Beverley Manor Nursery School

117698 Unique Reference Number East Riding of Yorkshire Local Authority 326664 Inspection number 1–2 April 2009 Inspection dates Terry McDermott 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 3–4 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 140 School (total) The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Graham Bolt Chair Mrs Yvonne Norvock Headteacher 16 May 2006 Date of previous school inspection Manor Road School address Beverley HU17 7BT 01482 882631 Telephone number 01482 882631 Fax number

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3–4 Age group 1–2 April 2009 Inspection dates 326664 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: Manor Nursery School, 1–2 April 2009

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by one additional inspector.

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Description of the school

This large Nursery school is located close to the centre of Beverley. It draws children from the town and a wide surrounding area. It offers part-time places to 70 children each morning and 70 different children each afternoon. Children spend between one and five terms in the school. They move on to Reception classes in six local schools in the term in which they are five. Up to 50 children can enter or leave the school each term. This results in a radically changing combination of children each term. A very small proportion of children are from a minority ethnic background. Almost all children speak English at home. About one in 10 children have learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The school holds several awards including the national Healthy Schools Award, and the Financial Management Standard in Schools.

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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: Manor Nursery School, 1–2 April 2009

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Grade: 1

Manor Nursery is an outstanding school. As a result, children gain an impressive range of social, personal and academic skills from their memorable learning experiences here. They move on to full-time schooling well primed for future success as curious, kind and positive young citizens. Many parents sum up the high quality early education experiences it provides with comments such as, ‘I think the Nursery is a wonderful place for my son or any other child to start their life in school’, and ‘I have nothing but praise for the exceptional quality of care and education. It is quite exemplary’. Children’s achievement is outstanding. Most children join the Nursery with skills and knowledge a little below those typical for their age. Consistently first class provision for every child’s learning and development ensures that each makes the fastest progress possible. By the time children are ready to move into the Reception class in primary school, their knowledge, skills

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Grade: 1

and understanding are well in advance of those typical for their age. A key element in this success is the seamless link between learning inside and outdoors. Both learning environments challenge and enthuse children, particularly the boys, who often prefer to learn and play outdoors. Children learn and develop exceptionally well through stimulating play, talk and valuable first-hand experiences. Adults nurture and support rather than direct children’s learning. This ensures that children develop into increasingly independent learners who can make decisions and organise themselves well, which are key attributes for their future success and well-being. Adults create a welcoming and secure environment where children’s welfare is paramount. This helps them to settle in without fuss. Parents confirm that, ‘The whole experience puts the child at the centre’. Staff carefully track children’s emotional health and this innovative practice

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Grade: 1

adds to children’s excellent personal development and well-being. Exemplary attitudes, behaviour and relationships are at the heart of everything children achieve here. They develop the basic skills and personal attributes necessary for future success, an understanding of the key principles of safe and healthy living, along with evident enjoyment of purposeful learning, work and play as part of a larger community. Parents particularly appreciate the support and care given to children in the resourced provision who have significant learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The school encourages children, their parents and local families to value lifelong learning and to achieve as well as possible. Very close monitoring and shared evaluations ensure that the leadership has a very accurate view of the school. This ensures that planning is extremely detailed, although information and communication technology (ICT) is not used as effectively

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Grade: 1

as it might be to maximise efficiency. First class leadership by the headteacher fuels a drive which constantly seeks to refine already excellent practice for the benefit of children’s learning. The school’s overriding intentions are: ‘To value each child as an individual’ and ‘To empower children to think, question and solve’ using ‘the joy of discovery through play, talk and first-hand sensory experiences’. The school fulfils these ambitious aims as adults offer children almost limitless, daily opportunities to explore, make decisions and work things out for themselves. Current successes, excellent teamwork among all the staff, innovative practice and the desire to do better, combine to confirm the school’s outstanding capacity to improve. The school gives outstanding value for money.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Make more effective use of ICT to streamline curriculum planning. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Manor Nursery School, 1–2 April 2009

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Grade: 1

Children make excellent progress. They join the school with levels of skill and development a little below that typical for their age, particularly in their communication, language and literacy skills, and their social development. Many have a restricted awareness of the wider world beyond their family although their physical development is stronger and remains so throughout their time in the Nursery. Children make outstanding progress regardless of their backgrounds or abilities as a direct result of very high quality provision. Each child is treated as an individual. Exceptionally well planned learning activities meet all children’s needs completely. As a result communication, language and literacy, and personal and social development improve very quickly. By the time they leave the Nursery, the full range of most children’s skills is very high. It is broadly one year in advance of the national expectations. All children are keen, curious

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Grade: 1

and determined learners: those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make excellent progress because their difficulties are identified and supported quickly and accurately; those with special talents have opportunities to extend their understanding and skills. All children receive excellent support from highly skilled and very professional staff, who are completely focused on accelerating learning.

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Grade: 1

Children make the most of every minute they spend here. Parents typically comment, ‘My child loves Manor Road, she is always so enthusiastic about everything they do there’. Parents bring their children to school regularly, and children arrive with a ‘spring in their step’. Children’s exemplary behaviour showcases their first class personal development as they follow the many fine examples and high standards set by adults. High quality relationships permeate nursery life. Children are polite, sensitive to the feelings of others, and respect themselves and their environment. Children are keen to demonstrate their communication skills with each other and with adults; for example, one proudly described purple headed broccoli as a ‘blackcurrant cauliflower’. They quickly become adept at choosing how and where to spend their time because they plan their own work at the start of each session. Boys, in particular, develop a love of

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Grade: 1

learning through the mass of practical activities on offer. They readily exploit any spontaneous challenges or opportunities, for example, in competing to read and obey the traffic instructions and signs on the bicycle way. Rich experiences, including many inspirational times spent enacting shopping, sharing healthy food, appreciating the achievement of others, and waiting patiently to ‘sign up’ for activities in the garden, result in children’s outstanding spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. They treat each other with respect, and they persevere with tasks. These positive characteristics, coupled with most impressive gains in their basic skills, ensure that children develop a very secure foundation for future learning and success.

