Westways Nursery and First School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 08/07/2004 Inspector Name Claire, Alexandra Parnell

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Swanley Preschool Kindergarten Setting Address Kingswood Avenue Swanley Kent BR8 8AN

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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

Swanley Pre-School Kindergarten has been established since1963 and has been owned by the current leader since 1989. The group has use of the Christchurch Centre attached to a church in Swanley and operates in a large hall, an extensive entrance hall and a smaller first floor room. Children have access to several toilets available. The children attending come from the local area of mixed housing and cultural diversity . The pre-school opens every weekday during school term time from 9.30 am to 12.00 noon. There are currently 71 children on roll, of whom 23 are three and four year olds in receipt of nursery education funding. Children attend for a variety of sessions. For part of the session, the older children in the group work together on more formal activities. The pre-school currently has no children identified as having special educational needs and makes provision for children for whom English is an

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Information about the setting

additional language. Twelve members of staff work with the children. Of these, seven have an appropriate qualification. The group gain support and advise from Early Years Advisory Teachers.

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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?

Swanley Pre School Kindergarten is an acceptable provision and of good quality. The children are making generally good progress towards the Early Learning Goals. The teaching is generally good. All areas of learning are implemented throughout the session, although one area does have significant weaknesses. Good practical activities are offered to children in most areas of learning. Planning is effectively carried out for creative and rising five activities. This needs to be extended for all activities provided. Full children's records are kept of all aspects and areas of learning, although all learning opportunities need to be recorded to show the children's true development level. All staff interact positively with the children, questioning and taking part in their play to extend their learning. Staff are positive role models for the children, who show reciprocal caring and respectful relationships

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How effective is the nursery education?

towards their peers and adults. The children have opportunities to represent their own images and views through drawing and writing, but this needs to be developed further, to replace the use of worksheets. The children show confidence in all areas of play, investigation and exploring new situations. The leadership and management of the group is very good. The whole staff team work effectively together, supporting each other in their role. They all evaluate their individual strengths and weaknesses and well as the group's, taking action to implement changes to improve opportunities for children's learning. The partnership with parents is generally good. Parents have clear ideas regarding their children's developmental levels, from relevant information and evidence given to them at the end of each session. Through displays and verbal information, staff ensure parents are aware of significant events that are likely to happen. However,

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How effective is the nursery education?

parents need to be informed of the principals of the Foundation Stage and the importance of learning through play.

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What is being done well?

• The children show great confidence in their environment and in their learning. They are very aware of the needs of other people, encouraging and enticing younger children into their establish play situations. The children's behaviour is exemplary, showing respect and care for all children and adults in the group. • Staff offer a varied and well planned range of structured activities, particularly for the older children. The children have confidence in communicating clearly during these sessions, expressing their opinions and listening intently to others. They participate well in story times, recalling and predicting stories

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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 books. Through staff's questioning and encouragement, the children gain confidence in mark making and writing for a purpose, through role play and meaningful play situations. • The children show an eagerness to perform dance and songs for their peers, staff and parents. The children show an amazing awareness of rhythm and movement. They can express themselves by interpreting the music to match movements. • Children are intrigued by technology. They constantly question how things work and why they are needed. They learn through example from peers and adult, until they independently use resources available, such as CD players, programmable toys and computers. • The whole team works closely together to support the children's learning. Comprehensive systems are in place to ensure staff receive opportunities to

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What is being done well?

develop and train in areas that are redeemed a weakness in their work. Parents are kept actively informed of progress with their children and certain aspects of success for the group as a whole within the local community.

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What needs to be improved?

• the opportunities for all three and four year olds to use and experience practical mathematical problem solving activities, mathematical language, shape, pattern and comparison situations throughout the whole session • the opportunity for children to design and construct from their own ideas from a range of resources • the development of more able children through more complex large gross motor equipment • the self selection of resources to promote art and design, to enable children to freely self represent and encourage independent choice • the planning, to incorporate all activities provided, fully evaluate the children's learning in all areas, including differentiation for more and less able children, Special Educational Needs and children with English as an additional language.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Improvements since the last inspection are generally good. The group were given four key issues at the last inspection. To plan for all areas of learning, to develop staff's knowledge of the Early Learning goals, to provide practical activities to promote mathematical development and to extend the children's understanding of sounds and letters and independent use of books. There is now full planning available for all six areas, although this is concentrated on a few activities, therefore this needs to be extended to all activities offered. There is a need to link these activities to the aspects of learning, the children's observations

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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 and assessments. All staff are effectively knowledgeable in the Early Learning Goals, Foundation Stage and Stepping Stones. They are confident to use these in planning and to assess where the level of children's development. Children now link sounds and letters, representing clear understandings of their names and others names in many activities throughout the session. Mathematical development still shows significant weaknesses. There are limited practical activities and questioning in the main playroom. Staff use limited mathematical language apart from during structured sessions for the rising five groups.

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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 The children are independent and interested learners, who are willing to try new activities and show skills and confidence in experienced activities. More able children ensure younger and less able children are involved in play, they initiate play and introduce others to it. Both three and four year olds express their views, opinions, likes and dislikes when discussing experiences, taking into consideration other peoples views.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children are confident communicators, through words, gestures and expressions with both their peers and adults. Most children recognise their names and can write independently to label their work, using examples of their names and from memory. They all listen to instruction, other peoples views and show a keen interest in stories, either in a group, pairs or individually. They make marks for a purpose, particularly in role play situations.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good All children count confidently either by rote or by representing amounts by numbers. Four year olds can calculate one or two more than through practical activities. They can compare two numbers and calculate which is more or less. Most children can name and recognise numerals and can re-create and write numbers. However, children's understanding of comparison of quantity, number recognition for less able children, shape pattern and size as well as mathematical language need to be extended.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children show interest in new experiences, asking questions constantly. They need to know answers to everyday and new situations. They confidently use computers and programmable equipment, selecting programmes to further its use. They reflect on past experiences, expressing likes, dislikes, at exciting events. They re-live and explain situations that others haven't experienced. However, children are limited to construct and design and need to extend their views of other peoples beliefs.

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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: Generally Good Four year olds are aware of the need for healthy teeth and why they are brushed. They all confidently move, negotiating space for safety and personal use. They are aware of the use of equipment, encouraging safe use from others. They use tools effectively, manipulating equipment for a purpose and with control. However, more able children need further challenges with large equipment to extend their physical development.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Most children confidently express themselves through song, dance and music. Moving in rhythm with the correct movements, repeating dance and songs to perfection. They all confidently recreate experiences through drawing, self representing their own images. Four year olds act out experiences linked to home and familiar people, encouraging others to participate and act out their experiences too. However, they are not able to select resources freely to self represent throughout the whole session.

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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

• extend the opportunities for all three and four year olds to develop their understanding of all mathematical concepts by linking to practical activities, questioning and the use of mathematical language throughout the whole session • enhance children's opportunities to self select from a range of resources to encourage independence and thinking in design, art and construction. Extend more able children's gross motor development through more complex equipment, and children's experiences of culture and other peoples beliefs • review and develop the planning, assessment and evaluation of children's development in all areas of learning, linking these to all activities offered. Ensure children's different levels of development are provided for in all activities.

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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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