Happitots Day Nursery

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 03/03/2005 Inspector Name Jane Pamela Berry

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Happitots Day Nursery Setting Address 31 Chorley Road Westhoughton Bolton BL5 3PD

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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

Happitots Nursery was registered in 1992 to provide care for children in the local community. The nursery operates from 07:30 to 18:00, Monday to Friday all year round. It is closed on Bank holidays. Children attending the nursery have access to three rooms and toilet facilities. There is a fully enclosed area for outdoor play. There are currently 37 children on roll who attend on a variety of placements; of these 10 receive funding for nursery education. The setting supports children with special educational needs. The nursery employs seven staff. Three members of the staff, including the owner and manager, have an early years qualification appropriate to NVQ level three and three staff hold NVQ level two. The setting receives support from the Early Years development Partnership.

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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?

Happitots Day Nursery provides acceptable nursery education, though children's progress towards the early learning goals is limited by some significant weaknesses in the provision. Children's progress in physical development, communication, language and literacy and creative development is generally good. Children's progress in personal, social and emotional development, mathematics and knowledge and understanding of the world is limited. There are significant weaknesses in teaching. The staff team have yet to acquire a secure knowledge of the Foundation Stage. Planning has recently been introduced linking how children learn through play however, the staff lack confidence in implementing this in practise. The staff make insufficient use of questioning to extend children's learning. They frequently miss opportunities to develop the children's thinking and reasoning skills. Staff are very caring and encourage the

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How effective is the nursery education?

children to behave well, however some children find turn taking difficult and the children have limited autonomy to follow their interests. The support systems for children with special needs are also identified for further improvement. The children benefit from access to sand and water and focussed work involving creative activities. They really enjoy the music & movement sessions that are delivered by a dance teacher and show their delight in expressing themselves to music, thus promoting their creativity. Leadership and management have significant weaknesses. The manager has implemented some changes to the provision with the support from the early years team, though management roles and teamwork have not yet be developed. The partnership with parents and carers is generally good. Parents have access to information through verbal communication and newsletters. Parents are made to feel welcome in the nursery.

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What is being done well?

• Children are interested in what is happening around them. They are eager and enthusiastic learners. They are learning to carry out personal tasks such as visiting the toilet independently. Children concentrate well and persevere with focussed activities. • The children make marks readily in the writing area. Children use text in meaningful situations, for example writing their names on their pictures. Children talk confidently and communicate their ideas very well. Children have opportunities to practice and refine their skills in reading and writing. They enjoy handling books and make detailed representations using the

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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 mark making resources. • Children access information technology and programmable toys, role-play and activities based on themes. • Children negotiate space and utilise the equipment well. They really enjoy using the large equipment, the hula-hoops & playing basketball. Opportunities for music and movement are used to good effect.

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What needs to be improved?

• Support for the more & the least able children. Greater challenges & more autonomy for the children, throughout the daily routines. • Children's self help skills are insufficiently promoted, such as serving themselves and pouring their own drinks. They are not actively encouraged to move around activities independently as they are encouraged to ask for adult approval before moving onto other activities. • Opportunities for language extension are under developed, for example story sacks, interest tables, role-play, etc. Opportunities are overlooked to extend children's thinking and abilities, particularly for the more able children in group, such as using number lines as games, organising the resources in sets, & providing children with more opportunities for the children to sort materials according to attributes independently. • Opportunities for research & scientific investigation are limited, for example

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What needs to be improved?

using microscopes, diffraction tools, magnets, and natural materials. Activities that raise children's awareness of health issues, awareness of different lifestyles including disability and the wider community are insufficiently promoted. Children have insufficient independent access to a varied range of materials to support their interests and ideas, such as glue, paint, collage, materials for joining and building. • Staff's understanding of the Foundation Stage and teamwork requires improvement. The development of the whole team approach, ensuring consistency, support & training for all staff working with the children, thus enabling staff to provide an effective learning environment.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

