Governor's Report to Parents 2015-16

Ethelred Nursery School & Children’s Centre Governors’ Report to Parents 2015-2016 20 Oakden Street, London SE11 4UG Telephone 020 7582 9711 admin@ethelred-nursery.lambeth.sch.uk www.ethelrednursery.org.uk

Welcome from the Chair of Governors Adam Matthews Being elected Ethelred's Chair of Governors is a considerable responsibility as well as an honour. A responsibility that we continue to maintain and improve upon the Ofsted rated 'outstanding' provision at Ethelred and also an honour to be entrusted with the challenge to ensure that the rich history and ethos continues to flourish for the next generation of children, and to do this within the context of the changing educational landscape.

This past year has been a particularly eventful period in our history. We have moved to our new site and will be here for two years. Our previous building has been demolished to make way for our new home and I am sure the amazing team of staff can testify to the challenge of moving over such a short period of time. There was such a determination to create the same welcoming and happy home when we opened our doors again. I must acknowledge and sincerely thank the very hard work of both the nursery and children's centre teams to make this as smooth as possible for the children. We have also been grateful for the kind support of our new nursery neighbours Archbishop Sumner. They have supported us by allowing us to have lunches on their early years site and we have been made to feel very welcome.

After 40 years, moving is never going to be easy, but buildings are really only important for what goes on in them. This is ultimately Ethelred's strength. We have amazing staff throughout the school and children centre and everything that goes on is to help nurture the growth and development of those children entrusted to us.

A key responsibility of being a Governor is to ensure that we are able to verify for ourselves how the nursery and children centre do exactly that. We fulfil this responsibility by receiving and scrutinising reports from the Head, Deputy Head and Centre Manager. We also undertake observations during the school day, we receive termly independent monitoring reports from Lambeth's school improvement advisor, we compare our performance with other similar schools and also talk to parents/carers. Based on these different sources of information we build up a picture of how Ethelred and the children are doing. This in turn informs our decision making at Governors meetings. We are always looking for new Governors to complement our existing Board and if you have skills in finance, management, education, policy or building development I would be very happy to hear from you.

Looking ahead to the coming year 2016/17, it will be an important year for all schools. The educational landscape is changing fast and this has implications for all schools be they a nursery, primary or secondary. The Governors are currently considering the implications for the future and how best we ensure Ethelred can continue to grow and flourish in what we do. We have an amazing basis from which to do this and are so grateful for the support of parents/ carers. We look forward to discussing our thinking with those that continue to have children at the school.

Finally, I would like to reiterate my deepest thanks to the parents/carers, staff, community, our neighbours and most importantly the children. The children have been brilliant this year and every time I drop off my son they seem so happy and excited at the beginning of another Ethelred Day. I remain convinced that if more people understood what we do at Ethelred there would be a queue down the road to have their children here.

Thank you.

-2-

Who are the Ethelred Governors?

Name

Role

Adam Matthews

Chair of Governors

Glenda King

Headteacher

Cathy Byrne

Deputy Headteacher - Co-Opted Governor

Anna Day

Staff Governor

Maria Martin

Parent Governor

Elisa Costa Brava

Parent Governor

Hannah Lazell

Local Authority Governor

Kelly Lin

Local Authority Governor

Charmaine Strelitz

Clerk to the Governors

Adam Matthews - Chair of Governors

Glenda King

Cathy Byrne

Glenda King - Headteacher

Cathy Byrne - Co-Opted Governor

Maria Martin - Parent Governor

Elisa Costa Brava - Parent Governor

Kelly Lin - LA Governor

Hannah Lazell - LA Governor Anna Day - Staff Governor

-3-

Headteacher’s Report Glenda King As the end of the school term approaches, we look back on a very busy, eventful, challenging and successful year. The major change that impacted us most was the move from our Lollard Street site which had been our home for 41 years. The Nursery school moved to Oakden Street and the Children’s Centre has been relocated to White Hart Street. This is a temporary arrangement until our new school and Centre is built on the Lollard Street site. Staff worked very hard to prepare for the move which was a major operation. I am grateful for the efforts they put in to make the move a success. It was quite a wrench to move but we were able to reflect on what we had achieved in the past, and now look forward to taking possession of a new, modern building which is fit for purpose. It is expected to be finished in spring 2018. We feel that our children and families deserve to have the best and we are very grateful to Lambeth Council and the developers for initiating this project. I would like to say a special thank you to all parents and carers for their support and patience throughout this process, which potentially could have been very unsettling. Thank you also for being so understanding and cooperative with having to make extra childcare arrangements to enable us to undertake the move and set up on the new sites.

