Rowland Hill Nursery School

Rowland is an Early Excellence Centre and its 2002 report is below

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Rowland Hill Centre for Childhood

A report from the Office of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated. College inspection reports are available on the OFSTED website (www.ofsted.gov.uk).

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Dates of Inspection: 28-29 January 2002

This pilot inspection was carried out at the request of the Department for Education and Skills as part of its evaluation of the first Early Excellence Centres. Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools (HMCI) elects that the inspection is deemed a Section 10 short inspection and that the report shall be published.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE CENTRE

Address: White Hart Lane, Tottenham, London N17 7LT

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE CENTRE

Chair of Governing Body: Elaine Thompson

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE CENTRE

Date of previous inspection: Section 10: 24-26 November 1997

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ABOUT THE INSPECTION

The purpose of the inspection is to assure government, parents and the public that the nursery education is of an acceptable quality. Inspection also identifies strengths and weaknesses so that the Centre can improve the quality of care and education provision, and help children to achieve the early learning goals by the end of the Foundation Stage. The Foundation Stage covers the period from age three to the end of the reception year in school. A copy of this inspection report and its summary must be made available free of charge to all parents.

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ABOUT THE INSPECTION

If the nursery education has been inspected previously, an action plan will have been drawn up to tackle issues identified. This inspection, therefore, must also assess what progress has been made in the implementation of this plan.

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Team members

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with OFSTED by writing to:

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7

HOW THE CENTRE HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION 8

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7

STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY CHILDREN 8 Progress towards early learning goals 8 The attitudes of children and adults towards the Centre 8

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7

THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION, LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT 9 Teaching and learning 9 Other aspects of the Centre 9 How well the Centre is led and managed 11 Parents’, carers’ and users’ views of the Centre 11

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PART B: COMMENTARY 12

WHAT THE CENTRE SHOULD DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER 16

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE INSPECTION REPORT

The Centre was inspected by a team of four inspectors, led by Susan Gregory HMI. This is a summary of the inspection report which is available from the Centre.

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FEATURES OF THE CENTRE

The Rowland Hill Centre for Childhood merged with St. Anne’s day nursery for children with complex special needs in 1998. It joined the Haringey Early Excellence Network in 1999 to develop an ‘inclusive education’ for young children. Rowland Hill is in an area of social deprivation with high unemployment, and offers a range of services to families including nursery education for children aged three and four years. There are up to 65 full-time places for children in the nursery, and 17 of them are for children with special needs and those referred by Social Services. Currently, of the 72 children on roll, 42 attend on a full-time basis. 16 children with identified special educational needs (SEN), receive support from external specialists. Families come from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds, and most of the 26 children who speak English as an additional language are bilingual. In addition to

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FEATURES OF THE CENTRE

nursery education, the Centre also provides: a parents' and carers' toddler group; a toddler opportunity and parent support group (TOPS), that includes children with identified special needs; and before- and after- school care for children up to the age of 8. It offers an advisory service for ‘inclusive education’ for children with special educational needs, and disseminates information about its work by providing training, and receiving visitors. There have been 79 visitors to the Centre in the last year. Other activities include: holiday play- schemes; ‘early start’ parents’ courses; a family learning library; crèches when needed; and assessment for National Vocational Qualifications. These aspects were not inspected.

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HOW GOOD THE CENTRE IS

Rowland Hill is an effective Centre. Teaching in the nursery is good overall, and very good in personal, social, and emotional development and in physical development. Children reach high standards in these two areas of learning . In the other areas they achieve sound standards. All children have very good attitudes to the Centre and to their learning. The Centre very successfully includes children with a wide range of complex special needs and provides excellent support for their families. As a result, the progress of these children is very good. The Centre is effectively led and well managed. The services it offers are well used. On the evidence available the Centre demonstrates sound value for money.

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WHAT THE CENTRE DOES WELL

• Develops children’s learning very well in the area of personal, social and emotional development. • Makes the most of the outdoor area by challenging children to try new ideas so that they achieve high standards in their physical development. • Through the excellent work of the advisory team and staff, ensures very effective support for children with special needs so that they make very good progress. • Liaises very effectively with parents to share information about their children.

