Bellinge Community Pre-School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 16/01/2003 Inspector Name Rachael Ann Mankiewicz

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SETTING DETAILS

Setting Name Bellinge Community Pre-School Setting Address Community Centre Northampton Northamptonshire NN3 9AQ

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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

Bellinge Community Pre-school is a voluntary group which was first established in 1978 and operates from Bellinge Community Centre, Northampton. The accommodation consists of a spacious central hall with direct access to a fully enclosed outside play area. The pre-school offers sessions from 9.30 am to 12.00 pm each weekday during term time, with an additional one from 1.00 pm to 3.00 pm on Tuesday afternoons. There are currently 35 children on roll. Four of the four-year-olds and one of the three-year-olds are in receipt of funding. The pre-school offers good quality support to children with special educational needs and to those who are learning English as an additional language. Most of the children come from the surrounding local authority housing estate and are representative of a wide range of social and cultural backgrounds. There are five members of staff who work with all the children in mixed age groups. All the staff attend a wide variety of

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Information about the setting

training courses and workshops and the supervisor is working towards a level three qualification. The pre-school maintains close links with the Northamptonshire EYDCP advisory team.

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How effective is the nursery education?

Bellinge Community Pre-school provides children with an attractive, well-organised and stimulating learning environment. Their self-esteem, confidence and natural enthusiasm for learning are promoted most successfully and they are making very good progress towards the six areas of early learning goals. The quality of teaching is very good. The staff have a secure knowledge of the stepping stones and an instinctive understanding of how children learn best. They provide excellent opportunities for children to choose between interesting activities and high-quality resources. The comprehensive system of observation and assessment is used to identify next steps for each child's learning, successfully incorporating these into planned activities and providing a focus for teaching. All children's individual needs are met very well,including those with special educational needs. Their involvement levels in activities are high and behaviour is very good. Staff have already begun to

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How effective is the nursery education?

consider how the otherwise excellent organisation could be improved in the final stages of each session. Leadership and management is also very good. Collaborative leadership and effective delegation have proved most effective in developing the skills and confidence of all the staff. The high standard of team work and regular participation in training events has produced a very positive approach towards self-evaluation and improvements are continuously being made in all aspects of the provision. The partnership with parents and carers is very good. They are provided with much useful written information and there are many attractive displays which also help keep them informed. All assessment records are shared regularly and parents have a clear idea about their child's progress. Staff have already devised many innovative ways of involving parents in their child's learning and are aware of the benefits of improving this area still further.

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What is being done well?

Staff have a sound and instinctive understanding of how children learn best and promote learning in all curriculum areas effectively through practical activities and first hand experiences. Children's natural enthusiasm for learning is fostered most successfully. They are all extremely happy, confident and well-motivated. A very wide range of well-planned and stimulating activities is provided daily. A lot of hard work is put into creating an attractive learning environment, interactive displays and ensuring resources provided capture the children's interest. Sensitive staff support and excellent organisation of time and resources enables children to initiate many of their own actives. Children's involvement levels are very good. Children's ability to operate independently is promoted most successfully. Behaviour is very good and is a reflection of the excellent role models provided by all the staff..

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What needs to be improved?

Organisation of the final part of each session could be reviewed to ensure children's high levels of autonomy and involvement are consistently maintained. Involvement of parents in their children's learning is an area that would benefit from continued development..

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Very good progress has been made since the last inspection. The system of planning now covers all areas of learning thoroughly and ensures a balanced curriculum is offered. Regular observations are made and children's progress is now monitored effectively. Information gained from assessments is successfully incorporated into activity planning to ensure children's learning needs are met. Children's early writing and mark-making experiences are now made meaningful by being included in their role-play. The amount of information given to parents about the curriculum has improved and they have a good overview of what their children are learning.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Learning in this area is very good. The wide daily range of stimulating activities successfully promotes high levels of curiosity and involvement. Children confidently persevere with self-chosen and self-initiated activities, and show good levels of independence. Staff provide excellent role models, and relationships and behaviour are very good. The wide range of cultural events celebrated reflects children's varied backgrounds and successfully promotes their developing self-image.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Learning in this area is very good.Children's speaking and listening skills are promoted through skillful teaching.. Their confidence in themselves as communicators provides a sound basis for learning in other curriculum areas. They learn about different purposes of writing during excellent role-play activities and their early mark-making skills are good. Children use the range of high-quality books with obvious enjoyment and are familiar with many different songs and rhymes..

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Learning in this area is very good. The planning ensures all aspects are covered and that a good level of challenge is built in over the year. Children's natural interest in numbers and counting is promoted very well. Their early calculating skills are successfully developed as they make and compare charts, or solve simple problems such as 'how many more can come in'. They have a sound awareness of properties of plane and solid shapes and experience a good variety of measurement techniques.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Learning in this area is very good. Children investigate the properties of many interesting materials and objects. They make models to their own design and develop good skills with a wide range of tools. Excellent interactive displays, together with local walks and visits, further children's knowledge of their environment. The wide range of relevant festivals and cultural events celebrated successfully promotes children's awareness of their own culture and beliefs and those of others.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children's physical development is very good. Excellent organisation allows them extended daily access to the outside area where they have scope to develop and consolidate their skills using a good range of equipment. Sufficient time is also planned into sessions to ensure children gain confidence on large equipment indoors. They have free access to a very attractive range of tools, implements and small world toys and skilful teaching ensures their level of control is good.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children have some excellent opportunities to take part in creative activities and their development in this area is very good. They are able to choose freely from a very attractive range of resources. They work imaginatively, and at their own pace, in response to many different stimuli, which include music, stories and displays. Provision for role-play and small world play is also excellent.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

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

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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 consideration should be given to the following points: 1.Continue to develop the partnership with parents and carers to ensure they are fully involved in their child's learning. 2.Review the organisation of the closing stages of each session with the aim of maintaining children's high levels of autonomy and involvement.

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