Hind Leys Pre-school and Natural Play Centre

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 10/11/2004 Inspector Name Kate Bryan

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Hind Leys Pre-School Setting Address Mobile No 2 Forest Street, Shepshed Loughborough Leicestershire LE12 9DB

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Hind Leys Pre-School Address Mobile No 2 Forest Street, Shepshed Loughborough Leicestershire LE12 9DB

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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

Hind Leys Pre-school Playgroup opened in 1976. It operates from a mobile with its own facilities within the local community college. The immediate college grounds are available for outside play. The pre-school serves the local community of Shepshed and surrounding villages. There are currently 72 children from 2 to 5 years on roll. This includes 44 funded 3-year-olds and 2 funded 4-year-olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The setting currently supports children with special educational needs and provides a service to children who speak English as an additional language. The group opens five days a week during school term-times. Sessions are from 09:15 until 12:00 and 13:30 until 15:30. A lunch club operates on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. There is 1 full-time and 10 part-time staff who work with the children. All have early years qualifications to NVQ level two or three. The setting receives support from a

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Information about the setting

teacher/mentor from the Leicestershire 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?

Hind leys Pre-School provides very good quality nursery education where children enjoy learning through a wide range of stimulating activities. Children make very good progress towards the early learning goals. The quality of teaching is very good and staff effectively extend learning through appropriate and thoughtful questioning and activities planned to meet individual needs. Staff interact very well with the children and are good role models. Their management of children's behaviour is very good. Staff have a good understanding of the early learning goals and planning, observation and assessments are effective in helping children make very good progress in all areas of the curriculum. In the area of physical development there are fewer opportunities provided for children to take exercise and use large equipment. The leadership and management of the setting is very good. The staff are led well and the leader successfully transfers her vision and enthusiasm to her deputy and

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How effective is the nursery education?

staff team. Together they effectively evaluate their practice and continuously strive to improve. Partnership with parents is very good. Parents are very well informed and encouraged to be involved in the setting and with supporting their child's learning. Staff and children effectively share their knowledge of children's progress.

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What is being done well?

• An attractive and stimulating environment is provided with very well planned exciting activities that motivate children. • Children are effectively involved and encouraged in pre-school developments. • The partnership with parents is very well promoted and they have a very good involvement in children's learning. • Strong relationships are in place between staff and children and staff know the individual needs of children well. • The committed and hardworking staff team continually self evaluate and improve practice.

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What needs to be improved?

• opportunities for children to take exercise and use large equipment.

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What needs to be improved?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Very good progress has been made since the last inspection. Staff have introduced a number of effective measures to improve planning and teaching which were raised as key issues in the previous inspection report. Writing opportunities have been improved so that children are able to write and mark make for a variety of purposes. Opportunities are also in place for children to explore sound and to create using their own ideas. Staff have also developed recording systems which are very detailed and staff are effectively working in partnership with parents in assessing what all children know and can do. This information is used to plan activities to meet individual needs and identify the next step in children's learning.

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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 very good communicators and are confident to initiate conversations between themselves and adults. They are happy and confident and well motivated to engage in activities. Very good relationships are in place between the staff and children and this is extended to relationships between children. Sharing and co-operation are well promoted to support relationships. Children behave very well and are becoming increasingly independent in their personal routines.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children use language very well to communicate both in the large group and in smaller groups. They are also developing a good awareness of which sounds represent letters by using the syllables in their names. They are also able to sit quietly and listen to other people. Children are beginning to use books for pleasure and make the link between words and pictures. Children are making very good progress in forming recognisable letters and complete this in a variety of ways such as using sand.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Counting is used in many situations, such as registration, so that children become familiar with its use. They are making very good progress in counting to 10 and beyond and can use fingers to represent numbers. Addition and subtraction are well fostered by activities such as singing and a weekly Maths Day. Children are beginning to recognise shapes and use language to compare capacity and size. They are also developing a good awareness of patterns.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children are developing very good skills in the use of the computer and digital camera. They are learning about their environment and making good progress in recognising the changes that take place in the natural world. Design skills are well promoted and children can work together to create 3-d models. They are aware of the passage of time and their place within the community. A knowledge of other cultures is well promoted and festivals are celebrated to enhance children's knowledge of this.

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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: Very Good Children have very good physical skills which they are able to use to negotiate around other people and their environment, although there are less opportunities to take exercise and use large equipment. They are developing good balancing techniques. Children are skilled in the use of small equipment such as scissors and can shape and decorate clay. Health awareness is well promoted so that children know which foods are healthy.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are very imaginative and create using a variety of materials and media. They have a range of practical skills which they use to very good effect in creating work such as vegetable prints. Children have good opportunities to listen to music and play a range of instruments, matching movements to these. Children are able to use their senses in a very good variety of activities used to stimulate their ideas, for example, exploring the feel of feathers.

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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 consideration should be given to improving the following: • provide more regular opportunities for children to take exercise and use large equipment.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT

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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