Kelbrook Primary School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 25/11/2004 Inspector Name Elizabeth, Claire Price

p.1

SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Owlsmoor Pre School Setting Address 53 Cambridge Road Owlsmoor Sandhurst Berkshire GU47 0SZ

p.1

REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of Owlsmoor Pre School

p.1

ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Owlsmoor Pre School Address 53 Cambridge Road Owlsmoor Sandhurst Berkshire

p.1

ORGANISATION DETAILS

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

p.1

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.

p.2

Information about the setting

Owlsmoor Pre-School opened in 1982. It operates from a purpose built building in Owlsmoor, Berkshire. The pre-school serves the local area. A maximum of 26 children may attend at any one time. The pre-school is open five days a week during school term times. Sessions are from 09:00 until 11:30 on Monday to Friday and from 12:30 until 15:00 on Tuesday to Thursday. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area. There are currently 52 children from 2 to 5 years on roll. This currently includes 38 funded 3-year-olds and no funded 4-year-olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The setting supports children with special educational needs and English as an additional language.

p.2

Information about the setting

There are eight staff who work with the children. Four staff including the supervisor have appropriate early years qualifications. The setting receives support from the local authority.

p.2

Information about the setting

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

p.2

How effective is the nursery education?

The provision for children's education at Owlsmoor Pre-School is acceptable and is of high quality. Children are making very good progress towards the early learning goals in all areas of learning. Teaching is very good. Staff work effectively as a team, making good use of the environment and the resources, to provide a good variety for the children. They demonstrate a secure knowledge and practical ability in implementing and planning for the Foundation Stage, which enables very good provision for the children. Staff ensure children with special educational needs and children with English as an additional language are well supported. The assessment systems in place are not currently used to full advantage as a tool for planning for individual children. Staff use very good techniques to promote children's learning and understanding, with clear explanation and appropriate questions. They manage children's behaviour very

p.3

How effective is the nursery education?

well and show consistent interest, involving themselves in children's play and making the most of the high staff to child ratio. Leadership and management are very good. Staff are well organised and deploy themselves effectively, to support the children and provide for their developmental needs. They show a clear commitment to the ongoing improvement of the care and education for all children. The systems in place for evaluation and monitoring the quality of the provision for children's education are not fully utilised at present. Partnership with parents is very good. Staff ensure parents are well informed and regularly consulted about the pre-school, its routines and activities. The registration procedure and information sharing ensures staff are kept up to date about the children. Parents are invited to share prior knowledge of their child. Parents have regular access to their child's progress records and are invited to make comments.

p.3

How effective is the nursery education?

An open door policy operates and good quality printed information is available to all parents.

p.3

What is being done well?

• Children relate well to adults and each other. They are well behaved, respond to the requests of staff and share toys and resources. The staff use effective methods of positive behaviour management, praise and encouragement to support children in their play. • Staff have a secure knowledge of the Foundation Stage and use effective planning of the activities to promote children's learning and progress in the early learning goals. They work closely with the children and have high staff child ratios to support their learning. Staff ensure activities are adapted or extended to provide for children's individual stage of learning and cater for their progress needs.

p.3

What is being done well?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 • Staff promote children's progress very successfully in all areas of learning. As a result of the methods used children are enthusiastic, confident and well motivated to learn. They show great enjoyment in the wide range of well planned activities and the variety offered to them during their time at pre-school. • Staff use very good techniques to promote children's learning and understanding, with clear explanation and appropriate questions to develop their skills. They engage the children and develop their conversational and communication skills taking advantage of the favourable staff child ratios. They join in the play to further develop and extend children's learning.

p.3

What needs to be improved?

• the methods used for evaluation and monitoring of the provision for children's education, with particular reference to the development of the staff performance review system, to maintain and promote staff skills • further development of the assessment systems for children's progress, to take full advantage of the records made, and use these as a tool for planning for the individual child.

p.4

What has improved since the last inspection?

At the last inspection, when the group of children were aged from three to five years, a key issue was given to expand the range of work to purposefully occupy and extend the knowledge and skills of those children who complete tasks and activities more quickly than others. The staff have made very good progress with this key issue. Children are now mainly aged three to three and a half years, and staff have implemented systems to provide extension to activities for more able children, and to plan focussed activities to identify stages of development for individual children.

p.4

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

p.4

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are very keen to take part and learn. The activities available excite their interest. They show high levels of self-confidence due to the encouragement received and the value placed on their views and creations. Children's behaviour is extremely good and is fostered by the consistent methods used by staff and the understanding developed of behaviour expectations. They develop excellent relationships with staff and each other encouraged by the warm, caring environment which is created.

p.5

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children's speaking and listening skills are developing extremely well with planned activities, which extend their vocabulary, and the very favourable adult to child ratio. Children are developing a love of books, with many good opportunities provided to encourage their interest. They have a developing understanding that print carries meaning, with a variety of meaningful contexts to encourage early mark making in planned and everyday activities.

p.5

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children enjoy simple games, matching patterns and shapes e.g. threading and puzzles and understand simple sorting and matching tasks. They select independently, and enjoy a wide range of resources that develop their mathematical ideas and understanding. Most children can count up to ten and beyond and recognise number labels readily up to ten. Children develop a clear understanding of simple calculation in activities, for example, nursery rhymes such as "ten in a bed" and pairing socks.

p.5

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children are confident in designing and making skills. They use a range of materials, construction activities and malleable materials to extend and develop their skills. Children talk confidently about personal events in their own lives and are becoming aware of other cultures and traditions through well planned activities and resources. Children access a good range of activities to learn from first hand experiences and are encouraged to use their senses and develop curiosity.

p.5

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

p.5

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children have regular opportunities to enjoy indoors and outdoors for the development of large and small scale physical skills, for example, dancing and climbing. Children are confident in personal care; show an awareness of personal hygiene and have a growing understanding of the effect of exercise and changes that occur. Children have free access to a very good range of tools and activities during the session, which they use with control and they are developing good hand/eye co-ordination.

p.6

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children participate well at group times. They enthusiastically join in singing songs and from memory match actions to the words. They are able to express ideas and use their imagination freely through a wide range of activities with a variety of media and materials. Children enjoy experimenting with music and dance and are confident to join in and demonstrate in both small or large groups situations.

p.6

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

p.6

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.

p.7

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 improving the following: • increase the use of the assessment systems for children's progress, to take full advantage of the records made, and to use them as an additional tool for planning for the individual child • develop the methods used for evaluation and monitoring of the provision for children's education, with particular reference to the staff performance review system, to maintain and promote staff skills.

p.7

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.

p.7

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

p.7