Hope Valley College

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 22/01/2004 Inspector Name Susan Linda Capon

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name St John's Pre-School Setting Address Lynwood Grove Orpington Kent BR6 OBD

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of St John's United Reformed Church

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name St John's United Reformed Church Address Lynwood Grove Orpington Kent BR6 OBG

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and 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 of the quality and standard of day care in accordance with the National Standards for Under Eights Day Care and Childminding; and 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

St John's Pre-school opened in 1993. It operates from four rooms with occasional use of a hall situated in a church premises in the London Borough of Bromley. There is also a fully enclosed outdoor area. The pre-school serves the local area. There are currently 58 children from two and a half years to five years on roll. This includes 26 funded 3 year olds and 6 funded 4 year olds. Children attend a variety of sessions. There are currently no children with special needs attending the group. The group opens 5 days a week during school term times. Sessions are from 9.15am until 12.15pm and 1pm until 4pm Mondays only. Eighteen part-time staff work with the children with eight staff attending each session. A minimum of four qualified staff are available at each session. The group is managed by a committee which includes parental representation.

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How good is the Day Care?

St John's Pre-school offers good care for children. The staff team provide a warm and friendly environment. All the areas used are bright warm, welcoming and clean. The staff work well as a team and provide a good staff to child ratio at each session, however during story time the group was too large. A well written induction booklet is made available to all new staff and volunteers, which provides full information about the group and how the sessions are organised. The group operates a key worker system which enables the staff to help each child develop appropriately. The staff ensure the premises are safe and secure on a daily basis and there is an ongoing risk assessment plan in place. The accident records are well detailed although some improvements are required in this area. The group provide drinks on a daily basis, parents provide a snack, however staff need to encourage parents to

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How good is the Day Care?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 provide more healthier snacks.

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How good is the Day Care?

A well written health and safety policy is in place generally practiced by all staff with one area requiring improvement. The group has a well written special needs policy and procedure and the staff have a working knowledge of how to include all children. Equal Opportunities is incorporated into the groups planning and activities to ensure all the children are included and valued. Minimal behaviour management is required as the children are kept fully occupied and stimulated. A good range of activities, toys and equipment are made available to the children at each session. The children play co-operatively together and relate well to the adults in the setting. The children are split into small groups for part of the session. A good balance of adult led and free play activities are available during each session. All parents and children are made to feel welcome. The group is managed by a committee which includes parental representation. Parents are regularly updated

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How good is the Day Care?

regarding their child's development and progress.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The group were required to provide a procedure to be followed in the event of a parent failing to collect their child. This is now in place and available to all parents. All parents are now aware that their child should be collected promptly to prevent the procedure requiring implementation. Additional information was required on the fire drill records and this is now included. This will aid the staff in ensuring the children are kept safe during an emergency evacuation.

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What is being done well?

• All the policies and procedures are well written and generally practiced by all the staff. The staff are all aware of their responsibilities within the group. Parents are provided with the policies and procedures which helps them to understand how the group operates. The children benefit from the staff working as a team and knowing the correct practice. • The management committee includes parental representation. They help the staff team to include parents whenever possible. Parents have the opportunity to voice their opinions and make their views known at the Annual General Meeting. All parents can be involved with the management of the group including writing the policies and procedures. • The staff have a good understanding of health and safety issues ensuring the premises are safe and secure every session. The group has a staff member available to move between areas as required. A good arrival and collection

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What is being done well?

procedure is in place which ensures no child can leave unnoticed by staff. • The group offers a balance of adult led and free choice activities during each session. Staff organise the rooms to provide quiet and noisier areas for the

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What is being done well?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 children to play.The children are split into smaller groups for part of the morning. During this time the staff provide suitable activities for the ages and stages of development of the children in their group. The older children are provided with more structured activities while the younger children enjoy more freedom of choice. • The group provide a warm and welcoming environment. Staff use posters and display the children's work to make the space their own. All the areas used by the group are very clean and clutter free. This helps the children to feel safe and secure.

