Clopton Nursery Trust

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 27/01/2005 Inspector Name Paula Hunt

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Clopton Nursery Trust Setting Address Clopton Road Stratford-upon-Avon Warwickshire CV37 6TE

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of Clopton Nursery Trust

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Clopton Nursery Trust Address Clopton Road Stratford-upon-Avon Warwickshire CV37 6TE

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ORGANISATION 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

Clopton Nursery Trust day care opened in January 2000. It is based in the grounds of Thomas Jolyffe School in Stratford upon Avon, in Warwickshire. The nursery is based in a purpose built single storey accommodation adjacent to the school's infant department. The school hall is used for older children attending the out of school/holiday club. The children have access to a secure outside play area and the school grounds. A committee comprising of the head teacher of the school and members of the local community manages it. There are currently 51 children from 2 to 8 years on roll. This includes 2 funded three-year- olds and 34 funded four year olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The setting supports children with special needs and who speak English as an additional language. The group opens five days a week for 51 weeks a year on weekdays. Sessions are from 08.00 until 18.00 hours. Children attending the school are offered a breakfast and after school club. During

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Information about the setting

holidays children aged two to eleven years are able to attend holiday club for sessions or full day care; the holiday club is open to the whole community. Two full time and five part time permanent staff work with the children. Over half the staff have early years qualifications to NVQ level 2 or 3. Three full time and one part time play scheme assistant work with the older children; they all have appropriate experience. The pre-school group is embarking on a quality assurance scheme and receives support from an advisory teacher from the local Early Years Development and Childcare 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?

Clopton nursery is of high quality and children are making very good progress towards the early learning goals. The setting offers many stimulating well planned activities that encourage children to participate with enthusiasm and enjoyment. The quality of teaching is very good. Staff have a sound knowledge of the foundation stage and they all contribute to planning a balanced curriculum. Key workers maintain an effective system of monitoring and recording children's progress and staff have a good understanding of children's abilities. They ask questions and make suggestions to develop learning and are particularly good at engaging children in conversation, developing their language skills. Resources are of good quality and the children have many opportunities to play independently. Leadership and management is very good and the trust provides strong support to the staff. The trust and the manager have been effective in developing a committed

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How effective is the nursery education?

staff team who work well together. Staff are actively encouraged to attend training and there is an appraisal system in place. Both the trust and the staff constantly evaluate the provision and plan to improve and develop the nursery. A very good partnership with parents exists. Parents are pleased with the service offered and feel fully informed about their child's learning. Parents receive good information about the nursery and its activities and are actively encouraged to join in with social and fund raising events. The friendly environment allows a good two way exchange of information and this is further strengthened by an excellent notice board, regular newsletters and an informative handbook.

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What is being done well?

• Experienced and qualified staff have a good knowledge of the foundation stage and stepping stones. They plan a very good range of activities to promote individual learning and development. • Children are highly involved in the stimulating and interesting activities offered and demonstrate very positive attitudes to learning. • Excellent use is made of 'empathy' dolls to encourage personal, social and emotional development. • Children are encouraged to use their imagination and express their ideas in a variety of different and creative ways, for example role play and craft activities. • The nursery takes active steps to assess its own strengths and weaknesses and monitors the provision for nursery education well. • Children are confident communicators, they listen well and engage readily in discussion and have an increasing command of language.

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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

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What needs to be improved?

• Individual assessments to ensure they more clearly show children's progress towards each early learning goal.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Staff have successfully implemented their action plan and very good progress has been made following their last inspection. Assessment and evaluation courses have been attended by staff and has assessment has improved as a result. The daily routine has been reviewed to enable children to spend longer periods of time completing activities and tasks to extend their learning. The outdoor area has been developed and a good range of resources supplied to encourage gross motor skills. All three key issues have been addressed successfully and this has had a very positive impact on children's 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: Very Good Children are lively, interested and motivated to learn, stimulated well by the provision of well planned, interesting activities. The children are polite and well behaved. They are able to sit quietly and patiently during story and registration, responding to instructions about daily activities and routines. Children are independent, they make decisions and choices regarding they play activities. They are self reliant in their personal care when toileting and managing their clothes.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Good opportunities are provided for children to communicate and express themselves. They communicate clearly and are encouraged through careful, questioning to think and problem solve. Staff actively extend vocabulary and participate in role play in order to enhance children's learning. Children listen well to stories and use books independently for reference and story. They link initial sounds to their names and are beginning to write recognisable, correctly formed letters.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are competent counters and complete simple addition and subtraction, during a range of planned and practical activities. Children confidently recognise and can match shapes and use the appropriate language to describe size and position such as bigger, smaller, over, under and through. They weigh ingredients when they cook and observe and recreate patterns when threading beads.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children are curious and keen to find out how things work and enjoy using simple equipment. They look closely at similarities and differences considering why some shapes roll and some do not. They study natural objects and watch things grow. Some children recall things that have happened by way of drawings or by conversation. They enjoy outings and visitors to the setting and are developing a good awareness about their own cultures and beliefs and those of others.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are learning to move with increasing confidence and control of their bodies. A wide range of large and small equipment is used on a daily basis, regardless of the weather, enabling children to climb, balance, catch and throw with growing skill. Enjoyable music and movement sessions are planned and children are willing to join in, following instructions enthusiastically. Using dough and clay enables children to squeeze, mould and to handle tools as they cut, roll and make shapes.

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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: Very Good Children show interest in the many materials they have access to and in what they see, hear, smell and touch. There is a very good range of materials and resources available to the children and they are able to use them freely. Children's work is prominently displayed which helps to give them confidence in their own ideas. Children explore sound making with a good variety of musical instruments and readily sing songs from memory. They move in response to music and show imagination in role play.

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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: • There are no significant weaknesses to report but consideration should be given to improve the following. • Further develop individual assessments to ensure they more clearly show children's progress towards each early learning goal.

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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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