Ightenhill Nursery School

Ightenhill Nursery School Inspection report

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119071 Unique Reference Number Lancashire Local Authority 326941 Inspection number 19–20 May 2009 Inspection dates Sue Sharkey 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 66 School (total) The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Sarah Williams Chair Miss Pauline Robinson Headteacher 7 March 2006 Date of previous school inspection Lionel Street School address Burnley Lancashire BB12 6DY 01282 427154 Telephone number 01282 427154 Fax number

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3–4 Age group 19–20 May 2009 Inspection dates 326941 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: Ightenhill Nursery School, 19–20 May 2009

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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 serving a diverse community, which includes some social & economic deprivation. Children attend part-time, from the term after their third birthday and a small number have been identified as having learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The school offers full wrap around care during term time.

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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: Ightenhill Nursery School, 19–20 May 2009

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Grade: 2

Ightenhill Nursery provides a good standard of education for its children. It makes an outstanding contribution to the children’s personal development and well-being. Provision for welfare is also outstanding. It is a very caring place in which children grow in confidence. The Nursery provides a very warm and welcoming environment for the children and their families. Parents speak very favourably about the good progress their children make, a typical comment being, ‘Children love coming to the Nursery. My children have made good progress, staff are so caring and friendly and they make learning fun.’ The good quality of their nursery experience prepares children well for the next stage in education both academically and socially. Achievement is good. Children begin Nursery with skills and abilities that are broadly in line with what is expected for children of their age, but personal, social and emotional development

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Grade: 2

is often lower. By the time they leave Nursery children have made good progress and some have made very good progress. The best progress is made in personal, emotional and social development and writing. Children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities also make good progress because of the care and support they receive. As one parent wrote, ‘My child’s speech and language has really developed and she tells us about the things she has learnt. Meetings with the headteacher really help us to know how well our children are progressing.’ Children are extremely well cared for and they talk enthusiastically about the many things they do in the Nursery. It is easy to see why their attendance is good. They understand about healthy lifestyles and enjoy the responsibility of handing around the fruit or drinks. The extensive, well designed outdoor area provides them with many opportunities and children love the exercise

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Grade: 2

they get when they can run both up and down the slopes as well as ride their vehicles around the track. Visitors to school help children to understand the importance of being safe; for example, how to look and listen when outside and where to cross the road safely. The quality of children’s learning and development is good. The Nursery provides good teaching in an attractive and stimulating learning environment. Exciting projects, often initiated by the children, are undertaken and displays celebrate children’s high quality of writing as well as their creative skills and computer art. The quality and range of resources for information and communication technology (ICT) are very good and children enjoy using the microscopes, computers and the interactive whiteboard. Staff are always seeking ways to extend children’s learning. However, there is not always sufficient questioning to ensure that children are

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Grade: 2

challenged enough. Relationships between children and staff are a real strength in helping children to learn. Leadership and management are good. The headteacher constantly strives to ensure that children get the best possible start they can. One of the keys to the school’s success is the careful way staff use assessment and targets to make sure that children’s next steps for learning are always included in their planning. Governors are knowledgeable and supportive. A strong team ethos, with staff and governors working well together, means that the school moves forward successfully and has good capacity to improve. Through extended services the Nursery is able to offer full wrap around care. As this is in the same building as the Nursery, the headteacher is able to ensure that provision for the children runs smoothly. Parents are very pleased with this arrangement. 4 of 10 Inspection Report: Ightenhill Nursery School, 19–20 May 2009

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure that all adults use questioning more consistently to challenge children to do even better.

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Grade: 2

When children start Nursery assessment shows that they have skills and knowledge that are in line with what is expected for their age. Some children are below, particularly in personal, social and emotional development. Staff plan an exciting range of activities which encourage children to settle quickly and help them to develop confidence. Children are able to use both the indoor and outside areas where they are able to explore, investigate and learn with their friends. By the time they leave the Nursery children have made good and sometimes very good progress so that many are above the level expected for their age. They make the best progress in personal and social development and writing. Girls and boys are equally successful learners because the school works hard to provide a range of activities that excites both groups. Children with learning difficulties make good progress because the care and support they receive is very

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Grade: 1

Children’s personal development and well-being is excellent as is their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Staff regard children’s personal development as one of the most successful aspects of the children’s achievement. Children thoroughly enjoy taking energetic exercise when they make full use of their outdoor area where they ride their vehicles around ‘the road’ or clamber high into the climbing frame. They very quickly adjust to the routines, respond with enthusiasm to new challenges and take great delight in all they do. They manage their own learning, co-operate with others and readily make friends. Healthy eating is part of their routine and children enjoy choosing what they would like to eat and drink, while adults foster good social skills. Children treat each other with respect, they are kind to each other and behave extremely well. The awareness of the world outside their own is well developed and

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Grade: 1

children celebrate Chinese New Year where they thoroughly enjoy taking part as a dragon or mixing paint to get the colours for their dragon picture. Relationships with adults and other children are excellent.

