Information about the setting

Brantwood School for Girls is an independent school registered with the Department of Education and Employment which caters for girls aged 3 to 16 years.   The school was founded in 1902, moving to its present site in 1970.   In 1982, South Yorkshire Independent Schools Trust took over the running of the school.   The school is based in a large Victorian house which has newer extensions added.   It stands in its own secluded grounds and is situated approximately a mile and a half to the south-west of Sheffield and the surrounding areas.

There are approximately 200 girls on roll, including 5 who receive funding for nursery education.   The school is open 5 days a week during term times from 08.50 to 15.20.   Extended care is also offered from 08.00 to 17.15 and breakfast, lunch and tea are provided.

The funded girls attend either full-time or part-time sessions.   They are accommodated in 2 rooms with the youngest girls of school-age in the reception class.   They have access to outdoor facilities, including an area with outdoor equipment and a safety surface, a yard and wooded and garden areas.   There are currently 10 girls in the class and 3 members of staff work with them.   Two have appropriate teaching qualifications.   The girls are also taught ballet, music, physical education and speech and drama by specialist teachers.   They have the use of the school hall, music room, ICT room and library and also have opportunities to use facilities for swimming and sport in Sheffield .

The school is accredited to the Independent Schools Association, which is affiliated to the Independent Schools Council.

How effective is the nursery education?

At Brantwood School for Girls, children are making very good progress toward the early learning goals in all areas of learning.

The quality of teaching is very good.   Staff have an in depth knowledge of the early learning goals and thoroughly plan programmes of stimulating activities, clearly linked to the six areas of learning.   They understand how young children learn and provide many practical play experiences throughout the day, with some opportunities for girls to choose their own activities.   Staff know individuals well and adapt their teaching to meet their needs.   They explain clearly, praise achievements and give high priority to encouraging skills needed for speaking, listening, reading and writing and supporting mathematical learning.   Relationships and behaviour are very good.   Staff have clear expectations of behaviour and help children to consider others to treat others with respect.   The programme of activities is organised to give time for individual, small and larger group works and time for activities with specialist teachers.   There is a wide range of resources and opportunities to use facilities in and out of school to cover the six areas of learning very effectively.   Staff regularly assess the children’s attainments and record their progress towards the early learning goals clearly.

Leadership and management are very good.   Roles and responsibilities are clearly identified and staff work well as a team.   There is great commitment to improvement with effective systems in place to monitor and evaluate the provision.

Partnership with parents is very good.   Parents are well-informed of their daughter’s progress and receive information of the educational programme.   Staff intend to develop this to provide more details of the work the children are currently following.

What is being well done?

• Children are happy, confident and eager to learn.   They develop very good relationships with the staff and with each other.
• Staff give very good support to help children achieve their skills needed for speaking, listening, reading and writing.
• Children are encouraged to understand the value of numbers and solve simple mathematical problems through worthwhile practical activities.
• Children have good opportunities, including access to specialist teachers and resources, to enable them to develop well in areas of physical and creative development.
• Staff know individuals well and adapt their teaching to provide excellent support to each child.   Children express their own ideas well in imaginative play and show good ability to represent their own interpretations in their pictures.

What needs to be improved?

•  The information for parents about the work their children are currently following.

What had improved since the last inspection?

There was one point for consideration identified in the last inspection of nursery education.   This was to develop a more structured area for outdoor play, allowing more physical activities to be planned outside at break and lunch times.   The school has made very good progress in implementing the action plan.

There is now an area for outdoor play with a safety surface, challenging climbing frame and markings such as footprints and hopscotch to stimulate interest.   The area is used for planned activities and to provide good opportunities for children to practise physical skills.   The school is justifiably proud of this area which has been achieved through the support and fundraising of the parents association.

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement:

Very Good

Children are happy, confident and eager to learn.   They show personal independence choosing their own resources and concentrate well on activities such as drawing and sand play.   They co-operate in their play and develop very good relationships with staff and each other.   Their behaviour is very good.   They are learning to express their own ideas, including information about events in their lives and their own culture, at group-time.   Staff help them to listen and respect the contributions of others.

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement:

Very Good

Children speak clearly and are developing wide vocabularies.   Staff support their language skills well, encouraging them to describe objects and recall experiences, such as making Christmas cakes.   Children listen intently to stories and discussions.   They enjoy using books and are becoming aware of the shapes and sounds of letters.   Staff give high priority to developing skills needed for reading and writing.   Children use mark making materials, write their own names and draw pictures confidently.

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement:

Very Good

Children are learning to count, recognise and use numbers competently through practical activities.   Staff help them to compare the value of numbers as they count the number of shapes they have printed and to solve simple problems as they work out how many beads they need to complete a pattern.   They use a good range of resources to support mathematical learning and use activities such as baking to introduce ideas relating to quantities and measures and dough to explore shape and position.

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement:

Very Good

Children explore sand, dough and magnets.   They find out about living things and nature by planting bulbs and observing the robin outside the classroom.   They use a good variety of resources for construction and are developing excellent skills in using their computers.   Discussions about past events and work on the calendar help give a sense of time and visits to the farm help them learn about the environment.   Resources and many planned activities raise their awareness of their own and other cultures.

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement:

Very Good

Children are developing good co-ordination and control of their bodies as they run around and use challenging equipment for balancing and climbing in the lovely outdoor area.   Their manipulative skills are increased by moulding dough and using a sewing machine and scissors with care.   There is a large range of equipment to practise physical skills.   Planned activities with specialist teachers develop skills for movement, gymnastics and games.   Girls also have opportunities to enjoy swimming.

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement:

Very Good

Children explore a wide variety of resources and materials for drawing, painting, collage and making models.   There are excellent opportunities to enjoy music, including ballet and music lessons with a specialist teacher.   Children sing happily and respond to music well.   They use imagination, creating situations as they use dressing up clothes.   They express their own ideas in play and show good ability to represent their own interpretations in their pictures.

Children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered appropriately.

Yes

OUTCOME OF THE INSPECTION

The provision is acceptable and is of high quality.   Children are making very good progress towards the early learning goals.   The next inspection will take place in three to four years time.

WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT

(Key issues or points for consideration for improvement in nursery education)

There are no key issues to report, but consideration should be given to improve the following:

Implement plans to provide more detailed information to parents about the work their children are currently following.

The registered person must draw up an action plan within 40 working days of receipt of this report showing how the key issues detailed above will be addressed.   The action plan must be made available to all parents, and to the Local Authority if required.   An evaluation of the action taken will from part of the next combined inspection.