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WHAT THE CENTRE COULD IMPROVE

• Coverage of all areas of learning in curriculum planning. • The teaching and learning of more capable children, particularly in early literacy and aspects of numeracy. • Monitoring and recording of children’s progress towards the early learning goals. • Clarity of the role and functions of the governing body, currently limited by a lack of delegated powers. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governing body’s action plan

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HOW THE CENTRE HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Rowland Hill was last inspected in 1997 as a nursery. As a Centre, it has taken successful action to recruit governors, although the governing body does not yet have a well-defined role. The Centre has a good management structure, and the roles and responsibilities of staff leading curriculum development have been established and clearly defined. A sound assessment policy has been agreed and is in use. Overall, the good quality of teaching and children’s learning have been maintained and improvement is sound.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY CHILDREN

When children enter the nursery, the majority has reached the expected level for 3 year-olds except for those with complex physical and learning needs. They make very good progress in some areas and sound progress overall, and attain at similar levels to children of the same age when they transfer to primary school.

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Area of learning Comment

Personal, social, and emotional development Almost all children make very good progress in their personal, social and emotional development and as a result are confident, assertive learners. They are likely to exceed the early learning goals by the end of the reception year in the primary school. Communication, language and literacy In the aspects of speaking and listening, children achieve well. They make satisfactory progress in their early literacy skills, although more capable children could achieve more. The majority of children are likely to meet the goals in this area by the end of the reception year. Mathematical development In mathematical development children make satisfactory progress but a few, more capable children could be doing better in some aspects. The majority of children are likely to meet the goals by the end of the reception year. Knowledge and understanding of the world. Almost all children make very good progress in designing

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Area of learning Comment

and making, and in their exploration and investigation of the world. In other aspects of this area they make satisfactory progress and are likely to meet the goals by the end of the reception year. Physical development The majority of children have good control of a broad range of small and large equipment. They make very good progress in their physical development and are likely to exceed the goals by the end of the reception year. Creative development The majority of children use their imagination well and enjoy music. Overall, they make satisfactory progress in their creative development and are likely to meet the goals by the end of the reception year.

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The attitudes of children and adults towards the Centre

The staff make a point of treating individuals with respect and courtesy, with the result that children, parents, carers and other users respond well. They have very good attitudes to the Centre and are interested in the activities offered. The staff work hard to develop strong relationships. There is an important emphasis on getting to know parents and children through a ‘familyworker’ approach. Children and adults who use the Centre are valued and seen to be important and this helps them to trust the staff.

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Teaching and learning

Overall, teaching is good. Well over a third of the teaching is very good. All staff are very good at teaching in the area of personal, social and emotional development. They have a consistent approach to the management of behaviour, set good examples and apply clear boundaries that are easily understood. They teach well thought out strategies like encouraging children to be assertive and to talk about how they feel when they are upset. As a result, children are confident and self-assured and make very good progress in this area. Adults are very good at including those with special needs and they ensure that children are helped to think about others as well as themselves. Staff have a lot of knowledge about the children, understand their needs, and use this to plan very good opportunities for learning.

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Teaching and learning

Where teaching is best, for example in children’s personal, social and emotional and physical development, and language and communication skills, adults know when to intervene and when to let children find things out for themselves. They use observations to carefully assess what children know, and what they need to learn next. This keeps children interested in what they are doing so that they concentrate very well, and learn successfully. In areas where teaching is not as good, for instance in early literacy and aspects of mathematics, staff are not always clear enough about what children have already learned, and what they still need to find out about and understand. When this happens, planning is not sufficiently focused and some children, particularly the more capable, are not challenged enough and do not learn as much as they could.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The Centre provides a sound curriculum overall. Staff work closely with parents to plan the curriculum around children’s interests. However, the emphasis on children’s interests, means that planning does not yet sufficiently cover what children need to know, and the skills they need to develop in all aspects of the areas of learning, particularly the aspects of early literacy and mathematics. As a result, some activities are not well enough structured to build on previous learning. How well the Centre cares for its children The Centre’s staff put the needs of all children first and care is good. Children are introduced sensitively to nursery routines through the ‘settling in’ process, and as a result are happy and secure. The adults quickly take action to stop any signs of aggressive behaviour. Information about children’s well being is noted in their records and shared regularly with parents. The

