Woodville Community Pre-School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 10/02/2003 Inspector Name Georgina Walker

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SETTING DETAILS

Setting Name Woodville Community Pre-School Setting Address Open Box Youth & Community Centre Swadlincote Derbyshire DE11 8DG

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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

Woodville Community Preschool operates in the Youth and Community Centre in Woodville, a village on the outskirts of Swadlincote. Children who attend reflect the diversity of the community. The group has the use of two rooms, and adjacent toilet facilities. A small kitchenette is situated in the corner of one of the playrooms. A safely enclosed sports court is used for outdoor play. The playgroup is open for ten sessions per week for 26 children per session, aged two and a half to five years. There are 73 children on roll, 44 funded three year olds and 24 funded four year olds. A small number of the children have special needs. Children who have English as an additional language are also represented. The playgroup opens during school term time 9.15 am to 11.45 am and 12.30 to 3.00pm. They also open for three days per week for three weeks during the summer holiday, mornings only on a first come first served basis. Nine staff and a regular volunteer work with the children and an

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Information about the setting

administrator and a committee fulfil other roles. The majority of staff hold appropriate level three childcare qualifications and ongoing training is attended. The setting receives support from the Early Years partnership.

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How effective is the nursery education?

Woodville Preschool provides a welcoming environment for children, where children have access to a wide range of interesting activities. Children are making generally good progress overall in most areas of learning. Particular strengths are in fostering children's personal, social and emotional development, and physical play. Teaching is generally good, staff commitment to children is clear, and relationships are well developed. Adults have considerable experience of children with special needs and children are integrated well in this setting.Children with English as an additional language are integrated sensitively staff demonstrate a good level of care and commitment.Children behave well and are eager to learn in response to the sensitive support of the staff. There are missed opportunities to communicate with children across a range of play and activities, to develop children's ideas and extend learning, this particularly impacted on children's learning in knowledge and

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How effective is the nursery education?

understanding of the world and mathematical development. The assessment of children's learning has improved and covers all areas of learning. Staff do not always use the information about children's individual progress to focus their teaching, leading to some lack of challenge for older , more able children. Leadership and management of the setting is generally good. There are well established staff relationships and clear roles and responsibilities are evident. Staff have a generally good understanding of the early learning goals and meet regularly to plan activities. There is a commitment to ongoing staff training. Partnership with parents is very good. There is a good level of information made available to parents. Children's development records are shared at regular intervals. Where appropriate staff and parents work very closely together with other agencies to benefit the needs of the children.

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What is being done well?

Children behave well, are confident and eager to learn. Staff ensure children with special needs are integrated and supported sensitively. Staff are creative in the range of physical activities provided which encourage the awareness of space and movement. There are close working relationships with parents which promote the needs of individual children.

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What needs to be improved?

The use of freely chosen activities and daily routines to extend children's knowledge and understanding of the world. Provide more opportunities for children to use numbers in everyday situations. Further develop assessments of children's progress to help them move on to the next stage. Extend opportunities for children to develop ideas and learn through communication in the range of activities and routines.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

There has been limited improvement since the last inspection. Resources are extensive and available to provide many opportunities for children in most areas of learning. Records have been updated and amended to include all areas of learning. In providing more opportunities to develop children's vocabulary and encouragement for them to talk about past and present events, limited progress has been made and is a key issue raised at this inspection. Improving opportunities for children to show an awareness of simple number operations in practical activities has been addressed to a limited extent.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children behave well, are interested and eager to learn. They are developing good independence skills and are used to the routines of the pre school. Children select resources themselves and are focussed and attentive in their play, which underpins their learning in most areas.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children are encouraged to practice letter recognition and early writing skills in many aspects of play, many recognise their own name and some others. Children recognise and relate to letters displayed in the playrooms. Children are not always communicating fully in their play and activities to extend their learning.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children have access to a range of resources and activities which provide opportunities for mathematical learning. They learn about shape size and number through adult led activities. Children are not yet sufficiently using number and simple problem solving in every day situations.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Significant Weaknesses Children have access to a range of activities to promote their knowledge of the natural world and their environment Few children relate events within their play and activities. Children show limited awareness of past and present and do not yet readily share stories of home and pre school life.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children move freely and confidently inside and outside the building and show a good awareness of safety. They enjoy a wide range of equipment and select some independently Children play very cooperatively and show a good level of awareness of each other.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children express their ideas through a range of activities, such as role play, painting, singing and movement. Some children are developing confidence to request opportunities to sing alone and enjoy choosing the song themselves. Children are not consistently able to access resources to enable them to design and make.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

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

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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

Improve the use of everyday activities to extend children's learning in the area of knowledge and understanding of the world. Provide more opportunities for children to use number in everyday situations. Review the assessment of children's progress, to identify how staff can help individual children move on to the next stage. Expand opportunities for children to develop their ideas and learn through communication in the range of activities.

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