Priory Roman Catholic Primary School, Torquay

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 06/07/2004 Inspector Name Jenny Stanger

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name East Preston Village Pre-School Setting Address The Cricket Pavillion Sea Road, East Preston Littlehampton West Sussex BN16 1JP

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REGISTERED PROVIDER 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

East Preston Village Pre-School is held in a single storey cricket pavilion in the Warren recreation grounds, in the village of East Preston, to the east of the coastal town of Littlehampton. The pre-school serves the village and the surrounding rural area. The pre-school is registered to accept 26 children at each session. They are open Monday to Friday from 08:45 to 16:00 term time only. Children aged between two and five years old attend a variety if sessions each week. The pre-school is in receipt of nursery education funding. There are nine members of staff. A minimum of five of staff work with the children at each session. All the supervisors hold a recognised childcare qualification.

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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 provision for nursery education at East Preston Village Pre-School is of good quality overall. Children are making generally good progress towards the early learning goals. Provision for their personal, social and emotional development, knowledge and understanding of the world and creative and physical development is very good. The quality of teaching is generally good. The staff create a warm environment in which children are happy and confident. Staff encourage children to think, to question and to express their ideas. Children behave well and show consideration for others. Staff have a good understanding of the Foundation Stage. They plan an interesting variety of activities both inside and out that cover the six areas of learning although there are limited opportunities for children to practise their writing skills or solve mathematical problems in everyday routines. Independence is encouraged.

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How effective is the nursery education?

Staff use their observations of the children's learning to plan and to inform developmental records. They group the children effectively and ensure that individual learning needs are taken into account. Clear systems support children with special educational needs and staff ensure their participation in all activities. The leadership and management are very good. The whole team are involved in planning and in the evaluation of the effects of the curriculum on children's learning. Clear systems for the induction of new staff and appraisal are in place. Training needs are identified and knowledge gained shared with the staff team. The partnership with the parents is very good. The brochure and newsletters give details of the curriculum and fund raising events. Parents have good opportunities to discuss their child's progress and to contribute to developmental records. Parents speak positively of the setting; they praise the commitment of the staff and enjoy

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How effective is the nursery education?

being part of their children's learning.

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What is being done well?

• The staff know the children and their families well. They create a welcoming environment in which children are confident, enthusiastic and motivated to learn. • The children behave well and consider the needs of others. Staff use current events such as Wimbledon and the Olympic games to foster children's understanding of the wider world as well as ensuring that they play a full part in their local village community. • The staff encourage the children to listen carefully to one another, to offer their own opinions and express their ideas. They use effective questioning 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 challenge children's thinking in order to extend learning experiences. • The children enjoy books and show that they understand how stories are made up as they re-tell favourites and make up their own stories in their role play. • The staff team make very good use of the outdoor area, ensuring that the children have good opportunities for both structured and free play outside. • Relationships between staff and parents are very strong. Parents appreciate the clear information they receive regarding their children's progress and enjoy their involvement in the setting.

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What needs to be improved?

• opportunities for children of all ages to practice writing skills in their free play • opportunities for all children to solve mathematical problems in daily routines and activities.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Improvement since the last inspection is generally good. After the last inspection the staff team were required to introduce manageable assessments. They have now adopted the West Sussex developmental recording system which they up-date regularly using their observations of children's learning. They were asked to teach children to write their names appropriately. Plans now include the teaching of letter formation in group activities. Children do not have enough opportunities to write as part of everyday routines. The team has undertaken training in behaviour management since the last inspection, consequently children are given reasons for any inappropriate behaviour and are calm and considerate of one another.

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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 The children are confident, enthusiastic and happy. Staff foster children's self-esteem by encouraging them to express their own opinions, make considered choices and take care of their personal needs. They concentrate for long periods of time in adult led and freely chosen play activities. Children behave well, work together co-operatively and share resources. They are learning to relate to their local environment and to appreciate what is happening in the wider world.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children listen carefully to adults and one another, engage in conversation, discuss their experiences and express their opinions. They enjoy listening to stories and understand the structure of books, re-telling favourite story lines as they repeat 'The Bear Hunt' sequence. They link sounds to letters and older children are encouraged to write their names in group activities. There are missed opportunities for all children to practice their writing skills in everyday routines and activities.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children count accurately to ten and older children recognise the numerals. They sing number songs and count up and down. Children recreate patterns, name shapes and compare sizes accurately. Older children compare numbers and solve simple problems in group activities and when their turn comes to lay the tables at snack time but there are limited opportunities for all children to solve practical problems in everyday routines.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Staff plan a variety of topics that enable children to explore and investigate the natural environment such as the recent work on fruit and vegetables that included a visit to a PYO farm. Children talk about past and present events in their lives and discuss similarities and differences between their own experiences and those of children from other cultures and beliefs. Children build, construct and design models, using a variety of tools and materials efficiently.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children move confidently and safely. They have good co-ordination and excellent spatial awareness fostered by well-planned activities available both outdoors and in. Children use both small and large equipment such as tricycles, big bricks, scissors and brushes well and staff teach ball skills and organise races. Staff teach children about the importance of healthy living through a variety of activities and routines.

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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 media and materials as they paint, print, draw, make models and use different textures in collage work. Staff encourage children to draw on their own experiences and extend their imaginations through a variety of role play situations and children follow this up by organising their own such as the 'dinghy' play when exploring the sea topic. Children enjoy singing together, dancing, making music and moving to different sounds.

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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

• provide opportunities for children to develop their emergent writing skills during free play and ensure that they attempt to write their names on their work as a matter of routine • incorporate opportunities for all children to recognise numbers and solve mathematical problems in daily routines and activities.

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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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