Bluebird Kindergarten

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 16/03/2005 Inspector Name Janice Shaw

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Bluebird Kindergarten & Nursery Setting Address Elm Hall Drive Liverpool Merseyside L18 1LF

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Sheila Carmichael and Joanne Carmichael Address Bluebird Kindergarten and Nursery Methodist Building, Elm Hall Drive Liverpool Merseyside L18 1LF

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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

Bluebird Kindergarten and Nursery is a privately run nursery catering for pre-school children aged two to five years. It is situated in a residential suburb of Liverpool and is accommodated in several rooms adjacent to the church hall. The nursery has been established for over 34 years and operates from 9.00am to 4.00pm, term times only. Children have access to three play rooms plus a large hall. The nursery receives grant funding for three and four year olds and provision is made for any children with special educational needs

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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?

Bluebird Nursery and Kindergarten offers provision which is of high quality where children are making very good progress overall towards the early learning goals. They experience a warm, friendly and caring environment in which they can freely access many worthwhile activities to stimulate and motivate them. Teaching is very good. Staff have very good insight into how young children develop and progress in all areas of learning. They create stimulating activities and experiences to capitalise on children's curiosity. Staff develop children's language by maintaining a dialogue with them and use skilful questioning techniques to promote and extend their thinking. Staff observe the children regularly and use this information to make assessments of the children's progress. Assessments are clearly linked to the stepping stones systematically ensuring that children move onto the next stage of learning. They use positive behaviour strategies to manage

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How effective is the nursery education?

children's behaviour and use praise often to boost self-esteem. The leadership and management of the Kindergarten and Nursery is very good. The management team leads by example and has a clear sense of direction for the setting, resulting in the creation of a very positive ethos. Staff are valued and are clear about their roles and responsibilities. Regular staff meetings and good staff training effectively contribute towards the professional development of the staff. Reliable systems are in place which collect detailed information about the progress of individual children. This information is used to inform future planning. The setting's partnership with parents is very good and seen as crucially important to children's successful overall development. Parents have a very positive view of the provision and are actively encouraged to be involved in their children's learning.

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What is being done well?

• Children develop very good speaking and listening skills and can express their thoughts feelings and ideas very well. They know how books work and enjoy reading and listening to stories. They come to recognise letters and know letter sounds when spelling out their own names. Higher attaining children are beginning to group letters to successfully form words and simple sentences. Children record in a variety of different ways, their experiences and observations. • Children are awarded and applauded for their achievements through the session. They are polite and well behaved. All children share and take turn with minimal staff intervention. There is a lot of joyous celebration when children arrive at the setting with their Easter Bonnets and disappointment was shown by children realise that a child is off ill and will miss the day's festivities.

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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 • Staff have a secure knowledge of the early learning goals and a very good understanding of how children learn which enables them to support and promote children's learning effectively in a developmentally appropriate way. The quality of teaching, staff's lively and enthusiastic manner, and the way the environment is organised to support children's independent access to resources, strongly contribute to children being active and very successful learners. • Children's imaginative play is exceptionally well developed. They use the dressing-up clothes well to aid their imaginative play in the home corner and show confident social skills when playing with each other. Valuable resources are available for children's play and the role-play area is easily adaptable to a variety of themes during the year

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What needs to be improved?

• the information and technological skills for older and more able children.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

There were two key issues raised following the last inspection, very good progress has been made in addressing these. The setting was required to review the assessment of children's attainment and progress to ensure that children's achievements are reflected and that all areas of learning are covered. Observations and assessments of children are now closely linked to the Stepping Stones and are used systematically to inform future planning. Opportunities were required to develop children's physical skills through climbing and balancing activities. Increased opportunities are now included in the planning to allow children to successfully develop these skills.

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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 arrive excited and motivated and rush to greet their friends and examine and admire their Easter hats. They relate well to staff and seek out other children to join in their fun. At snack time they willingly share their fruit with friends and successfully take care of their own personal needs, such as putting on their own aprons. Children are very well behaved and display interest towards others and living things; when a pigeon sat on the window they showed care and concern.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children's language development receives strong support resulting in children who are accomplished communicators. Children are keen to take part in discussions with friends and willingly offer their theories about what could have happened with the storyline of a favourite book, "What would have happened? if the tiger had not been allowed to stay for tea"! When mark making, children spontaneously play with sounds and blend words and make meaningful associations between letter shapes.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good A strength of the activities is the fun way used to promote children's number skills through games and regular counting activities. All children are adept at counting to ten, most without staff support. During register time, when absent children are named, several children quickly shout "four away". Three-year-olds can count backwards from 10 and four year olds match fingers to days of the week and say "five and two makes seven". They can successfully identify two and three-dimensional shapes.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children are learning to value other cultures and beliefs through planned activities, they have recently celebrated Australia Day and Chinese New Year. In circle time they are welcomed in English and French and some children have learnt a few simple words. Children select materials and resources to construct and build models competently. With large cardboard boxes, they made a train and spent the whole session getting in and out and going off on imaginary journeys.

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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 demonstrate good coordination skills and are learning to move imaginatively as they take part in action songs and music and movement sessions. Most children have good manipulative skills; when putting on dressing up clothes they help each other with fasteners. They place bricks on top of each other successfully to build a tower and cut paper using scissors skilfully. At snack time they are reminded about the value of fruit and children keenly discuss who has brought a healthy snack.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are confident singers; most children can remember the words of songs and sing with enthusiasm and gusto. They are interested in and clearly enjoy, re-enacting stories and experiences imaginatively. Favourite story lines are frequently used to enhance their role-play; the story of "Chicken Licken" was spontaneously acted out in several ways during the day. In the music session children use instruments to accompany the piano and to support other children in their dance.

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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 improving the following; • Provide more opportunities for older and more able children to develop their information, communication and technological skills.

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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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