Old Court Community Pre-school

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 29/11/2004 Inspector Name Karen Louise Prager

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Old Court Community Pre-school Setting Address Station Road Wootton Bassett Swindon Wiltshire SN4 8QY

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name Old Court Community Pre-school 269115

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Old Court Community Pre-school Address Station Road Wootton Bassett, Swindon Wiltshire SN4 8QY

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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

Old Court Pre-school opened in 1974. It operates from premises in Station Road, Wooton Bassett, and serves families from the local area. There are currently 121 children from two to under eight years on roll. This includes funded three and four-year-olds. The setting supports children with special needs. The pre-school opens five days a week during term-time. Session times are: Busy Bears (three-year-olds) every weekday morning 9.15 to 12.00; Wednesday, Thursday and Friday afternoons 13.00 - 15.45. Plus Fours every weekday morning 9.15 - 11.45; afternoons 13.00 - 15.45. Teddy Tots 1 (two to three-year-olds) Monday afternoons 12.50 - 14.45. Teddy Tots 2 (two and a half to three-year-olds) Tuesday afternoons 13.00 - 15.30 Sunshine Club (holiday playscheme for three to six-year-olds) opens during school holidays from 8.30 to 3.30. Fifteen staff work with the children. Three have early years qualifications and nine

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Information about the setting

are currently on training programmes. The setting receives support from a teacher/mentor from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership (EYDCP).

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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?

Old Court Community Pre-school offers good quality nursery education overall which enables children to make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. Progress in personal, social and emotional development and mathematical development is very good.

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How effective is the nursery education?

Teaching is generally good. Staff facilitate and plan a range of activities that help children progress well along the stepping stones in all six areas of learning. They know the children well and regularly assess children's progress, though planning does not always extend children's play and learning sufficiently. Staff are deployed effectively, work well as a team and their calm and consistent approach promotes good behaviour. Leadership and management are generally good. The manager is competent and has clear and appropriate aims. She demonstrates a commitment to the continual improvement of the provision for children attending the group. However the staff are less confident at identifying weaknesses within the setting. The setting is well organised with a good range of recourses provided, though they are not always well used. The partnership with parents and carers is generally good. They receive good

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How effective is the nursery education?

information about the educational provision of the group. Staff and parents exchange information about the children. However parents are not included in developing children's play opportunities.

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What is being done well?

• Children work well together and independently. They are developing a good level of confidence and personal independence. • Maths is well integrated into the curriculum and the activities on offer. • Staff members work well together and are committed to improving standards.

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What needs to be improved?

• the effective use of resources including the outdoor play area and ICT equipment • opportunities for children to develop gross motor skills • creativity, to encourage more spontaneity and imagination in the children.

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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

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Generally good progress has been made since the last inspection. The staff continue to be committed to high quality care and education. They have continued to monitor and evaluate the provision. The supervisor regularly liaises with a worker from Wiltshire Early Years and Childcare Development Partnership. New computers have been obtained which benefit the children. Training in the use of these is ongoing. The planning of activities has improved and the staff are committed to improving these furthering order to benefit the children to a greater extent.

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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 Children are increasingly settled and confident within the group. They play well individually and in small and large groups. They behave well and are familiar with the everyday routines of the group. They are motivated to learn and are developing good concentration skills. Children are developing personal independence through everyday routines.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children are generally confident speakers and will talk about their activities. They are developing a love of books, enjoy listening to stories and are developing an understanding that print carries meaning. Children are beginning to use writing to record and communicate and make links between letters and the sounds they make. However, there is less opportunity for children to link writing to other activities.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children have regular opportunities to practise counting and are also encouraged to recognise numerals. Children frequently explore shape through construction and increasingly develop their understanding of a range of shapes. They use appropriate mathematical language to describe and classify and compare everyday objects. Children also regularly use activities to develop their understanding of number operations or solve simple problems.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children enjoy building with construction toys. They are able to use a range of tools with increasing confidence though there are limited opportunities for children to operate simple equipment. Through everyday activities children are learning about the patterns within the day. There are limited opportunities for children to design and construct using a variety of media. They participate in a selection of activities that introduce them to different traditions.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children move safely and increasingly confidently both indoors and outdoors. Regular physical activities help them to develop good co-ordination and skills in using a range of small and large equipment such as balls, and climbing equipment. They use a range of tools and materials with increasing control and an awareness of safety, for example cutting different materials with scissors. Through food and outdoor play they have regular opportunities to develop their understanding of healthy eating.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

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

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children regularly enjoy using different media to explore form and colour and they create pictures and models in two and three dimensions. They use a variety of props to enhance their story telling and role-play. However there are limited opportunities for children to spontaneously develop their own ideas in craft and to enjoy using musical instruments to explore the different sounds they make.

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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

• Increase the effective use of resources including the outdoor play area and ICT equipment. • Increase the opportunities for children to develop gross motor skills. • Develop creativity, to encourage more spontaneity and imagination in the children.

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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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