Edith Kerrison Nursery School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Edith Kerrison Nursery School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Children like coming to this welcoming school, which is well known in the diverse community it serves. Leaders have created an ambitious curriculum.

They have set key priorities of helping children learn to use the English language and broadening children's experiences. Leaders and governors work hard to build up the confidence of parents and carers, enabling them to work in partnership with staff in helping children to learn.

Children thrive at this school because staff support them well.

Staff are skilled in adapting activities and equipment so that children with ...special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) can participate fully and understand what to do.

Leaders make sure children take part in visits and events aimed at making them more aware of the world beyond their immediate community. They start by going to the local shops but move on to enjoying a cable car ride across the Thames.

Children understand how staff want them to behave and live up to these high expectations. They get along happily together and are kept safe. Staff notice if children are unkind to one another.

They deal with these occasional incidents promptly.

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

Leaders have set out clearly what they want children to learn. Established staff and those who are new to the school understand the curriculum.

Teachers provide interesting activities and use resources effectively so that children achieve well. For example, children develop early measuring and counting skills effectively by making their own play dough. Teachers find out quickly when children may be falling behind, and make sure they are given more support.

The curriculum is well designed so that children can build up their knowledge and become more curious about the world around them. Leaders know when children lack confidence or experience in their social or physical skills, for example. They make sure staff include carefully chosen activities that help children catch up.

Leaders make sure that priority is placed on developing children's language skills and widening their experience of books. Staff read stories and poems to children every day. These are chosen carefully for their rich content and repetitive phrases which children can learn and join in with.

Staff set up opportunities linked to these books for children to extend their learning afterwards. Leaders help children learn how to use the local public library with their family.

Leaders have provided staff with training to help them develop the use of talk with children.

Staff use accurate spoken language and talk to children about the activities they enjoy. However, there is variability in how well staff decide what to ask children and how they expect them to answer. Sometimes, staff do not tell or show children how to make the most of the exciting experiences they set up for them to do.

Children with SEND achieve well because specialist professionals help staff adapt their teaching and choose the best equipment to allow these children to have the same experiences as others. Leaders make sure children with SEND are well prepared for the move to their next school.

Leaders make sure there is a clear reason behind all the opportunities children are offered to develop socially and culturally.

Children are taught how to bake a bread roll and to nurture a seed until it becomes a plant. They learn about music by helping a professional musician to compose a song. Staff encourage children to take on responsibilities.

For example, children know where some classroom equipment is stored and help put it away when it is finished with. The youngest children develop some independence right from the start by learning to chop up their own fruit at snack time.

Children are intrigued by their learning and pay attention.

They behave well. Children share space and equipment thoughtfully. Staff make time to talk things over with children if there are disagreements.

Leaders have changed the way they expect staff to record children's achievement to cut down on their workload. Governors listen carefully to staff views about well-being and bring this up in their meetings with leaders. As a result, staff feel listened to and are confident that their workload and well-being are taken seriously.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders and governors know which are the most common risks children may face. Staff understand and use the training they are given to identify and report any concerns about children's well-being.

Leaders work closely with external agencies and follow-up on concerns when they come to light. Leaders make sure parents and other agencies are well informed about any actions they take to follow up concerns.

Staff teach children to become aware of dangers they need to think about in their everyday lives.

For example, children know that they need to wear goggles when using tools to make things from wood.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The quality of adults' interactions with children is variable. This means there is inconsistency in how well children are supported through talk to develop their language and how to get the most from activities.

Leaders should make sure that adults further develop their use of dialogue in helping children to learn. Leaders should ensure that adults use resources to the full to help children practise and apply their skills and knowledge.

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 October 2012.

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