Ridgewood Community High School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 08/02/2005 Inspector Name Jane Nelson

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Ashmore Pre-School Setting Address St. Lukes Church Centre Fernhead Road London W9 3EH

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Management Committee of Ashmore Pre-School

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name The Management Committee of Ashmore Pre-School Address Barrow Hill Junior School, Bridgeman Street London NW8 7AL

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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

Ashmore Pre-school playgroup has been registered since 1992. It is a member of the Pre-school Learning Alliance (PLA) and receives support from the Westminster branch. It operates from one room, with access to a hall, on church premises in North Westminster. It serves families the local community. There are currently 7 children from two to four years on roll. Of these 4 children receive funding for nursery education. Children can attend for a variety of sessions. The setting currently supports children who speak English as an additional language. The group opens five days a week during school term times, sessions are from 09:30 until 12:00. Two staff work with the children, both have early years qualifications. As part of the PLA constitution parents are actively encouraged to be involved in the group by being part of a parent rota. The setting receives support from the Westminster PLA and the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership, EYDCP.

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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?

Ashmore Pre School provides generally good education in a stimulating environment. Children make generally good progress towards the early learning goals in, all six areas of learning. Systems are in place to meet the needs of children with special needs and children with English as an additional language are supported well. The quality of teaching is generally good. Staff, have an understanding of the early learning goals, however planning is not always fully effective, resulting in missed opportunities to extend children's learning in all areas. The system to record children's development, is not fully maintained. Staff interact well with children, they encourage language development by using questions and involving themselves in children's play. Children's behaviour is managed well. They have opportunities to develop independence by choosing between activities and being helper for the session, however there are missed opportunities to extend their independence.

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How effective is the nursery education?

Good opportunities are provided for children to write for a variety of purposes, although children rarely use the writing area independently. Children express their imagination well during role play in the hospital area, and using the cassette player. Opportunities are provided for children to run, crawl, ride bikes and scooters, however provision for them to climb and travel under and through is limited. Leadership and management are generally good, staff are supported by the management committee and the local Pre School Learning Alliance branch. They have good access to training and the provision is well resourced with equipment and play materials. The system for monitoring the education provision is not fully effective Partnership with parents is generally good, they are pleased with the pre school and are involved through helping on the parents rota and participating in the management committee. However information on how they can be involved in their

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What is being done well?

• Staff interact well with children, they provide an interesting and stimulating environment for children to investigate, and some activities are well resourced and delivered holding children's interest and encouraging them to use their imagination. • Good opportunities are provided to encourage use of imagination and for children to act out feelings and observe others. • Good opportunities are provided for children to write for a variety of purposes for example clipboards in the hospital area, a note pad in the phone box and a well resourced writing area.

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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

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What needs to be improved?

• Planning to ensure that all areas of the curriculum are covered consistently and staff understand what they want children to learn from all activities. That systems are in place to ensure children's learning is extended in all areas and evaluation takes place as to why certain areas or equipment may not be used by children. • Developmental records to ensure that, records are fully maintained and children's next steps and how they will be supported in achieving these are identified. • Information for parents on how they can be involved in their child's learning.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Generally good progress has been made since the last inspection. Staff have increased their awareness in the early learning goals through attending training in this area and continuing to attend regular meetings and receive support from the Pre School Learning Alliance branch on planning and the early learning goals. However the pre school's planning and children's developmental records are not fully effective resulting in some weaknesses in teaching and missed opportunities in all areas of 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: Generally Good Children are interested and involved in activities, playing for a long time with some equipment like the hospital area and the sand and water. They relate well to each other and are learning to share and take turns. They have opportunities to gain a sense of community through local outings and celebrating different festivals. Although they are able to make choices about their play there are missed opportunities to increase and extend children's independence skills.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Good opportunities are provided for children to mark make and experiment with writing materials, however the writing area is not fully used. Good opportunities are provided for children to understand that print carries meaning, through labelling of familiar objects, their name labels and a good selection of books. Some children recognise their names, although there are missed opportunities to extend children's interest in letters of their name and sounds of familiar words.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children count and recognise numbers in familiar contexts such as singing number rhymes and one child matching the number of fingers to a number on his shirt. They use simple addition and subtraction during singing rhymes and have opportunities to weigh and measure. However there are missed opportunities to use numbers in everyday situations and consolidate children's learning by frequent use and reference to numbers and mathematical language such as more than less than.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children have good opportunities to gain a sense of time, through the daily routine. However observation of growth and living things and use of the outdoor area is limited to Spring & Summer. There are few opportunities for children to build and construct with art and craft materials. A good range of resources reflecting diversity is provided, however there was limited discussion, about the Chinese New Year display, and missed opps to reflect the celebration in different activities.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good There are very good opportunities for children to learn about staying healthy and their bodies through well resourced and planned activities like the hospital area, that engage and interest children. They have opportunities to crawl, ride, run and jump, however these are not always clearly planned and sufficient opportunities for children to climb, slide, scramble and swing are not always provided on a regular basis .

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

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

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Good opportunities are provided for children to enjoy music through singing, listening, and using musical instruments, however there are some missed opportunities to encourage experimentation with musical instruments. Children have very good opportunities to use and extend their imagination through well resourced role play and when using sand and water. They explore colour and texture however junk materials are not easily accessible limiting children's opportunities to create and explore form.

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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

• Develop planning further to ensure that all areas of the curriculum are covered consistently and staff understand what they want children to learn from all activities. Make sure systems are in place to ensure children's learning is extended in all areas and evaluation takes place as to why certain areas or equipment may not be used by children. • Develop and maintain all children's developmental records and ensure that children's next steps and how they will be supported in achieving these are identified. • Provide information for parents on practical suggestions as to how they can be involved in their child's learning.

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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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