Fawood Nursery School & Family Wellbeing Centre

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Children thoroughly enjoy coming to school.

Older children act as excellent role models to children who are new to the school. Children make friends quickly and play together happily. The school's nurturing atmosphere is central to this.

Staff expect children to be kind to one another. Staff deal with any unkind behaviour effectively.

Leaders and staff are experts in developing children's self-confidence.

We saw this at the start of the school day. Staff greeted children warmly and helped them to settle in without a fuss. Parents and carers praise the school's 'caring' ethos.

They particularly value how leaders and staff make sure 'everyone ...feels welcome'.

Staff encourage children to explore, discover and ask questions here. Children do so eagerly.

For instance, children took great delight in pretending to cook dinner in the 'mud kitchen'. Other children concentrated to make clay sculptures. They moulded clay and experimented with different marks and patterns.

Children learn to use all equipment, such as the climbing frame, safely.

Leaders and staff have high expectations for all children. All children, including those who attend the 'Rainbows' class, join in the rich range of experiences that the school provides.

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

Leaders, governors and staff put children's needs and interests first. Their commitment to children's well-being and development is clear. Staff provide excellent care and guidance to children and their families.

Leaders' plans for children's learning are ambitious. They want all children to be well prepared for primary school. This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) who attend the 'Rainbows' class.

Leaders make sure that staff introduce children to the right experiences and knowledge at the right time. For example, when children start school, staff help them to explore how the classrooms are similar and different to their home. Staff know that this activity will help children to notice other similarities and differences later in the academic year.

For instance, when children go on 'nature walks' in a nearby park.

Leaders want all children to be able to communicate well. Daily phonics activities help children to recognise and describe the sounds that they hear around them.

As children play and explore, staff introduce new words and concepts. For example, as children used wooden bricks to build a tower, staff talked about whether the tower was 'bigger' or 'smaller' than the children. Children also listen to plenty of stories, rhymes and songs during their time at school.

Leaders and staff know that this helps children to understand new words and concepts. For example, children learn about number by singing songs such as 'Five Speckled Frogs'.

Children make strong gains in their communication and early literacy skills.

However, children could do even better. Leaders' plans do not provide enough opportunities for children to listen to the same stories and rhymes on multiple occasions. This means that children are not familiar with the words and concepts these stories contain.

Classrooms contain guidance on the words staff should use and repeat when they talk to children. However, staff do not follow this guidance consistently. This too reduces opportunities for children to understand and remember new words.

Staff work hard to develop children's personal and social skills. They take children to museums and the theatre and teach them how to brush their teeth. Leaders give parents helpful advice on how they might continue the school's work at home.

Parents told us how much they value this support.

Children behave exceptionally well. All children, including those with SEND, develop the attitudes they need to get the most out of their time at school.

Children follow adults' instructions, take turns and listen to each other's ideas. Staff understand children's needs, including those children who are in the 'Rainbows' class. Children who find it difficult to follow the school's routines receive extra help as soon as they need it.

Leaders help parents to ensure that all children attend regularly. When families experience difficulties, leaders find solutions that work well for individual children.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Keeping children safe is at the forefront of the school's work. Classrooms are well organised and free from hazards. Throughout the school day, staff keep a close eye on children's well-being and supervise children effectively.

Parents agree that their children are kept safe here.

Leaders and staff get to know children and their families well. Leaders signpost parents to extra help that is available from external agencies.

Leaders and staff take prompt and effective action if they think a child's welfare may be at risk.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Leaders have thought about the books and stories they want children to know. Plans provide for a broad range of authors and topics.

However, leaders should make sure that these plans provide carefully sequenced opportunities for children to revisit books and stories and, in turn, deepen their understanding of important words and concepts. . Developing children's speaking skills is a priority for the school.

Leaders know that children typically find this hard, particularly when they first join the school.Leaders are clear about which words and concepts they expect children to know and by when. Leaders should make sure that staff plan and deliver activities which match these aims and ambitions.