Langley Pre-School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 23/10/2003 Inspector Name Anita Bray

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Langley Pre-School Setting Address United Reform Church Hall Langley Road, Elmers End Beckenham Kent BR3 4AE

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and 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 of the quality and standard of day care in accordance with the National Standards for Under Eights Day Care and Childminding; and 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

Langley Pre-School was first established nearly 30 years ago and was taken over by the present owner in 1999. The group runs from a church hall in Beckenham and serves the local community. The children have access to a large hall, a small hall, male and female toilets, both with washing facilities. There are kitchen facilities used for the preparation of food and drinks and a fully enclosed garden for outdoor play. There are currently 46 children on role; this includes 25 funded 3 and 4 year olds including children with special needs. The group is also able to support children who speak English as an additional language. Children attend a variety of sessions each week. The pre-school is open Monday to Fridays between 09:15 and 12 noon, term time only. There are seven staff members, all have a recognised child care qualification. The group receive support from Bromley Early Years Development and Childcare

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How good is the Day Care?

Langley Pre-school provides a good standard of care. The staff rota is arranged so that children get good adult support and supervision at all times. Staff have been allocated areas of responsibility and display good knowledge of their area. The pre-school staff regularly evaluate all aspects of their provision to ensure high quality service. The premises are bright, welcoming and well maintained. Equipment is organised in such a way that it is attractive and easily accessible to the children. Staff ensure that all documentation is well kept, up-to-date and where necessary stored confidentially. The pre-school staff pay good attention to health, hygiene and safety issues. Drinks

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How good is the Day Care?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 are available throughout the day and at a planned snack time. A strong keyworker system coupled with good record keeping ensure that children's individual needs are met. The members of staff with responsibility for special needs and child protection display very good knowledge of their area. Children are eager to attend the pre-school. Interactions between staff and children are good. Staff plan a variety of stimulating activities and ensure that children are well occupied at all times. The pre-school has access to a garden which has been recently renovated, the use of this is not currently included in pre-school plans. There is a balance of free choice and adult led activities which promote children's all

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How good is the Day Care?

round development. The management of children's behaviour is positive and staff work hard to promote children's self esteem. There is a good range of equipment and activities reflecting the wider community. The partnership with parents is good. There are many opportunities for staff and parents to exchange information about children. Parents are encouraged to contribute to their children's records. Regular news letters and an informative notice board keep parents up-to-date with pre-school activities.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

There were no actions at the last inspection.

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What is being done well?

• Careful record keeping and a strong keyworker system enable the pre-school to plan for and meet children's individual needs. • The range of activities and adult support allows children to develop fully in all areas. Planning, evaluation and efficient staff deployment ensure that children are always involved in purposeful activity. • Children's self esteem and sense of worth is promoted through positive management of children's behaviour. Arrangements for the care of children with special needs and child protection contribute to this. • The premises and equipment are attractive and well organised. Staff liaise with the church to ensure that they remain safe and secure. • The partnership with parents ensures that information about children and pre-school activities is regularly exchanged and is used to promote children's development.

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An aspect of outstanding practice:

Under Standard 2, the regular and organised evaluation of all aspects of the pre-school's action plan promotes on-going development and improvement of the provision. Staff are committed to offering a high quality service to children and their families, their ability to identify weaknesses and act upon them in a positive manner ensures that standards remain high.

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An aspect of outstanding practice:

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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What needs to be improved?

• the planned use of the garden to further promote children's learning and development.

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CONDITIONS OF REGISTRATION

All registered persons must comply with all conditions of registration included on his/her certificate of registration. As a result of this inspection conditions of registration have been imposed / varied / removed and a new certificate of registration will be issued.

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by the time of the next inspection

Std Recommendation 3 Include use of the garden in written plans, to fully meet children’s need for outdoor play.

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by the time of the next inspection

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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How effective is the nursery education?

Langley Pre-School offers a very good standard of nursery education. Children are making very good progress towards the Early Learning Goals in all areas. The programme for knowledge and understanding of the world ensures children are making very good progress, but does not offer sufficient opportunity for children to develop computer, mouse and keyboard skills. The pre-school staff attend regular training and have a very good knowledge of the Foundation Stage Curriculum. Staff work regularly with their key groups and keep detailed records of children's progress. Their knowledge of individual childrens' development enables them to plan activities which ensure that children are offered appropriate challenge. There is a balance of structured and free play activities allowing children to practice their skills and learning, although there is no formal opportunity for children to share their achievements and discuss what they have

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How effective is the nursery education?

learned. The premises are well laid out and equipment is attractively displayed, ensuring that children have easy access and are eager to participate in activities. Staff use positive methods to manage childrens' behaviour, children are well behaved and polite. Good behaviour is valued and praised. The pre-school is very well led and managed. Staff have clear responsibilities and work well as a team. Staff are effectively deployed to ensure that children are always involved in productive activity and that the session runs smoothly. The pre-school has excellent systems in place to monitor the quality of the nursery education and it's effectiveness. Plans, activities and records are honestly evaluated and any weaknesses in the programme are identified. The partnership with parents is very good. Parents have regular contact with their child's key worker and are encouraged to contribute to their child's records on a

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How effective is the nursery education?

termly basis. Regular news letters and an informative notice board keep parents up-to-date with pre-school activities.

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What is being done well?

• Staff knowledge of the Early Learning Goals enables them to offer a balanced and effective curriculum. • Keyworker's knowledge of individual children, coupled with thorough planning, assessment and record keeping works to ensure that activities offer appropriate challenge and meet children's needs. • Systems in place for the evaluation of plans and activities ensure that the pre-school meets its aim of providing good quality nursery education. • Staff deployment and the structure of the session ensure that a balanced programme is on offer and that children are always involved in purposeful activity.

