St Nicolas Church of England Primary School, Abingdon

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 11/11/2004 Inspector Name Lindsay Ann Farenden

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care, Full Day Care Setting Name Little Fingers Community Nursery Setting Address St. Stephen's Church, Manfred Road Putney London SW15 2RS

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of Committee of St Stephen's Church

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Committee of St Stephen's Church Address A 2 Oakhill Road Putney London SW15 2QU

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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

Little Fingers Community Day Nursery opened in April 1989. It is a Christian nursery which operates from premises within St Stephen's Church in East Putney. The premises include a large play room, the church hall, kitchen, toilets. A maximum of 24 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open Monday to Thursday for half day sessions from 09.30 to 12.00 and full day sessions from 09.30 to 15.00 during term times. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area. The nursery serves the local area. There are currently 25 children aged from 2 to under 5 years on roll. Of these 12 children receive funding for nursery education. Children come from the local area. The nursery currently supports one child with special needs and also supports two children who speaks English as an additional language. The group opens four days a week : Monday to Thursday during term times.

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Information about the setting

Half day sessions are from 09:30 until 12:00: Monday to Thursday. Full day sessions are from 09:30 until 15:00 The nursery employs five staff. Three of the staff, including the manager hold appropriate early years qualifications.

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How good is the Day Care?

Little Fingers Community Nursery provides good care for children. The premises are child centred and offer a warm and welcoming environment for children. Staff give good attention to children's safety both inside and outside of the premises. Staff carry out good hygiene practice procedures. Children's individual dietary needs are respected. There is provision of a wide range of easily accessible play materials 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 equipment. The nursery also offers ballet sessions from a specialist teacher. Staff have a caring approach to children and there is good interaction between the staff and the children. They are child focused, join in with children's play and assist them in completing tasks and activities. They make activities inviting for children and consequently they are interested in them and enjoy their play. The children are settled and confident within the nursery environment. They are kept well occupied, they behave well and staff offer children lots of praise and encouragement. All children are respected and their individuality is valued. The children are encouraged to play with all the toys regardless of gender. Staff have a positive

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How good is the Day Care?

attitude to caring for children with special needs. There are effective procedures in place to support children with special needs and work closely with parents outside agencies to ensure children receive appropriate support. The staff form positive relationships with the parents and exchange information with them verbally on a daily basis. Parents' questionnaires indicate parents are very happy with the standard of care provided. All documentation is in place

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Actions made at the last inspection have been met. Polices have been reviewed. written parental consent for emergency medical treatment for children has been obtained. All children have been allocated a key worker. A member of staff has attended food hygiene course.

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What is being done well?

• Good range of activities and play materials provided which interest children and help them to learn and encourage them to make decisions, be independent and confident. Staff are child focused and support children with activities and in their play. They know children well and respect and value children's individual needs. • Welcoming, spacious, clean child centred environment of an appropriate temperature. Good toilet facilities which children are taught to use independently with supervision. Storage space is well organised. • Staff respect children's dietary needs. Staff sit with the children at snack and lunch times and it is a relaxed sociable occasion. • Staff have a good understanding of health and safety issues. Systems are in place to ensure children are safe in the premises. Children are helped to learn about good hygiene practice. • The children's behaviour is good, and staff promote positive behaviour.

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What is being done well?

• Staff ensure the needs of children with special needs are met and obtain toys and equipment to support their developmental progress.

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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 • systems to record the children's daily attendance on arrival • systems for staff application forms and appraisal

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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 2 Ensure staff complete an application form and a staff appraisal system is put in place. 2 Ensure children's attendance is recorded as they arrive.

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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?

Little Fingers Community Nursery offers high quality nursery education. Effective teaching and planning ensures that children make very good progress towards the early learning goals in all areas. The quality of teaching is very good. Staff build excellent relationships with the children, and have high expectations of their behaviour. Staff plan interesting, varied activities and use resources creatively, which motivates children and supports them on the stepping stones towards the early learning goals. Children make very good progress in their personal, social and emotional development, particularly in relation to their independent skills and their ability to make independent choices within their play. Staff provide a stimulating environment and work directly with the children, supporting their learning through play, however, staff do not always use opportunities to enable children to learn about the sounds and names of letters. Staff

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How effective is the nursery education?

skilfully use open ended questions to encourage the children to think and work out solutions for themselves; they build on their knowledge and increase their vocabulary. Staff make regular observations of children's progress and use these well to inform planning and ensure they have a good understanding of children's abilities. The leadership and management of the setting are very good. The manager and staff are clear about their roles and responsibilities. The manager works directly with the children and provides a good role model. Staff development is well supported through training opportunities and Inset days. Partnership with parents is very good. Staff spend time talking informally to parents about their child’s progress, although, there are no formal opportunities for parents to discuss and look at assessments of their child's learning. Parents receive monthly newsletters, which include good information on forthcoming topics and activities and

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How effective is the nursery education?

ideas that encourage them to support their child's learning at home.