The children have settled in well and are enjoying the new learning environments on both sites.

We brought over many of their favourite things to add to their security and continuity. The staff have recreated attractive and vibrant learning environments for the children who appear to be happy and confident learners.

The move has had an impact on the Nursery roll and we would like you to help us by spreading the word that Ethelred is a good place for children to be.

The Children’s Centre services have been re-established on the new site and although they have lost both indoor and outdoor space, the new environment they have created is attractive and welcoming. The Children’s Centre user numbers have risen steadily and they have managed to retain many of their former parents and carers who have returned to benefit from the services offered.

We welcomed some new children and families to Ethelred after Easter and they have settled in well. We hope their stay with us will be a happy and fulfilling one.

There will be 35 children leaving Ethelred in July to go on to primary school in September. It has been a privilege to support them at Ethelred and we wish them a happy and successful future.

We will miss the vibrancy, humour and joy they bring to our setting as they explore new learning challenges and activities.

The coming year will have its challenges but we are hopeful we can meet them head on and continue to offer quality services for children and their families. We want Ethelred to continue to flourish. Your support is valued and your confidence appreciated.

Thank You.

-4-

Children’s Centre Bolu Heather As I write this report, I am now coming to the end of my first year in post at Ethelred. It has been a period of substantial change, bringing with it new scope for opportunity. The relocation from Lollard Street to White Hart Street was small in distance but large in planning. Only with a concerted team effort could the idea be turned into reality; an achievement in itself.

So far, the feedback from users at our new venue has been positive, with families adapting well to the changes and making good use of the new surroundings. We have continued to provide a range of universal and targeted activities for children and families, such as our popular Stay & Plays on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday where there is an average attendance of 15 for each session. The play sessions have continued at Mary Sheridan Child Development Centre (CDC) and in partnership with Health services we have continued to provide 2 year checks and baby massage. Our venue continues to offer meeting space for the health visiting team, as well as hosting Team Around the Child (TAC) multi-disciplinary meetings and core group meetings.

New activities have included:  Baby Zone on a Friday morning – a group for under-ones to support parental early engagement in children’s centres  Health Exercise and Nutrition for the Really Young (H.E.N.R.Y.). Ethelred was the first children’s centre in the north locality to work with the charity to deliver this effective programme for local families  Parents as Partners – a therapeutic programme to support co-parenting  Short personal development courses for parents, such as stress-busting and confidencebuilding  Working in partnership with Tomorrow’s People to offer review sessions for parents wishing to go back into work or further learning A member of the school team provided valuable temporary support with the CDC while a member of staff was on extended leave.

In September, Sue Peyton joined the children’s centre team as the new Early Years teacher. Sue has a wealth of teaching and learning experience and has worked with the team to further develop improvements to support children’s learning in the play environment.

We also saw the retirement of Asmara, children’s centre crèche assistant. I would like to give our sincere thanks to Asmara for all her efforts and dedication to the post and wish her all the best for the future.

Outreach is an important part of our children’s centre service delivery. The Outreach coordinator has developed good links with the health visiting team and other service providers in the local community. These links have been of particular benefit as we established ourselves in our temporary accommodation.

Last year, our catchment area was extended and our boundaries reorganised due to the closure of Vauxhall Children Centre. The children’s centre change process continues. The current consultation process will influence new service transformation in April 2017. We look forward to ensuring that high quality services continue to be provided for the local community. We will also be planning for our relocation to Lollard Street for September 2018.

