Farnsfield Pre-school Playgroup

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 25/02/2003 Inspector Name Esther Darling

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Setting Name Farnsfield Pre-school Playgroup Setting Address Methodist Schoolroom Chapel Lane Farnsfield Nottinghamshire NG22 8JP

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Farnsfield Pre-School Address Methodist School Rooms Chapel Lane, Farnsfield Newark Nottinghamshire NG22 8JP

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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

Farnsfield Preschool opened in 1970. It operates from two rooms, within the Methodist Church Rooms, which is situated in the village of Farnsfield. The group also have access to a kitchen, toilets and an enclosed outdoor play area, which is adjacent to the building. The Preschool serves children and families from the village of Farnsfield and the surrounding villages. Farnsfield Preschool is registered to provide 26 places for children and there are currently 50 children on roll. This includes 14 four year olds, 13 of whom are funded and 32 three year olds, 18 of whom are funded. None of the children attending are learning English as an additional language and there are currently no children attending with a special educational need. Farnsfield Preschool is open five days a week, Monday - Friday. The opening hours are 9:15 - 11:45 a.m. On a Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday the group offer a lunch club, which is open until 1:00 p.m. On

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Information about the setting

a Monday and a Thursday the setting is also open from 12:30 - 3:00 p.m. offering a rising five's group. A holiday club is in operation during the school Easter and summer holidays. This operates on a Wednesday and a Friday, with the times being 10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Children attend a variety of sessions each week. Seven part time staff work with the children, with two of these holding Early Years qualifications. Support and training is accessed through the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership. Farnsfield Preschool are members of the Preschool 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?

Farnsfield Preschool offers high quality provision where the children enjoy learning through a wide range of interesting and stimulating activities. Effective teaching helps the children make very good progress towards the Early Learning Goals. The quality of teaching is very good. Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour, which they encourage through the support and praise they provide. Their clear knowledge and understanding of the Foundation Stage ensures a wide range of practical and interesting activities are provided, which benefits the progress children make. However the organisation of the group snack time activity can sometimes lead to missed opportunities to challenge children. Relationships between the staff and the children are excellent, with staff showing an understanding of individual children and ensuring their needs are met. Leadership and management of the provision is very good. The Preschool benefits

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How effective is the nursery education?

from the strong team working of the staff and the effective leadership of the supervisor. Systems for evaluating practice and the curriculum provided are in place, however these would benefit the setting by being developed further. The Preschool demonstrates a commitment to improving the standards of care and education and staff development is actively encouraged through the sharing of information and attending training courses. The partnership with parents and carers is very good. Positive relationships have formed between staff and parents. Parents report that they are happy with the educational provision and have seen their child make good progress. The Preschool provides good opportunities for parents to be involved in their child's learning both in the home and Preschool environment. Parents are well informed about the setting and the provision they provide.

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What is being done well?

• Children are confident, sociable and have caring relationships with each other and the adults working with them. They interested and motivated for learning. • Staff work well as a team and their clear understanding of the Foundation Stage ensures a good variety of interesting activities are provided. • A wide range of creative activities and effective teaching ensures that children's progress in creative development is very good. • Excellent opportunities are provided for children to develop their knowledge and understanding of number, which they confidently use in every day situations. • Children's spoken language and listening skills are developing well. They use

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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 speech to communicate with their peers and the adults and to negotiate and turn take when involved in activities.

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What needs to be improved?

• No significant weaknesses have been identified but aspects which would benefit from improvement are. • The organisation of snack time activities to provide more challenge for children. • The system for evaluating the educational provision provided, to ensure information is recorded and used effectively to plan future activities.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The setting have made very good progress since the last inspection. The Preschool now plan as a whole staff team, which ensures all six areas of learning are covered and that continuity between the playgroup and rising 5's session occurs. The daily routine in the rising 5's has been developed to ensure there is a balance between child-initiated and adult-directed activities. A new system for assessing and recording children's progress has been introduced, which shows the progress children make over time and includes higher attainment for more able children. A base line assessment has been introduced to enable the parents to contribute to their child's assessment records, which the group are continuing to develop. Systems have also been implemented to ensure parents are informed about their child's progress.

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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 confident and sociable within the Preschool environment. They build caring relationships with their peers and the adults working with them and develop their skills in negotiating and sharing, through the wide range of planned activities provided. They respond to the high expectations of staff and their behaviour is excellent. Children are interested in the activities provided and display motivation for learning and high levels of concentration whilst engaged in these.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children confidently use spoken language to communicate with each other and the adults. They negotiate whilst involved in activities and voice their own views and ideas using speech. Children demonstrate an enjoyment of books, which is developed through the opportunities provided by the Preschool. They listen and respond well to a variety of stories and use the books as a resource, both individually and as a group.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are developing an understanding of number operations and confidently use number in every day situations. Many children can count up to and beyond 10 . They are learning to use mathematical language to describe shape, position, size and quantity and the wide range of practical activities provided ensures that the children are developing a good understanding of shape, space and measure.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children are developing a good understanding of their local community and environment and the wide range of practical activities which are provided ensure the children find out and talk about features in the place they live. Children are developing their skills in exploration and experimentation through the curriculum provided and they independently investigate, using all their senses, whilst engaged in play.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children confidently move around the Preschool environment , showing an awareness of space, both of themselves and of others and an understanding of safety issues. They are developing their large and small motor skills through the excellent opportunities which are provided. Whilst engaged in planned and practical activities the children demonstrate good control of small and large scale equipment and purposefully use tools whilst involved in play.

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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 enthusiastically engage in imaginative and role play situations and the many opportunities provided support their development in this area. They draw on their experiences to develop and extend their play and also involve their peers and the adults in the activities. They explore and develop their understanding of colour, shape and texture whilst involved in practical activities.

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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 are no significant weaknesses to report, but close consideration should be given to improving the following:' • Evaluate the organisation of snack times to ensure children gain the most from the activity. • Continue to develop the system for evaluating the educational provision. 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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