Love Lane Pre-School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 12/02/2004 Inspector Name Christine Cutts

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Lovelane Pre-School Setting Address Love Lane Donnington Newbury Berkshire RG14 2JG

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of Lovelane Pre-school

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Lovelane Pre-school Address Love Lane Donnington Newbury Berkshire RG14 2JG

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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

Love Lane Pre-School has been established for many years, moving to its present location at Shaw -cum-Donnington Village Hall in 1988. This is adjacent to the Shaw-cum - Donnington Primary School and is situated in the north west area of Newbury. The pre-school Is committee run and is open to all families within the local community. Children attending come mainly from Newbury. The pre-school is registered for twenty six children aged from two to five years, of whom no more than four should be under three years of age. There are currently thirty four children on roll, including 20 funded three and one four year old. There are currently no children with special education needs attending, children for whom English is an additional language do attend the pre-school The pre-school opens four mornings a week, between Tuesday and Friday during school terms and sessions are from 09:00 to 11:30 Of the four fulltime staff members who work with the children, three hold early years

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Information about the setting

qualifications. The Pre-school receives support from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership.

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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?

Provision is acceptable and is of high quality. Children are making very good progress towards the early learning goals. The Love lane Pre-school offer's children a welcoming and stimulating environment in which good use is made of the accommodation and resources to promote children's learning. The out-side play area is used well to promote children's physical development and support other areas of learning. Children's behaviour is very good with staff supporting children to develop an understanding of right and wrong and the rules of the pre-school. The quality of teaching is very good with staff having a secure knowledge of the individual children and their progress on the stepping stones. Children are very well supported in communication language and literacy as well as mathematical development. A very good range of practical activities are provided for the children to explore and investigate. Staff praise, encourage and support children's learning and provide good quality

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How effective is the nursery education?

activities for children to play with imagination. Staff support children's spontaneous play well, building on children's own interests and experiences. However children's interests, likes, dislikes and individual needs are not clearly recorded in planning. Management and leadership is very good with staff working well together, the staff team are committed to building good staff relationships. A shared commitment to early years is clearly visible and management and staff are committed to extending their understanding in early years education. Partnership with parents and carers is very good and parents are actively involved in the life of the play group. Parents are supportive of staff and contribute to topics. Comments received show that parents appreciate the information exchanged on their children's progress.

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What is being done well?

• Children are confident, respect others and behave very well, following the example and guidelines set down by staff. • Staff encourage, praise and support children's learning, giving the children the opportunity to persevere and complete tasks. • Highly motivated staff with good quality teaching skills ensure that every possible learning opportunity is explore in all activities.

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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 • Staffs secure knowledge of stepping stones and early learning goals enables them to ensure the accommodation and resources are very well used to provide fun activities that promotes learning for, all children including those with special needs. • There are effective relationships between the pre-school, parents and carers to support children's home/school learning.

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What needs to be improved?

• Planning to include children's individual interests, likes, dislikes and individual needs

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The pre-school has made generally good progress on the issues raised at the previous inspection. Good progress has been made with children's recognition of letters by introducing the letter of the week, computer programmes that help children identify letters and their sounds, alphabet jigsaw puzzles and posters as well and lots of practical activities for children to practise emerging writing for a variety of purposes. Staff help children to develop correct letter formation when writing their names, familiar words or simple sentences. Progress on extending the planning records to show how children of different ages and abilities will be grouped is lacking. Planning does not show how children of different ages and abilities will be grouped and planning has been highlighted as a point of consideration at this inspection

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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 active in their learning, are very well behaved, show confidence and are developing good independence skills. Staff give children the opportunity to talk about themselves and their experiences individually or in a group, building children's self-esteem. The children work well together and co-operate to achieve tasks, they share and take turns and understand the rules of the pre-school.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children talk confidently and use language very effectively to negotiate and make their feelings understood, building their competence with language through social interactions. Children show an enjoyment of books choosing to 'read' to adults and others, their understanding of print and how books work are well supported. Children make very good progress in reading and writing skills well supported by adults through practical activities.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children use mathematical language with confidence, they enjoy counting and freely count up to 10 and beyond with adult support, recognise numbers, name shapes and use mathematical language. Children enjoy the very good practical activities provided by staff to develop mathematical concepts. Staff provide opportunities to use calculation and problem solving in everyday situations and practical activities and familiar counting songs.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Staff encourage children to investigate, observe and explore using their senses through an excellent range of activities and challenge and question children to develop their knowledge. Children learn about growth and change in the natural world with planned topics. Children use of technology related equipment is well supported. The pre-school support children's understanding of other cultures and beliefs through celebrating festivals and events.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children's physical development is progressing very well through participation in well planned and executed activities. They use tools and are developing good pencil control. Children use large apparatus, such as climbing frames and balance equipment and enjoy activities in dance and movement to music.

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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 There are very good opportunities for children to express themselves though a variety of media. Staff allow children the freedom and space to develop involved and imaginative role play. Children express their ideas, thoughts and feelings using two and three dimensions, explore music and make sounds, use colour and texture with craft, collage and free painting and drawing, use sand and water play, role play and dressing up.

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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 : planning to include children's individual interests, likes, dislikes and individual needs

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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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