Charlton with Cropthorne Pre-School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 01/03/2005 Inspector Name Ann Doreen Burford

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Charlton with Cropthorne Pre-School Setting Address The Old School Room Ryden Lane,Charlton Pershore Worcs WR10 3LQ

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of Charlton with Cropthorne Pre-School

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Charlton with Cropthorne Pre-School Address The Old School Room Ryden Lane, Charlton Pershore Worcestershire WR10 3LQ

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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ABOUT THE INSPECTION

The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public that the nursery education for funded three and four year old children is of an acceptable quality. Inspection of nursery education also identifies strengths and weaknesses so that providers can improve the quality of educational provision and help children to achieve the early learning goals (elgs) by the end of the Foundation Stage. This inspection report must be made available to all parents. If the setting has been inspected previously, an action plan will have been drawn up to tackle issues identified. This inspection, therefore, must also assess what progress has been made in the implementation of this plan.

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Information about the setting

Charlton with Cropthorne Pre-School became community owned and committee run in 2002. It operates from the old school hall behind the local church in the village of Charlton. The group is open each weekday from 09:15 until 12:15 with the option of a lunch club between 12:15 and 13:15. It is open school term time only. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area. There are currently 28 children from 2 years 6 months to 4 years on roll. Of these, 16 children receive funding for nursery education. Children come from a wide rural catchment area including many local villages. The setting has procedures in place to care for children with special needs, and also has procedures to support children who speak English as an additional language. The group employs five staff. Two of the staff, including the manager, hold appropriate early years qualifications. Three staff are working towards a

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Information about the setting

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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How effective is the nursery education?

Charlton with Cropthorne Pre-School provides high quality nursery education overall which enables children to make very good progress towards the early learning goals. The quality of teaching is very good. Staff provide a range of exciting, practical activities through which children develop a sense of awe and wonderment. Staff organise the space and resources imaginatively to create an interesting environment. They liaise with parents to meet the extra needs of children and ask for other professional advice when needed. They plan a range of topics to cover all areas of learning in the long and medium term, but recently the short term planning has not been completed. Staff assess children's learning against the stepping stones. Leadership and management are very good. The manager and committee have been effective in developing a committed staff team who have a collaborative approach to all aspects of their work. There is a system in place to monitor and

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How effective is the nursery education?

evaluate the quality of the teaching, although this has not been used to its full potential recently. The committee is made up of parents. They understand the importance of their roles and responsibilities, helped by using a folder that has been produced explaining this in detail. The partnership with parents is very good. Parents are well informed about forthcoming events through newsletters and the information board. They are welcome to join the committee and get involved in the running of the group. As part of some topics parents are invited to the group to share their expertise with the children. Parents are kept informed about their child's progress through informal verbal exchanges as well as more formal parent meetings.

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What is being done well?

• Children participate in many practical problem solving activities. They are given time to find a solution to resolve the problem. They are fully supported by staff in a sensitive, calm manner. The children's ideas and initiatives are harnessed as they think things through, for example finding out how to move ducks through water without touching them with their hands. • Children's physical skills are promoted effectively. Staff have identified a day when all funded children attend so they can ensure all of the children focus on their physical skills. They plan a variety of activities both indoors and outdoors to offer challenge and fun. • Outside experts are regularly invited in to the setting to further extend children's experiences and skills for example, music sessions are provided by 'Jo Jingles'.

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What is being done well?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 • The strategy for children new to the group is excellent. Before their first session staff make a visit to the child's own home. Parents are able to share information about their child which enables them to settle quickly into the group. This is also a time when parents can ask questions and their wishes can be identified and met. • Staff are pro-active in encouraging parents to be involved in their child's learning. The parent newsletters include details about the current topic and suggestions for activities at home. These are simple activities for both parents and children to enjoy together. • Good information about the foundation stage is provided for parents by arranging parent skills evenings covering such topics as phonics. Parents can participate in practical activities to enhance their understanding of

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What needs to be improved?

• the short term planning to include the monitoring and evaluation of activities and teaching.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Very good progress has been made since the last inspection. The staff and committee have introduced a number of effective measures to develop opportunities for parents to contribute to observations of children's learning and to consider ways in which resources could be made more accessible to children. The parent partnership has been improved by many new strategies. The parent newsletters and the home visits have been a major factor in getting parents more involved in their child's learning. The impact has been to provide children with even more experiences that can be re-enforced at home. Their home experiences are then shared with the group ensuring continuity and familiarity for the children. Some new storage units have been provided especially for art and craft activities. Children can self-select enabling them to develop their interests, express their own ideas and lead the play.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Effective behaviour management strategies underpin children's understanding of the rules and develop good social manners. Children are well behaved. They are developing a sense of community within the setting and as part of the local village life. They help each other and willingly help to tidy. The key worker develops a strong relationship with the children in her group and their opinions are listened to and respected. Staff use good games so children learn each other's name.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children are keen to communicate through gesture and talk. They find their name when they arrive and at snack time. Their name cards have a picture of an object starting with the same sound, this is helping them link sounds to letters. Children write with a purpose and give meaning to their mark-making such as when taking orders for drinks and food in the restaurant. Some children can correctly form the letters of their names. They enjoy reading books from the easily accessible range.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good A good range of resources and displays encourage children to recognise numerals. Children use number with a purpose as they play and they understand the use of numbers in every day life. Staff provide many opportunities to count, add one on and take one away through practical activities and number rhymes. Children have a good understanding of size and positional language. Children help to make their own resources, such as five little ducks, to use in interactive activities .

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children are enthusiastic about exploring and investigating and love experimenting through practical activities. Children learn about the diverse community as they celebrate a range of festivals and cultures. They frequently go on walks around the village to observe change and develop a sense of belonging to their own environment. Visitors attend the group to support the topics. There is a good range of construction resources, children play fleetingly although they make representational models.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are provided with good challenge and take risks as they climb the trees in the garden to a sensible height. Children use a variety of sit-on toys with good co-ordination, some toys require the co-operation of another child. New skills are encouraged by staff when they provide a variety of obstacle courses for children to balance, jump and land safely. Staff have identified a day when all funded children attend so to ensure they all develop their physical skills.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Staff use games to encourage children as performers. 'Lights, camera, action', is shouted by staff and children before a child is chosen to stand up in front of the group and sing solo songs. Children have very good imaginations and enthusiastically join in role-play opportunities. They make up their own scenarios and involve their friends in their play. They enjoy using their senses as they smell, touch and taste a variety of natural materials.

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Children's spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development is fostered

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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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.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT

There are no significant weaknesses to report, but considerations should be given to improving the following: • There are no significant weaknesses to report, but consideration should be given to improving the following: • short term planning so that it builds on the evaluation of activities and teaching.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT

The provider 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 form part of the next inspection of funded nursery education.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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