St Joseph's College

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 19/10/2004 Inspector Name Tonia Chilcott

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Hart Plain Church Pre-School Setting Address 59 Hart Plain Avenue Cowplain Waterlooville Hampshire PO8 8RG

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of HART PLAIN CHURCH COMMITTEE

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name HART PLAIN CHURCH COMMITTEE Address 59 Hart Plain Avenue Waterlooville Hampshire PO8 8RG

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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

Hart Plain Church Pre-School opened in 1968. It is registered to care for no more than 26 children under five years. It operates from Hart Plain Church hall in Cowplain, Portsmouth. The pre-school serves the local area. There are currently 19 children from two to five years on roll. This includes 15 funded three year olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. Children with special needs or English as an additional language are supported. The group opens five days a week during school term times. Sessions are from 09:30 until 12:00 and Friday afternoons from 12:30 until 15:00. Seven members of staff work with the children. Five have early years qualifications. Three members of staff are currently on training programmes. The setting receives support from a teacher from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership (EYCDP), and the Area SENCO (Special Educational Needs Co-Coordinator)

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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?

Hart Plain Church Preschool provides good quality nursery education. Children make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. Children make very good progress in creative and physical development and good progress in all other areas of learning. The quality of teaching is generally good. The staff work well together as a team and most have a good understanding of the Foundation Stage. Children with special needs and English as an additional language are supported well and strong links have been developed with the area SENCO. Planning of sessions involves all staff, and links to the six areas of learning, however, staff sometimes miss opportunities to extend children in some everyday activities. Staff provide a range of exciting and stimulating activities and most staff are aware of the intended learning outcome of activities. Assessment of the children's learning takes place although the system

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How effective is the nursery education?

does not clearly record the children's next steps in learning and is not consistently used when planning. Time is managed well for most of the session. Leadership and management is generally good. The preschool benefits from strong team work and staff regularly attend training on a regular basis. The procedures to support and appraise staff identify training needs, and staff have support from a committee of parents. Assessment of the educational provision takes place regularly and involves all staff. Staff use the assessments to identify areas that need further development. The staff are fully committed to improving and developing the setting further. Most policies are in place and relevant to the setting.

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How effective is the nursery education?

The partnership with parents and carers is generally good. Parents are informed about their children's progress towards the early learning goals and some are aware that they are able to contribute to their child's records. Parents are provided with information about the setting, although information lacks detail and is not accurately up to date.

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What is being done well?

• Children's physical development is very good. Staff offer a wide range of interesting and stimulating activities to support development in this area. Children have many opportunities to develop climbing and balancing skills and fine motor skills. • Staff provide many exciting and stimulating activities and resources that encourage the children to explore and develop their imaginations. Children enthusiastically take part in role play and activities to explore different textures. • The staff are sound in their knowledge of the early learning goals and they

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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 provide a stimulating environment for the children enabling them to learn across all areas. •• Relationships within the preschool are good. Staff value every child as an individual and as a result the children are confident, sociable and have caring relationships with one another and the staff. • The systems in place to support children with special needs are effective and ensure that all children are included and supported in all aspects of the daily routines and educational provision.

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What needs to be improved?

• the systems to assess children's progress, to ensure that the next steps in learning are clearly identified and used to inform the planning; • the organisation of the sessions, ensuring that all elements of the session, particularly snack time meet the needs of all children; • the information provided to parents about the Foundation Stage and all policies and procedures to ensure it is up to date and contains accurate information.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Generally good progress has been made since the last inspection. The planning systems have been adapted but do not clearly identify the learning objectives of all activities which leads to some learning opportunities being missed. The assessment system now links to the early learning goals and shows when the assessment was made. However, the records do not clearly identify the children's next steps in learning. Systems are in place to ensure that children cover all areas of the curriculum. Children now have many opportunities to access books and technology throughout the daily sessions. The procedures to identify and assess children with special needs are effective. The group has a Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator(SENCO) in place, who is aware of and has received training relating to the Code of Practice on the Identification and Assessment of Special Educational Needs.

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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 The children are actively involved in their learning. They are confident, work well together and independently and have good relationships with adults and other children. They learn to co-operate, for example whilst using playing together with the jelly. Children take initiative and show high levels of concentration during self chosen activities. Most children behave well.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good The children's spoken language is developing well and they confidently initiate many conversations. They listen with interest to stories and most have learned to handle books correctly. Some children are learning to link sounds to letters and many are able to recognise their written names. Children regularly practice writing for different purposes for instance in the role play area.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good The children have many opportunities to experience the use of numbers one to 10. Some children are able to count to 10 and beyond, and some are able to recognise written number. They enjoy activities which give them an understanding of number and shape for instance whilst playing with puzzles. Children have a variety of opportunities to make patterns. Children learn to use appropriate mathematical language during practical, planned activities. Most children have opportunities to calculate.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children enjoy using their senses to explore in practical activities for instance whilst playing with the jelly. Children access many activities and resources that encourage them to explore and investigate. They demonstrate an understanding of where they live and the wider world, for instance whilst talking about features of their lives. Some children are able to discuss past and present events in their lives. Children have some opportunities to look at the cultures of others.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are skilled at using a variety of construction equipment and frequently use scissors and glue for cutting and joining. They access a range of equipment that provides challenges and opportunities to balance, climb and jump. Some children are beginning to be aware of changes in their bodies after exercising. Children demonstrate a good sense of space and move confidently during physical activities.

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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 enjoy participating in singing sessions and have a good repertoire of songs and rhymes. Children respond with all their senses to many experiences such as smelling the dough. They access a wide range of activities that enable them to explore a range of textures, for instance rice and pasta painting activities. Children use their imaginations in a variety of different ways, for instance art and craft activities and role play. Children enjoy music and movement sessions including dancing.

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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

• Further develop the systems to assess children's progress, ensuring that children's next steps in learning are clearly identified and used to further inform the planning. Extend the planning systems to clearly identify the intended learning outcome of activities. • Organise the sessions to ensure that children are appropriately supported during snack time. • Ensure that all information provided to parents is up to date and accurately reflects the preschool's practice. Particularly, provide parents with relevant information about the Foundation Stage and ensure that all written polices are an accurate reflection of the procedures in the setting.

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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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