I would like to thank all of the Ethelred team and families for making my first year enjoyable and rewarding and look forward to the challenges ahead.

Bolu Heather Children’s Centre Strategic Partnership Manager (part time) July 2016 - 5-

Attainment & Safeguarding Adam Matthews

ATTAINMENT: Last year’s OFSTED report stated that the quality of teaching at Ethelred is…‘outstanding and leads to the children making great strides in learning new skills’. The challenge is always to maintain such standards and to do so when moving from our home of the past 40 years.

In the run up to the move I observed the planning that the staff team undertook each day in line with the objectives for that week, month and term. I noted how subtle references were being introduced to daily activities to begin to prepare the children for the change of venues. Activities with building bricks and art work involving designing buildings were profiled. More obvious interventions were then made , such as talking about the move in group time and then taking the children to see the new site.

All this was undertaken within the context of the learning objectives for the children.

As soon as the doors were open at the new site, it was essential that normal daily routines and activities were established as soon as possible. The space is actually larger but the layout more challenging and has required the staff to adapt and modify each day’s plan.

I am always amazed at the variety and clever ways that games and play underpin learning objectives. I am equally impressed by the planning and thinking that goes into this from the whole staff team. Importantly, overall plans are made as well as individual plans to support all children’s’ learning needs and interests. It is always a real pleasure to observe the children at play and to see how the planning that has gone into it actually works so well.

‘Children from all backgrounds and heritages do extremely well. No group falls behind. Disabled children and those who have special educational needs make excellent progress. The school acts quickly to identify their needs and to set up highly effective support that successfully meets these needs.’

OFSTED 2015 SAFEGUARDING Ensuring that children are safe and well looked after at school is the top priority for the school and governors. Our policies are regularly updated and available for parents/carers to view on the school website or obtained from the school office. Staff and governors also attend regular training to ensure they are aware of the latest guidance for schools which is then put into practice.

A sub-committee of the governing body regularly meets with the Head Teacher to review all aspects of safeguarding policy and its application.

During the year a particular focus has inevitably been on the transition to a new building and ensuring that new procedures and safety standards are working effectively. Very considerable efforts have been put in by staff and in particular Luigi to ensure the children have the safest environment as possible to grow and flourish.

Adam Matthews Chair of Governors

-6-

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Cathy Byrne Over the course of this academic year we have provided support for a number of children who require additional help to meet their learning and development needs. As a centre we take pride in our ability to support children with a wide and diverse range of needs and abilities. It is my role to ensure that programmes of support are developed and carried out in conjunction with key persons, support staff and outside professionals and to review the impact of these interventions to make sure that all of our children are making the most progress that they possibly can.

Our very experienced practitioners continue to update their skills and knowledge and to develop new approaches to supporting our children with SEND. This year practitioners have undertaken training in Speech Language and Communication development; Music Therapy; supporting children with feeding difficulties and working with the Educational Psychologist to ensure that children’s emotional needs are well supported. In addition to this the majority of staff have undertaken paediatric first aid training which complements their role in supporting children with significant health needs.

We are very fortunate in being situated close to the Mary Sheridan Centre for Child Health and have strong links with a range of health professionals based there. We also provide a weekly inclusive Stay and Play session which is located at Mary Sheridan, run by our specialist outreach worker, Anna Day, and supported by practitioners from the Children’s Centre and nursery. Many of the children who access this group go on to attend our nursery once they are eligible. I meet with Anna on a regular basis to facilitate a successful transition for each of these children and to share information and updates on health provision. In addition to this our children continue to benefit from weekly access to the soft play/ physiotherapy room at Mary Sheridan.

This year we have submitted requests to the local authority for five children to be assessed for an Education Health and Care plan. This is a document which details the additional resources to be provided to the school by the local authority to ensure that a child with SEND can access the support they need to achieve to the best of their ability. So far three of these plans have been finalised and resources have been made available to the school; one more has been agreed and one request is currently being processed.

Cathy Byrne Deputy Head/ SEND Coordinator

- 7-

Nursery School and Children’s Centre Development Our Development plan details our priorities for the year. These focus on the things we want to improve and develop further.