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An aspect of outstanding practice:

The group have recently adapted a small outside area for the use of the children. A lot of thought and planning has been given to this project to ensure the best use is made of this available space. The area offers a stimulating, colourful, exciting and fun play area. It incorporates a road with roundabout and pedestrian crossing, brightly coloured shop fronts, a wooden play house, activity boards and wooden adventure equipment. The staff have planted flowers in the area and the space is partly laid to lawn and partly hard surface.

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What needs to be improved?

• an individual group never exceeds 26 children; • the recording of incidents; • the foods provided by the parents for snack time and hand-washing prior to snack time.

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CONDITIONS OF REGISTRATION

All registered persons must comply with all conditions of registration included on his/her certificate of registration. As a result of this inspection conditions of registration have been imposed / varied / removed and a new certificate of registration will be issued.

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by the time of the next inspection

Std Recommendation 8 encourage all parents to provide a small, healthy and nutritious snack for

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by the time of the next inspection

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 their child to eat at snack time and ensure all children wash their hands before eating their snacks. 1 ensure the new joint leaders complete paperwork for checks to be undertaken to complete suitable person interviews; 2 ensure the children are in groups of no more than 26 children at any one time; 7 ensure all incidents are suitably recorded and are kept confidential;

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by the time of the next inspection

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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How effective is the nursery education?

St John's pre-school is a lively, welcoming environment in which the staff team use a range of resources to plan and provide activities that support children's learning and allow them to make generally good progress towards all the early learning goals (elg). The teaching is generally good, children and adults have positive relationships which support development and build confidence and self-esteem. The staff generally have good knowledge and understanding of the elgs, but would benefit from some training in this area. Adults make positive use of most planned activities and interaction, however there are some missed teaching opportunities, children would benefit from more effective use of all planned and naturally occurring situations to extend their learning. Children are very well behaved and staff use positive strategies for behaviour management whilst acting as good role models and consistently value

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How effective is the nursery education?

good behaviour. The management and leadership of the pre-school is generally good. The pre-school is managed by a committee made up of representatives from the church, the parents and the staff. There are two play leaders who manage the pre-school between them. There are systems for assessing and evaluating the planned activities, this is done by the whole staff team as an ongoing process. Children would benefit from a review of the levels of adult direction at creative activities. The pre-school's partnership with parents is generally good. Parents are provided with good quality information about the setting and are welcome to speak to their child's key worker at any time about their child's progress. There is a rota for parent volunteers and parents generally make positive comments about the effectiveness of the care and education. The parents would benefit from the pre-school using a more formal approach to share information about their child.

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What is being done well?

• Children are interested in activities, they are confident speakers and good listeners, they use a range of vocabulary at activities with their peers. • Four year olds count with confidence and all children are developing an understanding of numbers. • The "water" theme has provided opportunities for children to explore and investigate creatures that live in and on the water. • Children move and use tools safely and with control, in the music session they use their imagination to move and play instruments. The music and movement session provides children with opportunities to explore sounds. • Children are well behaved and staff act as good roles models using positive

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What is being done well?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 strategies that are consistently applied to manage behaviour. • Parents make positive comments about the pre-school.

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What needs to be improved?

• provide a wider range of opportunities for children to develop an understanding of different cultures and beliefs • provide more opportunities for children to practise handwriting for different purposes and in different forms and to develop an understanding of print and text • provide a wider range of opportunities for children to develop their understanding of calculation, shape, measure and space • extend the opportunities for children to explore and investigate the natural world and develop designing and making skills • provide a wider range of opportunities for children to learn about how their bodies work • provide more opportunities for children to use their imagination and express themselves • ensure best use is made of all planned and naturally occurring situations to extend the children's learning.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

