St Nicholas Church of England First School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 18/03/2003 Inspector Name Jennifer Barton

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SETTING DETAILS

Setting Name Pilton Playgroup Setting Address Methodist Hall Shepton Mallet Somerset BA4 4DH

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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

Pilton Preschool has been open since 1966 and meets in the Methodist church hall in the village of Pilton in Somerset. There is a large hall and small kitchen and outside area which offers good opportunities for play. The children attending come from Pilton and surrounding villages. The majority of children move on to the primary school in the neighbouring village of West Pennard, and the preschool has close links with this school. The preschool are registered to care for 14 children per session and their opening times are 9.30am to 12.15pm four mornings a week during term time only. There is an option to take a packed lunch and stay until 1.00pm. At present there are 19 children on roll, of these, there are four three year old children and six four year old children receiving funding. None of the children have special educational needs or English as an additional language. There are three experienced staff, of whom two are appropriately qualified with the Diploma in

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Information about the setting

Preschool Practice qualification. There is a key worker system in place. The supervisor has been appointed since the last nursery education inspection. The staff are responsible for the day to day management of the group and are supported by a committee, and attend regular meetings with the EYDCP.

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How effective is the nursery education?

Pilton Preschool is providing good quality nursery education, and children are making good progress towards the early learning goals. Overall teaching is generally good. The staff are knowledgeable about the foundation stage and provide interesting and appropriate activities to help children learn. However, these activities are not encouraging children to develop an understanding of addition and subtraction, and plans do not inform what children learn from resources including information technology equipment. Children are making very good progress in personal, social and emotional development; communication, language and literacy, knowledge and understanding of the world and creative development. Progress in mathematics and physical development is generally good. Leadership and management is generally good there are clear roles and responsibilities, and staff development. The partnership with parents is generally good. The parents are well

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How effective is the nursery education?

informed about the preschool routine and activities, and have opportunities to discuss their children's progress with the staff.

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What is being done well?

Children's personal, social and emotional development is very good. They are confident, independent and their behaviour is very good. Children are making very good progress towards the early learning goals for communication, language and literacy; knowledge and understanding of the world; and creative development. Staff provide interesting and exciting activities which are meaningful to the children. They provide some one to one support which helps children meet their needs. Parents are well informed about the setting and the progress their children are making.

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What needs to be improved?

Plans need to be extended to ensure there are more opportunities to encourage children to understand addition and subtraction. Resources including information technology should identify the areas of learning they support.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Improvement since the last inspection has been generally good. The setting now has a more effective book area and staff and children use this area regularly throughout sessions where the children are enjoying and learning about books and stories. Children are now learning about numbers in everyday situations like counting the children at register time and cups and fruit at snack time. They are recognising and writing numbers in planned activities. Planning has been extended to include the early learning goals for funded children, so their progress is now effectively monitored. Staff have become more familiar with the Code of Practice through discussion with the new supervisor who has been appointed since the last inspection and has knowledge of special educational needs procedures.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Progress in personal, social and emotional development is very good. Children are confident, independent and behave well. Staff expectations, routine and use of praise encourage good behaviour. Children are learning to concentrate and sit quietly when listening to stories and are happy and confident to speak out and ask questions. Children show respect and sensitivity to other children and adults, and share and participate in groups well.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Progress in communication, language and literacy is very good. Children listen attentively to stories and enjoy singing and rhymes. Children and staff use the attractive book area regularly and children handle the books appropriately and understand that print carries meaning. Staff encourage children to talk through their experiences and question them appropriately. Children are learning reading and writing skills including letter shape and sound through well planned activities.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Progress in mathematics is generally good. Well planned activities give children good opportunities to recognise and use number and learn the concept of counting. Simple number operations and mathematical language are introduced in practical ways and children show a good understanding of these in their play. However, there are missed opportunities for children to develop an understanding of addition and subtraction.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Progress in knowledge and understanding of the world is very good. Children have good opportunities to explore, investigate and observe changes through activities like growing plants, They also experience using natural materials in activities like making birds nests. Children have awareness of their own lives and environment as well as learning about people from different cultures. More opportunities to use IT equipment should be provided to support children's learning.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Progress in physical development is very good. Large motor skills are developed by using a wide range of outdoor equipment. Activities such as construction, threading, playdough and painting are well planned to develop fine motor skills. Children show they are learning to move confidently and imaginatively with coordination and awareness of space and others. Children demonstrated they handled tools appropriately with increasing control and safety.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Progress in creative development is very good. A wide range of resources and exciting activities promote creative development. There is a good balance between teacher directed activities and children's free choice to develop imagination and express their own ideas. Role play areas are changed regularly to promote good learning and imagination. Musical instruments and tape recorders are used to encourage children to explore sound, and children join in enthusiastically with rhymes and songs. ,

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Children's spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development is fostered appropriately: Y

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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

No key issues were identified, but consideration should be given to improving the following:- Extend planning to: ensure there are more opportunies to encourage children to understand addition and subtraction. specify how resources including information technology are supporting children's learning.

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