Chatham Place Nursery School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Chatham Place Nursery School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a welcoming place for all children and their families, irrespective of race, culture or gender. Each morning, happy children rush into school without a backward glance.

They are eager to start their learning, because staff plan activities which are exciting and fun. Leaders have high expectations for children at the school. They are clear about what they want children to achieve.

Many of the children have a limited grasp of the English language when they join the school. They receive strong support from staff. This helps children to settle quickly, feel safe and grow ...in confidence.

Staff have made sure that children understand the school routines. Most children listen and behave well. Children share resources with each other and enjoy playing together.

During the inspection, inspectors saw no evidence of any form of bullying.

Children learn how to stay safe and understand how they can stay healthy. Parents and carers told inspectors how their children enjoy using the oral hygiene packs that were sent home.

Children are keen to brush their teeth and stamp their charts on completion.

Parents are extremely positive about the school. They know that their children enjoy school and come home at the end of the day having had the best adventure.

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

Leaders have made sure that the curriculum is ambitious. It is matched well to meet the needs of children at the school, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders have thought carefully about what children need to learn so that they can be successful in the future.

Staff know what to teach and in what order.

Leaders have a strong understanding of what the school's strengths are and what needs to improve. Along with governors, they have high aspirations for all groups of children and their families.

By the time children leave the school, they are well prepared for the next stage in their education.

Staff know how young children learn and develop. They have strong subject knowledge and plan activities that are matched well to children's next steps.

Activities are fun and interesting. They capture children's imagination and excite them in their learning.

Developing a love of books and encouraging children to read is a key priority for the school.

Story time is a focal point of the session, and children look forward to it. Staff carefully select texts to use across the curriculum. When staff share stories with small groups, other children stop, watch, then decide to listen as well.

The teaching of phonics starts as soon as children arrive at the school. Staff check how well children are achieving and provide extra support if they need to catch up. Leaders share information to help parents support children's reading at home.

Across the indoor and outdoor environments, staff make sure that they take every opportunity to develop children's language and communication skills. Staff are skilled in helping children to learn new words and to respond in sentences. Interesting and exciting activities are available for children to experience.

Children are busy and engaged. This means that there is little disruption to their learning. However, on occasions, staff do not provide as many opportunities within the environment as they could, to help develop and deepen children's early reading and mathematics knowledge while they play.

Leaders provide many opportunities to develop children's understanding of the world around them. Children learn about different faiths and cultures. They celebrate festivals and family events.

Children enjoy visits to local shops, parks and the nearby school where they take part in sports lessons. They also experience trips further afield to museums, zoos and farms.

Staff are proud to work at the school.

They feel valued and work well as a team. Staff said that leaders and governors listen to them and are sensitive in regard to the amount of work the staff are given.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is a strong culture of safeguarding. Leaders have made sure that the safety of children is a priority. All staff know that it is their responsibility to keep children safe.

Staff know children and their families. They are well trained and know what signs to look for if they have concerns about a child.

Leaders are vigilant and work well with other agencies.

They act quickly if they have concerns, to make sure that children and their families receive the support they need. Parents said that their children are safe and happy.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Across the indoor and outdoor environments, activities to develop children's early reading and mathematics knowledge are at times not as good as they could be.

This means that children are not able to make the most of the curriculum. Leaders should ensure that resources and activities are always of the highest standard.

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

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in November 2012.

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