Focus School - Middlesbrough Campus

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 18/11/2004 Inspector Name Claire Elizabeth Johnson

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Sunrise Nursery Setting Address Abingdon Road Kingston Bagpuize Abingdon Oxfordshire OX13 5AR

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REGISTERED PROVIDER 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

Sunrise Nursery (previously The Beehive Nursery) opened in 2000. It operates from five rooms in premises on the edge of the village of Kingston Bagpuize. The nursery serves the local area. There are currently 98 children from 4 months to 8 years on roll. This includes 26 children in receipt of nursery education funding. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The setting currently supports a number of children with special needs and who speak English as an additional language. The group opens 5 days a week all year round. Sessions are from 08:00 until 18:00. Eight part-time and nine full-time staff work with the children. Over half the staff have early years qualifications to NVQ level two or three. Three staff are currently working towards a recognised early years qualification.

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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?

Sunrise nursery provides good quality nursery education overall which enables children to make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. Provision for personal, social and emotional development, knowledge and understanding of the world, creative and physical development are very good. In other areas of learning children are making generally good progress. The quality of teaching is generally good. Staff provide a well resourced environment in which children are motivated to learn. Resources are exciting to develop imaginary play and well planned to promote children's independence. Planning is effective in covering the six areas of learning and provides guidance for staff roles and responsibilities. Flexibility in the planning provides parents with the opportunity to add contributions. However, there are missed opportunities to develop letter recognition and to provide calculating challenges for children. Staff are good role

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How effective is the nursery education?

models. Children are clear about staff expectations relating to behaviour and respond promptly to any requests. Leadership and management are generally good. The proprietor is involved in the daily running of the setting and shares good relationships with parents and staff. Staff and management meet regularly to discuss and evaluate the provision and a staff appraisal system is effective in identifying training needs. However, staff input into planning is limited and does not promote staff development. Management responds to feedback from parents, staff and children and is committed to improvement. The partnership with parents and carers is generally good. Parents are well informed about future topics but there are missed opportunities to extend the learning environment into the home. Parents are greeted daily by the room co-ordinator and are welcomed into the setting. Children's records are available at all times by

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How effective is the nursery education?

request to share with parents but there are no formalised arrangements to share this information.

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What is being done well?

• Staff promote the development of the children's social skills, particularly about being kind and sharing. As a direct response to parental requests a two-week topic was planned which raised children's awareness of others and how their behaviour may effect others. When playing imaginatively children invite others to join them in their play and share their game. They share out the roles and responsibilities as they engage in the decoration of their homes in preparation for a forthcoming birthday. • Staff provide an extensive and exciting range of resources and equipment to develop children's physical skills. Rainy days are on the tennis court where children develop skills using balls as they accurately throw balls into baskets

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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 and pass balls to friends either by foot or hand. On the grass, children climb, balance and travel using a range of large and small wooden equipment. • Children enjoy music. They spontaneously sing songs from their extensive repertoire and select musical instruments to accompany their singing. Children singing 'Old MacDonald had a farm' select guiras and scrapers to accompany their songs. Children are aware of tempo and rhythm as they beat in time to their singing.

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What needs to be improved?

• the opportunities for children to calculate when using number • the consistency of approach when linking letters and sounds • the opportunities to extend the children's learning environment into the home • staff input into planning top aid their development.

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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 Activities are exciting and children select freely from a good range of resources. Children are making good relationships with their peers and offer support to others in their play. Activities promote children's confidence and development of self-esteem. Good organisation of resources encourages children to develop independence. Children are well behaved, they respond instantly to the tidy up music without the staff saying a word.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children are confident speaking in large group situations. They use speech well to order and recall life experiences. Children enjoy listening to story time and respond appropriately by asking relevant questions. The letter of the week intended to promote the linking of letters and sounds is not being effectively used to develop children's understanding or to encourage parents to be involve in their child's learning.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children count as part of their daily routine; many count to 10 and beyond. The environment is rich in number and children have made their own number lines. Children busy themselves collecting clothes at the throw of a dice; they count and match the spots to get the desired item. Apparatus for children to explore weighing and measuring are always available but opportunities for children to use calculation are limited.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children are naturally curious and interested in how things work. Staff promote this and open up cameras for children to take a closer look. Children are confident when using the computer and have good control over the mouse when using paint programmes. Children are developing a good sense of time. They name the days of the week and are starting to understand the changes that take place as babies grow into adults. The environment is rich in images from other cultures promoting positive images.

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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 Staff provide children with an environment which provides many exciting opportunities for children to develop physically. Outside they climb, travel and balance using a range of equipment and practise many different ball skills on the tennis court. Planned activities develop children's skills of moving with control and co-ordination as they travel following a pathway and negotiating a gate. Staff promote health awareness at weekly cooking sessions.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children explore colour and texture using a range of artwork techniques. Staff mount and display children's own creations to share with everyone. In the home corner children have their own art gallery where they display their own personal best pieces. Children select freely from baskets of musical instruments from around the world and work together to accompany their own singing. Children use the role play areas and resources to develop their imagination.

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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

• increase the opportunities for children to calculate when using number • provide a more consistent approach when linking letters and sounds which can extend into the children's home learning environment.

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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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