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Aspect Comment

nursery’s Child Protection arrangements are good, but sometimes staff are not able to liaise effectively with the local authority. Although the Centre has good procedures for following up lateness, attendance fluctuates a lot. The comprehensive health and safety policy is consistently applied. Provision for children with special educational needs The support for children with SEN is very effectively managed by the co-ordinator. Children’s individual needs are clearly identified, understood by all staff, and good support is provided. Parents are fully involved in the regular review of their children’s needs and targets. As a result these children make very good progress. Provision for children learning English as an additional language The needs of children who are learning English as an additional language are quickly identified. They settle quickly, become confident and make satisfactory progress. The few children at

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Aspect Comment

the early stages of learning English are given sound support when they participate in different activities, for example a part- time Turkish bilingual nursery assistant supports Turkish speaking children and their families. The children’s interests and responses are regularly observed but staff do not always evaluate what they have learnt or what they need to know next. Provision for children’s personal development, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural, development Provision for children’s social and moral development is very good. Varied opportunities for children to be sensitive to others’ feelings and needs help them to make good progress in their spiritual development. Opportunities for children’s cultural development are satisfactory. The richness of the different cultures of the children and parents is not emphasised enough on a day to day basis. Advisory service for inclusion The advisory service for ‘inclusion’ is excellent. The advisory

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Aspect Comment

teacher, head of the Centre and staff, have established a nursery that successfully ensures that all groups of children and their families feel part of what happens in the Centre. Those with complex learning needs are particularly well integrated, and this benefits all children. Family support services parents' and carers' toddler group

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Aspect Comment

toddler opportunity and parent support group

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Aspect Comment

before- and after- school care The parents’ and carers’ toddler group is well established and appreciated by parents and carers in the community, who say that they find the staff very supportive and helpful. There is a good range of activities for children, and the experiences provided help them to become more confident so that they are able to cope well when they go on to a nursery class.

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Aspect Comment

The toddler opportunity and parent support group (TOPS) provides outstanding support for parents and their children with special educational needs. Parents discuss and receive very good help for their children from the specialist advisory staff attached to the Centre. Children are well cared for before and after school. They are offered balanced meals and encouraged to help to prepare food and clear away. The staff make good use of the outdoor area for these children and provide a range of suitable activities indoors. Contribution to the development of good early years practice beyond the Centre The Centre takes an active role in raising awareness about the inclusionof children with special educational needs in the non- maintained sector. Links have been established with schools but they are not as well developed. However, the Local Education Authority’s (LEA’s) published training plans indicate that staff

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Aspect Comment

now contribute more fully to the professional development of teachers.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the head of Centre and other key staff The Centre is well led by the head. She has successfully developed a clear direction for the work of the Centre and the advisory service it offers. The head and senior staff provide effective management. Together, they have clarified the responsibilities of all staff and are establishing good systems of professional support. Many of the right priorities for the Centre’s development have been identified, and are beginning to be linked with performance management, appraisal and training for staff. However, performance management for the head is not in place. The senior staff do not yet rigorously monitor the progress of individuals and groups of children, in relation to the six areas of learning. How well the governing body fulfils its role in the Centre's evaluation of its performance The governing body is supportive and committed to the success

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Aspect Comment

of the Centre. However, it does not have a clearly defined role. Governors are not sufficiently aware of how well the Centre is doing. It is currently limited by a lack of delegated powers and is not able to take important decisions about expenditure, but there are plans to delegate local management in the next financial year.

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like to see improved

• The warm and friendly welcome given by the staff. • The opportunities to discuss issues and concerns with their child’s family worker. • The regular meetings with staff to share information about their child’s progress. • The well-established routines at the start of sessions. • The very good care given to children with special needs. • The chance to meet and talk with other parents and carers. • The challenge for more capable children.

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like to see improved

The inspectors’ findings are consistent with the parents’ and carers’ very positive comments, and agree that the learning of a few more capable children should be extended.

