Caring Kindergartens

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 24/02/2005 Inspector Name Anne Archer

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Caring Kindergartens Setting Address 48 Hardwick Road Wellingborough Northamptonshire NN8 5AD

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Caring Kindergartens Ltd. Address The Poplars High Street, Pitsford Northampton Northamptonshire NN6 9AD

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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

Caring Kindergartens Day Nursery in Wellingborough is one of five nurseries run by Caring Kindergartens Ltd. It opened in 2000 and operates from Dybdale House in Hardwick Road, a short distance from the town centre. A maximum of 80 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 08:00 to 18:00, providing full day or sessional care . Children have access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area. There are currently 62 children aged from six weeks to under five years on roll. Of these 19 children receive funding for nursery education. Children attend from the town and surrounding area. The nursery employs 11 full time and 3 part time staff to work with the children. All of the staff have or are working towards a recognised early years qualification. A cook is also employed to provide meals and snacks for the children.

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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?

Caring Kindergartens Day Nursery in Wellingborough provides good quality nursery education overall which enables children to make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. Provision for children's mathematical development and knowledge and understanding of the world is particularly well catered for and they make very good progress in both areas. The quality of teaching overall is generally good. Staff know the children well, have good relationships with them and have a consistent approach to managing their behaviour. The medium and short term plans are clearly linked to the stepping stones. Individual learning plans have been introduced to help staff provide activities of sufficient challenge for each child. Children often record their learning on preprinted sheets rather than in an individual way. Assessments are not taken into account sufficiently when planning. Senior managers have developed a system to

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How effective is the nursery education?

improve this, however, staff are not yet trained to use it. Staff use resources effectively but often spend too much time on nursery routines which impacts on the amount of time children have to participate in and complete activities. The leadership and management of the nursery is generally good. The nursery manager, with the support of the area manager, ensures that staff work as a team to fulfil the clear aims of the nursery. There is a comprehensive programme of professional development linked to staff performance and appraisal. The provision of nursery education is regularly monitored and evaluated by senior managers. The partnership with parents and carers is very good. Parents are provided with good quality information about the provision of nursery education, the policies, routines and activities within the nursery. They are encouraged to share what they know about their child at the quarterly meetings with pre-school staff and are also

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How effective is the nursery education?

provided with practical information about how to support their child's learning at home.

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What is being done well?

• Staff develop children's language skills well. They value what children say, introduce them to new vocabulary and encourage them to listen to others. • Staff use effective strategies to promote good behaviour and consideration for others. They give clear and consistent boundaries and help them understand the impact of unacceptable behaviour on others. • Partnership with parents and carers is promoted very well. Parents are provided with good quality information about the nursery provision, are encouraged to share what they know about their child and to be involved in their learning.

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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

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What needs to be improved?

• the amount of time provided for children to take part in and complete activities of their choosing • the use of assessment to inform future planning • the way children record their learning.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Generally good progress has been made since the last inspection to address the key issues highlighted in the previous inspection report. The system of planning has been improved to ensure that there are clear links to the stepping stones towards the early learning goals. Medium and short term plans now indicate the expected learning intention for planned activities. Over the last two years senior managers have been developing an assessment programme to provide staff with a clear link between children's actual learning and the planned learning intention of activities. They are about to train pre-school staff in the use of this system. Once in place, staff will have an additional tool to help them plan a range of activities to meet the individual learning needs of each child. This, in the mean time, remains a key issue.

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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 becoming confident learners and show increasing independence in selecting and carrying out activities. However, due to nursery routines they often do not have time to complete activities of their own choosing. Children are developing an awareness of their own needs and feelings and some children show concern for the feelings of others. Children are beginning to understand right from wrong and they have an awareness of the boundaries within the nursery. Children take turns and share.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children listen and respond with enjoyment to stories, songs and rhymes. They have favourites stories and are beginning to understand how books work. Most children are confident speakers and some show awareness of the listener. Older and more able children are able to link sounds to letters, naming and sounding the letters of the alphabet. Children are developing their skills in hand eye coordination and some are forming letters though progress is often not recorded in an individual way.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children benefit from good individual support to help them count to ten and beyond and to recognise the corresponding numeral. Their understanding of numbers is reinforced as they take part in routine tasks such as snack time. Children are learning about calculation through routines and thoughtful staff questioning during activities. Children learn to solve problems of shape and size and are developing their awareness of weight and capacity through a range of practical activities.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children are developing exploration and investigation skills through a range of activities with objects and living things. They design and construct with a purpose in mind using a variety of resources, tools and techniques. Children are learning how to use everyday technology and most children can complete a simple programme on the computer. Through participating in a range of practical activities children are learning about their own cultures 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: Generally Good Children learn to move with control and confidence. They use a range of small and large equipment during outdoor play however this learning is not continued indoors. They are learning about good practices relating to their health and are developing an awareness of how their bodies are affected by exercise. Children use one handed equipment and use tools to manipulate and change materials, they know that they have to be used safely.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children explore what happens when they mix colour and use a variety of different media to construct two and three dimensionally. Children sometimes do not have sufficient time to complete self chosen activities. They participate in activities to develop their senses and are starting to make comparisons. Children sing simple songs from memory and experiment with sounds when using various musical instruments. They are learning to use their imaginations in a variety of ways.

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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

• continue to develop the assessment programme to ensure any gaps in children's learning are easily identified by staff to assist them in their future planning • ensure that nursery routines do not affect children's opportunities to take part in and complete activities of their choosing • provide ways for children to record their learning in an individual way. 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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