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What is being done well?

• Staff use excellent strategies to promote good behaviour and consideration for others. They give children clear and consistent boundaries, encourage them to be kind to each other and help them to understand the consequences of their words and actions. Their calm, patient and polite manner sets a very good example for children. • Staff have a good knowledge of the early learning goals and how young children learn. There are clear systems for planning and staff have a good understanding of the learning objectives. Children benefit from effective teaching to help them explore colour, shape, form in two to three dimensions. They are encouraged to experiment with a wide range of media and material

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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 and are given good support with using the resources in different and imaginative ways. Staff provide a stimulating environment where children develop very good independence. • Staff respond to children's interests, and let children use their initiative and take the lead within their play. They provide a good balance of well planned activities that capture children's interests. Communication with children is excellent. Staff consistently ask children questions that encourages them to think and share their thoughts and ideas. Staff observe the children well during their play and use their observations to help children make very good progress in all areas of learning. They respect and value what children do and say and encourage their involvement in all activities.

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What is being done well?

• There is excellent provision for children with special needs. In consultation with parents and other agencies, additional resources and equipment are obtained that enable children to take part in all activities and make good progress in relation to their Individual Education Plan.

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What needs to be improved?

• the attention given to extending learning for older and more able children . • the provision of formal opportunities for parents to share written records of children's progress, and the opportunities for children to learn about the sounds and names of letters of the alphabet within all activities.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Generally good progress has been made since the last inspection. The staff have introduced a number of effective measures to improve planning, extend learning for four year olds and improve staff knowledge of the Code of Practice and the identification and assessment of Special Educational Needs. Plans have been revised to give a much clearer direction to teaching. They are soundly based on the stepping stones and include identified learning objectives, that are clearly understood and implemented by staff. There are logical links between long, medium and short term planning. Learning for four year olds has been extended, but not consistently within all activities. The manager has attended special educational needs training and has disseminated this information to staff. Consequently the staff have improved their knowledge of the Code of Practise and the Identification and Assessment of Special Educational

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Needs. Staff have worked closely with parents to support them through the statementing process and have contributed to children's Individual Education Plans. External agencies are now involved with the setting and give advice to staff that help them to identify targets for children's learning. As a result, children with special needs are making very good progress.

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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: Very Good Children have very good personal independence and are extremely co-operative, well behaved and helpful. Children are motivated, interested and excited to learn. They are confident to speak out in a group and to contribute their observations. They have excellent personal independence. Children display good concentration and are able to sit quietly when appropriate. They form excellent relationships with staff and each other, share fairly and are able to work together harmoniously.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Communication between staff and children is excellent. Staff actively encourage children to express their thoughts and ideas. As a result, children speak very clearly and show good confidence when talking to each other. They show excitement and interest in books, particularly when visiting the local library. Children can recognise and find their name and make marks, but opportunities for children to learn the sounds of letters are not always used in all activities .

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children count confidently during practical activities, such as the number of spoonfuls of flour they are using to make dough. They have a good understanding of colour and are beginning to learn the names of shapes and match them successfully. Children make patterns during activities such as drawing ladders and putting small pegs into boards. Staff teach children about size, for example through height charts. More able children are beginning to add and subtract during practical activities.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children build and construct with a wide range of objects and are confident with using programmable toys to support their learning, such as remote control cars and musical keyboards. They investigate objects and materials and learn about features of living things by planting tomatoes, sunflowers and beans. Staff encourage children to notice aspects of their environment during library outings and help them to learn about others cultures through cooking activities and trying different food.

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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: Very Good Children move confidently, imaginatively and safely during music and movement sessions and can hop on one foot and jump with both feet together. They show a good awareness of space. They can avoid obstacles when using the wheeled toys, and are beginning to control their movements when crawling through tunnels and jumping over ropes. Children have very good hand and eye co-ordination, for example when putting small pegs in the boards and spooning flour into a cup to make dough.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children make excellent use of the resources to create independently, and show great interest in using their senses during activities. They spontaneously experiment with mixing different media, such as bubbles from the water tray and paint on the tables and use all the creative resources in an extremely imaginative way. They follow movements and join in with enthusiasm when pretending to be seeds growing. They make good use of the props such as the microwave and play together imaginatively.

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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 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 improving the following: • the attention given to extending learning for older and more able children. • the provision of formal opportunities for parents to share written records of children's progress, and the opportunities for children to learn about the sounds and names of letters of the alphabet within all activities.

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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 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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