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The Centre develops children’s learning very well in the area of personal, social and

1. Children make very good progress in their personal, social, and emotional development because teaching is very good. Staff know a lot about the children and their families, and share a good understanding of how to develop learning in this area. The adults make a point of welcoming each individual, and as a consequence the children are relaxed, secure, and happily leave their parents when they arrive at the nursery. Relationships between adults and children are very strong because staff have respect for, and value the children. This is reflected for example, in the arrangements for each child to have a personal tray and portfolio, and for their parents to have their own pigeonholes for messages and letters. Children are consulted before their trays and portfolios are looked at, and this helps them to feel important, and to take pride in their ‘work’. The very strong emphasis that staff place on respect and tolerance means that children develop good

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The Centre develops children’s learning very well in the area of personal, social and

self-esteem, and are beginning to value their own cultures and a sense of the community within the nursery. They respond very well to this environment by listening well to each other, and by showing good care. For instance, children give friends a huge hug when they have been hurt and look after them kindly.

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The Centre develops children’s learning very well in the area of personal, social and

2. Most children behave well because staff consistently reinforce the well-established boundaries and set very good examples for children to follow. For example, they show children how to be considerate, and always offer a "please" ‘or "thank you!" Some children have more challenging behaviour, but because this is re-directed well by adults they quickly learn the difference between right and wrong. Children are confident and assertive, and are learning to take control when others act in a way that they do not like. For instance, they say "Stop, don’t do that!" in the nursery and also when they are at home. Adults can often be heard asking children if they have told a friend in a "big voice" not to be unkind.

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The Centre develops children’s learning very well in the area of personal, social and

3. All children are learning to be independent, and they confidently move around the inside and outdoor areas. They are taught where things are kept, so when they design and make percussion instruments with sticky tape, bands and boxes for instance, they show that they can easily find what they want. Almost all children concentrate well, because the staff engage their interests and help them to develop their language. Some staff are very skilled at feeding in words and ideas at just the right moment, to extend the children’s thinking, for example when they play in the ‘hospital’ and talk about human bones they can see on an x-ray.

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Staff make the most of the outdoor area by challenging children to try new ideas so

that they achieve high standards in their physical development.

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Staff make the most of the outdoor area by challenging children to try new ideas so

4. The outdoor area is effectively designed and creatively managed by staff, with the result that almost all children make very good progress in their physical development. Teaching in this area is strong, because staff have a lot of knowledge about what children have learned, and use their knowledge to encourage children to try out new ideas, for instance on the climbing equipment. Staff also have a shared understanding of how to make the best use of the outdoor accommodation.

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Staff make the most of the outdoor area by challenging children to try new ideas so

5. Children are very good at organising how they want large boxes to be laid out, and while they do this, staff skilfully pose problems for them to solve. For example, when pieces of apparatus do not fit together, adults help them to decide what to do next. The children love such challenges, and concentrate very well for long periods. The paths outside have been carefully laid out, and consequently, children ride three wheeled bikes at speed, and easily negotiate their way around obstacles that are in the way. The regular use of this area has led to most children being sure footed. They have a good awareness of space, and rarely bump into each other or fall over. Staff and parents make the most of the area, and ensure that children have frequent opportunities to develop co-ordination by practising with bats, balls and other smaller equipment. Children’s co-ordination is further developed when they work together as a team to

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Staff make the most of the outdoor area by challenging children to try new ideas so

control the parachute as it moves up and down in the air. The good encouragement from staff, and the provision of high quality resources such as the climbing apparatus, results in the children being confident and willing to ‘have a go’ at trying new ideas. For instance, they find different ways of sliding, rolling and jumping down the climbing frame’s canopy on to a mat, demonstrating their agility and skill.

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effective support for children with special needs so that they make very good

6. The advisory teacher for inclusion is a member of the Early Years’ Development and Childcare Partnership’s training and 'inclusion' groups. This has helped her to develop a very good understanding of ways in which families with children with SEN can be helped. The Centre very successfully meets its aim of providing an ‘inclusive’, supportive nursery and is the base for this service across the Network. All children, including those with the most complex needs, have very good opportunities to make positive relationships, learn together, and develop confidence and self-respect. The care taken to ensure that all children are fully included is reflected in the way that on many occasions boys and girls can be seen looking after, and encouraging, those with complex learning and physical needs to join their play. All children are given good strategies for communicating with each other because they are taught to sign simple words and phrases using ‘Makaton’

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effective support for children with special needs so that they make very good

7. Children with SEN make very good progress because their learning needs are carefully evaluated by staff and external specialists who, in consultation with parents and carers set appropriate targets for their development. Parents are invited to contribute important information about what their children have learned to do at home, and are fully involved in the regular review of what they have achieved in the nursery. They appreciate the opportunities provided to work together with the nursery, and say that staff are always helpful and approachable. A parent commented, "The Centre has made a great change to my son’s life". The one concern expressed by parents relates to the uncertainty of whether their children can be integrated into mainstream primary school in the way that they are already integrated into the nursery.

