Weasenham Pre School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 09/09/2004 Inspector Name Sally Ann Hubbard

p.1

SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Weasenham Pre School Setting Address Common End Weasenham King's Lynn Norfolk PE32 2SP

p.1

REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of Weasenham Pre School 1077470

p.1

ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Weasenham Pre School Address Common End Weasenham King's Lynn Norfolk PE32 2SP

p.1

ORGANISATION DETAILS

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

p.1

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.

p.2

Information about the setting

Weasenham Pre-school opened in 2000. It operates from a mobile classroom within the grounds of the village school. The pre-school serves Weasenham and surrounding villages. There are currently 11 children on role, this includes four funded three year olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The group opens five days a week during term times only. Sessions are from 08:45 until 15:00 Monday to Friday. Three paid staff work with the children. All the staff have early years qualifications to NVQ level 2 or 3. Staff continue to study for further qualifications. The setting receives support from a link teacher/mentor from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership. The group are currently working towards an Investors in People award and are awaiting details of the Kite mark Scheme.

p.2

Information about the setting

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

p.2

How effective is the nursery education?

The provision for nursery education at Weasenham Pre-school is acceptable. It enables children to make very good progress towards the early learning goals in knowledge and understanding of the world, mathematical, physical and personal, social and emotional development and generally good progress in communication language and literacy and creative development. The quality of teaching is generally good. Staff have a good knowledge and understanding of the foundation stage. All staff are involved in the planning and contribute ideas for activities. Plans are detailed, cover all six areas and staff have a system for ensuring a balance across the stepping-stones is achieved. Staff ask children appropriate questions to develop their knowledge, however some learning opportunities are missed at times. Staff have good relationships with children and know them as individuals. They mostly involve themselves well in children's play and

p.3

How effective is the nursery education?

support them during activities. Staff are positive in managing children's behaviour and give them appropriate boundaries. They provide a stimulating and attractive learning environment and make good use of indoor and outdoor accommodation and resources. Regular assessments of children's progress are made using plain language, and these are clearly linked to planning. Leadership and management is very good. The pre-school has clear aims in place and a good management structure. Staff have good relationships with each other, work well together as a team and with the management committee. Staff evaluate sessions by discussing daily and their performance is monitored through annual appraisals. The pre-school is committed to improving the care and education they provide. Partnership with parents is very good. They are provided with very good quality information about the pre-school and are given good opportunities to exchange

p.3

How effective is the nursery education?

information and look at children's progress records. Parents are encouraged to be involved in children's learning.

p.3

What is being done well?

• Children are making very good progress towards the early learning goals in both mathematics and knowledge and understanding of the world. • The pre-school is a caring, friendly group, which has good relationships with parents and carers. They provide a relaxed environment in which children are happy, confident and able to learn. • Staff work very well together as a team and provide a stimulating welcoming environment in which children can learn and make progress. • The management committee show a commitment to providing a good quality service and to make improvements to the care and education where they

p.3

What is being done well?

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

p.3

What needs to be improved?

• the implementation of activities to ensure staff make the most of every learning opportunity • the opportunities for children to reflect and be tranquil • the opportunities for children to explore sound, listen to music and match their movements to music • the examples of print in the environment.

p.4

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

p.4

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are well settled and happy at the pre-school, they show interest in the activities and are learning to share and take turns. Children behave well, are polite, and begin to understand what is right and wrong. Children have good relationships with adults. They are developing their personal independence throughout the session and can select resources to play with. Children learn about their own beliefs, celebrate some Christian and other religious festivals and learn about other cultures.

p.5

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children are developing good listening and communication skills, concentrating well during singing, joining in with obvious enjoyment. They explore real and imagined experiences. They have an inviting and comfortable book area and handle books carefully. Children are learning to distinguish letter sounds. There are some examples of print in the room but these could be further developed. Children have very good opportunities to develop early writing skills and understand that marks have meaning.

p.5

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children have many opportunities to learn about and use number in everyday play, they recognise some number names and sort them into order one to six and relate numbers to objects. Children are learning about simple calculations and show they know more and less than, by comparing groups of objects. They recognise and name simple shapes and arrange shapes and objects to form pictures. Children use language associated with size such as big and little and observe staff using positional language.

p.5

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children have very good opportunities and resources to enable them to explore and investigate. They learn about change over time by growing plants and studying the life cycle of butterflies. They show interest in their environment, helping to take care of it. Children are provided with a good range of construction materials to design and make their own models. They have excellent opportunities to use and learn about ICT. They can talk about and remember past events and things they have done.

p.5

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

p.5

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are able to move with good control and co-ordination and are learning to avoid obstacles. They have opportunities to climb, slide and balance using a range of large equipment, riding trikes and tractors with confidence, showing awareness of space and have good co-ordination. Children are learning about health and bodily awareness such as, looking at the effect exercise has on their bodies. Small tools such as pens, pencils and dough and cooking tools are used with good control.

p.6

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children have good opportunities to explore different media and materials. They know their colours and are introduced to different vocabulary such as shiny, smooth, and sticky. They enjoy singing and have some opportunities to explore sound using musical instruments, but these are not sufficient. Children show good use of imagination in art, design and role play, but need more chances to develop this in music and dance. They are good at expressing how they feel using body language and gestures.

p.6

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

p.6

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.

p.7

WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT: THE KEY ISSUES

• Develop planning to detail how staff can make the most of every learning opportunity and to provide the following, further opportunities for children to reflect and be tranquil. Further opportunities for children to explore sound, listen to music and match movements to music. • Develop the examples of print in the environment, for example, to include labels on everyday items.

p.7

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.

p.7

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

p.7