Chapel Street Nursery School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Chapel Street Nursery School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Children settle quickly when they arrive here. Sessions get off to a happy start with welcome songs.

This helps children to feel part of the school family. Staff are friendly and caring. They encourage everyone to join in.

Children feel safe because they know and understand the clear, consistent routines and expectations. Adults frequently model and explain the school values, such as bravery and helpfulness. They give plenty of praise and encouragement to children who show these values in their own behaviour, for example by sharing kindly.

Adults pay close attention ...to what children know and can do. In small groups, children are helped to learn new skills. Children learn to listen carefully and how to use new words.

They are confident to ask questions in these small groups. They join in enthusiastically with their favourite stories.

Children have time to follow their interests and make choices with increasing independence.

Adults encourage them to 'have a go', and to try new things, such a tasting fruits and woodwork. Children enjoy their time outside exploring nature. They use magnifying glasses to study mini beasts and learn about plants.

They concentrate well on these practical tasks.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders are rapidly developing a curriculum to meet the needs of their children, including those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders have carefully planned experiences to help all children to learn.

In some subjects, they are still refining the best order of skills so that adults can build on what children already know.

When staff implement these plans well, they check what children already know and need to learn next. This includes for those children with SEND.

Adults identify the most important words for children to understand, and they teach these clearly. They organise provision so that children get plenty of practice before moving on. Adults listen carefully to children, so they spot any errors.

They go back over what children need to know until they are secure. This gives strong foundations for future learning.

In a few subjects, leaders have not clearly set out what children need to know at each step.

Too much is left to the expertise of adults to decide what children need to learn next. In these subjects, some adults do not provide children with enough practice to secure understanding.

Leaders place a high priority on developing children's language skills across the curriculum.

Children learn a range of songs and rhymes. Leaders ensure that all children encounter classic, high-quality children's books. These include non-fiction texts as well as stories.

Adults use these books to introduce new words and ideas. Adults are quick to spot children who need extra help to develop their listening and language skills. They provide extra sessions for these children, focusing on key words and developing simple sentences.

Children are captivated by the clear language and actions that adults use in these sessions.Leaders have put effective systems in place to identify children who have SEND. They work closely with parents to develop a shared, consistent approach to difficulties.

Adults skilfully include children with SEND in activities alongside their peers. Well-trained staff also provide bespoke support to help children with SEND make progress.

Children learn the routines for behaviour from the start.

Adults encourage and support them to join in, take turns and share. They help children to name their feelings with words and actions. Children who need support in managing their feelings and behaviour get the right help.

Leaders provide a range of activities to enrich learning. These include watching caterpillars develop into butterflies and visits with farm animals. These activities prompt moments of wonder.

Children join in with different celebrations though the year. They start to learn about the diversity in their community.

Staff have confidence that school leaders are considerate of their well-being and workloads.

Governors provide effective support and challenge in their strategic role.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

A culture of safeguarding is in place across the school.

All adults have the training they need to understand and carry out their roles for keeping children safe. Concerns are recorded accurately and promptly by staff. Leaders secure the extra help needed from outside agencies to keep children and their families safe.

Leaders ensure that all the required checks are carried out and recorded for staff working at the school.

Children learn, in an age-appropriate way, about keeping safe, including online and road safety. They can communicate any worries to staff through actions, picture cards or words.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Much of the curriculum has been introduced recently. Leaders have not completely identified the most important knowledge and how this is to be learned in continuous provision and taught sessions. In a few subjects, activities are not consistently well matched to what pupils need to learn next.

As a result, some pupils develop gaps in their learning or misconceptions. Leaders should ensure that all adults are clear about what pupils are to learn and how this will be put achieved.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in February 2013.