At the last inspection the provider was asked to address four key issues: Review the planned activities and to identify opportunities for the adults to join in and work alongside the children, thus demonstrating how to develop the children's ideas relating to painting, writing, and imaginative play. This area is developing over time and the provider has made some progress, although it is acknowledged that this is continues to be area for further improvement. Develop the assessment records and ensure all the Early Learning Goals are covered and to use this information to help develop the activities in the short and the

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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 medium term planning. This area has been partly addressed, however the delivery of the planning is inconsistent due to the responsibility being placed on the manager, rather than as a whole team to deliver the curriculum for the children. The assessments are not utilised enough to inform the work undertaken with the children, resulting in many opportunities being overlooked and insufficient challenges being afforded to the children. Extend the range of games and interesting challenges used in teaching children about letters, sounds, simple words and mathematical concepts. Continue to explore the flexible use of time and numbers of children involved in activities. As aforementioned this is an area identified for further improvement. Increase the range of activities provided in the quiet room, ensuring that at times

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What has improved since the last inspection?

there is a mark making area. The mark making area is established and is having a positive effect on children's experiences in this area 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: Significant Weaknesses Children feel safe and secure and have good relationships with adults. Their relationships with their peers are however insufficiently promoted due to the lack of independent play opportunities and routines, restricting their free movement across activities. The children concentrate well during focussed play activities, however some children find it difficult to share and to access resources without conflict arising.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children show an interest and enjoyment during story time, they listen and join in suggesting what might happen next. Staff do not link sounds to letters during routines as children play. Children's access to resources is limited, such as story sacks & puppets. Children practise writing for a purpose often, such as labelling their own work. They are learning that print carries meaning and that we write for a variety of purposes. They are developing good skills in writing.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Significant Weaknesses Children confidently explore shapes in focussed artwork, however they do not count often enough during play and daily routines. The music sessions are however an exception, where children count readily. Staff do not routinely use the available opportunities to develop the children's number recognition and mathematical language, such as more, less, full & empty. Children do not develop sufficient mathematical skills and understanding to solve problems during activities and throughout the day.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Significant Weaknesses Children use a computer and programmable toys to good effect. Children are developing an awareness of time, however they have insufficient opportunities to learn about the local community and people, such as walks in the environment and talking to visitors such as the police. There are insufficient opportunities to raise children's awareness of other cultures and beliefs and the children do not have independent access a wide range of construction materials for modelling.

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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 Children are developing a good awareness of space. They have limited opportunities to use large equipment in outdoor play and insufficient use is made of the outdoor environment. They take part in effective, well-planned dance sessions indoors, which the children enjoy. Children develop their fine manipulative skills during activities, such as scissor skills. Children are developing their understanding of health and bodily awareness within the daily routines.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Activities encouraging children to express their own ideas are identified for further development, however children are encouraged to use their senses to explore, for example when playing in the sand and using paint. Children use their imagination recreating their experiences from home. Children have some access to musical instruments, however this is limited. Children are beginning to draw complex figures and some children are competent artists.

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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 but has some significant areas for improvement. Children's progress towards the early learning goals is limited by some significant weaknesses. The next inspection will take place in one to two years time.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT: THE KEY ISSUES

• Provide a more varied selection of experiences promoting children's personal autonomy throughout the daily routines, thus encouraging and developing children's self help skills. Actively encourage children to move around activities independently and of their own free will, promoting independent access to a range of materials supporting children's interests and promoting their developing independence. • Provide more opportunities for research & scientific investigation, for example microscopes, diffraction tools, using magnets. Extend activities that raise children's awareness of health issues & awareness of different lifestyles including disability and the wider community. • Extend opportunities for language through the use of resources, such as story sacks, interest tables, & role-play. Maximise the opportunities to extend children's thinking and abilities, particularly for the more able children in

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT: THE KEY ISSUES

group, such as using number lines as games, organising the resources in sets, & providing children with more opportunities for the children to sort materials according to attributes independently during free play • Ensure that staff are secure in their knowledge and understanding of the Foundation Stage to enable them to implement appropriate learning experiences. Ensure that activities give sufficient attention to personal and social development & knowledge & understanding of the world.

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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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