Pen Green Centre for Children and Their Families

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Pen Green Centre for Children and Their Families continues to be an outstanding school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Children are thriving at this friendly, welcoming school. Staff show great care for children because they want the best for them. Children say that they feel safe and happy.

They know that staff will quickly sort out any problems.

Staff have the highest expectations for all children. They expertly plan activities which promote children's learning and development.

Children are excited and interested in the activities. Staff know how to maximise the children's learning. They tailor every interaction so that the children flourish.

Ch...ildren's behaviour is exemplary. Staff have created a calm and purposeful learning environment. They use their knowledge of the children to keep them focused on their learning, both inside and outside the building.

Staff never miss an opportunity to model good manners.

Leaders value the strong partnerships they have built with families. Staff ensure that they know the children well.

Parents and carers value the strength of relationships between school and home. One parent, typical of many, said: 'My children have come on leaps and bounds since starting here. The staff are amazing, and you can tell they are there because they love what they do.'

Parents like that their children are safe and have so many learning opportunities.

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

Leaders have an unwavering determination to provide the best experiences for all children. The curriculum is ambitious and highly personalised to meet children's needs.

Leaders have integrated the statutory requirements for children in the early years with a rich and aspirational curriculum. Communication and language development are at the heart of the school's curriculum along with a sharp focus on children's broader development.

Staff are highly skilled in developing children's communication and language.

Their interactions with children are of the highest quality. Staff identify key vocabulary and then use it repeatedly to reinforce it. Staff promote a love of books.

They tell stories and nursery rhymes with great gusto. Children readily join in with stories and rhymes. For example, children act out the events in 'The Three Billy-Goats Gruff' story.

They use positional language such as 'over' and 'under'. Other children compare toy goats and describe them as 'Little Billy-Goat' or 'Medium Billy-Goat'.

Leaders have a deep understanding of how children acquire mathematical knowledge.

Number and pattern feature significantly throughout the learning environment. For example, children independently line up cans in order from 1 to 10. Some children recognise the total number of play dough shapes without counting them.

Others count forwards and backwards as they wait to eat lunch.

Staff have an incisive knowledge of each child's needs. They use this knowledge to plan activities linked to children's development.

For example, some children work on tasks specifically designed to develop physical control and core body strength. Others develop confidence using bikes in the outdoor provision.

Leaders and staff build strong relationships with families before a child joins the school.

They quickly identify what children need to thrive at school. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) access the same ambitious curriculum as their peers. Staff sensitively provide close care and support.

They are alert to children's engagement and when appropriate, change activities to ensure that no learning time is lost.

Classrooms are calm and purposeful across the school. Staff establish routines from the moment children join the school.

They model the expected behaviour themselves. Children know what is expected of them and how to behave. Established routines and nurturing relationships make for a settled learning environment.

Children have positive attitudes. They are respectful to staff and each other. Staff make sure that the learning environment is very engaging.

Governors and representatives of the local authority know the school well. They understand the school's strengths and promote an ethos of continuous improvement. Leaders work very well with staff.

They provide excellent training. They consider staff's well-being and workload. Staff are overwhelmingly positive about the leaders and the professional support they receive.

Staff are proud to work at this school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is a strong culture of safeguarding.

Leaders provide regular training for staff and governors. Staff know how to spot children who may be at risk. They pass on concerns promptly.

Leaders support children's welfare. They work well with external agencies to provide additional help when needed. Record-keeping is comprehensive.

Governors regularly check the school's safeguarding procedures.

Leaders build strong relationships with families. They know the children and their families well.

Parents say that they feel well supported and know where to seek help. Leaders make sure that vulnerable children and their families receive the help that they need.

Background

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

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 outstanding in November 2012.

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