Warwick Road Primary School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 15/10/2003 Inspector Name Alison Joan Wadley

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Rockingham Community Pre-school Playgroup Setting Address Rockingham Community Centre Lower Hall; off Rockingham Street London se1 6qn

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of Rockingham Community Pre-school

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Rockingham Community Pre-school Address Rockingham Pre School Rockingham Community Centre, Lower Hall Falmouth Road London SE1 6BD

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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

Rockingham Community Pre-school Playgroup is a voluntary playgroup run by a management committee and funded by the Pre-School Learning Alliance. The group was first registered in 1975. Accommodated in a community centre, the group caters for a culturally and linguistically diverse population. Most of the children currently attending live on the surrounding Rockingham Estate. There are currently 17 children on roll, all of whom receive nursery education funding. Fifteen of these are 3 year olds and 2 are 4 year olds. There are 16 children for whom English is an additional language including Arabic, Bengali, French, Somali and Urdu. The group also provides for children who may be identified with having special educational needs. There are three staff working with the children. They all have level 3 qualifications in early years. They receive support from a early years teacher advisor from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership.

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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?

Children are making generally good progress towards the early learning goals. However, there are significant weaknesses in communication, language and literacy with regard to literacy. The quality of teaching is generally good and at best is supported by clear questioning and a variety of stimulating activities. Staff demonstrate generally good understanding of the foundation stage and they are building on their skills to plan effectively for children’s learning. There is generally good coverage of the areas of learning but planning is not always well informed by assessments of the children's strengths and weaknesses. Staff give particular priority to developing children's communication skills, giving weight to learning through stories, songs and conversations. This is a valuable support to the high percentage of children attending for whom English is an additional language. As a result the children demonstrate increasing confidence and

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How effective is the nursery education?

interact positively with their peers. Their confidence is less evident in literacy and more able children are not always encouraged to reach their fullest potential. There are currently no children with special educational needs attending the group, although generally good system is in place to provide support. The leadership and management of the group are generally good. Staff are supported well to access regular training to develop their knowledge of how children learn. Staff work well together. There is commitment to addressing areas of weaknesses in planning and assessment.

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How effective is the nursery education?

The partnership with parents and carers is generally good and encourages parents to be involved in their child's settling in the group. This valuable relationship supports staff, in particular in meeting children's individual needs, language and cultural backgrounds but there are some missed opportunities for parents to share knowledge of their children in assessments.

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What is being done well?

• Staff give priority to supporting children’s language development and this particularly benefits children who have English as an additional language and provides a good foundation to learning. • Children's learning is well supported through clear questioning and a good variety of interesting activities. • Children show good awareness of a variety of languages and cultures and have good opportunities to learn to respect and value diversity in the group and community. They interact well together.

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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 • Staff are supported well to undertake ongoing training to develop their knowledge and skills to support children in their learning.

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What needs to be improved?

• the use of evaluative assessment materials to inform planning; • priority to literacy and in encouraging children to explore and write for a variety of purposes.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Improvements since the last inspection have been generally good overall. Staff have worked on developing assessment and planning aims and provide a generally good coverage of activities which support children's learning. Assessment of individual children is not always clearly linked to planning however, and as a result some potential is lost for the more able children, particularly in literacy.

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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's progress in personal, social and emotional development is generally good. Children are eager to learn and they demonstrate increasing confidence choosing resources for themselves. They interact well with each other and staff. They have good opportunities to work with a range of resources that promotes learning and respect for various languages and cultures. Some potential to foster more able children's skills and independence are lost due to limited assessment of children's abilities.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Significant Weaknesses Children's progress in communication, language and literacy has significant weaknesses, particularly in literacy. Children are encouraged to talk and they interact well with the variety of languages spoken in the group. They show good listening skills and respond well to questioning, for example at story time. Children have good opportunities to practice early writing but, there is less challenge for more able children to extend their potential in literacy, as this is not always given priority.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children's progress in mathematics is generally good. They are interested and have valuable opportunities to learn across activities and play situations. They measure height, match and sort play materials and count using threading beads. Stories and songs, which include sequence and number operations, are responded to well.Children are beginning to write numbers, for example, to denote their age. However there is less challenge for more able children to extend their problem solving skills.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children's progress in knowledge and understanding of the world is generally good. Children often discuss their own and others experiences, draw pictures and sing songs, which illustrate the diversity of the group and local community. They learn about past and present events from visitors to the group and view photos and books, which further foster their curiosity. Children work well with technology. They have limited resources to stimulate their curiosity and learning about the natural world.

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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: Generally Good Children's progress in physical development is generally good. The children enjoy spontaneous physical activity such as crawling through and over tunnels and balancing on carpet number squares. They use tools and equipment well for example when painting, drawing and completing craft work and this demonstrates their increasing dexterity. There is less opportunity for structured activities to develop skills, due to limted assessments of the children's ability.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children's progress in creative development is generally good. The children work with a range of media to express their ideas. They demonstrate increasing imagination in response to role-play and enjoy moving to music and singing rhymes. They paint, create art and craft objects and enjoy using their senses for example in response to things they can touch, smell and taste. More able children's potential is not always realised due to under use of assessment materials.

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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

• Make more use of assessment to support and encourage more able children's potential in the foundation stage, with particular regard to literacy aims.

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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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