Madingley Pre-Preparatory School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 10/03/2005 Inspector Name Jane Nelson

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Beckett House Nursery Setting Address 98 Richmond Avenue Islington London N1 0LL

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Beckett House Limited Address 98 Richmond Avenue Islington N1 0LL

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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

Beckett House Montessori Nursery School opened in January 1996. It operates from one large room, situated on the ground floor and basement of a residential building in Islington. The nursery school serves the local community. There are currently 48 children from 2 to 4 years on roll. This includes 21 funded three and four year olds. Children attend a variety of sessions. The nursery school supports children who have special needs, and children who speak English as an additional language. The nursery school opens 5 days a week, 46 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 8:30 to 17:30, full time or 09:00 to 13:15 and 14:15 to 17:00 part time. Two part time staff and 3 full time staff work with the children. Four staff have early years qualifications. One member of staff is currently on a training programme. The nursery school follows the Montessori method of education.

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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?

Beckett House Nursery provides generally good education in a well resourced and stimulating environment. Children are making very good progress in communication, language and literacy, mathematics and creative development, and generally good progress in physical, knowledge and understanding of the world and personal, social and emotional development. Teaching is generally good. The Montessori philosophy and materials are combined with traditional play equipment. Staff plan and provide stimulating and interesting activities and resources which reflect children's interests and are used well to encourage children's learning. They interact very well with children, good use of language and questions extends children's learning. The system for recording children's development is effective. Children's behaviour is managed well, their achievements, and interests praised and talked about. Very good opportunities are

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How effective is the nursery education?

provided for children to use and understand numbers and use their imagination through topics like the Planets and Egypt. Those with English an additional language and special needs are well supported. Planning is not always fully effective as there are few opportunities for children to find out about information technology, observe living things and gain confidence using large equipment. The leadership of the group is generally good. There is a clear management structure in place and high emphasis is put on good team work. Good access to training is provided. The system for evaluating and monitoring the education program is not yet fully effective. Partnership with parents is very good. Good information is provided about the setting and the curriculum. Good relationships, clear communication and sharing of children's records ensure staff and parents work together to create a positive learning experience for children. Parents feel children's individual needs are met well

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What is being done well?

• Partnership with parents is very good. The systems in place to provide and share information with parents work well, encouraging them to be actively involved in their children's learning. Clear communication between staff and parents mean that information is shared and children's individual needs are met well. • Children use numbers confidently and are learning to understand mathematic concepts such as fitting objects inside each other and stacking and sorting graduated Montessori materials. • Staff interact well with children, they support children well in their learning by good use of language, questions, praise and encouragement. They plan and

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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 provide topics that capture children's interest and enthusiasm such as Egypt and the Planets.

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What needs to be improved?

• Opportunities for children to learn about information technology • opportunities for children to gain confidence using large equipment • opportunities for children to observe growth and living things

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What has improved since the last inspection?

This was the setting's first education inspection.

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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: Generally Good Children are involved and interested in their play, older children are confident speaking in a familiar group and younger children are gaining this skill. They concentrate and sit quietly when appropriate and have good opportunities to take turns and work in small groups. They have good relationships with each other and staff. Children have opportunities to gain independence when making choices about their play, although there are some missed opportunities for example pouring their own drinks.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Older children are confident and articulate speakers, younger children are gaining confidence. They listen to and interact well with each other. Children have good opportunities to link sounds to letters, when sounding the letters of their names and simple words.They have good opportunities to understand that print carries meaning through labels on familiar objects and their work. They have access to a good range of books and use them to locate information such as finding out about their bodies

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children use numbers confidently in play and during activities such as counting raisins at snack time and counting down to 'blast off' when playing in the space ship. Older children count to 20 and beyond and use words like a hundred and a million. Children have good opportunities to understand and use mathematical concepts like comparing size shape and weight. Older children complete simple addition and subtraction using Montessori rods, younger children match counters to corresponding numbers.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children have good opportunities to investigate objects and look at differences such as observing objects floating and sinking. They find out about the natural world through topics like the Planets. There are limited opportunities for children to find out about and identify living things and to learn about information technology. They have good opportunities to find out about their own and other cultures through celebrating festivals and learning words in other languages.

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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 Good opportunities are provided for children to learn about staying healthy through topics like 'all about me'. Children have opportunities to climb, move under, over and between equipment. They are confident handling a range of small equipment and tools, however there are limited opportunities for chrn to gain confidence handling and using large equipment such as trolleys and bikes.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children have good opportunities to explore sounds, sing and match movements to music through planned music sessions in large and small groups. They sing independently when playing and use their imagination well during play, when listening to and joining in with stories and during planned drama sessions. They are learning to respond in a variety of ways to what they see and feel for example saying when they don't want to do something.

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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

• Develop opportunities for children to learn about information technology • increase opportunities for children to gain confidence using large equipment • increase opportunities for children to observe growth and living things. 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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