Henbury Hill House Acorns

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 17/03/2005 Inspector Name Janice Clark

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Henbury Hill House Acorns Setting Address Henbury Hill House College Park Drive Westbury-on-Trym Bristol BS10 7AN

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Acorns Nurseries Ltd Address 7 Park Grove Cardiff South Glamorgan CF10 3BJ

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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

Acorns Nurseries Henbury Hill House has been open since 2001. It is part of the Acorns chain of nurseries with the head office in Cardiff. The nursery operates from a three storey converted listed building and is situated in the Westbury-on-Trym area of Bristol. The younger children are cared for on the first floor. The pre-school children have their main activity rooms on the ground floor with an additional teaching room on the first floor. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, from 08.00 to 18.00 all year round with the exception of bank holidays. It offers care for children under five years of age. There are currently 112 children attending throughout the week on a variety of sessions. There are 25 children receiving funding for nursery education; of these, 20 are three year olds and the rest are aged four years. The group support children with special educational needs. There are no children attending who have English as an

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Information about the setting

additional language. There are 22 members of staff working with the children. Most have or are working towards appropriate early years qualifications in childcare. In addition three members of staff have qualified early years teaching qualifications.

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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?

Acorns Nurseries Henbury Hill House provides good quality nursery education overall which enables children to make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. The provision for physical development is particularly well planned and children are making very good progress in this area. Teaching is generally good. All staff are involved in the planning. Plans are topic based, informative and relate to the stepping stones. However, they are not used effectively to ensure that all aspects of communication, language and literacy, knowledge and understanding of the world, mathematical and creative development receive adequate, regular attention. Staff observe and record children's progress and development. The current system is not entirely effective as it does not based on the stepping stones or used adequately to inform the planning resulting in insufficient support and challenges in some areas. For example, personal, social and

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How effective is the nursery education?

emotional development, communication, language and literacy and creative development. Children with special educational needs are supported well. Behaviour is generally good. Leadership and management is generally good. Regular staff meetings ensure that there is generally good communication throughout the staff team. They are able to recognise some of their strengths and weaknesses. However, there is no clear method in place to monitor and evaluate the provision for nursery education. There is a commitment to improve the setting through staff development. Staff are keen and enthusiastic to take part in courses to extend their knowledge. They work well together as a team and are willing to share ideas. Morale in the nursery is high. Partnership with parents is generally good. They receive comprehensive information about the settings policies and procedures. However, they receive limited information about the Foundation Stage of learning. Parents are regularly informed

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How effective is the nursery education?

of their children's progress formally and informally.

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What is being done well?

• Staff are enthusiastic in their teaching, they interact well with children, listen to them and question them appropriately. They provide interesting and fun activities for children to enjoy. • Staff have a positive attitude for caring for children with special educational needs. They work with parents and outside agencies to ensure that children's individual needs are being met. Staff support children well to ensure that they are able to join in all activities. • Staff use a consistent and positive approach to behaviour management. They are good role models. They speak calmly to the children creating a supportive learning environment for them to play. They continually praise and

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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 encourage good behaviour. • Children are settled into the nursery at their own pace and staff are sensitive towards the children and their parents needs.

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What needs to be improved?

• the system for monitoring and evaluating the educational provision • monitoring and evaluation of the children's assessment and the development records and how they are used to inform the planning of children's future learning to provide sufficient support and challenges. For example, to sustain children's concentration and attention during free play, further develop their independence, write for a purpose in their play and to be inventive in their creative development • curriculum plans to ensure that all aspects of the six areas of learning receive sufficient and regular attention. For example, regular opportunities to recognise familiar words and numbers, practice their writing skills, use simple equipment and programmable toys and engage in role play experiences.

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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 happy to come to the group. They are eager and confident to try out new experiences. They are attentive during small group activities but concentration is not always sustained during free play or large group situations. Children learn to share, take turns and play co-operatively. They begin to be independent as they manage their personal hygiene but are not encouraged to extend this further. They develop a positive self-image as they freely talk about themselves and their families.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children enjoy listening to stories and learn to care for books appropriately. They communicate well with their peers. For example, two children discuss and plan how to build a castle out of duplo. They show an awareness of rhyme and begin to recognise the initial sound of words. Some children are able to recognise and write their names. However, they are not regularly encouraged to recognise familiar words, practice writing skills or write for a purpose in their play.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children learn to count and add to 10 and above. They begin to solve simple problems through rhymes. However, they are not regularly encouraged to recognise number or solve mathematical problems through every day situations and routines. Children develop an awareness of pattern. For example, they listen to the story of 'Elmer' and participate in craft related activities. Children regularly use language of position and measure in their play. They explore two and three dimensional shapes.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children look at similarities, differences, patterns and change as they observe and talk about the life cycle of frogs. They construct with a purpose in mind. For example, they use a variety of resources to build houses for the 'Three Little Pigs'. They begin to develop a sense of time and discover a sense of place. Children gain an awareness of cultures and beliefs of others through interesting activities. However, children do not regularly operate simple equipment or use programmable toys.

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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 learn to climb, jump, slide and balance safely and imaginatively using large physical play equipment in a well equipped indoor play area and in the safe surfaced outdoor area. They demonstrate an awareness of space as they participate in team games and safely manoeuvre wheeled toys. They learn about good practice with regard to exercise, healthy eating and hygiene. Small manipulative skills are developed through art and craft activities, threading and construction.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children explore and enjoy a range of media through various painting and collage techniques. However they are not regularly encouraged to use their imaginative skills creatively due to expectations to produce pre-defined end products. They enjoy singing songs and rhymes and act out stories such as 'The Big Blue Balloon'. Children move rhythmically to music and explore sound through a variety of musical instruments. Children do not regularly engage in imaginative role play experiences.

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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

• develop an effective system to monitor and evaluate the education provision • develop curriculum plans to ensure that all aspects of the six areas of learning receive sufficient and regular attention • monitor and evaluate children's assessment and development records and use them to inform the planning of children's future learning to provide sufficient support for younger children and challenges for older and more able children.

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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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