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What is being done well?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 • Regular opportunities for parents and staff to exchange information, enable staff to meet children's individual needs, whilst parents are fully informed about their child's progress.

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What needs to be improved?

• children's opportunities to further develop their knowledge and understanding of the world by participating in information, communication and technology activities, which enable the to practice compute, keyboard and mouse skills. • children's opportunities to reflect upon, share their learning and celebrate their achievements with staff and their peers.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The pre-school has made very good progress since the last inspection. All key issues from the last inspection have been addressed. The staff have a positive attitude towards improving care and education for all children. The first key issue was to further develop planning and assessment and ensure that all aspects of the six areas of learning are included. The pre-school has re-evaluated their planning and assessment documents and all staff have undergone Foundation Stage training. A new planning and record keeping system has been introduced which ensues a balanced curriculum and tracks children's progress through the stepping stones towards the Early Learning Goals. A new timetable has been introduced which allows keyworkers time to spend with their groups and efficiently monitor children's progress. Records are then used to inform future planning. The second key issue was to provide opportunities for children to learn the sounds

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What has improved since the last inspection?

that letters make. A letter of the week and a phonic table have been introduced. The letter and the sound it makes are discussed each morning, children then have the opportunity to explore that letter on the phonics table. Children were observed to have a good awareness of letter names and sounds.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children can sit quietly and listen in groups where appropriate, they freely express their ideas and opinions in a variety of situations. Children are well behaved and polite, they are able to solve conflicts with little adult support. Children are secure in their environment, they are able to make choices and select activities.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children enjoy books, they are able to re-tell familiar stories and anticipate story lines. Children are able to talk in groups and show an awareness of the listener. Four year olds know the names of letters and their sounds, some are beginning to write their own names recognisably. All children are able to recognise their own names. Children have good opportunities to practice their writing skills in a variety of free play situations.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are aware of numbers, 4 year olds can count past ten and are beginning to recognise numerals. They are able to add and subtract one from a group of objects and are starting to use comparative language. Children recognise shape and colour and can repeat simple patterns.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children are curious about their environment, they explore and investigate objects and ask questions about how things work. Children are able to use a variety of tools and materials in building and construction projects. Activities on offer enable children to develop a sense of their own and other people's culture and beliefs. Opportunities to use information, communication and technology are limited, children have not developed keyboard or mouse skills.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children's large motor skills are well developed, they are agile and well co-ordinated. They are able to run, hop and skip. When using a variety of small tools, children display good hand eye co-ordination. Children are able to take care of their own physical needs when going to the toilet.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children use their experience and imagination in role play, they play co-operatively, taking on roles and acting out familiar scenarios. When taking part in musical activities, children respond with enthusiasm, they join in with familiar songs and move to the music. Children explore various media with enthusiasm and use what is on offer to produce their own art work.

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Children's spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development is fostered

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and 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: • The following are points for consideration: • plan and provide regular opportunities for children to practice computer keyboard and mouse skills; • introduce into the daily timetable an opportunity for children to reflect upon the days activities and to celebrate their achievements with their peers.

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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 Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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STANDARD 1 - SUITABLE PERSON

Adults providing day care, looking after children or having unsupervised access to them are suitable to do so.

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STANDARD 2 - ORGANISATION

The registered person meets required adult: child ratios, ensures that training and qualifications requirements are met and organises space and resources to meet the children's needs effectively.

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STANDARD 3 - CARE, LEARNING AND PLAY

The registered person meets children's individual needs and promotes their welfare. They plan and provide activities and play opportunities to develop children's emotional, physical, social and intellectual capabilities.

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STANDARD 4 - PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

The premises are safe, secure and suitable for their purpose. They provide adequate space in an appropriate location, are welcoming to children and offer access to the necessary facilities for a range of activities which promote their development.

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STANDARD 5 - EQUIPMENT

Furniture, equipment and toys are provided which are appropriate for their purpose and help to create an accessible and stimulating environment. They are of suitable design and condition, well maintained and conform to safety standards.

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STANDARD 6 - SAFETY

The registered person takes positive steps to promote safety within the setting and on outings and ensures proper precautions are taken to prevent accidents.

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STANDARD 7 - HEALTH

The registered person promotes the good health of children and takes positive steps to prevent the spread of infection and appropriate measures when they are ill.

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STANDARD 8 - FOOD AND DRINK

Children are provided with regular drinks and food in adequate quantities for their needs. Food and drink is properly prepared, nutritious and complies with dietary and religious requirements.

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STANDARD 9 - EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

The registered person and staff actively promote equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice for all children.

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NEEDS AND DISABILITIES)

The registered person is aware that some children may have special needs and is

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NEEDS AND DISABILITIES)

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 proactive in ensuring that appropriate action can be taken when such a child is identified or admitted to the provision. Steps are taken to promote the welfare and development of the child within the setting in partnership with the parents and other relevant parties.

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STANDARD 11 - BEHAVIOUR

Adults caring for children in the provision are able to manage a wide range of children's behaviour in a way which promotes their welfare and development.

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STANDARD 12 - WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS AND CARERS

The registered person and staff work in partnership with parents and to meet the needs of the children, both individually and as a group. Information is shared.

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STANDARD 13 - CHILD PROTECTION

The registered person complies with local child protection procedures approved by the Area Child Protection Committee and ensures that all adults working and looking after children in the provision are able to put the procedures into practice.

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STANDARD 14 - DOCUMENTATION

Records, policies and procedures which are required for the efficient and safe management of the provision, or to promote the welfare, care and learning of children are maintained. Records about individual children are shared with the child's parent.

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STANDARD 14 - DOCUMENTATION

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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