Ashby Mill Primary School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 12/02/2004 Inspector Name Martin Gibrill

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name York Rise Nursery Setting Address St Mary Brookfield Hall York Rise London NW1 1SB

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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

York Rise Nursery is privately owned and was established in 1991. It is accommodated in St Mary Brookfield Church Hall, which it shares with other users, and has access to an outdoor play area. It is within walking distance of Hampstead Heath, where the children are sometimes taken. The nursery is open on Monday, Tuesday Wednesday and Friday each week from 9.00 to 16.00 hours and on Thursdays from 9.00 to 13.00, for 49 weeks of the year. The nursery takes children from the age of two to five years old. A total of 33 children attend over the 5 days. The setting receives funding for 15 children; of these, 14 are three year old children and 1 is fours year old. None of the children has been identified as having special educational needs or have English as an additional language. There are four members of staff who work with the funded children, all of whom are qualified and experienced in childcare. The setting receives support from a teacher

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Information about the setting

from the Early Years Development and Chidcare 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?

Provision at York Rise Nursery is acceptable and is of a good quality overall. Children are making generally good progress towards the early learning goals. The quality of teaching is generally good. Staff have a sound understanding of how children learn and they plan and prepare well a good variety of activities to interest and motivate the children. Resources are well used and organised, although the small size of the outdoor area limits the type of activities that are possible. Staff develop warm, supportive relationships with the children and encourage them to work independently when appropriate and well in groups. Activities for groups are well organised but do not always provide sufficient challenge for more able children in mathematics and communication, lanaguage and literacy. A sound system of observation, assessment and recording has been developed that charts children's learning in the six areas of learning. It evaluates children's progress

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How effective is the nursery education?

against the stepping stones and early learning goals. When fully embedded, it should enable staff to plan more effectively the next steps in children's learning and provide parents with a clearer picture of their child's progress. The leadership and management of the nursery are generally good. The manager provides purposeful leadership and has a sound grasp of the strengths and weaknesses of the nursery.There is a strong collaborative approach and good work has been completed to address identified needs, although there was an initial slowness in tackling the need to devise an appropriate assessment and recording system. The partnership with the parents and carers is very good. Parents have opportunities to talk informally to staff and are welcome to sit-in on sessions. Regular letters home and notices also keep parents informed on what their children are learning. All parents and carers receive a six monthly detailed report on their child's progress

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What is being done well?

• Relationships between staff and children and their parents are very good. These help children to develop confidence and self-esteem. • Children are well motivated and behaved. They learn through a wide range of activites that build on their interests. • Children make very good progress in personal, social and emotional development. They learn to take responsibility, persevere with tasks and respect each other. • The nursery is effectively managed, with sound systems, good organisation

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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 collaborative approaches that support its running.

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What needs to be improved?

• staff's knowledge and understanding of the setting's assessment and record keeping practices and the clear links to planning the next steps in children's learning • staff's working knowledge of the early learning goals in relation to providing more challenging activities for older or more able children.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The nursery has made generally good progress. The recently implemeted system for assessment and record keeping should give the necessary detail of children's achievements in all areas of learning and therefore provide an effective record of their progress

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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's confidence and self-esteem are well supported by staff who respond sensitively to their needs. They listen to each other, take turns, share and play well together. Their behaviour is very good. They demonstrate good levels of independence with many of them persevering with tasks. They choose activities and select resources well. They learn to take reponsibility for themselves and follow routines.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children express their imagined and real experiences well. They listen and respond to stories with eagerness; they are aware of how stories are structured. They negotiate well with each other, enjoy role play and readily communicate with staff. Some children are able to write their names and form letters correctly. They have less time to use a wider range of words to express ideas.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children know and use number in everyday situations such as preparing chairs for snack time. Some can count up to 10 with help . They understand size and can names shapes such as triangles and circles. They use mathematical language to describe position, size and quantity. Planned activities do not give them sufficient opportunities to calculate numbers and compare groups of numbers to decide whether they are the same or different.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children's knowledge of living things and plants is increasing with the limited outdoor space being used well to support their learning. They talk about the past such as when they were babies and what they have done at home. They enthusiastically make models from construction kits Their knowledge of information technology is limited by lack of exposure to simple programmable toys and under use of the computer.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children use the limited outdoor space well to play and run safely. They demonstrate competent climbing, balancing and coordination skills on the climbing frame. They jump and land safely and some show developing throwing and kicking skills. They learn to handle small tools, pencil and brushes with increasing confidence and control.

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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 Children have many opportunities to explore smell, shape, colour and texture. A wide range of creative activities gives children the chance to create their own objects, paint and draw. They enjoy singing and know many songs. The role play area, which was a puppet theatre on the day of inspection, was well resourced and used imaginatively by children. Children have less time in planned musical activities to develop rhythm and a knowledge of sound.

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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: • improve staff's working knowledge of the early learning goals and stepping stones in order to provide more activities to challenge older or more able children • improve staff's understanding and knowledge of the recently implemented assessment and record keeping procedures and ensure that appropriate links are made with planning to help children to progress towards the early learning goals.

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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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