The current plans include: 

Strengthening the governing body to ensure it can meet its responsibilities and function well



Devising strategies to secure our future development and sustainability



Ensuring that the provision on our temporary site remains high quality



Making sure that our children achieve well across all areas of their learning



Developing targeted interventions to support those children who are not achieving as well as expected



Continuing to develop strong partnerships with other schools to share and improve practice



Improving consultation with parents and carers to help strengthen partnership working



Developing further ways to encourage children to be engaged in their own learning



Maintaining robust safeguarding standards in the setting



Ensuring that strong systems are in place to enable the Nursery School and Children’s Centre to maintain very strong links



Ensuring as far as possible the wellbeing of children and staff

-8-

School Finance 2015-2016 Kelly Lin As governors of Ethelred, we are responsible for ensuring the funding received from Lambeth council is spent efficiently and in line with government requirements.

The majority of our funding goes on staffing; teaching staff, support staff and children’s centre staff, reflecting how crucial our staff are in ensuring we deliver excellent services for our children.

We have submitted a balanced budget this year despite challenges caused by the move. Going forwards, we need to make sure we work with the head teacher to ensure the school obtains value for money and that we manage our finances effectively as we move to our new site.

INCOME

795,972.00

EXPENDITURE Teaching

209,611

Support Staff

180,597

Admin

63,288

Other Staff

42,146

Premises

17,186

Learning Resources

13,414

Children's Centre Staff

168,976

Children's Centre non-staff

38,545

Other Supplies Services

44,079

TOTAL

777,842.00

- 9-

REPORT ON THE NEW DEVELOPMENT Glenda King .

The long anticipated move took place in mid-February 2016 and after a lot of planning and preparation, we were finally installed in our two temporary buildings. The work of creating a secure and attractive environment for the children now began in earnest. On the 25 th February when the children returned after an extended break, we were ready to receive them and it was a joy to watch their faces as they came into the new space on the first day. Any anxiety was relieved when they saw their favourite pieces of equipment and the familiar faces of their keypersons. One parent commented that she preferred the new space because it looked just like a school!

The children and staff were invited by the contractors to visit the Lollard Street site to witness some of the demolition work being carried out on the Nursery and Children’s Centre building. We were able to see the roof of the school building being knocked down and emotions aside it was an interesting and strange sight to witness. The developers came into the nursery to talk to the children about their work in preparation for this visit and the children were thrilled to see the enormous cranes dancing in the air as they knocked down the building. All of their senses were engaged in this act and they appeared to enjoy the experience, especially when giving instructions to the crane driver.

New Nursery and Children’s Centre The new Nursery and Children’s Centre building is due to be completed in April 2018, when fit out work will begin. It is likely that the Nursery and Children’s Centre will move in September 2018 after the necessary fit out works are done. The works are currently on programme.

The Housing Regeneration team and the Client Design Adviser have met with the Nursery and Children’s Centre staff to consider in detail the use of the new building. Working within the approved building layout, these meetings provided final comments to the builder and will enable Lambeth Council to prepare a specification and budget for the fit out works, such as IT provision, main kitchen and other fittings.

We will continue to keep you updated of progress on the new build.

- 10 -

School Terms & Holiday Dates 2016-2017

Term One Inset Day

Thursday 1st September 2016

Inset Day

Friday 2nd September 2016

Children return to school

Thursday 8th September 2016

Term Ends

Fri 21st October 2016 Holiday Mon 24th October 2016 - Fri 28th October 2016

Term Two Children return to school

Mon 31st October 2016

Last day for Children

Friday 16th December 2016 Holiday Mon 19th December 2016 – Mon 2nd January 2017

Term Three Inset day

Tues 3rd January 2017

Children return to school

Wednesday 4th January 2017

Term Ends

Friday 10th February 2017 Holiday Mon 13 February 2017 - Fri 17th February 2017 th

Term Four Children return to school

Monday 20th February 2017

Term Ends

Friday 31st March 2017 Holiday Monday 3rd April 2017 – Monday 17th April 2017

Term Five Tuesday 18th April 2017

Term Starts

Inset Day

Bank Holiday (May Day) School Closed Monday 1st May 2017 Monday 8th May 2017 Friday 26th May 2017

Term Ends for Children

Holiday Monday 29 May 2017 – Friday 2nd June 2017 th

Term Six Children return to school

Monday 5th June 2017

Term Ends

Friday 21st July 2017

2 Twilights To Be Arranged These dates are currently correct but may be subject to change, in which case we will give you ample prior notice.

