Chetwynd Little Troopers Nursery and Pre School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 28/11/2003 Inspector Name Helen Clark

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Chetwynd Barracks Pre-School Setting Address Chilwell Station, Chilwell Beeston Nottingham Nottinghamshire NG9 5HA

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Chilwell Station Playgroup Address Chilwell Station Chilwell, Beeston Nottingham Nottinghamshire NG9 5HA

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and 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 of the quality and standard of day care in accordance with the National Standards for Under Eights Day Care and Childminding; and 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

Chetwynd Barracks Pre-School Play group opened in 1986. It operates from the community centre on the site of Chetwynd Army Barracks in Chilwell, near Nottingham. The group serves the resident service families only. There are currently 24 children from two and a half to five years on roll. This includes 12 funded 3-year-olds and 6 funded 4-year-olds. Children attend a variety of sessions each week. The setting provides support to children with special needs and English as an additional language. The group is open five days a week term time only. Sessions are from 09:15 to 12:00 and 12:30 to 15:00. Full day-care is provided for a limited number of children each day. There are seven members of staff who work with the children, of these four have early years qualifications and three staff are currently working towards them.

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How good is the Day Care?

Chetwynd Barracks Pre-school provides satisfactory care for children. The Pre-school building is clean and well maintained. It provides sufficient space for children to play safely and the effective staff deployment ensures children are well supported in their play. Staff training and qualification requirements are generally well met and most of the required documentation for the effective management of the setting is maintained. Space and resources are organised well to meet the needs of the children. Procedures to promote safety within the setting are satisfactory, however, staff do not always receive induction training regarding health and safety within their first week of employment. Staff are vigilant about children's safety and regularly reinforce ways to play safely. Children's individual requirements are recorded and shared with all staff to ensure needs are met. Steps are taken to promote the welfare and

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How good is the Day Care?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 development of all children including those with special needs. Snacks and drinks are regularly provided which are healthy and nutritious. There are a good selection of activities and resources available for children to encourage their all-round development, however, there are limited resources that positively reflect children with disabilities. There is an effective key worker system in place to ensure children's individual learning needs are planned for. There is a clear written behaviour management policy in place. This is understood by staff to ensure behaviour is managed consistently and in way that promotes the children's welfare and development. The settings partnership with parents is good. All policies and procedures are

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How good is the Day Care?

available for parents to see and there are regular opportunities to share information.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

At the last inspection the setting agreed to update policies and procedures in line with the new National Standards for day-care. The complaints, child protection and sickness policy have all been updated and implemented to ensure compliance with the National Standards. The setting also agreed to provide confirmation of vetting for all staff. A system in now in place so the supervisor can clearly state when confirmation of staff vetting has been received. An action plan detailing how the supervisor will achieve a level 3 qualification is not yet in place.

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What is being done well?

• The key worker system benefits both children and parents. Key work staff plan effectively for small groups of children ensuring the children's needs are met and parents respond well as they have a named person they can liaise with regarding their child's progress. • There is a wide variety of resources and equipment available for the children to encourage their all-round development. Good quality low storage units enable children to make choices and independently select resources themselves. • Staff are deployed well. Sufficient staff work with the children at all times and having an extra member of staff to provide additional support ensures staff use their time effectively. • Space is used effectively. A separate large hall area is used well to enable children to have access to large physical play on a daily basis. • Children's behaviour is managed well. Staff set good examples for the children and behaviour is managed consistently. Good behaviour is praised

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What needs to be improved?

• the implementation of an action plan regarding the qualification of the

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What needs to be improved?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 playgroup supervisor • the induction training for new members of staff • the range of resources that reflect disability • documentation regarding late collection of children and recording the times of arrival and departure of children.

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CONDITIONS OF REGISTRATION

All registered persons must comply with all conditions of registration included on his/her certificate of registration. As a result of this inspection conditions of registration have been imposed / varied / removed and a new certificate of registration will be issued.

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by the time of the next inspection

Std Recommendation 1 Develop and implement an action plan that sets out how the supervisor will achieve a level 3 qualification. 2 Ensure all staff receive induction training which includes health and safety and child protection policies and procedures in their first week of employment. 9 Increase resources that positively reflect disabilities to enable staff to actively promote equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice for all children.

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by the time of the next inspection

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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How effective is the nursery education?

Chetwynd Barracks Pre-school provides good quality nursery education where children make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. Teaching is generally good. Most staff have a good understanding of the stepping stones and early learning goals, they plan well for small groups of children. Staff have a good understanding of the individual learning needs for 3 and 4-year-olds and use their regular observations and assessments to move children on to their next stage of development. Staff use their time effectively to support children's play, asking appropriate questions to extend their learning. Children's behaviour is managed well and staff present themselves as good role models. Children with special needs and English as an additional language are supported appropriately. Leadership and management is generally good. There is clear leadership from the supervisor and good teamwork from staff members. Staff are committed to the

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How effective is the nursery education?

improvement of care and education for all children through staff training and development. The setting regularly evaluates its activity planning to ensure it continually meets the needs of all the children. Partnership with parents is very good. Parents are provided with information about the setting and its provision which includes information about the six areas of learning and the early learning goals. Parents are regularly informed about their child's progress and information is shared. Parents become involved in their children's learning through volunteering to help in the setting or as a member of the pre-school committee.

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What is being done well?

