The Nook School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 17/09/2003 Inspector Name Nikki Whinton

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Manton Pre-School Setting Address Manton Village Hall Manton Marlborough Wiltshire SN8 4HQ

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Manton Pre-school Address Manton Village Hall Manton Marlborough Wiltshire SN8 4HQ

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and 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 of the quality and standard of day care in accordance with the National Standards for Under Eights Day Care and Childminding; and 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

Manton Pre-School opened in 1970 It operates from the village Hall in Manton, near Marlborough. The pre-school serves the local rural community and nearby town. There are currently 26 children from 3 to 5 on roll. This includes 6 funded 3 year olds and 8 funded 4 year olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The setting currently supports a number of children with special needs. There are no children currently attending who speak English as an additional language. The group opens five days a week during school term times. Sessions are from 0915 - 1145 on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. 1230 - 1500 on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Five part time staff work with the children. Over half the staff have early years qualifications to NVQ level 2 or 3. The setting receives support from a teacher from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership( EYDCP).

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How good is the Day Care?

Manton Pre-School provides satisfactory care for children. The playleaders and staff have suitable qualifications, skills and experience. The premises are clean, well maintained, warm and welcoming. Children have limited free access to a range of resources and play materials. Staff provide healthy nutritious snacks and drinks and actively promote good health and hygiene practices. They have a good understanding of child protection issues. The premises are not secure when children are present Staff provide a good range of resources reflecting positive images. However, they miss some opportunities to further the care of children with special needs. Staff have good procedures for promoting an effective partnership with parents and carers and for keeping parents advised about the provision and their child's development. All relevant paperwork is in place and easily accessible to staff and

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How good is the Day Care?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 relevant parents.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Following the last inspection, the group was requested to identify a member of staff for behaviour management and undertake a written risk assessment of the premises. The group is no longer requested to identify a member of staff for behaviour management. An appropriate risk assessment has been undertaken, which is regularly reviewed and updated.

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What is being done well?

• Playleaders and staff have suitable qualifications, skills and experience. Children attending the setting receive an appropriate level of support to help promote their care and development. • Staff provide premises which are clean, well maintained, warm and welcoming. Children are cared within an environment which is appropriate to their needs. • Staff actively promote good health and hygiene practices, taking positive steps to prevent the spread of infection. Children attending the setting with specific medical requirements are well cared for. Arrangements for the care of ill or infectious children promote their best interests. • Staff offer nutritious snacks and drinks. Children are developing an understanding of the importance of healthy eating. • Staff actively promote equality of opportunity and anti- discriminatory practice. Children have good opportunities to use resources reflecting positive images of ethnicity, gender and disability.

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What is being done well?

• Staff have good procedures for introducing new children and parents into the group and keeping parents informed about the provision and their child. Children are sensitively settled into the pre-school and looked after according to their parents wishes. Their development is monitored and recorded, with parents having opportunities to discuss their child's development with staff.

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What needs to be improved?

• the opportunities for children to self select from a wide range of stimulating play materials and resources; • the arrangements for ensuring the premises are secure; • the opportunities for parents and staff to discuss issues surrounding the care of children with special needs.

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What needs to be improved?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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CONDITIONS OF REGISTRATION

All registered persons must comply with all conditions of registration included on his/her certificate of registration. As a result of this inspection conditions of registration have been imposed / varied / removed and a new certificate of registration will be issued.

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by the time of the next inspection

Std Recommendation 5 ensure children are able to self select from a wide range of stimulating resources and play materials 6 ensure the premises are secure and children cannot leave them unsupervised 9 improve opportunities for parents and staff to liaise on issues surrounding the care of children with special needs

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by the time of the next inspection

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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How effective is the nursery education?

Children are making generally good progress towards the early learning goals in all areas of learning. Teaching is generally good and at times very good. Staff have a good knowledge of the foundation stage. They regularly assess children's progress, which is clearly linked to the early learning goals. This information is used to plan activities that will move children on to the next stage of learning. Staff know the children well and develop good relationships and children are generally well behaved. Staff listen carefully and ask questions to extend children's learning. There is a good range of resources but these are not always used effectively as activities are not changed often enough or in response to children's interests. Children are unable to select enough of their own materials to develop their ideas or to encourage independent working. Staff make good use of small group times, especially with older children, to reinforce learning, such as letter

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How effective is the nursery education?

sounds and developing an understanding of addition and subtraction. There are few opportunities for children to learn about other cultures and beliefs. The leadership and management of the setting is generally good. The staff and committee have a clear sense of purpose for the group and work together cooperatively. Training is given a high priority and funds are made available for resources and outings. The staff work well as a team, clearly led by the experienced play leaders. Responsibilities are shared and communication is good through weekly staff meetings. The partnership with parents is very good. Parents are well informed about all areas, through an excellent information pack, regular newsletters and daily discussions with the staff. Staff visit all children at home prior to starting the group and parents help at each session.

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What is being done well?

• Staff develop good relationships with the children. They know them well and the children are confident, happy and settled within the group. • Children make very good progress in linking sounds and letters. They are articulate and speak confidently within a small group about items they have brought in to show and experiences from home. • Older children are helped to develop their understanding of numbers well, through structured, adult directed activities and practical activities, such as laying the table for snack. • Children have many opportunities to learn about their local environment. They regularly visit, for example, the library, police station and church and

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What is being done well?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 are able to reinforce what they have learnt through acting out these scenarios in the changing role play area. • There is a very good partnership with the parents. They are well informed and encouraged to be involved in their child's learning.

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What needs to be improved?

