Milford School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 01/11/2004 Inspector Name Donna Bonner

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Norwood Grove Pre School Setting Address The White House Norwood Grove Gibsons Hill London SW16 3EX

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of Norwood Grove Pre-School' & 'Committee'

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Norwood Grove Pre-School' & 'Committee' Address The White House Gibsons Hill Norbury London SW16 3EX

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and 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 of the quality and standard of day care in accordance with the National Standards for Under Eights Day Care and Childminding; and 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

Norwood Grove Preschool has been operating for 30 years. It operates from the ground floor hall of a large listed building within a park in Norbury, Croydon. It is open every weekday from 09.30 to 12.00 and offers afternoon sessions from 12.00 to 14.45 on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. There are four staff employed, of whom two are qualified to NVQ level 3. One is qualified to NVQ level 2, and is working towards level 3, and one is working towards NVQ level 2. Some children attend both morning and afternoon sessions and eat a packed lunch brought from home. There is not a secure outdoor area, but the park is used. The specific area used varies according to the weather, staffing and numbers attending. Parent evenings are held each term and the playleader states there is an annual fundraising social event. There are currently 15 funded three and four year olds and the group receive support from the Early Years team. The preschool supports one child with a

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Information about the setting

disability and one with English as an additional language.

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How good is the Day Care?

Norwood Grove Preschool offers satisfactory care. There are good staff and child ratios and children have keyworkers. A deputy is currently being appointed. The premises are welcoming and there is sufficient space although it is not well organised to meet children's needs effectively. Equipment is in good condition and a wide range is available. Documentation is maintained in line with the National Standards, but Ofsted have not been informed of significant events. The premises are safe and the manager carries out risk assessments, however staff are not always deployed effectively to ensure children's safety. Staff encourage hygiene practices with the children and some hold a current first aid training

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How good is the Day Care?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 certificate. Food and drink is provided in accordance with parent's wishes and fruit and water is encouraged. Staff understand their duty to protect children in their care, but current written information is not available. There is a wide range of activities available to encourage most areas of development, but staff do not always support children in activities. The preschool understand the need to treat children as individuals, and to work closely with families. Acceptable behaviour is encouraged through praise and thorough explanations. Partnership with parents is achieved by discussing children's needs with parents which encourages consistent care.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

At the last inspection the registered person agreed to provide evidence of her level 3 qualification and evidence that half of the staff team hold a level 2 qualification. Certificates were seen at this inspection.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The registered person agreed to provide evidence of a risk assessment and that electrical appliances conform to safety requirements and do not pose a hazard to children. Local authority premises checks are carried out and evidence of portable appliance tests were also seen. She also agreed to make sure fire extinguishers conform to BS EN standards and are kept in working order. These are checked and recorded. The registered person agreed to provide evidence that at least one staff member holds a first aid certificate and the managers qualification was seen. The registered person agreed to develop procedures to be followed in the event of an allegation being made against a member of staff or volunteer and have an understanding of the local child protection guidance. A written policy has been developed and is understood by staff and the manager has attended child protection training. The manager has agreed to obtain the government booklet that is now

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What is being done well?

• Children enjoy a lot of imaginative play. They choose where and how to play and this encourages their confidence, language and all other areas of their development. • Staff are enthusiastic and ask children questions, spontaneously tell stories and listen to the children's ideas. The children are comfortable and develop good social skills. • Children are encouraged to 'care and share'. Staff have realistic expectations of their behaviour and praise them. Children play well together and are happy in the setting.

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What is being done well?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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What needs to be improved?

• the organisation of resources and the deployment of staff • the arrangements to identify hazards • the arrangements to inform Ofsted of significant events • the written child protection information

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CONDITIONS OF REGISTRATION

All registered persons must comply with all conditions of registration included on his/her certificate of registration. As a result of this inspection conditions of registration have been imposed / varied / removed and a new certificate of registration will be issued.

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by the time of the next inspection

Std Recommendation 3 Make sure resources are organised and staff are deployed to support children's play and learning. 6 Make sure staff are vigilant about children's safety. 13 Obtain and be familiar with the government booklet 'What To Do if You're Worried A Child Is Being Abused - Summary.' 14 Make sure Ofsted is notified of significant events.

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by the time of the next inspection

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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How effective is the nursery education?

Norwood Grove Preschool provides education where children are making generally good progress towards the early learning goals. Children make very good progress in physical development, personal social and emotional development and creative development. Teaching is generally good. Staff plan a range of activities and make learning fun for the children. Staff are deployed well and use their time effectively to support children in their learning. They observe and assess children's development, but do not use these tools to aid planning for children's individual needs. Staff are competent at managing children's behaviour and set realistic boundaries. There are limiting challenges in the areas of communication, language and literacy, knowledge and understanding of the world and mathematical development. Resources are plentiful and are in excellent condition. Staff make good use of the surrounding park area for

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How effective is the nursery education?

nature walks. Staff have excellent strategies in place to build on children's self esteem, and ensure that they are settled well into the group, although more emphasis could be made on their individual needs. Leadership and Management is generally good. The setting is managed with the provider/manager taking responsibility for the organisation and deployment of staff. There is a commitment to improvement and they use advice from the Early Years Childcare and Development Partnership (EYDCP) but are not fully aware of the areas of improvement that need to be made. The systems for monitoring and evaluating the education are not effective. The partnership with parents is very good. Parents have opportunities to discuss children's progress and are well informed about forthcoming events and the curriculum, and they have opportunities to actively take part in their children's learning.

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What is being done well?