• Children's mathematical development is very good. There are regular opportunities for counting and number recognition throughout the routines of the day. • Children have good hand eye co-ordination, they demonstrate increasing skill at holding a pencil correctly, threading beads and manipulating tools and equipment. • There is an effective key worker system in place. All staff are responsible for planning key activities for their small group of children. This enables staff to have a good understanding of children's individual needs and regular observations help them plan activities accordingly. • Partnership with parents is good. Parents are well informed about their child's progress and there is a regular two-way flow of information.

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What is being done well?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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What needs to be improved?

• the opportunities for children's spontaneous writing • children's access to programmable toys to support their learning • the range and use of musical instruments.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Improvement since the last inspection has been generally good. The welcome booklet provided for parents now has information that informs them about the six areas of learning and the early learning goals. The programme for knowledge and understanding of the world has been developed and children now have regular opportunities to explore scientific concepts, ask why things happen and record their findings.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children's independence is developing well. They select and carry out activities independently and as a group. They show increasing skill at dressing and manage their own personal hygiene. Children's behaviour is good. They show a very good awareness of the daily routine and encourage each other to help with tasks such as tidying away. Most children show good concentration and can work at a chosen activity for along period of time.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children are confident speakers. They talk frequently about what they are doing and about past and present experiences. Children listen well and enjoy stories and songs, they use books for their correct purpose and handle them carefully. Children are able to recognise their own name and those of other familiar children. Most children are beginning to write recognisable letters and many can write their own name. However there are limited opportunities for spontaneous mark making.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are presented with many opportunities for number recognition and counting. They count consistently well and are beginning to understand concepts such as addition and subtraction. They use mathematical language in all activities as they compare shape and size when threading beads and recognising and recreating patterns.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children regularly explore and investigate. They look closely at change through simple scientific experiments and planting and growing. Children regularly discuss past events and photographs of trips out prompt discussion and thought. Children learn about other cultures through the celebration of festivals and through sharing their own experiences of travelling around the world. There is limited opportunity for children to use programmable toys to support their learning.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children's physical development is good. Their fine motor skills are very good. They thread confidently, hold pencils correctly and manipulate materials and tools well. Children move confidently and safely and show an awareness of space for themselves and others. They move with control and are developing good co-ordination in music and dance.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children use their imagination well in role play as they act out real and imagined experiences. They create art work in two and three dimensions and have regular opportunity to explore colour, texture and shape. Children are building up a repertoire of songs as they sing daily and listen to songs from around the world in music and dance, however, there is a limited selection of musical instruments and insufficient opportunity for children to use them.

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Children's spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development is fostered

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and 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 make marks and practice writing skills spontaneously • increase the range of programmable toys and musical instruments available for children and provide more opportunities for children to access them.

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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 Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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STANDARD 1 - SUITABLE PERSON

Adults providing day care, looking after children or having unsupervised access to them are suitable to do so.

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STANDARD 2 - ORGANISATION

The registered person meets required adult: child ratios, ensures that training and qualifications requirements are met and organises space and resources to meet the children's needs effectively.

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STANDARD 3 - CARE, LEARNING AND PLAY

The registered person meets children's individual needs and promotes their welfare. They plan and provide activities and play opportunities to develop children's emotional, physical, social and intellectual capabilities.

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STANDARD 4 - PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

The premises are safe, secure and suitable for their purpose. They provide adequate space in an appropriate location, are welcoming to children and offer access to the necessary facilities for a range of activities which promote their development.

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STANDARD 5 - EQUIPMENT

Furniture, equipment and toys are provided which are appropriate for their purpose and help to create an accessible and stimulating environment. They are of suitable design and condition, well maintained and conform to safety standards.

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STANDARD 6 - SAFETY

The registered person takes positive steps to promote safety within the setting and on outings and ensures proper precautions are taken to prevent accidents.

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STANDARD 7 - HEALTH

The registered person promotes the good health of children and takes positive steps to prevent the spread of infection and appropriate measures when they are ill.

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STANDARD 8 - FOOD AND DRINK

Children are provided with regular drinks and food in adequate quantities for their needs. Food and drink is properly prepared, nutritious and complies with dietary and religious requirements.

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STANDARD 9 - EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

The registered person and staff actively promote equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice for all children.

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NEEDS AND DISABILITIES)

The registered person is aware that some children may have special needs and is

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NEEDS AND DISABILITIES)

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 proactive in ensuring that appropriate action can be taken when such a child is identified or admitted to the provision. Steps are taken to promote the welfare and development of the child within the setting in partnership with the parents and other relevant parties.

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STANDARD 11 - BEHAVIOUR

Adults caring for children in the provision are able to manage a wide range of children's behaviour in a way which promotes their welfare and development.

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STANDARD 12 - WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS AND CARERS

The registered person and staff work in partnership with parents and to meet the needs of the children, both individually and as a group. Information is shared.

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STANDARD 13 - CHILD PROTECTION

The registered person complies with local child protection procedures approved by the Area Child Protection Committee and ensures that all adults working and looking after children in the provision are able to put the procedures into practice.

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STANDARD 14 - DOCUMENTATION

Records, policies and procedures which are required for the efficient and safe management of the provision, or to promote the welfare, care and learning of children are maintained. Records about individual children are shared with the child's parent.

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STANDARD 14 - DOCUMENTATION

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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