Shafton First School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 15/10/2004 Inspector Name Ann Revell

p.1

SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name St Barnabas Pre School Nursery Setting Address Church Centre Tile Kiln Lane Bexley Kent DA5 2BD

p.1

REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of St Barnabas Pre School

p.1

ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name St Barnabas Pre School Address Church Centre Tile Kiln Lane Bexley Kent DA5 2BD

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

St. Barnabas Pre-School Nursery is committee run and opened in the 1970's. It has shared use of St Barnabas Church which has a large outside play space. It is situated in an urban area on an estate of largely privately owned housing. Children attending reflect the diversity of the local community. The group is registered for 35 children aged two and a half to five years and there are currently 47 on roll. The nursery is open during term time on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 09.30 to 12.00 and on Wednesday and Friday from 09.00 to 11.30. A pre-school session runs on Wednesday and Friday from 12.30 to 15.00. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are 33 children attending who are in receipt of nursery education funding. The nursery caters for children with special educational needs and for those who speak English as an additional language. There are 9 staff work with the children on a rota, 7 have an appropriate early years

p.2

Information about the setting

qualification. The group receives support from an Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership advisor.

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?

St. Barnabas Nursery and Pre-School provides very good nursery education which enables children to make very good progress towards the early learning goals. The quality of teaching is very good. Staff plan interesting, practical activities and understand what children are to learn from them. The planning pays good attention to the differing learning needs of all the children including those with special educational needs and English as an additional language. The pre-school sessions provide the older children with very good challenges, especially in mathematics and literacy where they make particularly good progress. Staff support all the children well. They are very involved with the children and interaction is good. Many learning opportunities are maximised by skilful questioning. Staff organise the room and resources imaginatively to create a stimulating learning environment where children want to explore and to increase their independence. They manage the children very

p.3

How effective is the nursery education?

well and have very good relationships with them. Staff observe children at their activities and assess their learning against the stepping stones and the early learning goals. They record progress and use this information to inform planning. They do not always fully record the information that demonstrates children's response to activities, therefore enhancing parents understanding of their child's progress. The leadership and management of the nursery are very good. The manager has developed a team who work collaboratively to provide the best of care and education for the children. Staff are committed to updating their skills and knowledge and continually evaluate the planning, assessment and their teaching. The partnership with parents is very good. Parents are very well informed about the Foundation Stage and the nursery enables parents to extend children's learning at home. Parents receive regular informal and formal reports of children's progress.

p.3

What is being done well?

• The planning of the programmes for both the younger and older children is very effective and contributes considerably to the high standard of teaching and the children's good progress. The programme provides exciting activities that motivate children to want to learn. It meets the needs of all the children at their differing levels of development. • The staff work closely as a team under strong leadership. The children benefit from the collaborative approach to their management, care and education. • The partnership with parents is very strong. Parents are fully aware of what their children are expected to learn and are supported effectively in extending

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 children's learning at home. • Staff work very hard to provide a stimulating learning environment. They value and display children's work, provide interactive displays relating to topics and present activities in a way that encourages children to participate. • The older children are making very good progress in their early reading skills. They learn to recognise their names and other familiar words, to learn the sounds that letters make and to understand how books work.

p.3

What needs to be improved?

• the children's records of progress, in order to make them more interesting and informative for parents.

p.4

What has improved since the last inspection?

Very good progress has been made since the last inspection. Staff were asked to address issues relating to children's opportunities to recognise familiar words, to develop children's personal independence and to ensure that all staff participated in the planning. There is now a wealth of labelling around the room, on resources, display tables and as captions to children's work. Children are encouraged to be aware of this and this is contributing the good progress they are making in their early reading skills. Children now demonstrate good independence as they confidently choose their activities, collect their own snacks and put their work away in their named tray. Staff now all participate in the planning with each being responsible in turn for planning the fortnightly topic work. This enables them use all their particular strengths and expertise for the benefit of the children and ensures that activities are

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 happy and secure. They are excited by the interesting activities and eager to explore and to learn. They work independently and concentrate well. They take turns with dough tools and cooperate in the puppet theatre. They are delighted when the snail eats the lettuce and are aware of the feelings of others. Children are very well behaved and polite. They show good personal independence as they put their work away in their named tray. They make confident choices about their learning.

p.5

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children confidently talk about their objects at 'show and tell' time. They are learning to take turns in conversation and listen attentively. They systematically learn the sounds that letters make. They are encouraged to notice the wealth of print around the room. The older children follow a story in their individual books as staff read from the 'big' book. They understand that writing is for a purpose as they make their own bank notes in the shop. They are learning to form letters correctly.

p.5

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good The many daily activities and routines, and good teaching, are ensuring that children are becoming confident in counting accurately and in number recognition. The younger children count at the dough table and when model making. The older children count to see how many shoes there are in five pairs and how many wheels there are when there are two cars. The older children practise writing numbers correctly. Children are able to use the language to describe shape, size and position.

p.5

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children observe the snails and explore the many natural and made objects that are attractively displayed. They collect leaves and observe seasonal changes in the garden. The younger children are becoming familiar with the computer and the older ones are developing good mouse control. Children explore everyday technology such as clocks and calculators and they take photos of each other with a camera. They are beginning to know about their own culture and beliefs and those of other people

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 enjoy a wide range of physical activities both indoors and in the garden. For example, they exercise to music, swinging their arms, moving forwards and backwards and jumping on the spot. They are coordinated and demonstrate good skills. They show a good awareness of space as they line up and maintain their own space in the circle. All the children are learning to handle small tools such as scissors confidently and safely. The older children are developing good pencil control.

p.6

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children draw freely and apply paint in different ways and their work is valued and displayed. They mix paint to make autumn colours and model snails with the dough. They play the instruments as they sing to a tape and are able to maintain a simple rhythm. They use their imagination to make music with the percussion that sounds like the rain and the thunder. They respond to their senses as they taste and smell a variety of fruit, handle the cornflour gloop and explore the objects on display.

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 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.

p.7

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 given to the following: • continue to develop the children's records of progress to provide further information for parents. Consider, in addition to the areas of learning tick sheets, keeping the observational notes that show how children have responded to the activities.

p.7

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.

p.7

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

p.7