• the frequency with which activities are changed so as to maintain children's interest and increase their range of experiences; • children's access to resources to encourage independent working and allow children to develop their own ideas, especially in art and design; • children's understanding of the different ways in which writing can be used to communicate; • children's opportunities to learn about other cultures and beliefs.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

There has been generally good progress made since the last inspection. At the last inspection, the group was asked to address three key issues:- Provide more opportunities for the children to record what they see, for example, with observational drawings or simple graphs and charts. The children now do this more frequently, such as recording their eye colours on a bar chart. Plan more opportunities for children to use words and letters in their writing. Older children now practice writing the letter of the week and many can write their names but children are not sufficiently encouraged to write for a purpose in other areas of their play. Continue to improve the recording of the children's development. Children's progress is now monitored very thoroughly and effectively. Regular observations are made and these are linked to the early learning goals and used to plan activities that will move children on to the next stage.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children's progress in this area is generally good. They concentrate well, learn to take turns and share and are independent in their personal care. They are confident and generally eager to learn, when interested in the activities provided. They have good relationships with the staff who know them well and show a sense of belonging to the group. They have limited opportunities to select their own resources and to develop their own ideas to become independent learners.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children's progress in this area is generally good. They make good progress linking sounds and letters and clearly hear initial sounds, pointing out objects beginning with 'b' on a walk. Children are articulate and within small groups listen to others and speak confidently, organising their thoughts and relating past experiences. Children regularly practice handwriting skills and some can correctly form letters. However, children are not sufficiently encouraged to write for a purpose.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children's progress in this area is generally good and at times, very good. They count confidently using numbers in their play. Older children know the number after and occasionally before, a number up to nine. They show an interest in shapes and spontaneously spot circles in the environment, laughing as one describes an ear as 'part of a circle'. In four year old sessions, children are appropriately challenged but opportunities are lost in the mornings, to count and solve practical problems.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children's progress in this area is generally good. They learn about their local environment on nature walks and visits, for example, to the church, library, police station and post office. They talk about past and future events, taking an interest in others experiences. They learn about technology through using the computer and tape recorders. Children are not routinely helped to explore why things happen or how they work. They have few opportunities to learn about other cultures and beliefs.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children's progress in this area is generally good. They move confidently and imaginatively in a variety of ways with increasing control, through well planned activities that help them develop their skills. They regularly use a range of small equipment to throw, catch, roll and kick and use tricycles and scooters in the limited outdoor area. They are able to use the local playing fields for running around. They handle tools with increasing dexterity.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children's progress in this area is generally good. They join in enthusiastically with familiar songs, clapping and moving in rhythm. They explore sounds using their voices and percussion instruments, which they sometimes make. They explore colour, texture and shape in a variety of ways, such as, mixing paints, construction and play dough. However, children are not given sufficient opportunities to select their own resources to develop their creativity and imagination through art and design.

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

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and 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

• increase the frequency with which activities are changed, both during sessions and throughout the week, so as to maintain children's interest and increase their range of experiences; • enable children to select more of their own resources and materials to encourage independent working and allow them to develop their own ideas, especially in art and design; • provide more opportunities and encouragement for three and four year olds to write or make marks for a purpose, such as within the role play area or routinely labelling their own work; • provide opportunities for children to learn about other cultures and beliefs on a regular basis, such as through food tasting, art, music, dance and stories.

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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 Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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STANDARD 1 - SUITABLE PERSON

Adults providing day care, looking after children or having unsupervised access to them are suitable to do so.

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STANDARD 2 - ORGANISATION

The registered person meets required adult: child ratios, ensures that training and qualifications requirements are met and organises space and resources to meet the children's needs effectively.

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STANDARD 3 - CARE, LEARNING AND PLAY

The registered person meets children's individual needs and promotes their welfare. They plan and provide activities and play opportunities to develop children's emotional, physical, social and intellectual capabilities.

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STANDARD 4 - PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

The premises are safe, secure and suitable for their purpose. They provide adequate space in an appropriate location, are welcoming to children and offer access to the necessary facilities for a range of activities which promote their development.

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STANDARD 5 - EQUIPMENT

Furniture, equipment and toys are provided which are appropriate for their purpose and help to create an accessible and stimulating environment. They are of suitable design and condition, well maintained and conform to safety standards.

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STANDARD 6 - SAFETY

The registered person takes positive steps to promote safety within the setting and on outings and ensures proper precautions are taken to prevent accidents.

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STANDARD 7 - HEALTH

The registered person promotes the good health of children and takes positive steps to prevent the spread of infection and appropriate measures when they are ill.

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STANDARD 8 - FOOD AND DRINK

Children are provided with regular drinks and food in adequate quantities for their needs. Food and drink is properly prepared, nutritious and complies with dietary and religious requirements.

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STANDARD 9 - EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

The registered person and staff actively promote equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice for all children.

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NEEDS AND DISABILITIES)

The registered person is aware that some children may have special needs and is

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NEEDS AND DISABILITIES)

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 proactive in ensuring that appropriate action can be taken when such a child is identified or admitted to the provision. Steps are taken to promote the welfare and development of the child within the setting in partnership with the parents and other relevant parties.

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STANDARD 11 - BEHAVIOUR

Adults caring for children in the provision are able to manage a wide range of children's behaviour in a way which promotes their welfare and development.

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STANDARD 12 - WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS AND CARERS

The registered person and staff work in partnership with parents and to meet the needs of the children, both individually and as a group. Information is shared.

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STANDARD 13 - CHILD PROTECTION

The registered person complies with local child protection procedures approved by the Area Child Protection Committee and ensures that all adults working and looking after children in the provision are able to put the procedures into practice.

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STANDARD 14 - DOCUMENTATION

Records, policies and procedures which are required for the efficient and safe management of the provision, or to promote the welfare, care and learning of children are maintained. Records about individual children are shared with the child's parent.

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STANDARD 14 - DOCUMENTATION

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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