Willowmead Infant School and Nursery

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 09/03/2005 Inspector Name Alison Jane Kaplonek

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Busikids Limited Setting Address Upper Northam Drive Hedge End Southampton Hampshire SO30 4BG

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Busikids Limited Address Upper Northam Drive Hedge End Southampton Hampshire SO30 4BD

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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

Busikids nursery has been registered since 1997. It is owned by a limited company and provides full day care for children aged 3 months to 5 years of age. The nursery is situated in Hedge End in a private house. There are currently 72 children on roll. This includes 17 funded 3 year olds and 1 funded 4 year old. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are 14 permanent staff, 2 supply staff and 2 students working with the children on a regular basis. The Nursery Manager is supernumerary. Eleven staff have Early Years qualifications. The nursery supports children with special and additional needs. Children's individual dietary requirements are catered for and meals are cooked daily on the premises. The nursery opens 5 days a week Monday to Friday for 51 weeks of the year. Opening times are from 08:00 to 18:00. Sessions end at either 13:00 or 18:00. The nursery is a member of the National Day Nursery Association.

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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?

Busikids Day Nursery offers nursery education of an acceptable quality overall. Provision is acceptable but has some significant areas for improvement. Children's progress towards the early learning goals is limited by some significant weaknesses in the provision. The quality of teaching has significant weaknesses. Plans cover all areas of learning and include focused activities linked to the stepping stones. The nursery is able to provide support for children with special needs. Staff set clear guidelines for acceptable behaviour and children behave well.However,the learning environment is not used effectively and children have limited choice of activity and access to resources, leaving them with few opportunities to initiate their own learning. Staff lack an understanding of how young children learn and are unclear of the learning intentions of many activities. Much teaching lacks the appropriate challenge and

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How effective is the nursery education?

assessments are not used to influence future planning. Leadership and management has significant weaknesses .All staff and management are committed to improving the care and education for children. Staff receive regular appraisals to identify their training needs and staff turnover in the nursery is low. The system of evaluation does not always lead to effective monitoring of the provision for nursery education and management are not aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the nursery education provision. The partnership with parents is generally good . Parents are provided with a range of information about the setting, which includes a list of the six areas of learning and topics. Parents find staff approachable and are able to exchange information about their children. They are encouraged to be involved in their children's learning and contribute ideas to topic choices. Information about their children's achievements is

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What is being done well?

• Children's personal, social and emotional development is good. They interact well with staff and each other, sharing and expressing their feelings. They are well behaved and are familiar with the routine of the day. • Children have access to a varied and interesting outside area, where they can explore, investigate and play imaginative games. • There is a good relationship between staff and parents. Parents are provided with good information about the setting and are beginning to be involved in what their children are learning. Staff and management are committed to working with parents to provide good quality care and education for all children.

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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

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What needs to be improved?

• the assessments of children's learning, to ensure that these are recorded accurately and used for future planning, enabling children to reach their full potential. • staffs knowledge of how children learn to ensure that they provide the correct challenge in all activities and that sufficient emphasis is given to all areas of learning. • the organisation of the learning environment to provide children with a choice of activity and easy access to a selection of resources, tools and materials. • the planning to ensure that learning outcomes are clear to all staff. • the system to monitor and evaluate the provision for nursery education.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The nursery were asked to write a policy on their approach to children with special educational needs and to develop the role of a named co-ordinator to support the children, their parents and the staff. They were also asked to encourage parents to be involved in their children's learning. Generally good progress has been made since the last inspection. A named co-ordinator for special needs has been trained and a policy written. The co-ordinator works closely with parents, other staff and the local area senco. The nursery have begun to encourage parents' to be involved in their children's learning. Parents are informed of topics to be covered and can view the weekly plans. Information evenings for parents have been started and one is planned regarding the foundation stage curriculum for the future. The nursery sees the encouragement of parental involvement as an ongoing process.

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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 are beginning to develop good relationships with each other and adults. Children are well behaved. They co-operate well and are learning to share and take turns. Children know right from wrong. They understand the rules of the setting. They are gaining in independence. They pour their own drinks and some attempt to put on their own coats before outside play. Children have few opportunities to operate independently within the environment or select resources.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Significant Weaknesses Some children are confident speakers. They converse easily with adults and each other. Children use language to initiate and organise their play. They listen to and enjoy stories and rhymes in small and large groups. Children have few opportunities to develop their writing skills during their play and are incorrectly challenged when learning the sounds and shapes of letters. Children have access to a limited range of books.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Poor Children count confidently to 5.They learn about shape, size and quantity through planned practical activities.Children have limited opportunities during practical activities to recognise numbers, solve simple number problems or to explore the concepts of calculating and comparison of numbers. Activities lack challenge for the older or more able children. Organisation of the daily routine means that children cannot access much of the equipment to allow exploration of space, position and measure.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children design and build confidently using a range of construction materials. They talk about their environment, families and events in their lives and are beginning to gain an awareness of the cultures and beliefs of others. Children competently complete simple programmes on the computer provided. Children are not sufficiently developing their designing and building skills. They lack access to a variety of tools and materials.

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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: Significant Weaknesses Children are beginning to move with confidence and increasing control and co-ordination. They show an awareness of space when moving around their environment both indoors and out. Children build confidently with a range of construction materials. They lack access to and opportunities to use, simple tools and equipment to construct, effect changes or practice their manipulative skills. Learning outcomes are unclear for outside play. Children are not developing an awareness of staying healthy.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Poor Children enjoy singing familiar songs and rhymes. They use their imaginations well during outside play but do not sufficiently develop their imaginations during art, design, dance or music. Children do not create their own ideas during craft activities. Children have few opportunities to express or communicate their own thoughts and feelings by using a wide range of materials, tools, imaginative play, movement, songs or musical instruments. The curriculum for creative development lacks interest.

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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 but has some significant areas for improvement. Children's progress towards the early learning goals is limited by some significant weaknesses. The next inspection will take place in one to two years time.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT: THE KEY ISSUES

• increase the staff's knowledge and understanding of the Foundation Stage curriculum and how young children learn to promote children's learning in all areas . • ensure that the planning system is based on assessments of children's learning and includes clear learning outcomes to enable the children to be correctly challenged in their learning opportunities, particularly in communication, language and literacy , Maths and creative development. • re-organise the learning environment to provide children with a choice of activity and easy access to a selection of resources, tools and materials. • develop a system to monitor and evaluate the quality of the funded nursery education ensuring that sufficient emphasis is given to all areas of learning.

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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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