Eastwood Infant and Nursery School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 24/02/2005 Inspector Name Catherine Hill

p.1

SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Rainbow Play Group Setting Address Baptist Church Hall Lower Road, Bookham Leatherhead Surrey KT23 4DH

p.1

ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Rainbow Playgroup Address Baptish Church Hall Lower Road, Bookham Leatherhead Surrey KT23 4DH

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

Rainbow Playgroup has been registered since 1987. It operates from a hall and an adjoining room in the Baptist Church Hall in Bookham village. The group has access to a kitchen and toilet facilities which include a nappy changing area. The playgroup serves the local area. There are currently 33 children from 2 years to 5 years on roll. This includes 14 funded children. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The group is able to support children with special needs and who speak English as an additional language. The group opens 4 mornings a week during term time. An afternoon session is also offered to rising fives on a Thursday each week. Sessions last from 09:15 to 12:15 on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday and from 12:15 pm to 14:45 on a Thursday. Sessions may also be offered during school holidays. Nine staff work with the children. Three have early years qualifications. One member of staff is currently working towards a recognised early years qualification, and

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?

Rainbow Playgroup is an acceptable provision, but has some significant areas for improvement. Children's progress towards the early learning goals in some areas is limited by some significant weaknesses in the provision. Teaching has some significant weaknesses. Staff have good relationships with children and are kind and caring. They act as positive role models with regard to manners and praise children's efforts. However, they do not always challenge unacceptable behaviour and focus children into purposeful learning. This, together with the poor organisation of some resources, results in a lack of meaningful, stimulating learning experiences for children in some activities. They plan activities to ensure children have daily opportunities to develop in all learning areas, but planning and assessment documentation does not consistently show the specific learning focus for activities or children's future learning targets. Some staff have a

p.3

How effective is the nursery education?

limited knowledge of the Foundation Stage and older children are not always given sufficient challenge to develop and progress their knowledge and skills. Leadership and management has some significant weaknesses. Staff work well together to provide a happy, secure learning environment for children. However, not all staff have a clear understanding of how to support and develop children's learning and are not always effectively deployed. The leader is aware of areas for improvement, but monitoring of the provision is not sufficiently focused to ensure areas for improvement are tackled quickly and effectively. Partnership with parents is generally good. They receive information on the group and its practice and have daily opportunities for discussion to share information about their child. They are happy with the care provided and confirm that their children are happy at the setting but they do not feel they receive sufficient

p.3

How effective is the nursery education?

information regarding their child's educational curriculum.

p.3

What is being done well?

• Children's personal, social and emotional development is generally good. They are happy and actively occupy themselves during sessions either independently or playing co-operatively with others. • Children's phonic knowledge is good. They are able to link sounds to letter shapes and ask staff questions to further develop their knowledge. • Children are developing a good understanding of their local environment through planned activities based on the theme 'My Neighbourhood'. They enthusiastically welcomed the local post lady who visited the group to share details of how the postal system operates. • Children's fine motor skills are good. They use a range of tools with increasing confidence and staff introduce a good range of equipment to the

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. They understand how to use their hands as tools to shape and mould playdough.

p.3

What needs to be improved?

• management of behaviour and deployment of staff, to ensure positive learning experiences for all children • staff knowledge of the Foundation Stage, so they can effectively contribute to planning and assessment records and provide appropriate challenge to develop children's learning • planning and assessment records, to consistently and clearly show the learning focus for activities and children's future learning targets • organisation of time and resources, to provide children with increased opportunities to develop their independence, writing for a variety of purposes, counting and calculation, information and communication technology, physical and creative skills • the monitoring of the provision for nursery education • information for parents about planned activities and their child's future learning targets.

p.4

What has improved since the last inspection?

Not applicable, as this is the first inspection.

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: Generally Good Children show an interest in their environment and take the initiative in occupying themselves. They have good relationships with one another and play co-operatively together, patiently waiting their turn to play board games. They have very good manners. They are confident and show their independence by putting their shoes on, choosing activities and attending to personal hygiene. Inappropriate behaviour, however, is not consistently managed by staff to ensure children know right from wrong.

p.5

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children are developing a good understanding of phonics. Some are able to link sounds to letters and fun activities with sponge letters help reinforce and develop their knowledge. They enjoy books. They handle them appropriately, listen attentively to stories and use picture clues to 'read' to each other. They understand that print carries meaning and some recognise their own name cards and can write their name. They have limited opportunities to practise writing for a variety of purposes.

p.5

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Significant Weaknesses Children have an understanding of size and position and use associated language appropriately. They recognise and can name different shapes and older children are able to recreate patterns. Some children count confidently to ten but opportunities are missed to develop counting and number recognition skills and an awareness of calculation during everyday activities. Some resources are poorly organised and staff do not always challenge children to develop their learning.

p.5

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children have good observational skills. They notice when cups are the same colour and when cutters are the wrong way round. They independently solve problems and select appropriate resources to make objects using construction. They are aware of the passage of time and are developing a good understanding of their local environment and the wider world through visitors to the group, local outings and planned topic work. Daily opportunities to develop their knowledge of technology are limited.

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: Generally Good Children enjoy physical activity and enthusiastically take part. They throw and catch balls and show skill in balancing on low level stilts. Lack of clear direction and focus, however, results in the inappropriate use of some resources and missed learning opportunities. Their fine motor skills are developing well. They concentrate when using scissors and skilfully and carefully cut in straight lines. They are developing an understanding of the use of a range of tools during activities.

p.6

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Significant Weaknesses Children recognise and can name a range of colours. They sing familiar songs and can match actions to the words. They enjoy role-play and use their senses well to respond to different stimuli. For example, they notice how different materials feel 'scrunchy', sticky and soft. Poor organisation of resources results in children having to wait to take part in some activities. Some staff are unsure of the learning focus of activities so are unable to appropriately support children.

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 but has some significant areas for improvement. Children's progress towards the early learning goals is limited by some significant weaknesses. The next inspection will take place in one to two years time.

p.7

WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT: THE KEY ISSUES

• develop staff knowledge of the Foundation Stage and behaviour management, so they can effectively contribute to planning and assessment records, provide appropriate challenge to develop children's learning and ensure behaviour is positively and consistently managed • improve planning records, to consistently and clearly show the learning focus for activities linked to the stepping stones and assessment records, to clearly show children's future learning targets and share these records with parents to keep them more fully informed about their child's education • improve the organisation of time and resources, to provide children with increased opportunities to develop their independence, writing for a variety of purposes, counting and calculation, information and communication technology, physical and creative skills • introduce a rigorous system for the monitoring and evaluation of the provision for nursery education, to ensure areas for improvement are tackled quickly

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