Nursery Pilot Inspection by
HM Inspectorate of Education of
Glenlee Primary School Nursery Class
South Lanarkshire Council
3 October 2006
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.
Child at the Centre Quality Key Area
Indicator
Development and learning through play
Curriculum
Children’s development and learning
Support for children and families
Management, Leadership and Quality
Assurance
National Care Standard
Standard 4 – Engaging with Children
Standard 5 – Quality of Experience
Standard 6 – Support and Development
Standard 14 – Well-managed Service
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
very good
good
adequate
fair
unsatisfactory
:
:
:
:
:
:
excellent
major strengths
important strengths with some areas for improvement
strengths just outweigh weaknesses
important weaknesses
major weaknesses
Reports contain Recommendations which are intended to support improvements in
the quality of service.
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 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 Ombudsmen. 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.
_______________________________
Nursery Pilot Inspection by
HM Inspectorate of Education of
Glenlee Primary School Nursery Class
South Lanarkshire Council
Introduction
Glenlee Primary School Nursery Class was inspected in May 2006 as part of a programme of
pilot inspections carried out by HM Inspectorate of Education. An inspection of the primary
school was carried out at the same time and is the subject of a separate report. The nursery
catered for pre-school children aged three to five years. It was registered for 30 children
attending at any one session. At the time of the inspection the total roll was 56.
Key strengths
•
The quality of children’s learning in the five key areas of learning and development.
•
The very good opportunities for children to experience challenge and choice in their
learning.
•
The innovative work being progressed in developing children’s understanding of what
they could learn in different play situations.
•
Very effective transition arrangements for children moving to primary school.
•
The commitment of the management team and staff to the continuous improvement of the
nursery.
Quality of children’s experience
Staff provided a very good and suitably challenging curriculum for children. Staff interacted
well with children and made effective use of high quality questions to stimulate and extend
their thinking. Staff were developing an innovative project which involved staff discussing with
children what they could expect to learn in different and challenging play situations. As a
result children responded well to opportunities for choice and were motivated and keen to
learn. Staff met daily to share their observations of children’s learning and to plan for the
needs of individuals and small groups. There was an effective system to assess and record
children’s progress. Children who required additional support in their learning were well
supported by staff with a particular responsibility for children with a hearing impairment.
Commendably the nursery had begun to integrate children from the Hamilton School for the
Deaf on weekly visits.
The programmes for emotional personal and social development, communication and
language, knowledge and understanding of the world, expressive and aesthetic development
and physical development and movement were very good. Staff provided an extensive range
of interesting activities which related to children’s own interests. Most children were confident
and showed independence and responsibility. For example children used the interactive
whiteboard to sort and group objects and used the digital camera by themselves. Early writing
opportunities were evident in different play situations and all children could recognise their
name and most were attempting to write it by themselves. The pretend garden centre gave
good opportunities for children to practice simple counting and use money. Children had
made interesting drawings showing the stages of growth of seeds and could talk confidently
about what they had learned. Staff ensured that children had daily access to the adjacent
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outdoor play area and garden even in poor weather by providing waterproof jackets and
umbrellas.
Improving the Centre
The headteacher had delegated day-to-day management for the nursery to the depute
headteacher and leadership was very good. They provided very good leadership. They both
knew children and their families very well. Both were strongly committed to the nursery and
gave consistent support to the nursery staff team. They encouraged staff to share their skills
to develop new initiatives within the nursery. The depute headteacher met regularly with the
staff team and gave helpful written feedback about planning and practice.
Transition arrangements for children starting P1 were very effective. Staff completed a formal
record of progress which was started in the nursery and completed in P1. There was an
emphasis on the continuity of learning and teaching from nursery to P1. The senior
management team encouraged primary staff to work alongside the nursery team on a regular
basis. This was helpful in forming relationships with children and led to an appreciation of
what and how young children learn. There was a helpful buddy system in place by children
from P6 to introduce the nursery children to the lunchtime café and simple routines of the
primary school.
Self evaluation procedures had been implemented successfully. Questionnaires had been
used to gather parents’ views and nursery staff had been involved in a broad audit of work to
decide priorities and targets for the nursery class in the whole school development plan.
Some whole school priorities ensured that the nursery was fully involved, for example, in
health promotion.
Glenlee Primary School Nursery Class provided high quality learning experiences for children.
The nursery was well placed to build on the high quality of existing provision and undertake
further developments.
Main Points for Action
•
To further develop the high quality of provision and, in particular, the development of
children’s understanding of what they can learn in different play situations.
Elizabeth Paterson
HM Inspector
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The table below shows the evaluations against the indicators of quality which were used in
this inspection.
Quality Indicator Table
3.1
Children’s development and learning through
play
3.2
Staff/child interaction
3.3
Meeting children’s needs
3.4
Assessment, keeping records and reporting
4.4
Support for children with additional support
needs
7.4
Effectiveness of leadership
Very Good
Good
Good
Very Good
Very Good
Very Good
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