Leighton Middle School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 15/11/2004 Inspector Name Ruth George

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Childrens Learning Centre Setting Address 125 New Brighton Road Emsworth Hampshire PO10 7QS

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name CHILDRENS LEARNING CENTRE Address 125 New Brighton Road Emsworth Hampshire PO10 7QS

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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

Children's Learning Centre has been registered since 1991. It includes a day nursery, pre-school, after school club and a holiday play scheme. It operates from the ground floor of a converted house in Emsworth, Hampshire. Children's Learning Centre serves the local community and is a privately owned group. Children's learning Centre is registered to care for 50 children and there are currently 218 children from birth to twelve years on roll. This includes 49 funded 3 year olds and 22 funded 4 year olds. Children can attend for a variety of sessions. The setting supports children with special needs, there are no children who speak English as an additional language (EAL). The group opens for 51 weeks a year from 08:00 - 18:00 Mondays - Fridays.

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Information about the setting

There are 16 part time and 10 full time members of staff working with the children. Most of the staff members have early years qualifications to NVQ level 2 or 3, four staff member are currently working towards a recognised early year qualification. The setting receives support from a mentor from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership (EYDCP).

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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 Children's Learning Centre provides high quality nursery education overall which enables children to make very good progress towards the early learning goals. The quality of teaching is very good. Staff have a very good knowledge of the stepping stones to help children's learning progress. Staff plan a meaningful curriculum to make children's learning exciting and varied but opportunities are missed to introduce children to simple computer programs. Staff are clear about the aims of the activities and support the less able and extend children that are more able. Staff evaluate the activities, building up their knowledge of how individual children learn; they record children's achievements and use their records to aid future planning. Staff are exemplary role models and children are very well behaved. Staff provide very good support for children with special educational needs. Systems are in place to support children with English as additional language. Staff use sign

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How effective is the nursery education?

language to aid effective communication. Leadership and management are very good. The nursery manager takes responsibility for operational procedures, administration and finances and is actively involved in the day-to-day management of the nursery. The early years manager has an understanding of her responsibility; ensuring staff meet the individual needs of the children. Staff are a well established team and committed to evaluating and improving the provision for nursery education. The partnership with parents and carers is very good. Staff keep parents informed by newsletters and the notice board. Parents value the daily verbal exchanges with staff. Staff regularly update and add to children's records of achievements, these are available to share with parents. However, there are missed opportunities for parents to contribute to the records, sharing what children can do at home. Parents are encouraged to be involved in their child's learning such as sharing books and

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What is being done well?

• Children are confident and happily chat about their home. They concentrate for short periods and persist at activities, for example making hedgehogs, building with construction and listening to stories. Children are independent and separate from their carer happily. Children have made friendships, show concern for one another, and remind each other about being kind and sharing. They know the routines well and have a sense of belonging within the group. • Children are articulate speakers and converse confidently. They listen to stories and predict what might happen or recall what does happen if the story is familiar. They hear and say initial sounds in words and link letters to sounds through meaningful planned activities; children that are more able

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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 read stories using the early reading scheme. Staff give excellent support in this area. Children are writing at different levels, some mark make and attempt to write their names, some write names and are beginning to form letters and the more able children form recognisable letters. • Children count confidently to ten and beyond. Staff introduce early calculation, using simple songs to make learning relevant. Children count five frogs, they count forward and back as they sing and frogs leap into the pond. Good resources are available and staff are clear about how they introduce simple games to support calculation. Children can name shapes, differentiate between big and small and use positional language in daily activities. • The staff are a strong team and very knowledgeable in the early learning

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What is being done well?

goals and stepping stones to progress children's learning. They plan meaningful activities with a good mix of adult and child initiated ideas. Staff extend learning with effective questioning and they adapt activities to enable the main activity to suit all taking part, encouraging more able children to support peers less able than themselves.

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What needs to be improved?

• the opportunities for children to complete simple programs on the computer • the opportunities for parents to contribute to children's achievement records and share their knowledge of what children can do at home.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Very good progress has been made since the last inspection. The point for consideration was to introduce more opportunities for children to explore materials and mediums, to enable children to fully express their creative ideas through art and design. Children access a range of planned activities both adult and child initiated. Children have time to explore and experiment with ideas and to experience new ways of doing things. Staff provide a range of materials, children can describe texture and combine media to make collages, pictures and drawings. Staff display children's art within the nursery for all to enjoy. Children are confident to discover, explore and express their creativity.

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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 are developing independence selecting activities and resources. They concentrate and persist at activities. They look after their personal needs and take responsibility for keeping the nursery tidy. They are sociable and form friendships. Children are confident and eager to share their experiences with their peers and staff. Children understand the nursery rules and behave very well. They know the nursery routines; have a sense of belonging and positive self-image.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children are confident speakers and converse using words and gestures. Children listen and carry out simple instructions. They enjoy stories and can predict, or recall if the story is familiar. Staff introduce letter sounds and most children can say initial sound of familiar words. More able children recognise words and use the early reading scheme; staff give excellent support in this area. Children write for a purpose in role play and label their work.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children count during everyday routines and in planned activities. Children can group objects and recognise the number is the same, four dogs, four counters and four bricks. They use simple addition and subtraction during number songs and can add on and take away. They can sort by size and colour. They name shapes when completing a shape puzzle and identify the differences. During construction activities children use positional language to describe under, on top, behind and next to.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children show a keen interest in how and why things work. They learn about living things and describe hibernation as sleeping for the winter. They access good resources to develop their design skills making an elephant shoe, crane and pasta necklace. Children can operate simple equipment but have limited opportunities to complete simple programs on the computer. Simple routines help children develop a sense of time. They learn about their own culture and beliefs, and those of other people.

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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 confidently throw beanbags and some catch successfully. They use the indoor area to develop large motor skills, as jumping beans, runner beans, and bake beans. They use the outdoor area and move confidently as they scoot and pedal on bikes. They have good spatial awareness and manoeuvre without collision. They have awareness of temperature and put on their coats to go out in the cold. Children use a good range of tools and understand they need to be used safely for example scissors.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children recognise and differentiate between colours. They use clay to make hedgehogs and develop their own creations. They use materials to create pictures including wood, fabrics, paint and glitter. Children add water to corn flour and discuss the texture as gooey, sticky and hard. They use their imagination to make a castle with blocks. They enjoy music and sing enthusiastically and spontaneously whilst playing. They access the role-play area and small world resources to renact 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 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.

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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: • the opportunities for children to complete simple programs on the computer • the opportunities for parents to contribute to children's achievement records and share their knowledge of what children can do at home.

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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.

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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

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