Greenglade Day Nursery and Forest School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 08/07/2004 Inspector Name Halla McGrady

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name The Hipperholme and Lightcliffe Private Day Nursery Setting Address Greenglade, Denholme Gate Road Hipperholme Halifax HX3 8HX

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name Hipperholme Day Nurseries Ltd 4516187

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Hipperholme Day Nurseries Ltd Address Greenglade, Denholme Gate Road Hipperholme Halifax HX3 8HX

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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

The Hipperholme and Lightcliffe Private Day Nursery is situated on the outskirts of Halifax and serves the local community. The nursery has been adapted using the ground floor of the owners' home. It includes a baby room, with direct access to nappy changing facilities, a room for children age two to five years, a room for sessional care for children age three to five years and out of school club. There is a kitchen and staff toilet also on the ground floor. The children's toilets are accessed directly off each room and staff facilities, office and a laundry are on the first floor. There is an enclosed outdoor area with direct access from each room with an all weather area. There is a large storage area outside under the house. The nursery is open from 07.30 - 18.00 hours Monday to Friday. There are 51 children on roll, of whom 11 are funded 4 of these are 4 years old. The nursery has systems in place to support children who have special educational needs or who

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Information about the setting

have English as an additional language. There are 12 members of staff employed, 5 of the staff are qualified to NVQ level 3 and at least half the staff on duty at any time are qualified. There are 4 members of staff working towards child care qualifications. The nursery receives guidance and support from the local authority and have recently begun the Quality Counts scheme.

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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?

Hipperholme and Lightcliffe Private Day Nursery provides good quality nursery education overall. Children make generally good progress in communication, language and literacy, knowledge and understanding of the world, personal, social and emotional, and creative development, mathematical development is very good, however their progress in physical development is limited by some significant weaknesses in provision. The quality of teaching is generally good. Planning shows that staff look carefully at the stepping stones to the early learning goals, however, some planned activities are too difficult for some children. Children do not have sufficient opportunities to access activities independently. Staff ask open-ended questions, and give children clear explanations and instructions about how to proceed with activities. Staff work well as a team, and have good levels of interaction with the children. They use praise

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How effective is the nursery education?

constantly, and manage children's behaviour well, having realistic expectations. The leadership and management are generally good. There are very clear and comprehensive policies and procedures, and the leader and manager are wholly committed to the improvement of care and education for all children. However, the systems for monitoring and evaluating the provision is not fully effective, as it has not identified the settings weaknesses. The partnership with parents is generally good. Parents are given information about the areas of learning, the planning, the Foundation Stage and the early learning goals. In addition, they are informed about future developments, Parents are valued and welcomed, and staff speak informally to parents. They are given information about the current topic, but not encouraged to share what they know, or contribute to the records of achievements.

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What is being done well?

• Children are developing good relationships, and behaviour is of a high standard. • Effective teaching ensures that children are developing good counting skills, and they understand shape and size through well planned activities. • Staff effectively help children to become more aware of their environment, and the natural world. • Children's spoken language is developing well. • Staff create a secure atmosphere, where children can develop good attitudes and dispositions to learning. • Children use their imaginations well to express themselves through role play

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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 situations.

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What needs to be improved?

• children's access to activities, which promote more active physical skills. • the opportunities for children to develop an understanding of the cultures and beliefs of different communities and the wider world and information and communication technology. • staff's ability to ensure that activities are provided in which the needs of all children are addressed. • the presentation of resources to ensure that children are able to make choices, develop their independence, practise and develop skills learned and use their imagination to communicate their own ideas in art and design.

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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: Generally Good Children are interested, excited, and enthusiastic. They are happy, confident and settled. They are able to sit quietly and concentrate. Children have developed good relationships, and behaviour is of a high standard, they can share and take turns, and they help to tidy away. Children are able to work independently, but there are insufficient opportunities for them to select their own activities independently.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children's language is developing well. They approach adults and each other, and talk confidently about themselves, their ideas, and experiences. They are able to listen and follow instructions. All children are interested in books, and handle them appropriately. Most children can recognise their own names. Older and more able children can write their own names independently. There are insufficient opportunities for children to write spontaneously, and for different purposes.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are interested in numbers and have many opportunities to develop their counting skills, and their knowledge of shapes. Resources provided help children to develop number recognition. Children count confidently to 5, and older children count to and back from 10. Some older children show a developing understanding of addition and subtraction in practical activities. All children recognise basic shapes and a developing understanding of mathematical language.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children talk confidently about past and present events. They use their skills well to explore and investigate objects and living things. Children have opportunities to build and construct with a wide range of commercial materials. There are insufficient opportunities for older and more able children to increase and develop their knowledge of everyday and information technology. There are insufficient opportunities for children to develop an awareness of the cultures and beliefs of other people.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Significant Weaknesses Children understand the importance of staying healthy, and how we can promote this. Children move around the environment with control and co-ordination. There are insufficient opportunities for children to develop large physical skills of travelling, balancing, and climbing. There are also insufficient opportunities for children to spontaneously use a range of tools, malleable materials, and small equipment, and consolidate and refine skills learned.

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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 explore a good range of media and texture in two and three dimensions, during planned activities. Children are interested in music, and enthusiastically join in with familiar songs and rhymes. Children express themselves well in imaginative role play. There are insufficient opportunities for children to access art and design materials independently and spontaneously, to express and communicate their ideas, thoughts, and feelings.

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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 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

• consider the intended purpose of an activity, and improve the layout of resources, to ensure that children are encouraged to make choices, develop their independence, and practise and refine skills learnt. • provide opportunities for children to develop the large physical skills of climbing, balancing and travelling around, under, over and through equipment. • provide opportunities for children to develop an understanding of the cultures and beliefs of other people, know about the uses o f everyday technology and explore their imagination freely in art and design.

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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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