Leeds Arts University

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 26/04/2004 Inspector Name Julie Whitelaw

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name The Woodlands Primary School Playgroup Setting Address Woodlands Primary School P/Group Alban Crescent Borehamwood Hertfordshire

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of The Woodlands Primary School Playgroup

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name The Woodlands Primary School Playgroup Address Alban Crescent Borehamwood Hertfordshire WD6 5JF

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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

The Woodlands School Playgroup has been established for several years and serves the local community. It operates from two rooms and is situated in a purpose built nursery within Woodlands Primary School. There is a large outside play area that children can freely access during the session. The playgroup is registered for a maximum of 28 children aged from 2 to 5 years. There are currently 20 funded children aged three years on roll. There are seven children attending who have special needs and the group supports one child who speaks English as an additional language. The group opens five days a week during school term time. Sessions are from 1:15pm to 3:15pm Monday to Friday. Five members of staff, one full time the others part time, work with the children. All staff have early years qualifications.

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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?

The provision for nursery education at The Woodlands Primary School Playgroup is of good quality overall. Children are making very good progress in all areas of learning except mathematical development and communication language and literacy, where progress is generally good. The quality of teaching is generally good. All staff are well qualified and have a sound understanding of the Foundation stage. They provide a colourful, stimulating, well equipped learning environment. Children can freely access the outside play area. Staff praise and encourage the children and challenge them appropriately. They manage behaviour well, children respond positively to the clear, consistent boundaries staff set. Emphasis is placed on staff supporting children as they learn through play, adult led activities are kept to a minimum. All funded children that currently attend the playgroup are three years old. Planning at present does not

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How effective is the nursery education?

show clear learning intentions for this age group. It now needs to include this and information on how it is adapted to meet children's individual needs. Observations of what children do are not related to the stepping stones or used to help children move to the next stage. The leadership and management is generally good. The leader ensures that all staff are involved in the planning and organisation of the provision. They work well together as a team and are clear about their roles and responsibilities. Staff are committed to improving the quality of care and education and have drawn up an action plan which details how they intend to do this. This includes a formal assessment of staff to monitor and evaluate the provision of nursery education. Partnership with parents is generally good. A parents rota, written information about the curriculum, newsletters, link books and the daily verbal exchange of information

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How effective is the nursery education?

keeps parents involved in their child's learning. Staff need to ensure parents are aware of their child's progress.

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What is being done well?

• Staff provide a stimulating, attractive environment where children can freely access a wide range of well organised, labelled resources. Children's creative work, attractively displayed on the walls promotes their self esteem. • Emphasised is placed on children learning through play. Supportive encouraging interaction of staff, promotes the children's independence skills. They confidently access both the inside and outside play area and are keen to explore and learn. • Staff have developed secure relationships with the children. They support them well and challenge them effectively.

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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 • All staff are involved in the curriculum planning, are clear about their roles and responsibilities and work well together as a team.

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What needs to be improved?

• planning, to ensure that it is appropriate, shows clear learning intentions for the children who attend and demonstrates how it is adapted to meet children's individual needs. • observation and assessment of children, to ensure that it shows, in relation to the stepping stones what progress children are making and how staff intend to help children move to the next stage. • information for parents on the progress their children are making.

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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 interested, excited and motivated to learn. They confidently choose where and what they want to play with. They show a positive approach to new experiences and persist at activities such as climbing to the top of the climbing frame. They have formed friendships and interact with others when cooking in the home corner. Children respond positively to the boundaries staff set. Their confidence and self esteem is built up by staff who are sensitive to their needs and know them well.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children confidently interact with others when pretending to be firemen. They are able to select their name on arrival and show an interest in books, which they handle carefully. They show enjoyment when singing songs and join in with repeated refrains. Staff provide many opportunities for children to practice writing skills and see written words on resources and displays. Thought should be given to planning story time, to ensure it is appropriate for the children and their attention is held.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children confidently count up to seven at snack time. They recognise shapes when threading beads and say which is the longest and shortest when comparing two lengths. Children calculate how many ducks are left when one is taken away. They learn about shapes as they complete jigsaws and about capacity and volume as they fill buckets with sand. Staff need to develop their ability to exploit situations to develop children's understanding of mathematical concepts.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good A well equipped discovery corner provides the children with many opportunities to learn about the natural world. Children are beginning to understand how things grow when planting seeds and trees. They show curiosity when looking for mini beast in the conservation area. Children build planes with construction toys. They confidently use knives to cut fruit. Children are able to recall what they did yesterday. They learn about different cultures and beliefs through topic work.

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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 Staff have created an environment that encourages physical development. Children display high levels of confidence as they move between the play rooms and outside area. They show awareness of space as they ride trikes around a track and play chasing games. Children show awareness of their own needs when they say they want a drink of water. They learn about their bodies, diet and exercise through topic work. Children persist when climbing the rope ladder to reach the top of the climbing frame.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Staff encourage children to express their ideas and thoughts when moulding clay. They use their imagination during free painting and when creating pictures on the computer. Children can freely access the musical instruments, which they play in time to music tapes. They confidently sing familiar songs. Children play alongside others, engaged in the same theme when pretending to be dogs. Staff support their role play, ensuring they have sufficient hoses as they put out fires.

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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

• ensure that planning shows appropriate learning intentions for the children who attend and demonstrates how children's individual needs will be met. • ensure that children are observed and assessed against the stepping stones, that this information is shared with parents and used to inform future planning.

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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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