Buckeridge International College

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 07/12/2004 Inspector Name Christine Clint

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Paddington Pre School Stage Two Setting Address The Old Court House College Lane East Grinstead West Sussex RH19 3LS

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REGISTERED PROVIDER 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

Paddington Pre School Stage Two has close links with Paddington Pre-School Stage One, both groups are privately owned. Stage Two meets at The Old Court House in East Grinstead. Children from the surrounding area attend for the last year of pre-school, before they attend full time education. There are three sessions held, children can attend in the morning, at lunch time, or in the afternoon. Monday to Friday 9.00 -11.50, lunch 12.00 -12.50, afternoons 13:00 -15:50, term time only. The group offer a play scheme held in August for children aged 3 years and over for 3 days a week. There are 39 children on roll, all children have funded educational places. The pre-school supports children with additional needs. There are 5 members of staff, either qualified in child care, or working towards a qualification. Staff attend extra courses including first aid and child protection.

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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?

Paddington Pre school Stage Two offers acceptable provision for nursery education, children are making generally good progress in many areas of learning. The quality of teaching is generally good. Staff have a good knowledge and understanding of the early learning goals, providing learning opportunities that cover most areas. They recognise children's needs and support them individually, they show a high level of involvement in children's play. Children's additional needs are thoroughly assessed and methods are introduced for encouraging their progress. The plans for activities make clear links with the stepping stones for children's intended learning, but there is less challenge for older, more able children, staff do not fully extend activities to maximise children's progress. Some recorded observations of activities for individual children are repetitive and children's assessments are not fully used to inform future planning.

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How effective is the nursery education?

Leadership and management is generally good. The provider maintains a high ratio of staff to children and a good level of trained staff. Staff are encouraged to attend short training courses and to link with the early years network. There are regular staff meetings and these are used to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the provision. Parents' termly consultations with key workers are also used to assess the provision. These methods have not fully identified the current weaknesses, however the provider has shown commitment in making many recent changes following early years advice and guidance, Partnership with parents is very good. Parents have ample information about the setting and the provision for children's education. They are able to update staff on their child's development at regular consultations and they are confident that they can approach key workers at any time. Parents have opportunities to see and

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How effective is the nursery education?

discuss the observation and assessment records held by the pre-school.

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What is being done well?

• Children's individual development is keenly noticed by staff. They ensure that children are given one to one attention, when required especially younger children and those who have particular needs. Children are never forced to participate, staff encourage and join in with children when they are ready, they acknowledge the importance of developing children's confidence. • Children have ample opportunity for increasing their skills of control and co-ordination. Staff join with them to encourage participation during dance sessions, they learn to move and stretch different parts of their bodies. They respond to instructions and learn how to skip and gallop, they dance with each other and in a circle. Children are praised continually by staff for their efforts, they enjoy moving to music.

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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 • Parents have full information about the early learning goals and can regularly link with key workers to gain updates on their child's development. Most children attend the younger pre-school and their development records are transferred with them, parents know that they can see the development profiles, they are confident that the pre-school provides a learning through play ethos.

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What needs to be improved?

• the challenge for older, more able children in activities • children's individual assessments to reflect the level of learning and to inform future planning • opportunities for linking sounds with letters • opportunities for writing for a variety of purposes • the inclusion of numbers in everyday routines, to increase children's knowledge of quantity and to include problem solving • opportunities for children to design and make to express their own creativity.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The pre-school has made generally good progress since the last education inspection. The provider was previously asked to reflect the early learning goals in documents used to assess children's progress. Development profiles from the local early years network have been in use for children and the pre-school is now waiting for an updated version. The provider has also introduced a new development profile for younger children to assess their ability, linked with the areas of learning. The provider was also asked to arrange the book corner to make it more attractive to children. The book corner is comfortable and inviting, books are well displayed and children can reach and use books easily. The provider was required to look at time management to ensure a balance of activities were included. Staff and children respond well to routines and this enables time to be managed effectively, a good balance was achieved.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The previous inspection requested that children had more opportunities to use their imagination and develop their own ideas in art and design. Children have some freedom to choose colours and to choose between drawing with pencils and chalk, but many creative items on display are pre-designed by adults and many large wall displays show adult work.

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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 Older children are involved and interested, they show a developing awareness of their own needs and feelings, they are forming relationships and learning to take turns. They are developing self control and personal independence. Younger children gain confidence during the session to try new activities, they are encouraged continually and have one to one attention. All children have opportunities to link with the wider community and visit places of interest.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children are learning to communicate with each other and staff, they respond well to stories and enjoy songs, they are becoming attentive. Children are encouraged to think and organise their speech. Older children use pictures to retell stories, they understand that print carries meaning. They are learning to use books for locating information. Children have few opportunities to link sounds with letters, they are not encouraged to write for a variety of purposes during their everyday play.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children can count in sequence and older children can recognise numbers. They are learning to identify and name shapes. Planning shows that children are encouraged to use positional language and to sort and match items. Numbers are used less in everyday routines and activities, children are not frequently learning about quantity, understanding more or less, or simple calculating. There are many missed opportunities to include problem solving in everyday routines.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children have opportunities for investigating objects, plans show that they identify natural items on walks and use them during activities. Children are encouraged to find out how and why things work, they use everyday technology during activities. Children talk about previous events and they are learning about different cultures through celebrating festivals and helping families in other countries. Children do not have full opportunities to design and make, or to access materials.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children move competently between activities during their free play, they manage steps in several areas, negotiate the furniture and have an awareness of the space around them. Children have regular access to outside play equipment, they use the garden and wear waterproof suits during cold weather. Children are learning about their bodies during regular dance sessions and physical activities. Children handle tools with control, they roll play dough and use cutters.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

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

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children use different materials in their art work, they paint and colour, they use chalk. They eagerly practice new songs for the Christmas show and sing many songs from memory. Children are learning to match movements to music during their dance sessions. Children often arrange picnics in the home corner and staff develop this imaginative play by including a cafe or travel agents. Creative activities do not fully allow children to follow, express or communicate their own ideas.

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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 good quality overall. Children are making generally 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: THE KEY ISSUES

• include differentiation in the planning for activities to ensure that staff extend the provision for older, more able children and encourage staff to reflect children's individual levels of learning in observation records and use these to plan for future activities • provide opportunities during everyday routines and activities for children to progress in their mathematical development and in their communication, language and literacy • ensure that children develop their own skills of creativity in designing and making.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT: THE KEY ISSUES

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: THE KEY ISSUES

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

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