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Grade: 2

All staff work well as a team to provide children with stimulating and relevant learning. Children get off to a good start and quickly develop positive attitudes to learning. By jointly and regularly reviewing children’s progress, staff are well placed to plan activities to appeal to children’s interest and to promote their good progress. The quality of teaching is good. Staff interact well with children, however, at times opportunities are missed for questioning so that children are not always challenged enough to extend their learning. Both indoors and outdoors provide a rich learning environment, helping children make good progress towards their early learning goals. Since the previous inspection the outdoor area has been considerably developed providing 5 of 10 Inspection Report: Ightenhill Nursery School, 19–20 May 2009 a wealth of opportunity for children to explore, investigate or have a quiet time on their own.

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Grade: 2

It is obvious that they love this area, which now mirrors the indoor learning well. For example, children can read and look at books together in their willow wigwam or explore the qualities of wet sand compared with the dry green sand indoors. Very good relationships support parents and carers in helping all children to succeed.

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Grade: 1

Outstanding welfare and care arrangements contribute significantly to the children’s excellent care and development and are a strength of the school. Children thrive in a safe and secure environment that enables them to feel comfortable and ready to learn. Strong links with the Nurseries extended services on site ensures that there is very smooth transition for children during the day as they move from one area to the other. Arrangements for safeguarding pupils are all in place and there are rigorous risk assessments for school visits as well as procedures for monitoring the health and safety of children. The outstanding partnership with parents reassures the children and so they quickly develop trusting relationships with staff and with each other. Behaviour is managed extremely well. The school has excellent links with a wide range of organisations and agencies which support the all round development of the children.

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Grade: 2

The school is well led by a headteacher who has a clear vision for the future; she is ably supported by all staff and together they have high expectations for children. Self-evaluation is extremely good and takes into account the views of parents and children. It is very effective in identifying strengths and weaknesses, which help to lead to school improvements. The outside area is used very successfully and because the school’s leadership is always looking for ways to improve, it plans to further develop the area in the future. All adults, including governors, continually strive to provide high quality care and education. Governance is good and governors work successfully to monitor the work of the school. Community cohesion is good; the school works well with the local community and engages well with different groups. Close links with the Nursery’s extended services, the Children’s Centre and the local primary school helps to support

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Grade: 2

health and social care. The school has successfully made good improvements since the last inspection, has good capacity to improve and gives good value for money. 6 of 10 Inspection Report: Ightenhill Nursery School, 19–20 May 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. 7 of 10 Inspection Report: Ightenhill Nursery School, 19–20 May 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? 2 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 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

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? 8 of 10 Inspection Report: Ightenhill Nursery School, 19–20 May 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 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: Ightenhill Nursery School, 19–20 May 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

21 May 2009 Dear Children Inspection of Ightenhill Nursery School, Burnley, Lancashire I enjoyed my visit to your school very much. When I walked in and saw how colourful it was, what exciting things were on the wall I knew that I would enjoy my time with you. Thank you for talking to me and telling me all about the exciting things you do. I could see how much you enjoy being inside school as well as outside. I was very impressed with your outdoor area and could see how you enjoyed playing in the tent as well as well as riding around the road on your vehicles. You go to a good Nursery school where you are very well looked after. I watched you inside school as well as outside and it was lovely to see you being so friendly to each other and friendly to all the adults teaching and working with you. You were so well behaved all the time that sometimes I didn’t hear you and wondered if you were creeping around! It was lovely to see

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

you working well with each other, the way you shared and played together in the willow wigwam. In fact I thought that much of this was outstanding! I could tell that you were learning well through all the different activities that the grown ups organise for you. They are good at teaching and in the way they keep checking on how well you do things. I have asked them to ask you even more questions so that you can learn even better. I was impressed with how well you use computers to draw and paint as well as the way you listen to music to see if there are loud or soft sounds. Thank you for helping me find out about your school and for being such friendly children. Best wishes Sue Sharkey Lead inspector 10 of 10 Inspection Report: Ightenhill Nursery School, 19–20 May 2009

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