Altrincham Preparatory School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 27/09/2004 Inspector Name Anne Legge

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Sticklebricks Pre-School Setting Address 1 & 2 Woodville Crosslands Barnstaple Devon EX31 2HJ

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REGISTERED PROVIDER 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

Sticklebricks Pre-school opened for sessional care in 2000 and expanded in 2003 into full day care and out-of-school care. It operates from its own premises, comprising a large play room, kitchen, toilets and reception area, situated close to Sticklepath Primary School. The provision serves the local area. In the pre-school there are currently 22 children on roll, aged from 3 to 5 years, including 9 funded 3 year olds and 12 funded 4 year olds. The setting supports children with special needs and who speak English as an additional language. The pre-school opens on weekdays during school term times and sessions are from 09.00 until 11.30, and 12.30 to 15.00, with a lunch club from 11:30 to 12:30. Children can stay from 09.00 until 15.00. The out-of-school club opens on weekdays in term time from 08.00 until 09.00 and 15.00 to 18.00. Four staff work in the pre-school, three of whom have relevant child care qualifications. The setting receives support

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Information about the setting

from a teacher from the Early Years Partnership.

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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?

Sticklebricks Pre-school provides good quality nursery education and the children make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. They make very good progress in their personal, social and emotional development. Teaching is generally good. The manager is committed to developing her already sound understanding of the Foundation Stage curriculum. She has introduced very good systems for assessing children's progress towards the early learning goals. She is developing planning, using the six areas of learning, but is not yet ensuring coverage of the whole curriculum. Staff plan a good range of activities and provide a balance between free play and adult-led tasks. Staff use questioning and discussion very effectively, to help children develop language skills and understanding. Assessment information is not yet used to ensure that all children are appropriately challenged in all areas of learning. Systems for monitoring and reviewing the

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How effective is the nursery education?

progress of children with special needs are not adequate. Staff use excellent strategies to manage children's behaviour. Leadership and management are generally good. The owner, manager and staff work co-operatively and roles are clearly defined. They are committed to improving provision and the manager is aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the education offered. Staff training needs have been identified and appropriate courses booked. Some essential systems have yet to be implemented. Partnership with parents is generally good. Staff give parents detailed information about the curriculum and share all plans. They have recently established regular meetings, to discuss children's progress and inform parents about the Foundation Stage curriculum. The new assessment system will ensure parents are very well informed, but records relating to children with special needs are not kept up-to-date. Parents are encouraged to contribute to children's records and to be involved in their

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What is being done well?

• Children are confident, independent and enthusiastic learners. Staff include and support all children, helping them to make good relationships and encouraging them to become independent. • Staff are sensitive and consistent in their management of children's behaviour. They set high standards and effectively support children with challenging behaviour, helping them to adapt to the group's expectations. • Staff use discussion and questions effectively, to develop children's use of language and their knowledge and understanding of the world. Children make very good progress with speaking and listening.

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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 are committed to working closely with parents. They have recently started twice-termly meetings with parents, to share children's progress records and to give detailed information about the Foundation Stage curriculum. • There is a commitment to constantly monitor and improve the quality of nursery education provided. Staff are involved in ongoing training to update their skills, and they are working to improve systems and procedures.

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What needs to be improved?

• systems for monitoring and reviewing the progress of children with special needs • planning systems, to ensure complete coverage of the curriculum and to identify appropriate challenges for all children, especially in mathematics and literacy • the availability of a wider range of resources to support the development of children's creativity and construction 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 enjoy their play and are very confident in all activities. They make good relationships with each other and with adults, and learn to share and take turns. They become very independent at choosing activities and resources, and in managing their personal care, such as washing hands and pouring drinks. They respond very well to the staff's clear routines and high expectations of their behaviour. They are happy and settled at the pre-school, and behave well.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children make very good progress in their speaking and listening skills, due to the staff's effective questioning and use of discussion. They talk confidently in large and small groups, enjoy stories and choose to share books. They recognise their name and other familiar words. They use writing for different purposes, such as in role play, and begin to write their names. Their understanding of letter shapes and sounds is not always appropriately developed, building on what children know.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children learn to recite numbers through a wide range of daily activities, such as counting children at registration, and they begin to match numbers to groups of objects. They recognise some numerals, using them in games and to make dates. They recognise and name two-dimensional shapes and use language related to size and position, in their daily play. They are not always challenged to extend their understanding of number patterns and problem-solving, through daily routines and activities.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children develop a good sense of time, through discussions about dates and seasons, and topics, such as fairs in the past. They learn about places, talking about their experiences at home and the places they have been. They explore living things by planting seeds and using the nature table. They learn about different cultures, through the celebration of festivals. They have opportunities to design and make, but they do not regularly have access to a wide range of resources for this purpose.

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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: Generally Good Children use small equipment, such as scissors, with increasing control, and they competently roll. stretch and cut dough. They climb and balance well on large apparatus, and play team games. They develop good co-ordination, moving carefully to music, skipping and dancing. Outdoor play is limited, so they do not develop a good sense of space in a large area, and progress in using wheeled toys is restricted. They learn about their bodies' needs through discussions about food and exercise.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children are very imaginative in their role play and small world play, making up stories and recreating experiences, such as visits to the fair. They enjoy singing familiar songs, dancing and using musical instruments. They take part in a variety of art and craft activities, such as making bonnets, but are not always able to choose from a range of resources or experiment with their own ideas, to develop their creativity. They draw freely and have access to free painting.

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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 good quality overall. Children are making generally 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: THE KEY ISSUES

• set up effective systems for monitoring children who may have special needs and for regularly reviewing the progress of children with identified special needs, in accordance with the current Code of Practice • continue to develop planning systems, to ensure complete coverage of the curriculum, and to identify appropriate challenges for all children, especially in their understanding of number and of letter shapes and sounds • review the availability of resources to support the development of children's creativity and construction skills.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT: THE KEY ISSUES

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: THE KEY ISSUES

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

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