Kidderminster, the Marlpool First School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 19/01/2005 Inspector Name Glenda Pownall

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Marlow Day Nursery Setting Address Sandygate Road Marlow Buckinghamshire SL7 3AZ

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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

The Marlow Day Nursery opened in 1997 and is privately owned. It operates from 5 childcare rooms in a purpose-built single storey building. It is situated on the outskirts of Marlow town centre in Buckinghamshire. A maximum of 71 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 08.00 to 18.00 for 51 weeks of the year. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

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Information about the setting

There are currently 106 children under 5 years on roll. Of these, 30 children receive funding for nursery education. Children come from the local area.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs 23 staff. The manager and 12 staff hold appropriate early years qualifications. There are 4 staff working towards a qualification.

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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 Marlow Day Nursery provides good quality nursery education overall, which enables children to make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. Teaching is generally good. Staff have a sound understanding of the early learning goals. They plan a wide range of activities to promote children's learning in all areas, although children do not regularly access technology. Staff are generally well deployed at activities to support children in their learning. Staff miss chances to extend and reinforce aspects of children's literacy and mathematical development during daily activities. There is an effective system in place to support children with special educational needs. Staff management of children and their behaviour is very good. Staff do not keep the key worker records up to date in line with children's progress. They do not record children's next steps in learning. The leadership and management are generally good. The sessions provide a

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How effective is the nursery education?

stimulating environment for children to learn. Staff know their roles and work well together as a team. There is a satisfactory system in place to monitor the effectiveness of the education programme. The system in place to assess the quality of teaching is not effective. It does not ensure activities are extended and children's developmental records are effectively maintained. Effective staff induction and appraisal systems are in place. There is a good range of resources covering all areas of learning. The partnership with parents is very good. A notice board and regular newsletters keep parents well informed about day-to-day events and the curriculum. There is an effective system in place to keep parents informed of their child's progress. Parents are able to be involved in their child's learning by encouraging their child to find objects for weekly themes. All parents spoken to at the time are happy with the care

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What is being done well?

• Staff use excellent strategies to promote good behaviour. They encourage and praise children when they try, and any disputes are resolved sensitively. Children share resources, take turns and are kind and helpful to others. • Children's imaginative play benefits from the role-play area taking on different forms and a good range of props and resources. Children agree roles and plot stories. • Children interact very well with each other and adults. They use language effectively to retell events and develop imaginary play. • Staff form good relationships with parents. Parents can assist their children's learning at home by helping their child to find objects relating to the colour, shape or letter of the week.

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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 • Children's creative development is promoted very effectively through the opportunity to freely explore and express their own ideas.

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What needs to be improved?

• teaching, to provide opportunities for children to use technology, to count and make simple calculations as part of everyday activities, and to practise writing their names • children's key worker records, to ensure that the records effectively record children's progress and identify their targeted next steps in learning.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Generally good progress has been made since the last inspection. A system to record observations of children is in place. Staff transfer these observations to individual records to chart children's progress along the stepping stones. However, the records are not consistently maintained to record children's progress. As a result, staff miss opportunities to extend activities for children. The assessment system is carried forward as a key issue in this report. There is an effective system in place to provide parents with information about their child's learning. An annual parents evening and regular reports keep all parents informed of their child's progress and enables them to share their child's achievements outside of the nursery.

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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 enjoy a wide range of activities and are interested and keen to learn. They form very good relationships with each other and staff. Their behaviour is very good. Children show concentration and perseverance such as completing construction models and painting activities. Their confidence and self-worth is fostered through consistent praise and encouragement in their play and their own work being displayed.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children are confident speakers. They develop an awareness of letters and the sounds they make through regular activities such as the letter of the week. Children enjoy listening and responding to stories predicting what might happen next. They enjoy books for pleasure. Children have many opportunities to make marks. Some can write their name using clearly recognisable letters. Staff miss opportunities for children to practise to write and attempt to write their names.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children count reliably to 10 and beyond. Some children recognise the numerals 1 to 9. Children develop an understanding of calculation through singing number songs and rhymes. Staff miss opportunities for children to count and use simple calculation as part of the daily routine. Children confidently use language to compare size, for example identifying which construction towers are bigger or smaller. Staff miss opportunities to extend children's knowledge of shape at planned activities.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children develop an increasing knowledge of the world around them through a broad range of activities and topics. For example, they visit the mobile library, and walk through the woods and to the shops. They access a good range of resources to design and construct. They talk confidently about events in their own lives. Planned activities enable children to develop an awareness of their own cultures and traditions and those of other people. Children do not have regular access to technology.

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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 Children enjoy a wide variety of physical activities to develop large-muscle skills. They can climb, pedal and run. They move confidently with control and show awareness of space. Children develop an understanding of personal hygiene through daily routines. They access a good range of resources to increase their small-muscle skills. Children manipulate tools, such as paintbrushes and pencils, with increasing dexterity and the Tigers use cooking utensils to serve up their own dinner.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children respond positively to the opportunity to freely express their ideas and use their imaginations through a wide range of activities. For example, junk modelling, painting, drawing and sand play. The role-play area takes on different identities fuelling children's imaginations. Children enjoy music in different forms. They sing songs with actions from memory and enthusiastically participate in music and movement sessions.

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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

• provide opportunities for children to use technology, to count and make simple calculations as part of everyday activities and to practise writing their names • develop the assessment system to ensure that the key worker records effectively record children's progress and identify their targeted next steps in learning.

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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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