Lark Lane Family Pre-School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 17/01/2005 Inspector Name Susan, Helen Spencer

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Lark Lane Family Pre-School Setting Address St Michael and Lark Lane Community Association 80 Lark Lane,Aigburth Liverpool Merseyside L17 8UJ

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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

The Lark Lane Family Pre-school is managed by a voluntary committee of parents and is part of the St Michael's and Lark Lane Community Association. It opened in 1977 and operates from the local community centre. The hall is used by others at night but displays and equipment do not have to be moved each evening. Children currently do not have access to a secure outdoor play area but a yard area has been set aside for them and will be made serviceable in the near future. The setting is situated in the Aigburth district of Liverpool. It opens from 09.15 to 15.45 Monday to Friday in school term time only. It is registered to care for 30 children. There are currently 33 children aged between two and a half and four years on roll and they attend for a variety of sessions. Nineteen children receive funding for nursery education. The setting does not currently have any children identified as having special educational needs but has

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Information about the setting

supported such children in the past. At present the setting suppports a few children who speak English as an additional language. The nursery employs three staff all of whom work with the children. They all have an early years qualification and current first aid certificate. The setting receives support from a teacher from the Early Years Development and Childcare partnership and is a member of the Pre-School Learning Alliance.

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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?

The provision for nursery education at Lark Lane Family Pre-school is of good quality. It enables children to make very good progress towards the early learning goals in personal, social and emotional development, communciation, language and literacy, creative development and knowledge and understanding of the world and generally good progress in the other two areas. The quality of teaching is generally good. Staff have a wonderful relationship with children and parents which helps them settle into the setting. They plan stimulating topics, though weekly plans are not linked closely enough to Stepping Stones statements, which makes ensuring coverage of all six areas of learning difficult. Children's independence is promoted very well. Resources are available to children and used well to stimulate them, though greater use could be made of the large apparatus for physical activities. Children behave well because staff explain carefully

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How effective is the nursery education?

how they should behave and why. Assessment procedures are generally good. General observations are frequently made by key workers and there is an adequate system for recording this information. Tasks which focus on the assessment of specific skills would help staff better plan the next stage in children's learning. The leadership and management of the day nursery are generally good. The staff are a well established and effective team. They strive to improve by frequently attending courses and listening to and acting upon advice. Provision is monitored every term, though mainly informally, and gives management a reasonable picture of teaching and learning. There is no management plan, even in outline, to steer future developments. The partnership with parents is very good. Parents are delighted with the attention, care and education their child receives. Induction procedures are tailored to individual children and help them settle in well. Parents feel thay have ample

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How effective is the nursery education?

information about what their child is learning.

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What is being done well?

• The children are very happy in the setting. They enjoy attending and have positive, friendly relationships with the staff. • Children are confident, for instance singing the answer to the register, and very independent when playing. They like staff to play with them and not dictate what will happen. They are always making choices like 'what to play next' and 'which materials to stick to their picture and they do this very well. •• Children have positive self esteem because every piece of work they do is valued, and often put on display, by the staff.

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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 • Children recall many facts about their topics because they are presented in an interesting and 'fun' way. Also unusual facts seem to hold the attention of the children, e.g. like knowing that there are 206 bones in the body. • Children communciate their thoughts and needs to both staff and friends using phrases and sentences. They speak clearly and many use a wide vocabulary for their age. • Children are very capable of 'touch' counting beyond ten. They do this on most days as part of the registration routine and are eager to be the individual who does the counting.

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What needs to be improved?

• the provision for children to play with large apparatus to aid their physical development • the link between planning, assessment tasks and statements from the Stepping Stones so that staff can more easily assess and record children's learning • a management plan which contains aims and plans for the future of the setting.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Progress on the key issues from the last inspection has been very good. The first issue, connected with the learning of letters, is no longer relevant as children of this age are not expected to know such information. The second issue asked the setting to include all the desirable learning outcomes in children's records. The local education authority have provided the setting with recording booklets for the Stepping Stones and Early Learning Goals, one for each child. The setting now keeps what appears to be accurate records of each child's progress in all six areas of learning against the Stepping Stones statements. These statements have replaced the desirable learning outcomes mentioned in the key issue.

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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 Children have very secure and trusting relationships with all staff and consequently are happy to leave their carer at the gate and rush in to play. They are very independent and are learning to make choices like what to play or which materials to use for their picture. They behave well when playing. They are starting to share toys and take turns, e.g. with the glue. They are polite to each other, for instance, when giving out the snacks, and take care of their own needs, like hand washing.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children communicate confidently with individuals and the whole group. Most speak clearly and listen attentively to other children. They turn the pages of a book and some retell or make up the story from the pictures. They also enjoy sharing books with adults. Most children recognise their own name and some know the first sound of it. Child use a wide vocabulary to describe their play. They use the 'writing' table often and enjoy 'mark making' on a shopping list or a diary in the home corner.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children 'touch' count very well to 10, and some go beyond this, because everyone practices this as part of registration. Children often sort objects, for instance, they select pegs by colour to complete their picture. Children experience the language of adding and subtracting, e.g. when an extra child joins the group, though children are not yet responding to this. Children use mathematical language in their play quite often but are not familiar enough with the flat shapes around them.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children experience a wide range of stimulating topics. They sort foods into healthy/unhealthy and vegetable/fruit. They examine their bulbs before carefully planting them. Children know about their city and places far away, like the Rainforest, because they have seen and talked about pictures of them during their topic work. Children control technological equipment with great confidence, e.g. the tape and microphone to sing. They understand other cultures through celebrating their festivals.

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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: Generally Good Children move sensibly around the room and use pushchairs well in the role play but have few other physical activities. Their progress in running, climbing and swinging is impeded by the lack of outside facilities. On the few occasions the slide and climbing frame are put out for them inside. Children use small apparatus and tools with improving control. They carefully pour water, control the computer using a mouse, hold a paintbrush with an effective grip and place pegs to make a pattern.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children really enjoy making pictures and use media with growing skill. When painting they choose the colours they want to use. Some mix colours for effect. Children select which collage materials they want to use for their pictures and stick things accurately. Children sing well and join in with action songs. Some use the microphone to sing to the group. In the home corner children invent games to play about mum and dad. They use Lego bricks and other things to create an imaginary world.

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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

• provide more opportunities for children to play with large apparatus • implement an assessment system which is closely linked to statements from the Stepping Stones • create a management plan which moves the setting forward. 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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