Moreton Baptist Preschool

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 26/01/2005 Inspector Name Susan, Helen Spencer

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Moreton Baptist Church Pre-School & Playgroup Setting Address Moreton Baptist Church Hall Hoylake Road Moreton Wirral CH46 6DF

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of Moreton Baptist Church

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Moreton Baptist Church Address 326 Hoylake Road Wirral Merseyside CH46 6DF

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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

Moreton Baptist Pre-school has been in operation for over 30 years. It is managed by a committee consisting of trustees and it is a registered charity. It is accommodated in Moreton Baptist Church Hall and has the use of two halls and a small side room. Outdoors there is an enclosed all weather area which provides space for physical activities. The pre-school offers ten sessions each week during term time. It is open from 09.15 until 11.45 and from 12.45 until 15.15. The pre-school caters for children from two years six months to five years. There are 79 children on roll, including 53 funded children. A maximum of 33 children attend each session. Funded children attend for two or three sessions a week, rising to five sessions in the year before they start school. The setting supports funded children with special educational needs. The setting serves local children, with many of them progressing to a nearby primary

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Information about the setting

school. Links have been established with the school to enable children to have a smooth transition to school life. There are seven staff who work in the setting and all work with funded children. All staff are suitably qualified and experienced, with four staff members recently completing the Diploma in Pre-school Practice. In addition, staff completed the Effective Early Learning Project in 2002. The setting receives support from the local Early Years 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?

The education provided at Moreton Baptist Church Pre-school is of high quality and enables children to make very good progress in all six areas of learning. The quality of teaching is very good. Staff have a sound knowledge of foundation stage curriculum and a good understanding of how children learn. This enables them to support children's leaning effectively, as they provide activities that interest children and meet their needs. Warm relationships are evident. Staff and children have fun together and this helps children to feel confident, secure and motivated. There are many good opportunities for children to be independent, but they lack such opportunities at snack time. Staff use questioning well to encourage children to move on in their thinking. Planning and assessment are used effectively to meet children's differing needs and to build on what they know and can do. The quality of leadership and management is very good. Clear aims are shared with

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How effective is the nursery education?

staff and parents and put into practice in the setting. The enthusiastic staff team is committed to improving care and education for all children and they review their practice regularly in line with the Effective Early Learning project, that they completed in 2002. Staff are commited to self evaluation, training and the development of what the setting offers. The partnership with parents and carers is very good. Parents receive detailed information about the setting and the educational programme. They share information with staff each day and they are helped to follow up learning at home if they wish. Children's records of progress are shared with parents, who comment verbally, but neither their comments, nor those of the children themselves, are added to children's records to provide a fuller picture of their achievements.

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What is being done well?

• The setting provides a welcoming and friendly environment. This enables children to feel secure and well supported in their learning. • Good relationships between staff, children and parents support learning well. Children are happy, confident and well behaved. They are learning to share and take turns, and staff and children have fun together. • The quality of teaching is very good. A wide range of activities is offered and learning experiences are adapted to suit the differing needs of children in the group. Questioing is used effectively to encourage children to move on in their learning. • Staff have a sound knowledge and understanding of foundation stage curriculum and how children learn. The links that they have established between assessment and planning enable them to build on what children know and can do. This supports children in making very good progress

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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 towards the early learning goals in all six areas of learning. • The setting provides good support for children with special educational needs and staff work effectively in partnership with parents and other professionals. • Good leadership and management of the setting enables staff to be effective in reviewing and developing their provision to promote learning and identify any areas for development. • The staff team display enthusiasm and committment. They work well together and are committed to improving care and education for all the children in the group.

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What needs to be improved?

• opportunities for children to be independent at snack time • the inclusion of comments from parents and children in children's records of assessment as planned.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The setting has made very good progress in addressing the issues identified at the last inspection. Staff were required to develop their assessment procedures to chart children's progress and attainment in a way that was manageable and reflected the early learning goals. They had to ensure that progress in mathematical development is fully recorded in line with other areas. New documentation is in place, provided through the early years partnership, that details children's progress in all six areas of learning. Staff use observations of children to feed into assessment and then this information is used to help in planning the educational programme. Targets, related to the stepping stones, are set to help children build on what they know. Staff manage this system well and comment on its effectiveness in meeting children's needs. Mathematical development is covered as part of this system and staff support

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What has improved since the last inspection?

children's mathematical understanding well through routines, planned activities and spontaneous events.

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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 confident in the welcoming environment provided. They are well behaved and good relationships support their learning effectively. There are good opportunities for children to express their feelings. They make links between activities in the setting and experiences at home. They share and take turns as they engage in creative activities and they concentrate and persevere at tasks, displaying pride in their completed work.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children's spoken language is developing well and they display a wide vocabulary. They are confident when expressing views and sharing news. Children enjoy identifying rhyming words. A child says that 'bonjour' rhymes with 'door'. Their love of books is well fostered by staff reading stories expressively and by regular library visits. One child is writing her own book. There are good opportunities for children to recognise their names, and they write confidently during role play activities.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children count confidently and have good opportunities to recognise numbers. Practical activities help them to gain a good understanding of mathematical ideas. They recognise toast shapes at snack time and they compare the sizes of the dogs in the role play 'pet shop'. Children learn about weight through baking activities and weighing pet food during role play. They measure themselves against towers they have made with large blocks. Rhymes are used to introduce addition and subtraction.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good There are very good opportunities for children to investigate both natural and made materials. They observe changes in substances during baking and they use magnifiers when hunting minibeasts. Children have very good opportunities to find out about where they live, with visits locally and visitors who help them to understand the role of adults in the community. Children are confident when using techonology independently to support their learning.

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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 move confidently outdoors as they climb and balance, with staff on hand to develop their skills. They display good coordination and control as they kick, throw and catch balls and aim them into a net. Children are made aware of changes in their bodies when they have been active. They enjoy imaginative movement as they interpret 'Peter and the Wolf'. Children display good control as they use the mouse with the computer and use scissors and glue spreaders during creative activities.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children's work is well displayed. The range of creative techniques introduced allows them to explore colour, texture and shape. They use their observational skills to draw and paint flowers and they look at paintings that other artists have produced. There are many valuable opportunities for them to learn about music and to explore sounds. Children enjoy clapping rhythms and responding to music as they move to 'Peter and the Wolf'. Children display good use of imagination during role play.

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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: • providing opportunities for children to be independent at snack time • include comments from parents and children themselves in children's assessment records to provide a fuller picture of children's progress and achievements, as planned.

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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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