St Mary Magdalen's Catholic Primary School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 08/02/2005 Inspector Name Doreen Forsyth

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Grampound Road Pre School Setting Address Sir Robert Harvey Memorial Hall Grampound Road Truro Cornwall TR2 4EE

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Grampound Road Pre School Address Sir Robert Harvey Memorial Hall Grampound Road Truro Cornwall TR2 4EE

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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

Grampound Road Pre-School opened in 1970. It operates from the village hall in the village of Grampound Road, near St Austell, Cornwall. The pre-school serves the local area and outlying villages. There are currently 24 children, aged from 2 to 5 years, on roll. This includes 11 children who are in receipt of government funding for nursery education. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The group supports children with special needs and children who speak English as an additional language. The provision opens from Monday to Friday, during school term times. Sessions are from 09.15 until 11.45. Three full-time members of staff work with the children. The play leader has early years qualifications, a second member of staff is currently working towards a relevant early years qualification. The setting receives support from a teacher from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership and is a member of the Pre-School Learning Alliance.

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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?

At Grampound Road Pre-School children are making generally good progress towards the early learning goals; the provision is of good quality overall. Children are learning appropriately in all areas except in creative development which has some significant weaknesses. Teaching is generally good. Staff have a suitable understanding of the early learning goals, they plan a range of activities to help children move along the stepping stones. The planning used is fairly effective, but does not show what children should learn from the activities presented, does not show how older or more able children will be challenged, or how the activities offered are adapted to meet children's individual learning needs. Three and four-year-olds behave well. Weaknesses in the organisation of the provision mean sometimes the needs of younger children for adult attention adversely affects the educational provision that is offered to funded

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How effective is the nursery education?

children. The setting is well resourced, but resources for children's physical development are not set out regularly enough. Staff use a local observation and assessment system to appropriately monitor children's progress. Leadership and management are generally good. There is a supportive committee and a strong staff team who value training. The setting has recently introduced appraisals to help monitor and encourage staff development. The chairperson is regularly in the setting as a parent, when she monitors the educational provision. The staff and chair can identify some strengths and weaknesses of the provision offered but do not use any planned evaluation methods. The partnership with parents is generally good. There is a good notice board, with the curriculum planning displayed. Parents receive regular newsletters and an information pack. Key workers and parents meet to share information about

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How effective is the nursery education?

children's progress. Parents do not contribute to the assessment process and are not encouraged to be involved in their children's learning.

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What is being done well?

• The pre-school has a well resourced and comfortable book corner where children enjoy sitting and reading. Staff foster children's enjoyment of books and stories, and help them to use books for enjoyment and to locate information. • Staff are observing and recording children's progress well. They use the local 'Footsteps' system and add their own observations and samples of the children's work. • The pre-school has a generally good partnership with parents. They have recently introduced 'playgroup feedback' when parents can choose a time to talk to their child's key worker and see their children's observation records.

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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 • The setting is very well resourced. There is a good range of equipment to promote children's use of everyday technology and to use information and communication technology to support their learning.

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What needs to be improved?

• the children's opportunities to select their own resources, especially their own materials and tools when using craft resources, to help them develop their creativity and imaginations • the planning, to show what children should learn from adult-directed activities, how planned activities are developed for children that learn more quickly, and how staff intend to meet all children's individual learning needs • the organisation of the pre-school, so that the care and attention offered to two-year-olds in the setting, does not adversely affect the educational provision for funded three and four-year-olds.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

At the last inspection the pre-school was set two key issues for improvement. They have made very good progress in response to these. The first was to consider including examples of children's work in assessments to show their progress. The up to date observation and record keeping system seen at this inspection included dated and notated examples of children's work, which showed children's progression. The second was to extend technology resources when funds allow. The setting has very good resources to promote the children's understanding of information technology and for them to use in support of their learning. The pre-school has a computer, a laptop, suitable software and a range of programmable toys. Children enjoy using these resources, but some staff are unable to support children's learning in this area.

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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 leave their parents and carers happily and settle well to play. They sit quietly at circle times and answer their names confidently. They can concentrate very well, for example, when threading beads at group time. They behave appropriately. They interact well with each others and have made some firm friendships. The children can share and take turns. Children have very limited opportunities to select their own resources, but when they have a café-style snack they are very independent.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children enjoy reading books in the well presented book corner. They enjoy stories but these are often interrupted by the younger children in the setting. Children speak clearly and can express their ideas well through words. They are beginning to link sounds to letters through 'the letter of the week' They write for a purpose in their play. Some children can write their names and other letters, but there are not many planned opportunities to help children to recognise and write their names.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children count and recognise numerals one to ten and beyond confidently. Staff used the 'Ten terrible dinosaurs' story, to help children begin to understand subtraction. They solve simple problems when building with the train set and other construction toys. Group activities help children to understand about size and position, by comparing the sizes of boxes needed to house dinosaurs. They make patterns when threading beads. Children do not use much mathematical language in their routines.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Through different topics children learn about their own and other lives and environments. They have some opportunities to explore and investigate different materials, for example, they cook or use play dough. The setting has some very good information technology equipment which children enjoy using, but not all staff have a good understanding of the software and how to use it. Children occasionally go for walks in the local area. They are beginning to learn about their own and others' cultures.

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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: Generally Good Recently the children have begun to walk to the nearby school once a week to use the school's physical development resources. Most days children end the session with a movement activity or use wheeled toys to help develop their control and co-ordination. The setting has a good selection of resources for physical play but they do not use them frequently enough. In topic work children learn the importance of staying healthy. Children use a range of tools and malleable materials with good control.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Significant Weaknesses Children have some opportunities to explore colour, texture, shape and form in two and three dimensions, but these are quite limited and usually very adult led, but they paint at an easel freely. They can sing songs from memory, and have some access to musical instruments. Children enjoy small world and role-play, for example, the post office, when they use their imaginations. Their chances to express their own creativity through using materials, movement and songs are quite limited.

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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 children with more opportunities to select resources for themselves and work independently, especially when choosing craft and creative resources • ensure the daily planning shows the learning intentions for adult-led activities, how these activities can be extended for children who learn more quickly, and is tailored to met children's individual learning needs • revise the organisation of the daily programme, to ensure that the care and attention given to two-year-olds in the setting does not adversely affect the educational provision for funded three and four-year-olds

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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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