Come and Play Pre-School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 16/11/2004 Inspector Name Wendy Tucker

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Come and Play Pre-School Setting Address Methodist Church Hall Penn Road, Hazelmere High Wycombe Buckinghamshire HP15 7LS

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of Come and Play Pre-School

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Come and Play Pre-School Address Methodist Church Hall Penn Road, Hazelmere High Wycombe Buckinghamshire HP15 7LS

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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

Come and Play Pre-School opened over 25 years ago. It operates from the Methodist Church Hall in Hazlemere, on the outskirts of High Wycombe. The pre-school serves children living in the local area. There are currently 58 children from two and a half to five years on roll. This includes 33 children who are in receipt of funding for nursery education. Children attend a variety of sessions throughout the week. The setting currently supports a number of children with special needs and there are facilities in place to support children who speak English as an additional language. The group opens five days a week during school term times. Sessions are from 09:15 until 11:45. Afternoon sessions take place on Tuesday, Thursday and Fridays from 12:15 to 14:45. Seven staff work with the children, two of whom are qualified to level three. Two staff are currently working towards a recognised early years qualification at level three.

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Information about the setting

The setting receives support from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership and is a member of the Pre-School Learning Alliance. The pre-school is working towards accreditation to the Kitemark scheme.

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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?

Come and Play Pre-school offers acceptable nursery provision and is of high quality. Children are making very good progress towards the early learning goals. Teaching is very good. Staff have a sound knowledge of the Foundation Stage and use this to plan a varied and interesting range of activities for children. Children are interested and keen to participate in the activities provided. They are confident and express their thoughts and feelings well to each other and adults. All staff are involved with the planning processes. The key workers plan the activities to meet the needs and ages of the children in their groups. Planning ensures that they cover all areas of learning within the variety of topics, themes and planned activities. They undertake regular observations and they use these to update the children's developmental records. Staff treat the children with kindness and respect. Children are well behaved and show co-operation with their peers in their play.

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How effective is the nursery education?

Leadership and management are very good. Staff are clear about their individual roles and responsibilities and work well together as a team. They hold regular meetings and use these to discuss individual children's progress, planned activities, training needs and evaluate the range of activities offered. Most evaluation, records if they have met the expected learning outcomes. The management committee encourage the staff to attend further training to extend their early years knowledge. Partnership with parents is very good. Parents have information about the setting, routines, policies and procedures, educational programme and planned activities through the prospectus, parent notice board and regular newsletters. Staff and parents exchange information regarding the child at the beginning and end of each day. Parents can discuss their child's progress with the key workers at any time.

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What is being done well?

• Children relate well to each other and adults within the setting. Staff treat the children with kindness and respect, children are well behaved and show co-operation with their peers in their play. • Children come into nursery and separate from carers happily, they are gaining independence. Children go to activities around the room and make choices from resources and activities on offer. • Children have regular opportunities to use the outside area. Staff plan an interesting and varied range of activities for children to participate in whilst playing outside. Activities promote children's understanding of imaginative play and the natural world. • Staff plan an exciting curriculum for children. Children are interested in the activities and enjoy taking part. Challenges set for children are very good;

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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 staff use the assessment records to ensure they challenge children appropriately, extending learning at almost every activity.

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What needs to be improved?

• the extension of observation on staff practice to further develop evaluation of the provision to ensure high standards are maintained.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

At the last inspection three key issues were set in order to improve the quality and standards of the educational provision: 1. Provide children with greater opportunities to use the mathematical resources available for sorting, matching, comparing, ordering and sequencing. 2. Extend and support children to develop their writing skills. 3. Provide books, artefacts and dressing up clothes and plan more opportunities for children to learn about other cultures and some of their religious festivals. Improvement since the last inspection is very good. Children have opportunities throughout the pre-school session to sort, match, compare, order and sequence through well planned everyday activities. Staff support and extend children's development with writing for example children write tickets during a role-play situation. Staff encourage children to learn about other cultures and festivals by careful planning and resourcing of the curriculum.

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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 leave their main carer with ease. They are confident in their surroundings and are keen to participate in the range of activities offered. They are developing their concentration skills and are able to express their thoughts and ideas confidently to each other and adults. Children are becoming independent and are able to work alone, at some tasks. Good relationships are fostered between staff and children. Children are well behaved and are able to share the toys and resources.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children communicate well with each other and adults. They are developing an awareness of the speaker and are able to take turns in listening and speaking in group situations. Children enjoy books and stories and participate with enthusiasm at group times. They are able to recognise their names. Children are aware that print carries meaning. They have opportunities to mark make and some are able to write recognisable letters.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children count confidently to five, some count to ten and beyond. Staff use counting opportunities throughout the nursery to develop counting skills and recognition of numerals. Children are developing their skills for using simple addition and subtraction within the daily routines for example counting and comparing the number of cups at snack time. Children are able to match, compare and recognise shapes.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children are confident in talking about events that have happened in their lives and are becoming aware of different cultures and traditions. Children are confident in their design and making skills and have opportunities to use recycled, construction and malleable materials to further develop these skills. Staff provide the children with an interesting range of activities to learn through first hand experiences and aid them in using their senses.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children show good co-ordination and spatial awareness. They move with confidence around all areas of the nursery and outdoor play area. They are becoming confident in their independence skills and their own personal hygiene. Many children are able to use a range of tools including scissors, pens, pencils and spatulas safely and with control. They are developing their gross motor skills and run, climb, and pedal with confidence when playing in both the indoor and outdoor areas.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

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

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children have opportunities to express themselves freely through a range of activities including role play in the indoor and outdoor areas. They respond enthusiastically to new experiences and are confident in communicating their feelings and thoughts to each other and adults. Children have opportunities to explore a range of materials and media within the weekly planning. They enjoy singing and music time and participate with enjoyment following the actions of both new and familiar songs.

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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 extension of observation on staff practice to further develop evaluation of the provision to ensure high standards are maintained.

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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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