11 October 2006
Chatelherault Primary School Nursery Class
Silvertonhill Avenue
Hamilton
ML3 7NT
In carrying out this follow-through inspection, HM Inspectors take account of National Care Standards, Early Education and Childcare up to the age of 16, and The Child at the Centre. The following standards and related quality indicators were used in the recent inspection.
National Care Standard |
Child at the Centre Quality Indicator |
Standard 2 — A Safe Environment |
Resources |
Standard 4 — Engaging With Children |
Development and learning through play |
Standard 5 — Quality of Experience |
Curriculum |
Standard 6 — Support and Development |
Support for children and families |
Standard 14 — Well-managed Service |
Management, Leadership and Quality Assurance |
Evaluations made using HMIE quality indicators use the following scale, and these words are used in the report to describe the team’s judgements:
excellent excellent
very good major strengths
good important strengths, some areas for improvement
adequate strengths just outweigh weaknesses
weak important weaknesses
unsatisfactory major weaknesses
Introduction
Chatelherault Primary School Nursery Class was inspected in June 2006 as part of a programme of follow-through inspections carried out by HM Inspectorate of Education. The nursery had been inspected by the Care Commission and HM Inspectorate of Education as part of a programme of integrated inspections in June 2006, and a report was published in December 2004. The education authority, working with staff, had prepared an action plan indicating how the recommendations identified in the integrated inspection report would be addressed. The purpose of this follow-through inspection is to evaluate the progress made by Chatelherault Primary School Nursery Class in achieving improvements based on the recommendations set out in the integrated inspection report.
Recommendations |
Evaluation of progress |
|
1. |
Nursery staff should improve the assessment, recording and reporting of children’s progress in each of the five areas of development and learning. |
Good |
2. |
Nursery staff should continue to improve communication between the nursery and parents. |
Very good |
3. |
Senior managers should improve teamwork among nursery staff. |
Good |
4. |
The school, in collaboration with the education authority, should improve the leadership of the nursery. |
Very good |
5. |
Senior managers should develop clear policies and procedures with staff and share them with parents. |
Very good |
6. |
Senior managers should work with staff to introduce effective self-evaluation. |
Adequate |
Overview of progress achieved
Planning now set out clearly what children were expected to learn. It was becoming flexible enough to respond to children’s interests. Staff recorded children’s learning and progress regularly but the quality of their observations varied and was not always sufficiently focused to plan appropriate next steps in children’s learning.
Communication with parents had greatly improved. Staff encouraged parents to experience children’s activities at helpful workshops and open days, which included a walk round the nature trail. They sought parents’ views about the work of the nursery through questionnaires and responded appropriately. The recently formed Parents’ Forum was providing helpful suggestions on improving aspects of the nursery, including a more informative handbook and reporting to parents.
Teamwork among nursery staff was improving. Staff were positive about senior managers’ leadership and support. They particularly valued the support of the recently-appointed nursery teacher, especially her knowledge and experience in planning and assessing children’s learning and progress. The depute headteacher had improved staff working patterns, providing more stability and continuity in children’s learning. More formal meetings between staff and senior managers would be beneficial in planning further improvements and encouraging more decision making.
There had been significant improvement in the leadership of the nursery. The headteacher ensured the depute headteacher, who was responsible for the day-to-day running of the nursery, and nursery teacher had clear remits and responsibilities. Senior managers visited the nursery daily and parents felt they knew their children very well. Their open, approachable and supportive leadership style was appreciated by staff, parents and children.
Management ensured staff took part in staff development and training which was focused on their needs. They had developed a comprehensive range of appropriate policies and procedures which provided helpful guidance to staff. They shared these and the welcoming nursery handbook with parents. Accident and incidents were now recorded appropriately.
Monitoring and evaluating the work of the nursery was at an early stage of development. Staff had evaluated and discussed key areas of the nursery. They evaluated their plans and the depute headteacher provided them with helpful oral and written feedback. However, evaluations were often too broad and lacked focus. Senior managers did not yet formally monitor the quality of children’s learning experiences in the nursery, although this was planned.
Other Issues - Response to recommendations or to requirements made at the last Care Commission singleton inspection.
Senior managers and staff had addressed almost all of the recommendations made at the previous Care Commission inspection satisfactorily. The nursery and education authority should ensure regular fire drills are implemented.
Conclusion
Chatelherault Primary School Nursery Class had made good progress in overtaking the key recommendations set out in the report of December 2004. As a result of the progress achieved HM Inspectors will request a progress report from the education authority within one year of the date of this report.
June Graham
HM Inspector
HOW TO CONTACT US
If you would like an additional copy of this report
Copies of this report have been sent to the headteacher, staff and the education authority. Copies are also available on the Care Commission website: www.carecommission.com and HMIE website: www.hmie.gov.uk.
If you wish to comment about pre-school inspections
Should you wish to comment on any aspect of pre-school inspections, you should write in the first instance to Kenneth Muir, HMCI, at HM Inspectorate of Education, Denholm House, Almondvale Business Park, Almondvale Way, Livingston EH54 6GA.
Our complaints procedure
If you have a concern about this report, you should write in the first instance to Hazel Dewart, Business Management Unit, HM Inspectorate of Education, Second Floor, Denholm House, Almondvale Business Park, Almondvale Way, Livingston EH54 6GA. A copy of our complaints procedure is available from this office or by telephoning 01506 600 258 or from our website at www.hmie.gov.uk.
If you are not satisfied with the action we have taken at the end of our complaints procedure, you can raise your complaint with the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman. The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman is fully independent and has powers to investigate complaints about Government departments and agencies. You can write to The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman, 4-6 Melville Street, Edinburgh EH3 7NS. You can also telephone 0870 011 5378 or e-mail enquiries@scottishombudsman.org.uk. More information about the Ombudsman’s office can be obtained from the website: www.scottishombudsman.org.uk.
Crown Copyright 2006
HM Inspectorate of Education
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