The Honeytree Day Nursery & Pre-school, Portishead

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 04/01/2005 Inspector Name Rachael Williams

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Honey Tree Day Nursery - Portishead Setting Address 13 Stoke Road Portishead Bristol North Somerset BS20 6BQ

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Honey Tree Day Nursery Ltd Address Honey Tree Day Nursery 13 Stoke Road Portishead Bristol BS20 6BQ

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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

The Honey Tree Day Nursery opened in 2001. It operates from four rooms in single storey premises in Portishead, North Somerset. The nursery serves the local area, having links with local primary and infants schools. There are currently 58 children from three months to five years on roll. This includes 15 children who are eligible for the nursery education grant. The nursery supports children who have special educational needs. The nursery opens five days a week all year round from 07.30 until 18.00. Children attend for a variety of sessions. Seven part time staff and eight full time staff work directly with the children. Eight staff have relevant early years qualifications and five staff are currently on training programmes to achieve a recognised qualification. The setting 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?

The Honey Tree Day Nursery offers good quality education where children are making generally good progress towards the early learning goals. High priority is given to personal, social and emotional development. Quality of teaching is generally good. Long term planning shows a good balance of topics and daily routines show interesting activities. However, planning does not sufficiently address all areas of learning and does not clearly identify how activities are differentiated. Evaluation of activities are not completed in order to influence future planning. Children are well supported during circle time and key worker sessions. However, organisation does not always ensure effective interaction to enable children to be sufficiently challenged. Good relationships have been established with children and behaviour is managed well with clear routines. There are good arrangements to support children with special needs.

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How effective is the nursery education?

Leadership and management is generally good. A supportive team work closely together and communication is good for example, through the completion of monthly supervisory meetings. An informative action plan clearly identifies intentions and the progress being made. However, organisation, including deployment of staff, planning and appropriate resourcing for the outdoor area have not been effectively monitored. Partnership with parents is very good through the establishment of good relationships. Progress and achievements are regularly shared and parents are encouraged to support their children in particular areas at home. A good range of relevant information is available to parents including information about the curriculum. A flexible settling in period ensures children are monitored effectively and are content in their environment.

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What is being done well?

• Children operate independently within the setting. They are confident to select activities and show sustained interest in their self chosen activities. • Good relationships have been established with parents and information is shared on a daily basis, through appropriate literature and regular meetings to share progress and achievements. • A supportive management team ensures regular communication with staff. Informative monthly meetings enables issues and training needs to be discussed, addressed and evaluated on a regular basis. • Behaviour is managed well and children are clear of boundaries and routines. Staff provide reinforcement and praise consistently and persevere with appropriate strategies. • Children have good numerical knowledge. All children can recite numbers 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 10 and beyond well. More able children are confident to show one to one correspondence when counting objects and are beginning to recognise numbers to 5.

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What needs to be improved?

• planning to ensure all areas of learning are sufficiently addressed, in particular, opportunities for children to handle books and to discuss the story and setting; to use numerical skills to solve problems and identify one more or less in practical activities; to describe simple features and talk about what is seen or happening; to observe the effects of exercise on their bodies; to freely experiment and to combine media and to discuss their creations and to make modifications if needed • planning to ensure staff are clear how activities can be differentiated to provide supportive and extension activities • the organisation of provision to ensure that staff are deployed appropriately to support and maximise children's learning • evaluations of activities to influence future planning.

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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 confident in their environment and show independence in selecting activities and choosing freely. Children remain focused on activities showing sustained interest. Good relationships have been established and children play cooperatively, sharing resources when required. Children are clear on boundaries and routines and behave very well. Children show personal independence when using the dressing up clothes and putting their coats on.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children communicate clearly using simple statements when discussing their experiences. Children sit attentively at circle time listening to others and to their favourite stories or rhymes. However, children do not readily handle books or discuss the story or setting as resources are restricted. Children are good at recognising their name independently and can identify some letters in their names.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children enjoy number rhymes and are good at reciting numbers to 10. More able children are able to count objects to 10 giving the correct number for each count and are beginning to recognise numbers, writing them in their play. However, children do not use this knowledge to solve problems and identify one more or less in practical activities as there are few planned opportunities for them to do so. Flat shapes are recognised well and children are able to identify them in their environment.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children use a mouse well to complete a program on the computer. During circle time children are confident to talk about significant things such as why they are happy or sad. Children use their senses well for example, in the sensory garden. However, they do not describe simple features and talk about what is seen or happening as there are limited opportunities for staff to consistently engage children in conversations. Make and play sessions enable children to design and make freely.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children move well in a variety of ways for example, following adult actions with long and short legs and in songs such as 'I am a jumping bean'. However, children do not observe the effects exercise can have on their bodies. Children have good spatial awareness and create pathways well for example, manoeuvring the wheelchair. Equipment, such as prams and rolling pins, are used with increasing coordination.

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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: Generally Good Children are able to differentiate colours and are beginning to use them purposefully. Children participate well in singing and ring games and clap rhythmically to the tune. Role play experiences are enjoyed and children engage in similar, imaginative activities well. Children are not always able to freely experiment and combine media. There are limited opportunities for children to discuss what they are doing and be encouraged to modify them.

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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

• develop planning to ensure all areas of learning are sufficiently addressed • review the organisation of provision to ensure that staff are deployed appropriately to support and maximise children's learning • develop an appropriate scheme to evaluate activities in order to influence future planning and learning.

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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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