Munchkins Nursery

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 15/10/2002 Inspector Name Angela Rowley

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Setting Name Munchkins Setting Address Unit 1 Canal Court Business Centre Carlisle Cumbria CA2 7AH

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Munchkins (Carlisle) Ltd Address Hunters Croft Aglionby Carlisle Cumbria CA4 8AQ

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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

Munchkins Private Nursery is located in Carlisle, an inner city area of Cumbria. The nursery was purpose built on the first floor of large business premises and is accessed via a flight of stairs. The nursery is open from 7:00a.m. until 6:00p.m. on weekdays, fifty one weeks per year. The nursery is registered to care for a maximum of 62 children aged between birth and five years. There are 25 three year olds and one four year old attending, 24 of whom are in receipt of the Nursery Education Grant. There are no funded children with identified special educational needs or children who have English as an additional language. Children attending the nursery are drawn from the local community and further a field reflecting a range of social and economic backgrounds. One full time and two part time staff work with the funded children, all are suitably qualified and or experienced to work with young children. These staff receive

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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 nursery education at Munchkins Day Nursery is generally good. The children's learning in personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy, knowledge and understanding of the world and creative development is generally good. There progress in mathematical development and physical development has significant weaknesses. The quality of teaching has significant weaknesses, whilst staff are aware of the six areas of learning they lack knowledge of the early learning goals and the stepping stones. Written plans are very limited and there is no system in place to ensure coverage of the early learning goals. Assessments of children's progress do not include all areas of learning. Staff management of the children's behaviour is generally good. The leadership and management of the setting is generally good, the management and setting are committed to improving the care and education of the children, staff's

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How effective is the nursery education?

have good opportunities to attend training. The monitoring and evaluating of the provision of nursery education is poor. Partnership with parents is generally good, parents have access to all written policies and procedures and are regularly updated about changes within the nursery. Parents are encouraged to share information about their child.

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What is being done well?

• children's confidence and self esteem is fostered well. • Children have formed good relationships with staff and their peers. • Children are developing a good understanding of right from wrong. • Children's use of language for communication is good. • Children are developing a good sense of time. • Children have some good opportunities to learn about their own and the cultures of others. • Children have regular opportunities to explore their own creativity in unstructured artwork. • Parents are provided with written information about the setting. • Staff and management foster good working relationships with parents.

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What needs to be improved?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 • The quality of the book area and the range of books. • Children's opportunities to increase number awareness beyond five, to use mathematical language and solve simple problems. • The staff's knowledge and understanding of the early learning goals and stepping stones. • Staff's planning to help children make progress towards the whole range of early learning goals within each area of learning. • Staff's assessment of children's progress towards the early learning goals.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Improvement since the last inspection has been generally good. There is evidence to support the nursery's consideration of and subsequent action to address fully or in part all of the key issues identified. Children have increased opportunities to develop name recognition and access writing materials. Children have regular opportunities to explore a range of natural objects. The role play area is now routinely changed according to the current theme. Additional resources have been purchased to support children's learning in mathematical development.

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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 making good progress in personal, social and emotional development. They are confident and most children are able to suggest ideas for activities, songs and stories. Children have formed good relationships with the staff and their peers and are learning to work as part of a group. The older children have a clear understanding of what is right and wrong and are able to offer guidance to younger members of the group. Children have limited opportunities to select their own resources.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children are making generally good progress in communication, language and literacy. Their use of language for communication is good, they listen well and respond with enthusiasm to stories songs and rhymes. They use language for thinking to explore recent events and to give meaning to their play. Children have insufficient opportunities to link sounds and letters and the provision of books and the book area is poor.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Significant Weaknesses Children's progress in mathematical development has some significant weaknesses. Children do not have opportunities to increase their awareness of number beyond five, there is very little use of mathematical language and staff missed routine opportunities for children to solve simple problems and for the more able children to learn about simple addition and subtraction. Most children are able to count to five and can identify four or more shapes.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children are making generally good progress in knowledge and understanding of the world. They have regular opportunities to go on walks within the local community and can identify the changing seasons. The children are curious and want to discuss and explore new objects and are developing a good sense of time and progression. The children have daily access to a computer however staff did not encourage its use and failed to extend the children's learning in technology.

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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: Significant Weaknesses Children's progress in physical development has significant weaknesses, children do not have any routine opportunities for outdoor play, they have no access to equipment to promote climbing and balancing skills. Children do have a daily opportunity for physical exercise in section of the 'hall', however this area was overcrowded and restricted the children's ability to move freely particularly when using tricycles and rockers.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children are making generally good progress in creative development, they have regular opportunities to explore their own creativity through unstructured artwork and use a variety of media. Children use their imagination freely during role play, small world, construction and when telling stories from pictures. The children have limited access to explore raw 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 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

• Improve the staff's knowledge so they can plan effectively for children to make progress towards the whole range of the early learning goals. • Complete regular assessments of children progress in all areas of learning and use these assessments to effectively plan for children's future progress. • Provide opportunities for children to learn about numbers beyond five, to solve simple problems and to learn about simple addition and subtraction. • Improve the facilities and the range of books so children can enjoy books in comfort in designated area. • Provide opportunities which challenge children's ability to climb and balance, and enable children to move freely in open spaces.

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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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