Worden Sports College

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 03/02/2004 Inspector Name Lilyanne Taylor

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care, Out of School Day Care Setting Name Springhill Pre-School Setting Address Millfield Avenue East Cowes Isle of Wight PO32 6AS

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of Spring Hill Pre-School Committee of Managers

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Spring Hill Pre-School Committee of Managers Address Spring Hill Pre-School Millfield Avenue East Cowes Isle of Wight PO32 6AS

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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

Springhill pre-school opened in 1999. It is a management committee owned pre-school and operates from mobile premises, which are situated in the grounds of the Convent of the Cross which, is in the East Cowes, area of the Isle of Wight. The pre-school have sole use of their own fully enclosed out door play area. Springhill pre-school provides care for children from all areas and it is their policy to take children from the age of two years six months. Children are able to attend a variety of sessions. Springhill pre-school is open Monday to Friday during term time only. Children are able to attend a variety of sessions. Pre-school sessions are from 09:00 to 11:30 and 12:30 to 15:00. Lunch care is provided from 11:30 to 12:30. The pre-school provides care for children with special needs and would support children who speak English as an additional language. Springhill pre-school are eligible to accept funded 3 & 4 year olds.

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Information about the setting

Currently six staff work with the children, all have relevant experience and three members of staff have an NVQ qualification in early years. At the time of inspection the pre-school has 37 children on roll, of these 16 are nursery educationally funded 3 year olds and 6 are nursery educationally funded 4 year olds. The pre-school receive support visits from personnel within the Early Years Development and Child Care 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?

The provision for nursery education at Springhill pre-school is acceptable and of good quality. Children are making very good progress towards the early learning goals in the areas of personal, social and emotional, physical and creative development, and generally good progress in the areas of communication, language and literacy and knowledge and understanding of the world. Their progress in mathematics is limited by a significant weakness in the teaching. Staff do not extend or support children’s incidental learning through everyday routines, activities and discussion, which limits their progress in some areas of mathematics and their language development. The overall quality of teaching is generally good. Staff have knowledge of the stepping stones and the early learning goals. The children's learning and understanding in all areas of their development is supported through a range of resources and practical activities. Some practical activities are not

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How effective is the nursery education?

effectively organised which results in children's interest not being sustained. Staff assess children's progress through observation.These assessments are then used to plan the children's next steps in their learning in all areas. The leadership and management of the pre-school is generally good. The leadership of the pre-school is the responsibility of a newly formed management committee. They are very supportive of the manager and now have effective procedures for evaluating the provision to ensure it meets and supports the needs of all children. The manager and staff work well together as a team. They organise the provision so children are able to develop their independence and their management of children's behaviour is very good. The partnership with parents is very good. Parents receive good information regarding their children's nursery education. Newsletters provide parents with information relating to the topics/s themes their children are studying so as they can

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What is being done well?

• The layout of the provision and resources is very good. Children are able to select and use their own resources which supports their independence. •• The opportunities provided for children to develop their physical skills are very good. Children are able to use a wide range of large and small equipment both indoors and outdoors. • Staff's management of children's behaviour is very good. They set clear boundaries and act as good role models, children are polite and their behaviour is generally good.

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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 • The partnership with parents is very good. They are encouraged to be involved in their children's learning, wall displays show the themes / topics their children are studying and illustrate the areas of learning and the stepping stones that will be covered by each activity their children does.

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What needs to be improved?

• use of daily routine activities and discussion to extend children's learning and understanding of mathematics and language; • use of information technology to support children's learning; • organisation of large group activities so all children are able to join in and sustain their interest

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The pre-school has made generally good progress since their last inspection. Children now have many opportunities to use the outdoor play area and have regular use of both large and small equipment, which has had a significant impact on their physical development, which is very good. They now have a book corner, which is inviting, soft furnishings make it more attractive and the books are displayed showing the front covers which enables the children to choose the books they like. Children have many opportunities to practice writing their own names, for example they trace over their name or copy it from their name cards. This has helped them to become confident in writing their own names, which some children are now able to do without adult support. Children have access to a tape recorder, which they enjoy using for musical activities, the pre-school have two computers though the children have few opportunities to use them to support their learning.

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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 forming good relationships with adults and other children. They are able to select their own resources and make independent choices as to the activities they play with. They are beginning to dress and undress independently and are able to manage their own personal hygiene. They are aware of the rules of the pre-school and are learning right from wrong.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children enjoy looking at story books and having stories read to them. They show an awareness of how to handle books carefully. They practice their writing in the home corner and during role play, and some children are able to recognise and write their own names. Children are able to respond to simple instructions for example when asked to tidy up. Children have few opportunities to extend their vocabulary by learning the meanings of new words.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Significant Weaknesses Children join in with number rhymes and songs. They look at shapes and compare which are different sizes. They use mathematical language in their play and use some number names accurately. Children have few opportunities during daily routine activities to extend their learning of numbers by adding and taking away.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children show an interest in their environment through themes and topics they study, for example people who help us, and under the sea, They plant bulbs and watch their growth and make a wormery which they study. Children are able to develop their awareness of other cultures through planned activities, themes, topics and celebrations. Children have few opportunities to use computers to develop their interest of information technology.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are able to move with confidence in a range of ways, for example running, jumping and walking. They negotiate appropriate pathways and skilfully manoeuvre around objects when riding their bikes and cars outdoors, showing an awareness of their space and others. They use one handed tools and equipment with increasing skill, for example scissors, mark making equipment, and play dough cutters. They enjoy using malleable materials like play dough.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children enjoy all craft activities particularly mixing their own paint, making their own colours to use. They explore different textures for example when they mix shaving foam and paint and during cooking activities. Children listen to music and make up their own games for example musical mats. They use their imagination during role play and will take on roles they are familiar with for example when making dinner and serving cups of tea like mummy does.

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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 more opportunities for children's learning and understanding of number, calculation and language to be developed through daily routine activities and discussion. • provide more opportunities for children to use information technology to support their learning; • improve the organisation of large group activities, so all children have sufficient resources to be able to join in, get the most from the activity and sustain their interest.

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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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