Chatburn Pre-School and Out of School Club

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 07/12/2004 Inspector Name Susan, Helen Spencer

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Chatburn Pre-School and Out of School Club Setting Address Chatburn C of E School Sawley Road, Chatburn Clitheroe Lancashire BB7 4AS

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Judith Smalley and Helen Stratton Address Chatburn C of E School Sawley Road, Chatburn Clitheroe Lancashire BB7 4AS

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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

Chatburn Pre-school is privately registered to provide full day care for children aged between 2 and 7 years. The inspection took place during term time. The joint registered providers, Helen Stratton and Judith Smalley are both qualified and experienced in early years child care and manage the sessions assisted by two other members of staff who are also qualified.Sessions are held from 09:00 to 15:15 each weekday during term time, for children of pre-school age. The Pre-school is also offered weekdays during a 4 week period in the school summer holidays between 08:30 and 17:30, when older children of school age may also be present. Children may attend on a full or part time basis. There are currently 9 nine funded children on roll, one aged 4 and eight 3 year-olds. The Pre-school has sole use of the lower ground floor area below Chatburn Church of England primary school. Facilities include two large playrooms and a smaller wet

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Information about the setting

play area with adjoining kitchen and toilet facilities. Outdoor play is provided on the adjoining school play ground for supervised activities and staff organise local outings. Children can either eat a hot meal in school or bring a packed lunch with snacks provided at both the morning and afternoon sessions. Chatburn Pre-school serves the local rural community with the majority of children leaving to attend Chatburn C of E School at the appropriate time.

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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 Chatburn pre-school is very good. It enables children to make very good progress towards the early learning goals in all areas of learning. The quality of teaching is very good. The highly organised setting is bright and welcoming and colourful displays reflect children's achievements. Very good planning ensures challenging and exciting provision for children. It is enhanced through very good resources and leads to very effective learning. There is a good blend of group and individual activities providing children with choice that very successfully develops their confidence, independence and their recognition of the need to work with others. Learning is further enriched by many education visits, visiting speakers and very good local links. A typical example is the regular use of the village library attached to the premises. Relationships are very good. Practioners

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How effective is the nursery education?

are caring and understanding and this is reflected in children's very good attitudes to them and to each other. Assessment is good and and the information gathered is very effectively used to plan for children's ongoing development. The leadership and mangement are very good, ensuring effective structures and practices for the smooth and efficient running of the setting. The clear commitment to improvement is identified by participation in extensive work to achieve a recognised high quality award mark. Staff feel valued, leading to very good teamwork and there is good sharing of information gathered from regular training courses. Relationships with parents are very good. They are very happy with the provision their children receive. They know what is happening and what their children learn. They find that staff are very approachable and deal quickly with any concerns they may have.

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What is being done well?

• Relationships are excellent throughout the setting and parents are very pleased with the provision for their children. • Children's writing skills are well developed and they have come to enjoy reading and listening to stories. • The high quality learning in class is enhanced by educational visits, visitors to the setting and the very good links established with the local community. • Practioners' planning provides exciting activities and is guided by information gathered from useful assessment procedures. • The range, quality and quantity of resources is very good and make a very good contribution to stimulating interest and learning.

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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

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What needs to be improved?

• the way children are encouraged to explore colour, texture, shape and materials helping them become more independent of the teacher • the provision of more opportunities for children to explore the faiths, cultures and traditions other than their own.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The last inspection identified the need to encourage the use of books to enable children to practise naming and sounding letters. It also identified the need to provide more opportunities for movement and the development of children's confidence and skills in the use of space. The setting has made very good improvement in addressing both aspects. There are good displays of letters and many opportunities for children to write and practise letters independently. Practioners take regular opportunities to teach letters and sounds Children practise these when writing and when choosing books from the very good range available. Phonic recognition is also effectively developed during group story times. Pre-School space is very well structured and managed, encouraging children to move freely and confidently and safely from one activity to 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 Children settle very quickly and soon become confident. They work hard independently, with friends, or in a whole class group. Relationships are excellent. Children share well, act responsibly and help tidy things away. They enjoy helping the practioners and show good social skills at snack times and dinner time. Children effectively manage their own hygiene arrangements. They have good knowledge of their own culture, but are less knowledgeable about the faiths, customs and traditions of others.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children develop very good speaking and listening skills that they use effectively in a range of circumstances. For example, they use different skills in conversation, answering questions or planning activities in independent play. Writing, too, is well developed. The majority write or copy their name and the most able manage a sentence. Stories are loved and enjoyed by all. They particularly enjoy in one to one situations with the teacher when they can talk about the pictures and characters.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good All children count to 5, but the oldest count to 10 and above. Matching numbers to objects is well developed, as is their ability to sort and sequence by number, shape and colour. Some are able to solve simple problems, such as how many more cups are required to make six? Children name, identify and use regular 2-D shapes in art work. They use time through knowledge of weekdays and can correctly use a range of weights and measures,when they are baking. They use correct mathematical terminology.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Learning is enhanced by real life experiences. They include visits to the farm, the railway and post office and through visitors such as the nurse and the dentist. Exciting class activities make them inquisitve, encouraging them to experiment and explore. Computer skills are good. Children's sense of time and chronology is also good. They understand "long ago," and recognise time through the different family age groups.Children enjoy designing and building interesting, imaginative constructions.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children move freely, confidently and safely throughout the setting. They can manoeuvre pushchairs or other wheeled toys and avoid crashing or interfering with others. In the playground, they change direction when running . They can control hoops and throw a quoit accurately. Children understand they get out breath with exertion and they need sleep to grow. They can use scissors and other cutters well and show good control when painting sticking, writing and when using other small tools.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children recognise, name, mix and use colours effectively. They make Christmas cards and use their hands and other objects for printing. Their work is effective and well produced, occasionally they rely too much on their practioners for guidence. They enjoy singing and make creative hand movements to the words. They also enjoy using the musical instruments. They are very creative in imaginative play, dressing up as "Tigger," and consulting and plotting with each other what to do next.

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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 the following: • improving the opportunities for children to explore, colour, shape, texture and materials and to become more independent of the teacher.

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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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