White Rabbit Pre School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 15/11/2004 Inspector Name Jean Evans

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name White Rabbit Pre School Setting Address La Bassee Road Baden Powell Estate Catterick Garrison North Yorkshire DL9 3BH

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name Catterick Garrison Pre-School Group 503584 1061698

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Catterick Garrison Pre-School Group Address Hipswell Lodge Smuts Road Catterick Garrison North Yorkshire DL9 3AX

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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

White Rabbit Pre School is managed by Catterick Garrison Pre-School Group, with a Supervisor employed to take responsibility for the daily running of the group. It has been registered since 1992, although it was originally established in the 1970's. It is located in two buildings on the Baden Powell estate in Catterick Garrison and serves the army families who live there. The pre-school accommodation consists of four rooms for the children, who are cared for in age appropriate groups, toilets, two fully fitted kitchens and an office. There are two enclosed outdoor play areas with fixed apparatus and a rubber safety surface. The pre-school is registered for 96 children between the ages of six months and five years. There are 107 children on roll, of whom 35 receive nursery funding. The pre-school supports a small number of children who have special educational needs. There are 12 experienced members of staff working with the children on a full or

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Information about the setting

part-time basis; 8 hold a relevant childcare qualification and the remaining 4 are working towards such a qualification. Qualified teacher support, advice and training is given by the North Yorkshire Early Years Partnership, and additional support is given by the Pre-School Co-ordinator from Catterick Garrison Pre-School Group. Opening times are from 09:00 to 15:00 from Monday to Friday during term time. The pre-school is a member of the Pre-School Learning Alliance who provide an extra source of support and advice.

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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?

White Rabbit Pre-school is acceptable and is of high quality. Children are making very good progress towards the early learning goals across the curriculum. Provision for personal, social and emotional development is excellent. The quality of teaching is very good. Staff challenge children effectively, according to individual age and ability, ensuring that they reach their full potential. They use appropriate methods to meet the needs of all children, including those with special educational needs, supporting and extending activities appropriately. They manage children well, set high standards for behaviour and foster good relationships, resulting in secure, confident children who have a positive attitude towards learning. They make effective use of time and resources to promote learning in a balanced way across the curriculum. The leadership and management of the pre-school is very good. Although only in

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How effective is the nursery education?

post for two weeks at the time of the inspection,the new leader is experienced and well-supported by staff and Catterick Garrison Pre-School Group Management Committee. The pre-school has identified strengths and points for development clearly in an Action Plan, which is being addressed systematically. All staff are highly enthusiastic, and dedicated to improving the care and education of the children who attend. There are plans to establish stronger monitoring and evaluation systems. There is an excellent partnership with parents. They are given very good quality information about the pre-school provision through newsletters, notices, discussions and displays. Staff, particularly keyworkers, talk to parents informally and formally informing them of their children's achievements and progress. Parents feel welcome at the pre-school and regularly share what they know about their children with staff. There are very good opportunities for parents to be involved with their children's

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How effective is the nursery education?

learning, and there is good continuity between home and pre-school.

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What is being done well?

• The enthusiasm and dedication of all staff leading to continual improvement of provision. • The excellent programme for personal, social and emotional development, resulting in confident, happy children who are aware of their own needs, views and feelings and sensitive towards others. • The very good relationships at all levels, ensuring that children feel secure and confident and have a positive attitude towards learning. • The excellent partnership with parents, enhancing opportunities for children's learning by providing continuity between home and pre-school. • The excellent opportunities for children to know about, and develop respect

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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 for, their own cultures and beliefs and those of others.

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What needs to be improved?

• the present overall planning system, to ensure that all early learning goals are included so that high quality can be maintained in the future, and the possibility of omissions to the curriculum eradicated • the present systems for monitoring and evaluating the provision for nursery education to ensure that the present high quality is maintained in the future.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Very good progress has been made in the two key issues arising from the last inspection and these were related to the organisation of sessions and the development of early literacy skills. Adults are more aware of the importance of child-initiated activity, and working with children in their chosen areas of interest, so that the balance between adult-led and child chosen activities over a session has improved considerably. Adult-led activities now include a greater element of choices for the children to make, and children have extra time to choose their own activities. The time spent in large groups has been shortened to ensure that children remain attentive. Literacy skills have been developed by making the story corner more inviting and improving the choice of titles. Children regularly visit the library to supplement their book selection. There is now a designated writing area with a range of appropriate resources to encourage

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What has improved since the last inspection?

children to explore writing for a purpose and link sounds to letters.

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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 Provision for this area of learning is excellent. Children are interested, excited and motivated by stimulating experiences. They express their feelings in individual ways, with older children showing definite preferences, and younger children discovering their own emotions. They are forming very good relationships, with some established friendships. Children are very well-behaved and aware of the consequences of their actions. There are excellent opportunities to respect cultural differences.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children interact with one another confidently and use imaginative language expressively during role-play. Older children negotiate well as they decide resources and roles for their chosen activities. All children demonstrate keen listening skills, responding eagerly to songs, stories and rhymes. They use language well to describe real and imagined experiences. They are developing a love of books and stories through good resorting, well-planned activities and enthusiastic staff interaction.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children say and use number names during play as they park toy cars in numbered bays. Older children discover that there are 20 children in the group by counting confidently whilst younger children enjoy painting spiders with their fingers and counting the legs. Children use language effectively to describe shape, size, position and quantity as they play with construction equipment, sand and water. There is good emphasis on pattern in regular activities such as painting and collage work.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children explore and investigate a wide variety of living things and objects using all of their senses. They particularly enjoy walking to the nearby woods to observe changes of weather and seasons, and to collect natural materials. They use technology effectively to support their learning. They are learning about their own cultures and beliefs, and those of others, through exciting experiences such as creating huts during the Jewish Sukkot festival and listening to an African visitor.

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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: Very Good Children move with confidence and imagination, showing due regard for their own safety. They demonstrate growing skill as they negotiate hazards, such as tree roots and muddy patches, when walking through the woods. When dancing and moving to music indoors, and running about outdoors, children show a keen awareness of their own space and that of others. They handle a wide range of tools, objects, construction and malleable materials safely and with increasing control.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children enjoy exploring colour, texture, shape, form and space in two and three dimensions. There is a good progression of skills as adults encourage children to learn new techniques and provide them with an increasingly complex selection of tools. They eagerly express their imaginative ideas through art and design, music and dance, and particularly enjoy role-play and stories. They make effective use of the wide range of exciting resources to communicate their ideas, thoughts and feelings.

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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 high quality. Children are making very 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

There are no significant weaknesses to report, but considerations should be given to improving the following: • There are no significant weaknesses to report, but consideration should be give to improving the following: • put into practice the proposed modifications to the present overall planning system to ensure that individual rather than groups of early learning goals are included • introduce the proposed changes to systems for monitoring and evaluating the provision for nursery education.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT

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

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

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