St Mary's Pre-school Playgroup

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 27/02/2004 Inspector Name Brenda Claire Wint-Omereye

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name St Mary's Pre-school Playgroup Setting Address Old Church Schools 86 Hayes Street Hayes Kent BR2 7BA

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of St Mary's Pre-school Playgroup

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name St Mary's Pre-school Playgroup Address Old Church Schools 86 Hayes Street Hayes Kent BR2 7BA

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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. Mary's pre-school is a voluntary pre-school for children aged between two years, six months and five years. It is managed by a committee of church members. The group uses the St Mary's Church Old School Hall which consists of 2 halls and a connecting foyer area. There are two kitchens on site and a secure outdoor play area to the rear. The children are grouped according to age. The pre-school is open between 9:00_12:00, Monday to Friday for 36 weeks a year. A maximum of forty eight children may attend each session. Only six of these children may be two and a half years old. There are currently 32 funded children, this includes 15 three year olds and 17 four year olds. A supervisor and seven additional staff supervise the children. The children attending the provision mostly live in the surrounding local areas of Hayes and Bromley. They represent families in the local community and have mixed social and economic backgrounds.

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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?

The quality of teaching is generally good. Children are making generally good progress towards the early learning goals. Staff encourage children to be independent and regularly praise them for helping to tidy up and sharing resources. The programme of education includes adult focused activities. Planned activities are usually based on themes. Staff are well deployed in directed activities and provide sufficient challenges to ensure children's interest and develop their skills and understanding. As a result children are well behaved and sustain interest in the activities provided. Long, medium and short term plans are in place, observations and assessment records are held, although evaluation of short term plans are not evident and are not reflective of children's individual needs. Staff communicate well with children during activities and form good relationships with them. Staff provide children with varied resources and have high expectations of

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How effective is the nursery education?

children's behaviour. The children's knowledge and understanding of the wider communities could be extended through greater use of Information technology and planned visits in the local community. Leadership and Management is a good. There is a well constituted church committee, that is supportive and committed to maintaining a high quality service that ensures that the pre-school is a valued part of the whole community. The Pre-school leader meets regularly with Management Committee who then provides reports to the Leader. The Leader is responsible for planning the curriculum and meets informally with Chair of the committee on a weekly basis. The staff team work together well. There are good arrangements in place to support the setting and provide links with the church community. Partnership with parents is good. A range of information is available for parents including a well written prospectus and information about their children's

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How effective is the nursery education?

activities/development via regular newsletters and meetings with key workers.

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What is being done well?

• Children make very good progress in their creative development. They explore and are provided with a good range of resources to develop their creative development through music, role-play and art. • Early reading skills are taught well, children speak fluently and engage well in conversations with peers and adults, they have a keen interest in books and stories. • The partnership with parents is very good and staff work hard to provide parent/carers with a range of useful information and encourage parents to be actively involved in their child's learning.

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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 • Children use a good range of equipment for their physical development and they are confident in using a range of tools and construction. • Staff work well as a team and show positive and skilful management of children's behaviour and have high expectations of behaviour.

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What needs to be improved?

• The method used to support children with English as an additional language. • The effectiveness of evaluation and assessment. • The use of technology resources or outings to extend children's understanding of the wider world. • The promotion of positive images of culture and diversity.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

At the last inspection there were five key issues, all which have been addressed. In relation to the first key issue the setting has included in the curriculum daily physical activities of outdoor play and planned music and movement sessions that has benefits to children's appreciation of sounds and rhythm, as well as developing their confidence in co-ordination and movement. Children have many more opportunities to develop independence through snack time and tidying up routines. Through training the staff team have gained a greater understanding of the aspects of the early learning goals. The key worker role has been utilised as a means of developing positive partnerships with parents and carers, who are informed and invited to contribute to themes and topics to support children's learning. The system of observing and recording is in place although does not visually relate to planned activities.

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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 make generally good progress in personal, social and emotional development. They become interested and involved in their play, which helps them to progress in many areas. They behave well and form good relationships with peers and adults. There could be more opportunities created for children to develop a sense of community and an awareness of other cultures, especially for those children with 'English as an additional language'. There are many opportunities to develop self-help skills.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children make very good progress in communication, language and literacy. Many are confident speakers who converse with one another and with staff with ease. They are developing a good understanding of letter sounds and know simple words associated with activities such as 'play dough' and 'sand' and 'water' that are seen at their eye level. They engage themselves in books and storytelling, turning pages and retelling narratives. Children make marks and practise writing for a variety of purposes.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children's progress in mathematical development is generally good. Many children confidently count to ten and above. Good directed activities extend mathematical learning and development of mathematical language. However, there are missed opportunities to develop an understanding of concepts of 'more than' and 'less than'. Children often explore patterns and shape through the effective use of puzzles and craft work.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children's progress in knowledge and understanding of the world is generally good. There are opportunities for children to learn about the natural world and features of the environment. They frequently talk about past and present events in their own lives and learn and explore other aspects of the wider community, through daily changes to the role play area to simulate the lives of others. There are limited technology resources or outings to extend children's understanding of the wider world.

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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 make very good progress in physical development. They have a range of equipment to use outdoors and inside and staff encourage them to be active, they move well with increasing control and balance. They are developing good co-ordination skills using equipment such as bats, balls and hoops and they are able to effectively use a wide range of tools. Through topics and activities they learn about hygiene and healthy eating.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children progress in creative development is very good. They enjoy many opportunities to express themselves and use their imagination through role play, acting, story making, art, singing and music. They use and explore a wide range of materials, colour, shape and textures to imaginatively express themselves though art.

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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

• Improve the provision in ICT so that children are confident in using the computer and have access to a range of technology. • Provide opportunities for children to experience and extend their knowledge and understanding of the world through visits, visitors and planned outings • Improve the evaluation and assessment of planned activities and use of observation of children to inform the next stage of planning, to ensure that the individual needs of children are met and planning is effective.

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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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