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effective support for children with special needs so that they make very good

8. The toddler opportunity and parent support group (TOPS), one of four in the authority, is managed very successfully by the advisory teacher. Staff at the Rowland Hill TOPS group provide excellent support for children and their families, particularly those with special needs. They encourage and guide parents and their children very well, and offer stimulating and varied experiences using sensory toys and materials and an impressively equipped soft-play room.

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The Centre liaises very effectively with parents to share information about their

9. The Centre’s staff have made strenuous efforts to involve parents and carers in children’s learning, starting with well thought out induction procedures. ‘Settling in’ includes a helpful home visit from the ‘family worker’ responsible for the child’s care and learning, and one other staff member. This visit is very well used to gain important information about the child’s needs and interests, and ensures that a strong relationship is developed between the Centre and home. Once children enter the nursery, parents are able to make contact easily with staff, and as a result, have trust and confidence in the good care that the Centre provides.

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The Centre liaises very effectively with parents to share information about their

10. Parents feel that they are effectively included in the nursery’s work, because they are encouraged to see themselves as equal partners with the staff in helping their children to learn. They have good opportunities to regularly meet at the Centre to review and comment on their children’s progress, and are invited to contribute what they have observed about their play, behaviour and learning. This shared information has a particularly good impact on children’s personal, social and emotional development. Staff have also recently involved parents in planning what their children are to learn during each eight-week period. This is still developing, and is not yet fully effective, because too few learning intentions are identified for children.

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Coverage of all areas of learning in curriculum planning

11. Curriculum planning in some aspects of the areas of learning, like early reading and writing, and using numbers to calculate and solve problems, does not give staff enough detail to fully develop children’s learning. The focus for planning comes from all the information that staff carefully gather about the interests of the children, but sometimes this leads to insufficient emphasis being placed on the skills children need and what they should know and understand. This is partly because planning is linked to one main learning objective only for each child in every eight-week cycle, and partly because the focus for learning and how it might be achieved, extended, or modified is not well enough thought out. Consequently, children miss opportunities to experience these areas of learning in sufficient depth, and staff do not have a clear enough view of how to provide the right level of challenge.

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Coverage of all areas of learning in curriculum planning

12. Where learning and teaching has been well thought through, clearly planned, and based on children’s prior learning, they make good progress, for instance in areas like speaking confidently and listening attentively, and in their personal, social, emotional, and physical development. The planning process needs revising so that it reflects what children need to learn and ways this could be taught across all the areas of learning. Staff should use the children’s interests and their knowledge of how children learn as the means of achieving learning, rather than as the basis for the curriculum.

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numeracy

13. In communication, language and literacy , children make sound progress overall and are likely to meet the early learning goals by the end of the reception year. Teaching of early reading and writing is sound and the majority of children gain satisfactory early literacy skills, but the more capable children do not achieve as well as they might. Staff plan and provide sound opportunities for most children to ‘have a go’ at writing for a purpose. For instance, children are encouraged to write down patients’ notes in the hospital role-play area. However, the ‘mark making’ table is not well used, and little is offered to extend the early writing of more capable children. Their pictures and ‘writing’ are annotated, but staff do not offer helpful support to these children by scribing for them, or by making familiar words or ways of writing easily accessible. Some of the more capable children know letter names well and can already write their names and some

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numeracy

letters independently. However, they are not taught letter sounds and cannot use them with the same levels of confidence. Staff do not have an agreed policy which helps them in their teaching to make effective links between early phonic skills and early writing. As a consequence, these children do not make as much progress as they could.

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numeracy

14. In the aspects of speaking and listening, teaching is good, and as a result, almost all children achieve well. Staff encourage them to start conversations and listen well to what others say and this has led to them being articulate and able to talk confidently together. Adults are good at showing children how to ask questions with the result that some children can now pose their own, and are also starting to give reasons for things that happen. Most children use their developing language very well to act out familiar experiences because staff intervene at the right moment to extend their thinking and skills of communication. Children with special needs are given lots of good support and encouragement and their body language, movement, and occasional gestures show that they respond well.

