The Gill Blowers Nursery School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff know each individual child in this happy, welcoming school. The atmosphere is calm and secure.

This is a place where children can be children and enjoy learning.

Children behave well. Staff expect children to listen carefully and follow instructions.

Children rise to the occasion. They are interested in their learning and enjoy the well-deserved praise they receive for taking part and doing their best.

Children feel safe and know that staff will look after them.

They start by developing a strong bond with their key person. Quickly, children form positive relationships with other staff. From often low starting points, childr...en grow quickly into more confident and independent learners.

Leaders and staff work hard with parents and carers. They produce a lot of information about the day-to-day life of the school. Leaders also provide ideas for parents to support their children's learning.

However, leaders do not make sure this is shared and understood by all parents.

Leaders and governors work with dedication and determination to improve the school. Middle leaders share good practice and support staff successfully so that children across both the Leabank and Mossdale sites receive the same high-quality education.

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

The headteacher leads very well. She is ably supported by senior and middle leaders. They share her love of the school and her ambition to make it the very best possible.

Leaders, including governors, understand what works well and what needs to be better.

Leaders have strengthened the quality of education throughout the school. They have thought carefully about what they want children to learn and how best to make this happen.

They have combined high expectations for all children with a curriculum that builds on children's knowledge and skills.

Early reading is taught effectively. Children enjoy looking at books, listening to stories and singing rhymes.

When they are ready, children are taught phonics through a structured and engaging approach. As a result, standards in early reading are rising.

Many children arrive at the school unable to communicate well.

Staff use signing to help children share their ideas and feelings. Staff encourage children to talk as they play, modelling new words for children to learn. In the classes for two- and three-year-olds, we saw staff skilfully introduce and reinforce simple language through the stories 'Whatever next!' and 'We're going on a bear hunt'.

While this improving picture is the case, children who speak English as an additional language do not develop their speaking skills as quickly as they should.

In mathematics, staff plan activities both indoors and outside that help children to build their understanding of numbers and shapes. We saw children in a class for three- and four-year-olds accurately counting the spots on giant dominoes.

Other children were using language such as 'inside' and 'under' as they built a rail track out of wooden bricks.

Staff use consistent routines. Staff sing familiar rhymes with children to help them move on to the next activity.

Only gentle reminders are needed when children take too long to settle down.

Teachers adapt curriculum plans so that most children gain good knowledge and understanding across all areas of learning. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), including those from the resourced provision, benefit from these adaptations.

The children enjoy learning and experience success.

The curriculum includes a wide range of events that open up and enrich children's experiences of the world. During a 'wow Wednesday' session, children excitedly made bird feeders with their parents.

Children complete 'culture wheels' at home that illustrate what is important to them and their families. Children celebrate different festivals, including Diwali and Chinese New Year. Staff support children to practise real-life skills, such as cutting up fruit snacks and using hammers and nails.

These experiences enable children to identify and manage risks in a safe manner. This also strengthens their understanding of the world around them.

Governors have a broad range of knowledge and skills.

They use these to support and challenge leaders. Leaders take care of staff well. Staff feel supported and appreciated.

Staff are proud to work at the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Keeping children safe is at the heart of the school's work.

Leaders make sure the school is a safe environment for children.

Leaders carry out thorough checks to make sure that all adults in school are suitable to work with children. All staff are well trained in spotting signs that children may be at risk.

Staff are confident in the steps they take to record and report any concerns.

Leaders work closely with external agencies so that referrals for extra help are timely and appropriate. The family worker's effective actions ensure that families who need extra help are supported to care for their children.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Children who speak English as an additional language do not develop language skills across the different areas of learning as quickly as they should. Leaders need to make sure that these children learn to speak confidently and fluently, using the new vocabulary they hear, so that they have a strong foundation for their future learning, particularly in reading. .

Some parents do not understand the work of the school. They do not know enough about what their children are learning and how their children learn. Leaders need to make sure that the different ways they communicate are accessible to all parents, so that parents have the information and help they need to support their children's learning at home.