Sundon Park Junior School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 20/01/2005 Inspector Name Christine Coram

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Canford Heath Church Pre-School 1 and 2 Setting Address Canford Heath United Reformed Church Mitchell Road, Canford Heath Poole Dorset BH17 8UE

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of Canford Heath Church Pre-School

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Canford Heath Church Pre-School Address Canford Heath United Reformed Church Mitchell Road Poole Dorset BH17 8UE

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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

Canford Heath Church Pre-School is committee run and opened in 1971. It operates from halls and rooms in a church hall and youth centre. It is centrally situated in Canford Heath, Poole. The setting is divided into 2 groups. A maximum of 52 children may attend the setting at any one time. It is open each weekday from 09.15 to 11.45 during the school term, with a lunch club from 11.45 to 13.00 on specified days. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area. There are currently 41 children from 2 to under 5 on roll. Of these, 36 receive funding for nursery education. The majority of the children come from the local area. The setting currently supports children with special educational needs. The setting employs ten staff. Eight of the staff, including the group leaders hold appropriate early years qualifications and three staff are working towards new or higher level qualifications.

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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?

Canford Heath Church Pre-School provides high quality early years education and children are making very good progress towards the Early Learning Goals. The quality of teaching is very good. Staff have a clear understanding of the Early Learning Goals and consistently question, support and encourage the children. This results in children's learning being very effectively extended. The curriculum is broad and varied and takes account of the differing needs of the children. Excellent challenges are set for children. They have many opportunities to think about, try and practice a wide range of subjects and skills. Provision for children with special educational needs is excellent. Staff are extremely committed to inclusion and the arrangements made for individual children are extremely effective. Leadership and management of the setting is very good. There is a clear management structure and all involved have realistic aims for the setting that are

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How effective is the nursery education?

met well. The leaders and committee have a strong commitment to enabling and encouraging staff's professional development. There is an excellent system in place to monitor and evaluate the educational programme. The leaders are clearly very committed to the on-going improvement the provision and to over-coming any obstacles that would hinder this. Partnership with parents and carers is very good. Clear and helpful information is provided for them about the setting and the educational programme. Excellent opportunities are given to them to discuss their child's progress with the relevant key worker both on an informal basis and in private discussions by appointment. Home visits are offered, allowing staff to get to know the family as well as the child and these form the basis for sharing information about the child.

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What is being done well?

• Children have a very positive and confident approach to learning and are excited by, and involved in, the activities offered. They are generally very secure in the setting and demonstrate a clear sense of belonging to their groups. • Children move with great confidence and developing skill in many different ways such as jumping, running, balancing and swinging. They have increasing control over their movements and are able to stop, change direction and speed and go backwards and sideways as well as forwards. • Children's imaginative play is very well developed. They use props and introduce storylines based on their experiences. The older and more mature children play co-operatively in small groups to act these out. • Staff have a very sound understanding of the Early Learning Goals. This is evident throughout the session in their excellent interaction with 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 and their consistent questioning, supporting and encouraging. This results in children's learning being very effectively extended. • Excellent provision is made for children with special educational needs. Staff are confident and competent. They are extremely committed to inclusion and this is achieved very effectively through the arrangements made for individual children.

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What needs to be improved?

• consistently giving opportunities to see writing used as labels and to record their observations, thoughts and comments.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

All the key issues for improvement highlighted at the last inspection have been successfully addressed. The curriculum has been extended to include more topics that focus on the local environment and nature. This has been a valuable extension of the children's learning experience. Very successful use of display space has led to children being able to choose to display their own work and proved to be an excellent facility.

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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 have a very positive and confident approach to learning. They are forming relationships with each other very well and developing a strong desire to share experiences with their peers. They are very sociable and demonstrate a clear sense of belonging to their groups.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children are very confident speakers. They are developing the skills needed for writing and manipulate objects and tools with increasing control, but do not always have the opportunity to record their observations, thoughts and comments. Children choose and look at books, treating them with respect and evident enjoyment. They listen to stories with concentration and love to join in with familiar actions.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children show confidence with counting and are beginning to recognise the link between numbers and quantity. They then calculate e.g.counting the children are at the table and working out how many drinks to they need. Children are interested in measure and size and enjoy the opportunities to investigate and compare, for example, using tape measures to compare the length and width of their constructions.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children explore, observe and investigate a range of objects and materials and involve themselves in such activities with enthusiasm. They are excited by watching the development of plants and observe how they grow and change. Children are very interested in and excited by the world around them and learn about nature and the environment through the interest table, walks and visitors to the sessions. Children have opportunities to use technology on a regular basis.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children move with great confidence and developing skill in many different ways, for example, running, balancing, hopping and skipping. They have increasing control over their movements, changing direction and stopping, for example. They use equipment and tools with increasing competence and skill.

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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 Children paint and draw with confidence, with many opportunities to explore materials and paint. They really enjoy extensive imaginative play using props and introducing storylines based on their own experiences. They act out scenarios alone or with others in a group. They clearly enjoy singing and confidently suggest songs for the group to sing and are developing a good repertoire of songs. They are beginning to understand and follow rhythm.

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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: • consider increasing the opportunities for children to see writing used as labels and as a means of recording their observations, thoughts and comments, and offer more opportunities for children to spontaneously begin to record for themselves.

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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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