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numeracy

15. Teaching for the children’s mathematical development is sound. All children make satisfactory progress, and are likely to meet the goals by the end of the reception year. Children are being taught how to measure small quantities, for instance by using spoons when they make pizzas, and some are confident enough to have a go at estimating size for example when they fix boxes together to make 'musical' instruments. Staff do not create enough opportunities for a few more capable children to develop their interest in calculation and in number problems, and their progress could be better. These children can count forwards beyond 10 confidently, and backwards competently, because there are lots of opportunities for incidental counting through action rhymes and games, but they are not routinely helped to compare similarities and differences between groups of objects. Children have been taught and know important mathematical words about the

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numeracy

positions of things like ‘over', 'above', 'below', 'behind', and 'in front’, but staff do not extend the learning of more capable children by regularly using the words involved in adding and subtracting different numbers together. The majority of children recognise and know the names of simple shapes but these names are not used regularly in play, because they are not emphasised enough by staff.

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Monitoring and recording of children’s progress towards the early learning goals

16. The staff gather a lot of knowledge about children by talking to them, making frequent observations of what they can do, and by regularly consulting with parents. Staff also share what they know with each other. However, their knowledge about individual children is not developed into profiles that relate to the stepping stones towards the early learning goals. As a result, it is difficult for them to judge how well individuals, groups such as ethnic minorities, or cohorts of children are doing in the areas of learning when they enter the nursery, at key points during the year, and when they leave. The absence of profiles also means that staff cannot easily identify where children achieve particularly well, or where their progress needs to be improved. Nor can they identify what they teach well and where improvements should be made.

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delegated powers

17. The Centre has significant difficulties in recruiting a full complement of parent governors because children are in the nursery for one year only. It has also proved difficult to recruit and secure the commitment of LEA governors. These recruitment issues prevent parents from influencing management decisions in the Centre and have led to an inefficient two-way flow of information between the Centre and the local authority.

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delegated powers

18. The governing body lacks a committee structure, and does not yet have a clearly defined role. Although it receives information from the head of Centre at each termly meeting, governors do not focus enough in their meetings on discussing important issues like the progress of nursery children, or the effectiveness and value of services provided by the Centre. The governors are unaware of how well the Centre is doing, and what it needs to improve, and they have little involvement in determining its direction. The lack of delegated powers also limits opportunities for longer term financial planning, and the deployment of staff. This has been recognised by the LEA and steps are being taken to delegate local management in the next financial year.

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WHAT THE CENTRE SHOULD DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER

19. In order to further improve the standards and provision at the Rowland Hill Centre for Childhood:

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The head of Centre and staff should:

• review the curriculum plan to ensure it fully covers all the areas of learning;

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The head of Centre and staff should:

• extend the learning of more capable children particularly in early literacy and aspects of numeracy;

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The head of Centre and staff should:

• find out and record what individuals and different groups of children know in relation to the stepping stones towards the early learning goals - when they enter the nursery; - at key points during the year; and - at the point of transfer.

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The LEA and the head of Centre should help the governing body to:

• agree the role and functions of the governing body and find ways for it to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the Centre.

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The LEA and the head of Centre should help the governing body to:

The Centre is responsible for drawing up an action plan within 40 working days of receipt of this report showing how the key issues detailed above will be addressed. The action plan must be made available to all parents.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

20. Overall, teaching is sound in this area and children are likely to meet the goals by the end of the reception year. Almost all children make very good progress in learning how to design and make things because adults encourage them to think about what they want to construct, and have successfully taught them to use a broad range of tools and materials. Children achieve well when they investigate with water or sand. They concentrate for long periods because staff engage their interests to find out, for example, what happens to water in trays connected by pipes and funnels. In the other aspects of this area, learning is satisfactory but staff miss opportunities for children to make better progress. For instance, children can use the mouse competently because adults give them lots of practice, but they do not have access to computer programs or programmable toys of high quality that would further develop their skills. Children make

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

satisfactory gains in developing a sense of time because staff have established well rehearsed routines throughout the day. They also have a sense of place from what staff help them to notice about their indoor and outdoor nursery environment. Adults discuss others’ cultural beliefs, and this is helping children to become aware of the differences, although staff miss some opportunities to emphasise the richness of the heritage of the children.