There is no previous report to refer to.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children's progress in this area is generally good, the children are confident and interested, they are well behaved and able to sit quietly and concentrate when appropriate. The children play harmoniously in large and small groups, they share, take turns and have a developing awareness of others. The children would benefit from more opportunities to gain a sense of community and become more aware of different cultures and beliefs.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children make generally good progress in this area they speak clearly and are developing good listening skills. Children are able to practise writing skills at planned activities and they would benefit from a wider range of co-incidental opportunities to practise these skills. The planning includes activities that support linking sounds and letters, children have free and continuous access to books. Children would benefit from more opportunities to develop reading and writing skills.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children make generally good progress in the area of mathematical development. The four year olds count with confidence and are able to recognise numerals and all children are beginning to use numbers in familiar contexts. Although there are some opportunities for children to develop a knowledge of shape, measure and pattern and their understanding of calculation, these opportunities need to be extended and adults need to ensure that challenges are appropriately set.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children's progress in this area is generally good. Some activities allow children to explore and investigate living things. Children have access to tills, calculators, tools and materials for design. The children talk about their families, their homes and the events in their lives. A range of festivals are celebrated. The children would benefit from a wider range of activities and opportunities that allow them to explore, investigate and develop designing and making skills.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children's physical development is generally good, they move confidently with an awareness of space and of each other. The children handle tools and use malleable materials safely and with increasing control. The outdoor area allows children to practise climbing and balancing skills. The children would benefit from opportunities to develop an understanding of how their bodies work.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children's creative development is generally good. Children have some opportunities to explore colour, texture, shape and form. They take part in a creative music session which allow them to use their imagination and express themselves. There are not many opportunities for children to develop their imaginative and creative skills in art and design and to communicate ideas. Children would benefit from more free expression in this area.

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Children's spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development is fostered

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and 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

• Extend activities in all areas to allow children to develop problem solving skills, to use their imagination, develop creativity and self expression and to explore and investigate. • Ensure that there are a range of opportunities for children to practise handwriting for different purposes and in different forms, to enable them to develop an understanding of print and text. • Provide a wider range of opportunities for children to develop their understanding of calculation, shape, measure and space. • Ensure best use is made of all planned and naturally occurring situations to extend the children's 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 Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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STANDARD 1 - SUITABLE PERSON

Adults providing day care, looking after children or having unsupervised access to them are suitable to do so.

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STANDARD 2 - ORGANISATION

The registered person meets required adult: child ratios, ensures that training and qualifications requirements are met and organises space and resources to meet the children's needs effectively.

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STANDARD 3 - CARE, LEARNING AND PLAY

The registered person meets children's individual needs and promotes their welfare. They plan and provide activities and play opportunities to develop children's emotional, physical, social and intellectual capabilities.

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STANDARD 4 - PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

The premises are safe, secure and suitable for their purpose. They provide adequate space in an appropriate location, are welcoming to children and offer access to the necessary facilities for a range of activities which promote their development.

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STANDARD 5 - EQUIPMENT

Furniture, equipment and toys are provided which are appropriate for their purpose and help to create an accessible and stimulating environment. They are of suitable design and condition, well maintained and conform to safety standards.

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STANDARD 6 - SAFETY

The registered person takes positive steps to promote safety within the setting and on outings and ensures proper precautions are taken to prevent accidents.

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STANDARD 7 - HEALTH

The registered person promotes the good health of children and takes positive steps to prevent the spread of infection and appropriate measures when they are ill.

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STANDARD 8 - FOOD AND DRINK

Children are provided with regular drinks and food in adequate quantities for their needs. Food and drink is properly prepared, nutritious and complies with dietary and religious requirements.

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STANDARD 9 - EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

The registered person and staff actively promote equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice for all children.

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NEEDS AND DISABILITIES)

The registered person is aware that some children may have special needs and is

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NEEDS AND DISABILITIES)

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 proactive in ensuring that appropriate action can be taken when such a child is identified or admitted to the provision. Steps are taken to promote the welfare and development of the child within the setting in partnership with the parents and other relevant parties.

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STANDARD 11 - BEHAVIOUR

Adults caring for children in the provision are able to manage a wide range of children's behaviour in a way which promotes their welfare and development.

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STANDARD 12 - WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS AND CARERS

The registered person and staff work in partnership with parents and to meet the needs of the children, both individually and as a group. Information is shared.

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STANDARD 13 - CHILD PROTECTION

The registered person complies with local child protection procedures approved by the Area Child Protection Committee and ensures that all adults working and looking after children in the provision are able to put the procedures into practice.

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STANDARD 14 - DOCUMENTATION

Records, policies and procedures which are required for the efficient and safe management of the provision, or to promote the welfare, care and learning of children are maintained. Records about individual children are shared with the child's parent.

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STANDARD 14 - DOCUMENTATION

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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