Beck Row Pre-School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 18/11/2004 Inspector Name Julie Youngman (TCCI)

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Beck Row Pre-school Setting Address Mobile Classroom, Lamble Close Beck Row Bury St. Edmunds Suffolk IP28 8AF

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of Beck Row Pre School 1001676

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Beck Row Pre School Address Mobile Classroom Lamble Close Beck Row Bury St. Edmunds Suffolk IP28 8AF

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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

Beck Row Pre-school has been operating for many years from a mobile premises within the grounds of the local primary school, in Beck Row, Suffolk. The group is committee run and is registered to provide sessional care for up to 24 children aged from two to under five years. Funded three and four-year-olds are accepted. The pre-school serves the local area, including families from the American airbase and the travelling community. The group is open five days a week during term time only, from 09:00 until 11:45 and from 13:30 until 15:30. No children with special needs or who have English as an additional language currently attend. Four staff work with the children on a regular basis and the supervisor and the assistant supervisor both have the Diploma in Pre-school Practice. Additional support is provided by a volunteer and relief staff.

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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 of nursery education at Beck Row Pre School is acceptable and of a high quality. Children are making very good progress towards the early learning goals in all six areas of learning and are becoming confident, independent learners with high self esteem. A major feature of this pre-school is the relaxed, stimulating environment. The relationships between staff and children are excellent. Talented, experienced staff create manageable and exciting challenges for the children. The teaching is very good. The sensitive, caring, experienced staff work extremely hard for the benefit of the children in their care; they work in a happy friendly manner supporting each other fully as part of a strong team. The staff have a thorough understanding of the stepping stones and early learning goals; their reflective teaching challenges the children and enables them to learn effectively. Staff question skilfully and give children clear, meaningful instructions with

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How effective is the nursery education?

encouragement and praise. There is a high expectation of good behaviour. Together the staff have developed a clear, manageable planning system and useful, informative, adult focused activity sheets. Their methods of assessment and record keeping is effective and regularly shared with parents and carers. Staff foster special educational needs appropriately. Leadership and management of the pre school is very good. The committee is very supportive of the experienced, relaxed, dedicated leader who is well organised and excellently supported by an enthusiastic deputy and a strong team of staff. They are reflective and evaluative of their practice, having regular staff meetings and undertake appropriate on going training. The partnership with parents and carers is very good. Strong links are forged between home and pre school which are greatly valued. Information about the children and their progress is shared regularly. The parents appreciate the sensitive

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How effective is the nursery education?

care, fun and kindness their children receive.

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What is being done well?

• The personal, social and emotional development of the children is excellent; they are well behaved, happy, independent, self confident, cooperative learners with high self esteem • The children are progressing well along the stepping stones and achieving high standards within the foundation stage. Their learning experiences are fun and varied in a stimulating well resourced environment where they feel secure and valued. • The enthusiastic, dedicated, talented staff work hard as a team for the benefit of the children

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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 has improved since the last inspection?

Staff have developed a clear manageable planning system and are aware of the stepping stones moving towards the Early Learning Goals Children are now well supervised when writing their names, they hold pens/pencils/ correctly, write from left to right and are encouraged to form the letters carefully. A number of older children can write their names unaided.

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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 are happy, secure and keen to learn in the well resourced, attractively laid out pre-school. They have a strong sense of belonging, they play cooperatively together taking turns and sharing. They are becoming independent, self confident learners with high self esteem. The childrens behaviour is very good. There is mutual respect within the group and respect for other cultures, the children are calm, selective and have personal independence. The atmosphere is relaxed and happy.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children and staff talk enthusiastically about activities. Questions promote the use of new descriptive vocabulary and encourage children to think, listen and express themselves clearly. Children benefit from purposeful role play to explore new ideas. They use a wide variety of mark making materials and have stimulating opportunities for writing at their own level. Children use books well, are able to recognise their name, simple word-labels and make some links between sounds and letters

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good mathematical concepts are woven skilfully throughout the session by staff; they use a variety of opportunities and challenging, stimulating resources. The children are beginning to use mathematical ideas to solve problems. They count regularly and are beginning to confidently recognise and write numbers. The staff interact effectively introducing mathematical vocabulary and simple adding and subtracting. They encourage the children to re-create patterns, sort and sequence.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children show curiosity and willingness to discover; they are motivated to learn and have a variety of opportunities to feel wonder and excitement in stimulating tasks. They are encouraged to understand time. Children have an awareness of the community around them, having close links with the school, the village and the wider environment. They learn about other cultures and beliefs. They build and construct imaginatively using a wide variety of tools and materials for experimenting.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good The pre-school has appropriate, challenging equipment both large and small which is used effectively to develop children's fine and gross motor skills; children move freely and confidently around the activities; they are encouraged to be calm and co-ordinated. Energetic and enthusiastic staff encourage the responsive children to listen carefully and follow a variety of instructions. Staff encourage thoughtful discussion in self care and healthy eating, giving children opportunities for choice.

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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 The pre-school has a well planned range of stimulating activities in two and three dimension to enable children to express themselves. They use their imagination vividly in role play, have exciting musical experiences singing songs and rhymes accompanied by the keyboard with stimulating props. The children express their ideas freely through creative craft work and have fun and enjoyment in music and movement; they respond well to a variety of different stimuli.

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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; • the overuse of worksheets 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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