• The children have access to a good range of quality resources, which they access independently. The surrounding park environment are used well, to develop physical skills and to discover nature. • Staff use excellent strategies to promote good behaviour and consideration for others. Children are aware of the caring and sharing ethos of the group and repeat it constantly during their play. • Children have good opportunities to develop their imagination through a variety of role play and creative activities. Staff ensure that all activities provided are completely child lead and ensure that resources are organised to promote this.

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What is being done well?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 • Parents are kept very well informed of their children's progress through parents meetings and verbal reports. There are notices displaying the curriculum, and they receive regular newsletters. Parents are encouraged to come into the setting and share experiences and be a part of their children's learning.

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What needs to be improved?

• Staff knowledge and understanding for communication, language and literacy, and mathematical development. • The current system of observations and evaluations of activities. • The system to monitor and evaluate the education provided. • The opportunities information and communication technology and programmable toys. • The awareness of children's individual needs.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Behaviour is good with staff providing consistent and realistic boundaries. Children relate well to everyone and share and take turns. They are confident and motivated and concentrate well on chosen activities. Children develop independence and self help skills through everyday activities. Resources reflect positive images although more emphasis could be made on looking at differences between each other and a firmer sense of identity. Staff are relaxed and positive in their approaches.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children are keen to communicate with each other to express ideas and feelings. Staff are constantly talking to and questioning children to develop their language. Children enjoy looking at books and having stories read to them and use them to locate information. Children could be better supported to enable them to practise writing their own names, label work and write their own captions. Two 4 yr old children were able to spell out their names from memory and one was able to write their name.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children count each other during registration and match numbers with wooden numbers and a wall chart. Staff provide opportunities to compare weight during sinking and floating activities, but more able children are not able to extend on this by recording what they have seen. The organisation of the resources inhibits the children from exploring and experimenting independently. They know shapes and size and have opportunities to practice patterns during threading activities.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children can recall past and present events and have an understanding of time. They learn about their community and other cultures through role play, regular trips and visitors to the group e.g. the local fire brigade. There are limited opportunities to explore a range of programmable equipment and question why and how things work. Children explore and investigate with all their senses and have an awareness of the natural world by observing and taking part in planting and growing activities.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children move confidently with control and co-ordination and are adept at using trampolines, slides and wheeled toys. Children's manipulative skills are well developed. They experiment with malleable materials such as play dough, clay and corn flour and are skilled at cutting, threading and using pencils and paintbrushes. Children know about the importance of staying healthy and safe and know how the body works.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children use role-play imaginatively and enact from their own experiences. They know colours and are able to match, mix and grade them. They are given regular opportunities to take part in painting, sticking and other creative activities including play dough, sand and water they experiment and make 3D models. Resources are organised well so that children can fully explore for themselves. Children experiment with musical instruments, repeating rhythm patterns and enjoy singing familiar songs.

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

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and 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

• Ensure that all staff have sound knowledge and understanding of the early learning goals for communication, language and literacy, and mathematical development to enable them to effectively plan and organise challenging activities for children. • Develop the current system to use observations and evaluations of activities to inform planning for the next stage in children's individual development. • Devise and implement a rigorous system to monitor and evaluate the education provided. • Ensure that children have planned opportunities to explore and find out about the uses of everyday technology and use information and communication technology and programmable toys to support their learning.

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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 Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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STANDARD 1 - SUITABLE PERSON

Adults providing day care, looking after children or having unsupervised access to them are suitable to do so.

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STANDARD 2 - ORGANISATION

The registered person meets required adult: child ratios, ensures that training and qualifications requirements are met and organises space and resources to meet the children's needs effectively.

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STANDARD 3 - CARE, LEARNING AND PLAY

The registered person meets children's individual needs and promotes their welfare. They plan and provide activities and play opportunities to develop children's emotional, physical, social and intellectual capabilities.

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STANDARD 4 - PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

The premises are safe, secure and suitable for their purpose. They provide adequate space in an appropriate location, are welcoming to children and offer access to the necessary facilities for a range of activities which promote their development.

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STANDARD 5 - EQUIPMENT

Furniture, equipment and toys are provided which are appropriate for their purpose and help to create an accessible and stimulating environment. They are of suitable design and condition, well maintained and conform to safety standards.

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STANDARD 6 - SAFETY

The registered person takes positive steps to promote safety within the setting and on outings and ensures proper precautions are taken to prevent accidents.

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STANDARD 7 - HEALTH

The registered person promotes the good health of children and takes positive steps to prevent the spread of infection and appropriate measures when they are ill.

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STANDARD 8 - FOOD AND DRINK

Children are provided with regular drinks and food in adequate quantities for their needs. Food and drink is properly prepared, nutritious and complies with dietary and religious requirements.

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STANDARD 9 - EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

The registered person and staff actively promote equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice for all children.

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NEEDS AND DISABILITIES)

The registered person is aware that some children may have special needs and is

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NEEDS AND DISABILITIES)

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 proactive in ensuring that appropriate action can be taken when such a child is identified or admitted to the provision. Steps are taken to promote the welfare and development of the child within the setting in partnership with the parents and other relevant parties.

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STANDARD 11 - BEHAVIOUR

Adults caring for children in the provision are able to manage a wide range of children's behaviour in a way which promotes their welfare and development.

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STANDARD 12 - WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS AND CARERS

The registered person and staff work in partnership with parents and to meet the needs of the children, both individually and as a group. Information is shared.

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STANDARD 13 - CHILD PROTECTION

The registered person complies with local child protection procedures approved by the Area Child Protection Committee and ensures that all adults working and looking after children in the provision are able to put the procedures into practice.

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STANDARD 14 - DOCUMENTATION

Records, policies and procedures which are required for the efficient and safe management of the provision, or to promote the welfare, care and learning of children are maintained. Records about individual children are shared with the child's parent.

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STANDARD 14 - DOCUMENTATION

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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