitoring and readily assessing each child's progress, both inside or outdoors. This ensures a rapid start by successfully laying the basis for developing basic skills and nurturing talents. Highly effective adult support and guidance ensure that children feel confident to explore, ask questions and work independently. Children are encouraged to celebrate and share their success to help each other's development. Under the direction of a highly competent and perceptive headteacher, leadership and management are outstanding in the way they promote children's achievement and learning development, together with developing the school's rich learning environment. Governors are particularly active in ensuring that the school is managed successfully and is providing excellent

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Grade: 1

value for money. The work of the school is monitored carefully and thoroughly. Evaluation of strengths and areas for improvement is accurate. The school has maintained the high quality provision reported when it was last inspected and has built upon that base well in the intervening period. Everyone involved with the school demonstrates a real desire to ensure that the needs of every child are met. Consequently, the school is providing outstanding value for money and has an excellent capacity to continue to improve.

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What the school should do to improve further

As a result of the inspection, no specific areas for further development are highlighted beyond those identified in the school's own development planning. 4 of 10 Inspection Report: Sunny Brow Nursery School, 2–3 December 2008

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Grade: 1

Children's achievement is outstanding. From levels of attainment on entry to the Nursery, which vary widely, but are, in general, broadly typical for the children's ages, outstanding overall progress is made. Children reach good standards by the end of their time in the Nursery and almost all achieve standards, which are better than those normally found in children on entry to the Reception year. All children, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, make outstanding progress, helped by the very high quality support, which they receive, and the excellent curriculum experiences available to them.

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Grade: 1

Children's confidence and self-esteem improve rapidly because all staff value them as individuals. They develop extremely positive attitudes to learning because it is made so enjoyable, especially so in the Forest area within the school grounds. They learn readily how to keep themselves safe in this challenging yet thoroughly exciting provision, and eat healthily as they have a 'snack time' under the temporary shelter. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding and their attendance is good. Children are friendly towards each other and mix well together. This was seen to excellent effect on a snowy day when enjoyment was palpable, building an enormous snowman together and sliding on sledges in the garden area. Children quickly become confident enough to work independently and learn rapidly to take turns and share resources. They remain busy throughout sessions, persevering with tasks and responding

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Grade: 1

positively to encouragement and praise, which spurs them on to try even harder. Relationships are excellent throughout the school and amongst the children who attend for additional hours and the before and after-school care facilities. The skills children learn, together with the independence they develop, are preparing them extremely well for later life.

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Grade: 1

The quality of learning and development is outstanding. Teaching is consistently outstanding and impacts very well on the children's learning. Indoor education is structured very carefully and children have continuous access to outside experiences of really high quality. In both situations stimulating activities are carefully planned and children's developing experience is thoroughly monitored. Small steps of learning are recorded meticulously and built upon skilfully so that children are continuously challenged in circumstances which they thoroughly enjoy. Every area of learning is covered in a purposeful environment, which gives equal importance to each child and each area of learning.

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Grade: 1

The welfare of the children is catered for exceptionally well. Safeguarding and child protection procedures are in place. Risk assessments are also undertaken thoroughly, and involve the children in excellent discussions about safe practices. The children who attend the additional provision made before the start and at the end of the school day are also cared for especially 5 of 10 Inspection Report: Sunny Brow Nursery School, 2–3 December 2008 well. Particular care is taken over the tracking of children's progress. Detailed individual records are kept, continuously reviewed and passed on appropriately to the children's next stages of learning. Very detailed information is frequently and regularly shared with children's families. Parents and carers are effusive in their praise for the school and express unanimous support for it in the questionnaires returned.

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Grade: 1

The outstanding leadership and management is a key factor in the school's success. The headteacher has provided outstanding leadership and vision for an extended period of time. She is ably supported by a highly effective and confident staff team, which has also played a pivotal role in maintaining the school's outstanding provision identified at the time of the last inspection. Everyone who works in the school is encouraged to further their own professional development and, in doing so, seek to improve the quality of the school's outstanding learning environment and overall provision. The staff know the school very well and this is reflected in the school's accurate self-evaluation. The governing body, led by an astute chairman is strong in its support of the school and feels confident to question and challenge the leadership. The governing body is currently active in developing further its strong links with the local community.

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Grade: 1

Provision is already in place in the form of before- and after-school care and governors are now grasping new initiatives to promote community cohesion well. Additional community initiatives include sessions for children from six months of age to play in school along with their parents, a playgroup for children aged two and a half years, and 'baby massage' for mothers and babies from three months old. These are relatively new community additions to the school's provision and are also developing well. There is no sense of complacency. Only the very best is good enough here, coupled with a real desire for further improvement. 6 of 10 Inspection Report: Sunny Brow Nursery School, 2–3 December 2008 .

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Grade: 1

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 7 of 10 Inspection Report: Sunny Brow Nursery School, 2–3 December 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? 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/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? 8 of 10 Inspection Report: Sunny Brow Nursery School, 2–3 December 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 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? 9 of 10 Inspection Report: Sunny Brow Nursery School, 2–3 December 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Inspection of Sunny Brow Nursery School, Manchester, M24 2AH I have asked Mrs White to read this letter to you. I really enjoyed my inspection of your school. Thank you so much for making me so welcome and telling me about the exciting things you do and letting me join in with some of your activities. This letter is to tell you what I thought about your nursery. I think that you are very lucky to go to such a wonderful nursery. I could see how much you really enjoyed your learning whether indoors or outside. It was very snowy when I came to visit you. What a good time you had making that large snowman and sledging down the banking of the garden, and how exciting it was to go with you on your Forest Walk. I saw the dinosaur with snow on its head! All of the grown-ups in your nursery work so very hard and look after you really carefully. Because of this, you are all doing wonderful things in your learning and getting on with each other so very well. Your mums and dads think you

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

go to an excellent nursery school and I agree with them. You have an excellent headteacher and the staff and governors help her particularly well. They are always looking for new ways to make your nursery even better. I have asked them all to keep working hard and to continue with the things they have planned to keep your nursery as wonderful as it is now. 10 of 10 Inspection Report: Sunny Brow Nursery School, 2–3 December 2008

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