Ardley Hill Academy

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 07/10/2004 Inspector Name Rebecca Elizabeth Khabbazi

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Little Learners (In The Park) Setting Address Durnsford Pavilion Durnsford Recreation Ground, Wellington Road Wimbledon London SW19 8EY

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Mrs Lorraine Greeley-Ward & Angela Taggart Address 8 Woodlands Avenue New Malden Surrey KT3 3UN

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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

Little Learners has been registered at the current premises since 2000. It operates from within Durnsford Recreation Ground in the Wimbledon Park area. The premises consists of a large room with access to toilets, kitchen and an outdoor play area. The nursery serves the local area. The setting opens from Monday to Friday between 09.15 - 15.00 during term time, and there is a holiday playscheme from 09.30-12.30 during school holidays. Children attend for a variety of sessions, and a pick up and drop off service to Wimbledon Park School nursery is available. The setting supports children who have special needs or speak English as an additional language. There are five members of staff who work with the children, who all have relevant 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?

Little Learners (In The Park) provides good quality nursery education that helps children make generally good progress towards the early learning goals overall. The quality of teaching is generally good. Sessions are well organised and resources used to create an interesting learning environment. Staff have caring relationships with children, which contribute to children's good progress in all areas. They make good use of opportunities to build on children's interests, they join in with their play and ask questions to make children think. Children have many good opportunities to do things for themselves and develop self-care skills, but opportunities for children to independently choose their own activities and resources are not fully exploited in some areas of learning. Staff have a secure understanding of how children learn and the expected goals for their development. They plan a good variety of interesting activities that cover all

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How effective is the nursery education?

areas of learning. Staff are clear about what children are expected to learn from planned activities and adapt them effectively to support individual needs. Larger group activities are sometimes less effective in meeting the needs of all of the children. Staff know children well and regularly make observations of children's progress. However, observations and assessments are not yet used when planning activities, in order to help children move to the next steps in their learning. Opportunities are therefore sometimes missed to challenge older and more able children and to extend children's learning in some areas of their development. Leadership and management is generally good. Staff have clear roles and responsibilities and work well together as a team. There is a commitment to development and improvement, and to implementing systems to evaluate the provision. There is a strong partnership with parents. They are welcomed into the setting and

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How effective is the nursery education?

have regular opportunities to discuss their child's progress.

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What is being done well?

• Children are confident and settled within the setting. They are eager to take part in the activities provided and are motivated to learn.. • Children benefit from the small group environment and good individual support. They make strong relationships with each other and with staff. • Outdoor activities are well planned to cover all areas of the curriculum. • Staff have positive relationships with parents. They are friendly and

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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 approachable and warmly welcome parents into the setting. Parents are actively encouraged to spend time at the nursery.

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What needs to be improved?

• the use of observations in order to identify next steps for children's learning, and plan activities that will build on what children already know and can do • the opportunities for children to select their own resources, especially tools and materials to design and make things • the organisation of larger group times, so that all children are interested and involved

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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: Generally Good Children make good relationships with others in the setting. They show care and concern for one another, and learn to co-operate, share and take turns. They show increasing concentration when completing activities. Children gain in independence when using the bathroom, helping tidy up and pouring their own drinks, but opportunities for children to select their own resources are not fully exploited in all areas.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children are keen to communicate and they use language well to begin conversations and talk about their ideas and experiences. They enjoy listening to stories and use books independently in the book corner. Staff encourage children to listen to the sounds that letters make. Children practise writing their name and write letters and postcards in the writing area, but activities such as role play are not always fully extended to include opportunities to use writing in play.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children show an interest in number and count confidently. They develop their understanding through practical activities, such as playing hopscotch or matching the number on their bike to a parking space. During number songs, they work out how many are left when one currant bun is taken away. Opportunities are sometimes missed to extend children's mathematical understanding and provide more challenging activities for older and more able children.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children find out about the world around them through well planned topic based activities, such as investigating their local neighbourhood, finding out about the rainforest, or growing plants and herbs. They talk about their lives and families and show an interest in the lives of others. Children use the computer confidently to complete simple programmes. They enjoy using construction sets but do not have regular opportunities to select their own tools and materials to design and make things.

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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 move confidently and freely. They show increasing control when peddling bikes around obstacles, kicking footballs or moving to music. Children are encouraged to practise new skills, such as hopping on one leg when playing hopscotch. They develop hand-eye co-ordination when squashing and shaping play dough and using pens and pencils to draw and write. Children are learning about things that are good and bad for them, and how their body feels, for instance when they are tired or thirsty.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children take part in music sessions enthusiastically, learning about different sounds, rhythms and beats, and moving to the music. They sing songs confidently from memory. Role play materials are varied weekly to encourage imaginative play, and children co-operate to act out stories from their imagination and experience. Children draw freely and apply paint in different ways. They explore a range of different media and materials, such as spaghetti, play dough, jelly, sand and earth.

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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

• Develop the system for making assessments of children's progress, so that observations and assessments are used to identify next steps for children's learning, which in turn can be used to help plan activities that build on what children already know and can do. • Consider ways of providing more encouragement for children to choose resources independently, especially tools and materials to design and make things. • Evaluate the organisation of larger group activities, in order to make sure they sustain the interest and involvement of all 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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