Little Spring School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 22/06/2004 Inspector Name Joanne Graham

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name MONGEWELL PARK NURSERY SCHOOL Setting Address Elizabeth House, Reading Road Cholsey Wallingford Oxfordshire OX10 9HA

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name Bright Horizons Family Solutions 2535635

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Bright Horizons Family Solutions Address Elizabeth House, Reading Road Cholsey Wallingford Oxfordshire OX10 9HA

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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 nursery opened on 13th January 1997. The nursery is in a large building which is an old nurses home with a newly built linked extension. The younger children are in the old building and the older children are in the new extension. There is a large hall area as well as small rooms with the children in age groups. This is situated in large private grounds with extensive outside play areas. There are currently 146 children on roll. This includes children in receipt of nursery education funding, 19 funded three year olds and 20 funded four year olds. The nursery support children with special needs. There are no children attending who have English as an additional language. The nursery is open 08:00 until 18:00, all year round except for Public Holidays and the period between Christmas and New Year. There are 21 full time and 3 part time staff work in the nursery. Of these 13 hold relevant childcare qualifications and 5 are working towards a suitable childcare

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Information about the setting

qualification. The group receives regular support and advice from their Local Authority.

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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?

Mongewell Nursery School provides high quality nursery education overall which enables children to make very good progress towards the early learning goals. All areas of learning are very good. Teaching is very good. Staff have a very good knowledge of the foundation stage and support, encourage and extend the children's learning effectively. They provide well-planned and resourced activities, which the children participate in enthusiastically. The staff set out the room and activities to encourage the children to independently select and be able to access a wide choice. Staff value and respect the children's contributions, especially during circle time. The behaviour of the children is good on the whole. The staff working with the older children are inconsistent with managing behaviour at times, especially during snacks. The assessment system is being used effectively and influences planning. This is

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How effective is the nursery education?

regularly updated and considers children's individual developmental needs. Support for children with special needs is generally good. Provision is made to ensure they are included in all activities and independently supported, moving their learning forward. Leadership and management are very good. The group are aware of their strengths and weaknesses and are working hard to address these, which contribute to the success and continuing development of the group. Annual appraisals highlight training issues and requests and the group support and encourage the staff to extend their knowledge with regular training. The deployment of staff is beneficial to the children's learning, and staff are clear about their roles and responsibilities. Partnership with parents and carers is very good. The parents are very satisfied with the provision and their child's continued development. Parents have regular opportunities to share information and achievements from home with the staff and

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How effective is the nursery education?

staff are available to share the children’s achievements at nursery on a daily basis.

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What is being done well?

• Children listen with enjoyment and respond to stories. They are beginning to understand that text has meaning and are encouraged to handle books correctly. Children use and attempt writing for different purposes and are beginning to form letters. They recognise their own names and most of the children write their name with confidence. Name cards are accessible to aid the children where necessary. Letter sounds are introduced effectively, encouraging the children to think and to form the letters in the air. • Children are able to recognise and name colours, shapes and numerals up to nine. They problem solve in a variety of ways throughout the session inside and outdoors, for example, weighing the shells and predicting which items

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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 will sink and float. The children are introduced to simple addition and subtraction through number rhymes, simple sums and effective staff reinforcement. Good resources and staff support develops this learning. • Children join in favourite songs and participate enthusiastically to action rhymes. They begin to match movement to music. The children get pleasure from the variety of creative opportunities and develop their skills in cutting, sticking, painting and drawing. Their work is valued and displayed attractively. • Children know how to operate calculators, remote control items, tills and cassette recorders and to complete simple programs on the computer. Staff offer support and extend their learning opportunities. Children use their senses to investigate the natural world regularly. They go on bug hunts, care

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What is being done well?

for the fish and observe the silk moth cocoons. • The children use mark making implements, construction sets and malleable materials with increasing control. They understand that equipment and tools need to be used safely. Children move confidently and participate enthusiastically with action rhyme games. They negotiate space, jump off objects and land correctly and control movements with ease.

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What needs to be improved?

• staff training in regard to managing children's behaviour.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Very good progress has been made since the last inspection. The group have developed their assessments of the children's development and attainments and planned activities are effectively evaluated, ensuring the children's individual skills increase and are documented accurately. The staff record in daily diaries and give frequent verbal feedback to parents regarding their child's achievements. The developmental checklist and profile are regularly completed by staff and shared with parents during the four monthly profile meetings, where parents are encouraged to share their child's learning achievements from home. Some staff attended behaviour management training and this benefited the children's understanding of how to handle resources appropriately and to gain their attention. The children's behaviour is generally good and at times very good and they listen to staff's instructions well, the majority of the time. Since the last

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What has improved since the last inspection?

inspection, there have been staff changes, particularly with the older children, and these staff have not attended any recent behaviour management training. This has been highlighted as a weakness by the management team.

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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 independent and persist with difficult tasks. They choose activities, select resources and take care of their personal needs, such as washing their hands and dressing themselves. They share, negotiate and take turns well, especially when serving their own lunch. Relationships are very good and children show consideration and support for others. Children's behaviour is generally good, and at times very good.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children are confident to communicate with staff and one another through gestures, signs and talk. Children listen well to each other and the staff, showing awareness of the listener. They enjoy stories and handle books with care. They begin to recognise some familiar words and their own names through labelling of furniture and equipment and their name cards. Most children are writing their own name and correctly forming some letters.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children benefit from good support to help them count to ten and to recognise shapes, colours and sizes. Their understanding of number and simple addition and subtraction is reinforced as they take part in activities such as singing of number rhymes and making sums. Children access a large and imaginative variety of resources to promote and develop their mathematical skills and language, such as weighing scales and the till in the seaside shop.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children use a variety of construction equipment. They are developing and practising skills, using tools and materials to cut and they join and build. They are introduced to a range of cultures and beliefs and are gaining an increasing understanding of where they live and the wider environment. They investigate the natural world, objects and materials, particularly in the garden, developing their knowledge of their senses. They have the opportunity to use and access everyday technology.

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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 set challenges to develop their physical skills inside and outdoors. They climb on and off large equipment and bushes, use bats and balls, follow actions to rhymes and push wheeled toys such as pushchairs. Staff support and encourage new skills such as helping children to jump and land safely. Children handle and control small tools and objects safely. For example handling scissors, equipment for the dough and clay, paint brushes, pens and pencils with increasing control.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children participate in songs and rhymes eagerly and enjoy developing their imaginative skills through free expression in role play. They access a wide range of art and craft activities developing their creative skills, especially sticking, painting and drawing. They enjoy watching the gloop fall between their fingers. Their artistic creations are used for illustrating the 'home made' books. The children enjoy music and opportunities to explore sound and match movement to music.

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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 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: • There is no significant weakness to report but consideration should be given to improve the following: • staff training in regard to managing children's behaviour. 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 Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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