Curdworth Pre School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 15/03/2005 Inspector Name Valerie Jean Edward

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name CURDWORTH PRE-SCHOOL Setting Address ST NICHOLAS CHURCH HALL GLEBEFIELDS CURDWORTH NORTH WARKS B76 9ES

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of The Committee of Curdworth Pre-school

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name The Committee of Curdworth Pre-school Address Glebe Fields Curdworth Sutton Coldfield West Midlands B76 9ES

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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

Curdworth Pre-School opened in 1993. It operates from one room in the church hall of Saint Nicholas Church, situated in the village of Curdworth. The pre-school serves children from the local area. There are currently thirteen children from three to four years on roll. This includes eight funded three-year-olds and three funded four-year-olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are no children presently attending who have special needs or whose first language is not English. The group opens five days a week during school term times. Sessions are from 09:30 hours until 12:30 hours. Two main members of staff work with the children, two of whom hold a level 3 childcare qualifications. The pre-school also uses volunteers. The setting receives support from an advisory teacher from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership. The group are members of the Pre-School Learning Alliance.

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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?

Curdworth Pre-School provides good quality nursery education, which enables children to make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. Staff plan a wide range of activities that are interesting and fun and children are making very good progress in the areas of communication, language and literacy, mathematics, knowledge and understanding of the world and creative development. The quality of teaching is generally good. Staff manage the children’s behaviour well and the children are becoming confident and developing self-esteem. However, there is little opportunity for children to take the initiative and become self-sufficient in selecting resources for themselves. As the pre-school have no secure outside play area, children are regularly taken for walks and twice a week visit the local school where they have use of the school playground. There are many opportunities for children to walk, run, skip, hop, jump and balance, but no opportunities for older

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How effective is the nursery education?

and more able children to develop climbing skills. Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour and they themselves act as good role models. There are good systems in place to support children identified as having special educational needs. There are short, medium and long term plans, which cover the six areas of learning but the planning needs to be improved so that it clearly shows how an activity can be adapted to suit children who learn at different rates or who have particular needs. Leadership and Management are generally good. Staff are clear about their roles and responsibilities for children's well being and learning. There is a strong commitment to the improvement of care and education of the children. However, the setting needs to improve the evaluation of it’s own strengths and weaknesses. Partnership with parents is very good. Parents receive good information about the provision and they are kept well informed about their children's progress.

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What is being done well?

• Staff have an easy rapport with the children and interaction between staff and children is very good. Staff are friendly and encourage the children to ask questions, they display interest in what they are saying and doing. Children approach staff with confidence. • Staff are keen to improve the provision and are accessing training and visiting other facilities to gain further knowledge and understanding of the foundation stage. • Staff use good strategies to promote good behaviour and consideration for others. Their polite manner sets a very good example for children. • The pre-school works very well with parents to support the children's learning. There are regular opportunities for them to speak with staff and to

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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 make comments about their children's progress. Parents speak positively about the setting.

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What needs to be improved?

• opportunities for children to choose activities and select resources for themselves • opportunities for older and more able children to climb • planning so that it clearly shows how an activity can be adapted to suit children who learn at different rates or who have particular needs.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The pre-school has made generally good progress since the last inspection. They were asked to continue to develop the way in which children's achievements are recorded so that records show how much progress children have made and identify what they need to learn next. A large factor of the improvement has been the employment of a new person in charge who ensures that observations of all the children now take place. These are regularly transferred to the children's assessment records, which inform how much progress children, have made. Although staff are aware as to what children need to learn next, the planning needs to be improved so that it shows how an activity can be adapted to suit children who learn at different rates or who have particular needs.

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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; they speak out in a familiar group. They initiate ideas, for example when role playing and during story time and are developing an awareness for their own needs. There are, however, little opportunities for children to take the initiative in selecting resources for themselves. They are forming relationships with adults and each other, they are friendly and conversant. They are beginning to understand right and wrong and are well behaved.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children communicate well with staff and each other. They interact and talk, negotiate with others and show awareness of the listener. They are beginning to write, making marks and some children are forming letters. Children are beginning to link sounds to letters and to recognise letters. They are showing an interest in books and understand that print carries meaning. They listen and respond to stories with enjoyment and discuss features of the story.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children count reliably up to 10 and are beginning to recognise numbers. They are beginning to understand weight and capacity as they use different objects and different size containers in water play. They are developing an understanding of addition and subtraction and are using appropriate language to describe size and weight. Children are beginning to recognise and name shapes and use mathematical ideas to solve problems through practical activities.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children find out about and identify some features in the natural world. They look at similarities, differences and change as they watch ice cubes melting. They build and design using a range of construction sets and recycled materials. They are beginning to understand everyday technology and have regular access to computers at the nearby school. Children are beginning to understand sense of time and past and present events.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children move with confidence and imagination as they take part in role play and carrying out actions to music. Children take part in various physical activities, but there is no opportunity for older and more able children to extend their skills in climbing. Children are beginning to understand the importance of staying healthy and are recognising changes to their bodies when they are active. They use a range of small and large equipment and handle tools and materials safely and with control.

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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 explore colour, texture, shape, form and space in two and three dimension, through use of construction sets and recycled materials. There are opportunities for children to use their imagination in art and design, role play, music and stories. They can express their ideas, thoughts and feelings by using a range of materials, tools, imaginative play and movements to music.

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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

• Key Issues. • Provide opportunities for children to take the initiative and become self-sufficient in choosing activities and selecting resources for themselves. • Provide opportunities for older and more able children to climb. • Improve planning so that it clearly shows how an activity can be adapted to suit children who learn at different rates or who have particular needs.

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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 Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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