St. Gabriels Nursery

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 30/09/2004 Inspector Name Karen Ling

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name St. Gabriels Nursery Setting Address Chillingham Road Heaton Newcastle Upon Tyne Tyne and Wear NE6 5SH

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The partnership of St Gabriels Nursery 3156417

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name St Gabriels Nursery Address Chillingham Road Heaton Newcastle Upon Tyne Tyne and Wear NE6 5SH

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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

St Gabriel's Nursery was first established in 1996. It is owned by Kid 'n' Play Nurseries Limited and operates from a two storey building in Heaton, an urban area of Newcastle. The nursery serves families within the local community and surrounding areas. It is open from 07:45 until 18:00 Monday to Friday all year round. The nursery is registered to take 101 children from birth to five years of age. There are currently 120 children on roll. Children are offered full and part time places. Twenty seven three-year-olds are currently in receipt of funding for nursery education. Children use the four rooms on the first floor. They also have access to an enclosed garden. The nursery has systems to support children with special educational needs and children with English as an additional language. Children are grouped according to age. Two staff currently work with the younger three-year-olds and two work with the older three-year-olds. Of the four staff who

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Information about the setting

work directly with children receiving funded nursery education, three hold recognised qualifications in childcare and education. The nursery also receives qualified teacher support through the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership. The nursery is currently working towards 'Quality Counts', a recognised quality assurance scheme.

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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?

St Gabriel's Nursery provides good quality nursery education which enables children to make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. The quality of teaching is generally good. Staff have a secure understanding of all areas of children's learning. In the short time they have been working within the foundation stage they have developed a clear and comprehensive planning system though a few aspects are given insufficient attention. They have clear routines which ensure children receive a wide range of experiences. On occasions the smooth running of the day is interrupted as they wait to move from one area to another. Though children receive a balance of adult-led and child initiated activity, staff do not always use methods most appropriate for three-year-olds. As a result the challenge set is on occasions inappropriate. Behaviour within the group is generally good, however not all staff consistently use encouraging and positive strategies to help

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How effective is the nursery education?

children learn right from wrong. Resources are sufficient in most areas. Records of what children can do are kept. However, staff do not yet have an effective system which uses observations and assessments to inform next steps in learning. Leadership and management are generally good. The manager has been successful in establishing a collaborative approach to all aspects of work. There is a commitment to ongoing professional development through training and in-house mentoring. Staff reflect on and understand what needs to be done to improve the quality of nursery education. A rigorous system to monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching is yet to be fully implemented. The partnership with parents and carers is generally good. They are well informed about the nursery ethos and curriculum and regular verbal exchange keeps parents informed about how children are managing. They are not sufficiently informed about

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How effective is the nursery education?

their child's progress in relation to the stepping stones and early learning goals.

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What is being done well?

• Rooms are organised in a way that makes it possible for children to select resources independently. • Relationships between staff, children and families are good. This helps children to feel safe and settled. • Children's physical skills are promoted well through a range of indoor and outdoor activities. • Staff and management are dedicated, work well as a team and are committed to ongoing professional development.

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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?

• staff's knowledge and understanding of how three year old's learn best • strategies which help children learn clear boundaries for behaviour • assessment system so that it is systematic and informative • time management and resources which reflect diversity.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Very good progress has been made since the last inspection. Staff pay close attention to print within the nursery. It is consistent and used well to increase children's awareness of written word. Learning opportunities have been extended outside to include a sensory garden area. Many aspects of the curriculum are now extended to the outside environment.

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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 relate well to each other and staff. They are willing to try out new experiences and show perseverance as they engage in activities. They show developing independence in matters of dress and hygiene and as they select resources and tools. Overall behaviour is good though children are not always appropriately helped to understand and follow ground rules. There are missed opportunities for children to develop an awareness of cultural differences.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children show developing confidence as they chat to each other and staff. They know a good repertoire of songs and some like to add their own words and sing to their group. They receive regular opportunities which help them to practise pre-writing skills. Some show an awareness of print and many recognise their name. The book area is not used well to encourage independent and shared enjoyment of books, nor does it reflect the diversity of home languages within the group.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children show a good knowledge of shape though at times challenge is inappropriate. They recognise and name them in different situations. They apply their knowledge of different shapes as they build with construction equipment and make models from materials. They practise counting in different situations and some confidently count beyond ten. Staff use fun ways to help reinforce learning. They receive too few opportunities to use their number skills to solve simple problems.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children enjoy exploring textures and investigating how things work. They receive regular opportunities to use the computer and manage simple programmes well. They learn about their environment and are encouraged to observe similarities and differences, such as the weather. Activities are not always well resourced or supported to help children follow ideas through and investigate further.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children experience a wide range of adult and self directed activities which help them to develop skills such as climbing, throwing and catching using a range of equipment. They show good spatial awareness and control as they ride wheeled toys around obstacles. They develop an awareness of keeping healthy as they follow good hygiene routines. Children are not always helped sufficiently to consider their own space and that of others when moving around in small areas.

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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: Generally Good Children have regular opportunities to explore colour and texture in two and three dimension. They enjoy singing and know many songs. Children use their imagination as they take part in music and movement sessions. However, they have limited access to a range of musical instruments and are not sufficiently encouraged to explore sound. They are encouraged to contribute their own ideas for the role play area. They have recently made it into a garage and enjoy fixing cars.

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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 staff's knowledge and understanding of how three year old's learn best. • Help children to know what is expected of them by establishing clear boundaries of behaviour. Ensure all staff consistently use positive strategies to encourage appropriate behaviour, build self-esteem and develop a positive self image. • Develop the assessment system so that it is systematic, informative and objective and clearly shows children's progress in relation to the stepping stones and early learning goals. • Utilise time well and develop resources which reflect diversity of cultures and backgrounds, particularly those within the nursery, to enhance learning opportunities.

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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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