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Grade: 1

Parents confirm that typically, ‘My child enjoys every morning. She looks forward to going to Nursery, and then telling me about the exciting things she has learned’. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Manor Nursery School, 1–2 April 2009 Children make excellent progress because adults are so aware of their individual learning needs. They use all the information they gather about each child to move their learning forward with just the right level of challenge. Thus, children remain interested in extended tasks for long periods, without becoming overwhelmed. Staff closely watch what children do, listening carefully to their responses when answering questions, or when talking among themselves. They record the key points accurately so that next time, each child will move on from an identified starting point. Staff have exceeded the spirit of the new Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum, by incorporating their own innovative and dynamic practice. Excellent provision extends seamlessly

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Grade: 1

from indoors to outside and children choose where to work, whatever the weather. Every learning experience is seen as a joint adventure, and this is very effectively supported by ‘Together Adults Sharing with Children’ (TASC). This initiative, which ensures that everyone undertakes new challenges together, builds first class partnerships with parents to consolidate and extend children’s very effective learning.

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Grade: 1

Children flourish here because their welfare is at the centre of everything the school strives towards. Parents are unanimous in their recognition of this. The school rigorously ensures that the current government requirements for safeguarding are met. Children enjoy learning about safe and healthy practices as they prepare and eat nutritious snacks, or practise using tools and equipment, both inside and outdoors. The outdoor area is extensive and well resourced, and provides children with daily opportunities to be adventurous under close adult supervision. The school works exceptionally well with parents, carers and other organisations to help children achieve as well as possible. The school is able to be very responsive to parental concerns because of the constant formal and informal communications it has with them. Excellent links between the school and other pre-school settings and local primary schools, give additional security to

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Grade: 1

children and their parents when the time to move comes. The school promotes attendance well and actively engages with children and parents to develop the important routines of school life.

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Grade: 1

The outstanding headteacher is the driving force behind the success this school has enjoyed for many years. She relentlessly seeks new ways to improve the school. Other leaders for different areas of learning are highly skilled, monitor provision closely and fulfil their responsibilities very effectively. They are an exceptional team, who are completely in tune with each other. They jointly plan every activity in meticulous detail although they do not yet use ICT to best possible effect to document the planning. This exceptional level of planning ensures that the school’s provision for community cohesion is outstanding, and that every child learns to respect equality of opportunity for all, and to recognise and celebrate diversity. All other staff are reflective practitioners who continue to further their own professional development. They work smoothly together to ensure that they meet children’s and families’ needs as quickly

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Grade: 1

and positively as is possible. A wealth of high quality information, regularly shared with every parent, is available so that they know exactly what their children are learning and how well they are progressing. Much of this is recorded in children’s well presented individual ‘learning journey’ records, which children take with them when they leave the school. Governors are 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Manor Nursery School, 1–2 April 2009 experienced and very committed to the school. They provide good support, and set challenges which the headteacher consistently meets, to ensure that school maintains, and even extends, its previously exceptional work. The school enjoys a deserved very good reputation locally, and many parents travel significant distances to gain access. There is no complacency in this school; it gives outstanding value for money and leaders have an exceptionally good capacity to sustain

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Grade: 1

and improve the current very high standards. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Manor Nursery School, 1–2 April 2009 .

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Grade: 1

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Manor Nursery School, 1–2 April 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? 1 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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Achievement and standards

1 How well do children in the EYFS achieve? 1 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? 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Manor Nursery School, 1–2 April 2009

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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? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Manor Nursery School, 1–2 April 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

3 April 2009 Hello Children Inspection of Manor Nursery School, East Riding of Yorkshire HU17 7BT I really enjoyed every minute I spent with you in your excellent school. I have written a little story for you about what I saw. Perhaps your teachers will read it out to you. Just around the corner from the church, there is a very nice Nursery school. The children are very well behaved, and they must like coming to school because they smile such a lot (and so do their mums and dads). The children have great fun learning lots of new things every day, because the teachers make sure there is always something exciting to do for every single girl or boy. These children are so good at choosing what they want to learn about. They draw beautiful flowers, using computers as well as paint, they plant seeds in the garden and buy healthy fruit and vegetables in the shop. They know that pedalling bikes is good for them, but

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

they also know that they have to read the traffic signs so there are no accidents! These children are really thoughtful, and take good care of each other, and when they have read all the colourful books so very well, they put them back. They make fantastic progress! But the teachers in this Nursery around the corner from the church, led by a super headteacher, spend a lot of their own time arranging for all the exciting things that go on. They are going to change the way they sort things out, using the computers, like the children do, so they can have even more energy for teaching. THE END. I wonder if you can guess the name of this amazing Nursery school? Yes, that’s right, it’s Manor Nursery School! Your school! I hope you liked my story. Did you recognise all of the things that you do? Please keep enjoying school, and having fun learning new things, especially digging up worms in the garden! It was so nice to meet you all.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Terry McDermott Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Manor Nursery School, 1–2 April 2009

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