Castle Primary School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 02/07/2004 Inspector Name Barbara Christie

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name 4+ Nursery Class Setting Address PTA Hut East Wittering School, Church Road, East Wittering Chichester West Sussex PO20 8PS

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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

4 + Nursery Class has been registered since 1989 on the site of East Wittering Primary School. The nursery have sole use of a separate classroom and shared use of some facilities within the school. The registration is for 22 children under 8 years, and of these 4 may be under 3 years. Children attending the the nursery are in receipt of nursery education funding. There are 3 or 4 members of staff working with the children on a daily basis and a bank staff cover for absences. Sessions are held in the morning from 09:00 to 12:00 and afternoon sessions are available from 13:00 to 15:30 Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The school playground is used daily and the nursery have access to the school swimming pool in the summer. The nursery welcomes children with special needs and those for whom English is a second language. Children from the local community attend and move on to the primary school.

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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 provision for nursery education at 4+ Nursery Class is of high quality overall. Children are making very good progress towards the early learning . The quality of teaching is very good. It has a very positive impact on children's learning. Staff plan well to provide interesting and stimulating activities that promote learning across each of the six areas very well. Staff set clear goals and boundaries relating to expectations in the group and behaviour is very good. Children are confident, and independently select from a wide range of resources. Listening skills are developing very well; conversation is good and children use a wide vocabulary. Staff provide stimulating activities for children to take part in all aspects of mathematics. Ways in which words and numbers can be used more frequently to increase recognition is a minor omission in the use of resources. Suitable arrangements are made for children with special educational needs; there are no

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How effective is the nursery education?

children whose first language is not English. All children are encouraged to work at their own pace and appropriate provision is made to extend learning for those children who finish before others. Assessment of children's progress is detailed and sufficient, but the next steps in learning are not formally recorded. Leadership and Management are very good. Meetings are held to discuss planning and to ensure a balanced programme of learning, and very good links have formed with schools and other agencies. Team work is apparent, staff are qualified and experienced in working with pre-school children and are given good support towards their career development.

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How effective is the nursery education?

Partnership with parents and carers is very good. Parents receive very good information about the educational provision in the group. They are well informed of their child's progress through informal discussions, and formally prior to school entry. The book loan scheme enables parents to share outcomes of learning in the home.

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What is being done well?

• Staff provide a safe secure environment with a happy ethos in which all children are valued and treated with respect. • Staff are kind and caring, they explain carefully and clearly when giving directions. They set clear goals and boundaries and behaviour is very good. • Staff plan well to provide a well-balanced range of interesting activities that successfully motivate children and help them to build on what they already know and understand. • Sessions are managed and organised well to give a good balance of directed and free choice activities. Staff question effectively to stimulate conversation and provide appropriate praise and encouragement to build confidence and

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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 self-esteem. • Good group activities and everyday situations are used well to develop all aspects of mathematics. Through songs and physical activities children develop mathematical language, and increase opportunities for addition, subtraction and problem solving. • Staff work effectively with parents to identify individual needs and to extend opportunities for learning to continue in the home.

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What needs to be improved?

• the recording in children's assessment records to include details of what the child should learn next so that the outcomes can be used to inform planning for individual children in the group.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Improvement since the last inspection is very good. At the last inspection two key issues were raised relating to use of worksheets and the development of planning. An action plan was raised to address these issues and implementation of this plan has had a positive impact on the educational provision in the group. There is less emphasis on the use of worksheets, and plans have developed to recognise how the programme can be effectively delivered to meet the needs of children of differing ages and abilities.

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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 interested and well motivated, they are keen to learn, and eager to join in activities. Confidence and self-esteem is raised by appropriate praise and encouragement, and they select from a range of resources. Children work well in large and small groups, they are well mannered and show respect for each other and the adult; behaviour is good. Photographs and displays are used well to recall events and visitors to the group; increasing children's awareness of the needs of others.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Speech is developing well. Children listen carefully and are confident to ask questions. They join in conversations, sharing ideas and expressing feelings. Children use a wide vocabulary which is extended well through group discussions, freeplay, and on a one-one basis. Children learn about alphabet letters and the sounds of letters, and understand how sounds are linked to form words. They have very good opportunities to practice writing, and most children are able to write their own names.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children have good opportunities to develop counting skills, and varied methods are used well to extend this aspect of learning. Good recognition of numbers, and appropriate displays of numbers but less emphasis on the use of numbers as labels, in for example, the shop. All other aspects of mathematics are promoted well using a range of activities and everyday situations. Puzzles, games and small world toys are used well to develop problem solving and addition and subtraction.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children have very good opportunities to explore the environment, looking closely at changes such as growth of plants and insects. Children comment on and make judgements about the damage to trees from high winds. Displays of children's work show good use of recycled materials to build and join. Very good access to, and use of technology, for example, stop watch, till, computer and clocks. These are effective in promoting and reinforcing learning across each of the other areas of 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 Very good opportunities to develop physical skills. Children have access to a wide range of apparatus, and make regular use of the school gym and swimming pool. Children are given clear instructions when using equipment and of the space required to ensure safety. Children recognise body changes after running, talking of hearts beating fast, being out of breath and getting hot. Use of small world toys, cutting, writing and drawing tools and materials effectively increase skills of manipulation.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Good access to a range of tools and materials which are used well to form in two and three dimension. Lack of space limits spontaneous use of musical instruments but regular activities are planned using the school hall. During freeplay children have good opportunities to develop skills of imagination, and make good use of small world toys, the home corner and the shop. A game at snack time extended skills of imagination, children observe actions and successfully identify the food being eaten.

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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: • Points for consideration: • Consider how the process of assessment can become more effective in informing future planning by including sufficient detail of what the child needs to learn next

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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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