Kenthurst Pre-School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 12/10/2004 Inspector Name Jan Burnet

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Kenthurst Pre-School Setting Address The Scout Hut Kenthurst Close Coventry West Midlands CV5 7EA

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REGISTERED PROVIDER 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

Kenthurst Pre-School was registered in July 2004 and operates in the hall of a scout hut situated in the Eastern Green area of Coventry. There is direct access to a safely enclosed outdoor play area. Operational times are term time only, Monday to Friday, from 09:00 until 12:00 and on Monday and Wednesday from 12:30 until 15:00. Some of the children attending live locally but vacancies are available to all who apply. There are currently 48 children on roll. This includes fourteen three-year-olds and two four-year-olds that are being funded for nursery education. There are currently no funded children with special educational needs or children who speak English as an additional language but a programme of support has been developed and is currently being provided for two-year-old children. The leader and four staff members care for the children and all are qualified, two with level three qualifications.

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Information about the setting

The setting receives support from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership and the Pre-School Learning Alliance.

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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?

Kenthurst Pre-School offers generally good quality nursery education, which helps three and four-year-old children make progress along the stepping stones towards the early learning goals. Children make very good progress in personal, social and emotional development, knowledge and understanding of the world, physical development, creative development and communication, language and literacy. Teaching is generally good. Staff plan a variety of activities for all areas of learning to stimulate and challenge three and four-year old children. Two staff have attended curriculum training and other staff are supported well in the provision of the education programme. However, some gaps in knowledge and awareness, specifically with regard to mathematical development, result in lack of support for children to benefit from the good resources available. Daily sessions are well organised and well balanced. Good support mechanisms are in place for children

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How effective is the nursery education?

with special educational needs and children who speak English as an additional language. Staff record observations that are then used as evidence for judgements made in assessment records. The management of behaviour is very good. Leadership and management are generally good. Procedures for staff recruitment, selection, induction and appraisal are in place. Staff are clear about their roles and responsibilities and all have an individual training plan. However, three staff have not attended foundation stage training and applications for training have not yet been made. The provision of care and education is reviewed during regular staff meetings and advice is sort from other professionals. Partnership with parents is very good. Information on the areas of learning and activity planning are provided and supplemented with notices and newsletters. Development information is shared constantly between staff and parents and is used

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How effective is the nursery education?

by staff to inform planning. Parents have access to their child's assessment records.

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What is being done well?

• Staff provide an emotionally secure and stimulating environment. They are aware of the level of development of individual children in the group and ensure that all are appropriately challenged. • Fine manipulative skills are practised daily with a good variety of small equipment. Pencil control is developing well with some children able to write their own name without support. • Counting and numeral recognition are integrated well into daily activities and children are making good progress. • Staff management of behaviour is very good. They are good role models and constantly praise and encourage the children. Group rules known by the children include sharing, turn taking and making friends. The children are

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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 happy, behave well and interaction is good.

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What needs to be improved?

• opportunities for children to separate groups of objects in different ways and recognise that the total is the same and staff support for children to use appropriately, and benefit from, the good resources available for mathematical development.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Improvement since the last inspection is very good. The provider was asked to improve planning procedures for adult directed activities in order to identify specific learning goals and what three and four-year old children are expected to do and learn. Planning now identifies learning objectives for all areas of learning and for children at different stages of development. The provider was asked to improve assessment procedures so that they more accurately reflect the development of three and four-year-old children along the stepping stones towards the early learning goals. Assessment records are completed with evidence recorded by staff as they observe children. Records clearly identify the stepping stones that lead to the early learning goals in all areas of learning. The provider was asked to use assessment to inform future planning. Staff are supported by parents in ensuring that children are challenged appropriately

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What has improved since the last inspection?

so that they build on what they already know.

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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 confidently and enthusiastically select activities. They eagerly take part in adult led activities and are very proud of their achievements. They also independently choose activities and some select in consultation with a friend. Children are happy and secure and share their views in group situations. They behave well and many readily take turns and share. Children are developing personal independence. They are learning about different cultures and beliefs and talk about events at home.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children are confident speakers and share ideas and views at group time. Most speak clearly and all are learning to speak in turn and listen to others. Children are beginning to link sounds to letters, each week learning a different letter, and learning the sound of the letter that begins their own name. They are developing an awareness that print carries meaning. Pencil control is developing well and children write their own name with varying degrees of support - some do so independently.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children experience a variety of planned and spontaneous activities to count. They progress from five to 10 and towards 20. Children are learning to recognise numerals to five and more able children are now ready to progress towards nine. They "add" ingredients when cooking and "take away" in action songs but do not separate groups of objects in different ways and are not supported in the use of some good resources. Children confidently name shapes and are learning about weight and size.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children observe and discuss change, for example planting and growing in their sensory garden and during regular cooking activities. They confidently choose and competently use a range of materials and tools to build models. Children have continuous access to a computer and are supported well by staff. They are learning to use the mouse and more able children do so without support. Children learn about the local environment and develop a sense of past and present by talking about past events.

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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 are developing skills and confidence with the regular use of a variety of large equipment and as a result of planned activities - currently concentrating on balancing and catching and throwing. They demonstrate an awareness of their own space and that of other children. Daily use of a range of small equipment has led to well developed manipulative skills. Children are aware of personal hygiene with regard to hand washing and groups rules include ones for when they cough or sneeze.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children experience a variety of well planned activities to explore all of their senses. They confidently name a variety of colours and experiment with paint to mix and create different colours. Children choose from a good variety of different media to create models and pictures. They explore sound and rhythm with musical instruments and have learned a variety of songs. They "pretend to be" recreating their own experiences with good resources and good support from staff.

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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

• Provide opportunities for children to separate groups of objects in different ways and recognise that the total is the same and provide appropriate support to ensure that children benefit from the good resources available for mathematical development.

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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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