-11-

Staff News Glenda King We congratulate two members of staff on the birth of their babies and wish them many happy times. Jade Edwards-Alvaranga left Ethelred in February and gave birth to a healthy baby boy in March. It was sad to see her go as she had made such a positive impression and done a sterling job. We were thankful for the commitment she brought to Ethelred and wish her well for the future.

Emma Senior is currently on maternity leave, having given birth to a bouncing baby girl. She will be returning after her maternity leave ends. Emma has been replaced temporarily by Vella Veliai who took over as keyperson to Emma’s group. The planned transition worked well and the children are settled and happy.

Bolu Heather joined us in July 2015 as Children’s Centre strategic manager on a part-time basis. She brought significant experience and skills to the role and very ably led the team through the move to our temporary location. The services have been re-established on the new site and user numbers have grown over the last few months. Much hard work and vision has enabled this to happen.

Sue Peyton joined us in September as Children’s Centre teacher which is a pivotal role for maintaining quality provision for children from birth to 3. She is a very capable and experienced teacher and has worked hard to embed good practice among the Early Years staff.

Asmara Gebremeskel retired in June. She has been a valuable member of the Children’s Centre team since 2008 and we wish her a happy, fulfilling and healthy retirement. We said goodbye to her and had a celebration meal in her honour. She brought joy, a caring attitude and a real love of children and their families to Ethelred. Her engaging smile and positivity will be missed.

Mirta Fuentes joined the Children’s Centre administration team and is making a significant contribution to the work of the Centre. Her skill and commitment are both valued.

All staff are to be commended for their hard work and dedication to Ethelred. Significant changes have tested us to the limit and we have proved that effective teamwork reaps dividends. The governors extend their thanks and appreciation to all staff for all that they have done for Ethelred during the last year, which for some has been a time of very challenging personal circumstances.

- 12 -

Staff List for 2015-2016 Glenda King

Headteacher

Catherine Byrne

Deputy Headteacher - EYFS Co-ordinator/SENCO

Sophie Tullis

Class Teacher - Science Co-ordinator

Elaine Seaton

Early Years Educator - responsible for Creative Development

Romina Gor

Early Years Educator

Emma Senior

Early Years Educator - responsible for Small World and Outdoor Development (Maternity Leave)

Vella Veliai

Early Years Educator—Temporary Cover

Vicky McLelland

Teaching Assistant

Tara Mills

Teaching Assistant

Clementina Iyawe

Teaching Assistant

Natasha Pienkowska

Teaching Assistant

Nadia Vona

Teaching Assistant

Shaneen Lewis

Meal Supervisor

Carol Bennett

Meal Supervisor

Sarah Ros

SAO - Acting

Joanne Stevenson

Admin Assistant-Temporary

Luigi Greco

Premises Officer

Anthony Danford

Project Manager

Bolu Heather

Children’s Centre Manager

Charmaine Cummings

Children’s Centre Outreach Manager

Sue Peyton

Children’s Centre Teacher

Halima Begum

Early Years Educator - Children’s Centre

Anna Day

Outreach Worker

Asmara Gebermesekel

Children’s Centre Crèche Worker (Retired June 2016)

Zehra Bender

Admin Assistant—Children’s Centre

Mirta Fuentes

Admin Assistant—Children’s Centre

Martha Macdonald

Community Artist

Veronique Brugeron

Singing Tutor

Adenike Adetola

Kitchen Assistant (Caterlink Catering)

Pamela Lindsay

Cleaning Services (Engie)

- 13-

Our New Premises