St Cuthbert's Playgroup

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 19/11/2002 Inspector Name Mark Philip Sobey

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SETTING DETAILS

Setting Name ST CUTHBERT'S PLAYGROUP Setting Address VILLAGE HALL ASHBOURNE Derbyshire DE6 5JQ

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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

St Cuthbert's Pre-school Playgroup opened in 1992 .It operates from Doveridge Village Hall using the large hall and small room. The group has access to a kitchen & toilets & with no adjacent outside play area, a nearby playing field is used. The playgroup serves the local area .The playgroup is registered to provide 30 places for children aged between two & half & five years old. There are currently 40 children on roll. This includes 13 aged three years and 4 aged four years who receive nursery grant funded education. Children with special needs can be accommodated and those for whom English is a second language. Children attend a variety of sessions each week. The group opens for five sessions each week term time only. Sessions last from 9.30 am to 12.00pm Monday to Thursday & 12.30- 3.00 pm Wednesday afternoon , for the Rising Five's Group. Six part time staff work with the children. Three have early years qualifications. The other staff are currently on training

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Information about the setting

programmes. Three different staff lead the five sessions. The setting receives support form a teacher /mentor from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership. Good relationships exist with the local school. The group is a member of PLA and is managed by a parental committee.

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How effective is the nursery education?

Children are making generally good progress towards the early learning goals. They are age appropriately confident, well behaved and eager to learn. They make very good progress in personal, social ,and emotional development and creative skills. The quality of teaching is generally good. Staff listen and respond to children and verbally extend their knowledge at every opportunity. Staff provide a flexible routine and rotation of activities to ensure the early stepping stones to early learning goals are covered. Generally challenges for children are age appropriate with the exception in the use of technology and programmable resources.Staff have a good knowledge of special educational needs and have worked in partnership with outside agencies and parents to ensure children's needs are met. The assessment of children's learning continues to be updated and keyworker groups ensure individual progress is monitored. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is

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How effective is the nursery education?

fostered appropriately with children responding to the welcoming atmosphere and good role models provided by staff. Leadership and management is generally good. The management committee maintain the business arrangements allowing staff to concentrate on the children . Staff work well as a team, share planning, evaluation and recording. They are committed to ongoing training. They have forged strong links with the local school. Partnership with parents is generally good , with written and verbal information shared. This does not include up to date information regarding the educational provision. Parents support the playgroup with their time.

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What is being done well?

Leadership and management is generally good. The staff work as a team and are committed to the improvement in the care and education of the children, with parental involvement. The use of time and resources, limited to the constraints of the premises, is very good. Staff create a stimulating environment and children are eager to learn which has led to the children's progress in personal,social and emotional development being very good. Children are sociable, well mannered and show concern for others. Children are eager to try new activities, especially with regard to creative development which is very good.

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What needs to be improved?

Information for parents to include routines and up to date information regarding the areas of learning within the stepping stones to the early learning goals. Children 's access to programmable resources.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The playgroup has made very good progress since the last inspection. There have been staff changes and training has been ongoing. A sounder knowledge of the early learning goals has resulted in better planning and evaluation. Staff have responded to the weaknesses by providing more resources for children to investigate and explore. These are integrated into the sessions and not stored in an exploration box for occasional use. Opportunities to write during play have been extended to include resources in the telephone box, shop and play house . Links with the local school have been extended and this has resulted in a smoother transition into school, as documented in a letter from the head teacher.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are confident , interested and eager to learn. They show an awareness of age appropriate behaviour expectations and use good manners. Children have an awareness of others needs and differences. Children develop independence and co-operation through the use of resources and a routine which underpins learning opportunities. They integrate into the local school with visits over the whole year,sharing resources,attending story times and concerts.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children respond well to instructions and express their delight during interactive stories. They interact age appropriately with other children and hold conversations with adults. Children have many opportunities to see text in books,recognise their names and practice writing skills during free and structured play.However they do not practice reading skills by referring to labelling within the environment.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children develop mathematical concepts during all aspects of play, age appropriately through the stepping stones. They extend their knowledge and language during activities and spontaneously add and subtract , write numerals, describe shapes and regularly count up to 20 .

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children are able to investigate a wide range of objects and materials on a rotational basis, although they have limited access to programmable resources. They build and construct with natural and man made materials. Children learn about their surroundings going on walks and bus trips and complete related tasks as part of the curriculum. They recall events in their lives and learn how others live.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children are developing fine and gross motor skills from the wide range of activities provided. Children negotiate activities with an age appropriate awareness of safety as they use wheeled toys and climbing equipmentin the large hall each session. . They understand how their body changes with physical exercise and that personal hygiene prevents the spread of germs.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are provided with an excellent range of natural and man made resources on a rotational basis, which enables them to be creative both two and three dimensionally. They express themselves during stories and singing and take delight in using changes of voices during many aspects of play.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Children's spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development is fostered appropriately: Y

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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

Key points. 1. Provide parents with information which includes the daily routine and up to date information regarding the educational provision. 2. Ensure children have greater access to programmable resources and technology.

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