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Creative development

21. Teaching is sound in this area. Children make satisfactory progress, achieve the expected levels, and are likely to meet the early learning goals by the end of the reception year. Most children play imaginative games together, for instance in the ‘hospital’, because staff interact and help develop their ideas, although they do not yet use words and language that they hear in stories and books. All children have good opportunities to respond to music, especially those with SEN. Staff help them to learn new songs, and they are interested in exploring the sounds made by percussion instruments. Children can mix colours with their fingers and brushes, and are beginning to describe textures, but staff do not always extend this by linking what children are doing to other things that they have done.

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RESULTS OF THE SURVEY OF PARENTS AND CARERS ANNEX 1

Number of questionnaires sent out to nursery parents and carers (children over 3) 72

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Percentage of responses in each category

Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know N/A

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child likes being at the Centre. 90 10 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I feel my child is benefiting from coming to the Centre, and is making good progress. 77 23 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The Centre has appropriate expectations of my child’s behaviour. 67 33 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The education and care provided by the Centre’s staff is of high quality. 90 10 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 93 7 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the nursery staff with questions or a problem. 83 17 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The Centre has high expectations of my child’s development and learning. 70 20 0 0 10

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Percentage of responses in each category

The Centre welcomes each parent and carer, works closely with each one and values what they have to say about their child. 90 10 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The Centre is well led and managed. 80 17 0 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The Centre is helping my child to be self- confident and to develop friendships. 83 17 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The Centre’s team provides a wide range of experiences, which encourage my child to learn. 87 13 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The Centre gives good support to children with special needs. 83 7 0 0 10

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FEATURES OF THE NETWORK

The Haringey Early Excellence Network was awarded its early excellence status by the DfES for Woodlands Park and Pembury House in 1998, and for Rowland Hill, in 1999. The Network aims to build on the strengths of these three Centres, making links between them and other providers in the independent, voluntary and maintained sectors. The Centres are located in different parts of Tottenham, and serve areas of high social disadvantage and unemployment. In each Centre, families come from a diverse range of ethnic and linguistic backgrounds, and a higher than usual number of children speak English as an additional language. All three Centres fully integrate a substantial number of children with special needs.

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FEATURES OF THE NETWORK

Each Centre was inspected as part of the inspection of the Network. There is a separate report on each Centre.

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FEATURES OF THE NETWORK

• nursery education and day care; • inclusive education for children with complex special needs; • support for families and carers; • early morning and after school care; and • summer holiday provision.

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FEATURES OF THE NETWORK

In addition each centre has a particular focus.

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FEATURES OF THE NETWORK

• At Pembury House there is an advisory service and training for the Foundation Stage in the non-maintained sector. • Rowland Hill provides an advisory service for inclusive education. • At Woodlands Park, there is a Sure Start Centre and day care for children under three years of age.

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HOW GOOD THE NETWORK IS

The Haringey Early Excellence Network is operating at an unsatisfactory level and is not yet effective. The Network has some strengths but there are significant weaknesses which outweigh the strengths. The weaknesses relate to lack of an agreed vision and the absence of clear structures to lead, manage, monitor, evaluate and support the development of the Network. Strengths lie in the clearly defined work of the three, postholders linked to the advisory services and support for families. Over the last three years the Local Education Authority (LEA) has gone through a turbulent period and this has affected the development of the Network. The LEA and heads of Centre have identified many of the weaknesses and are beginning to devise strategies to address them.

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WHAT THE NETWORK DOES WELL

• It fully includes children with special needs within the three Centres, and the local authority’s under-fives' Centres. • It gives very effective support to families with a wide range of cultures and languages. • It offers good support and training for Foundation Stage providers in the private, voluntary and independent sectors.

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WHAT THE NETWORK COULD IMPROVE

• The understanding of the Network’s remit by all involved parties. • The leadership and management of the Network. • The contribution of the Centres’ governing bodies to the functioning of the Network. • Communication with other agencies and departments of the LEA. • Evaluation of the impact of the Network on children’s attainment and progress. • Dissemination of its good practice to maintained schools and the local communities of the three Centres.

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