Gaddesby School Community Pre-school

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 28/11/2002 Inspector Name Georgina Walker

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SETTING DETAILS

Setting Name TOGS Pre-School Setting Address Kids Of Gaddesby School ltd.,The Village Hall Leicester Leicestershire LE7 4WF

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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

TOGS,(Tinies Of Gaddesby and Surrounds) Pre-school Playgroup opened in 1997. It operates from Gaddesby village hall situated at the edge of the village next to the primary school. The group has access to the kitchen, toilets, an outdoor area and the enclosed school grounds. The pre-school serves the local community and surrounding villages. It is registered to provide 21 places for children aged between two and five years old and chooses to admit children from two and a half years. There are currently 21 children on roll. This includes 4 funded three -year-olds and 6 funded four- year-olds. 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 five mornings a week during school term times. Sessions last from 9:00am to 12 noon. One full time and three part time staff work with the children. One has early years qualifications and two are undertaking

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Information about the setting

training. Four volunteers assist on a regular basis. The setting receives support from a teacher/mentor from the Early Years Development Childcare Partnership. Good relationships exist with the local school. The group is a member of the Pre-school Learning Alliance. It is managed by a co-operative committee for all child care facilities linked to the school, led by the head teacher.

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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 and eager to learn.They are well behaved except during some large group activities when there are limited numbers of adults to deploy.They make very good progress in physical development . The quality of teaching is generally good. Staff listen to and respond to children , extending their knowledge throughout the session. There were missed opportunities to extend knowledge during potentially structured mathematical activities.Staff have a sound knowledge of the stepping stones to the early learning goals and wish to extend this to volunteers. Staff have a good knowledge of individual needs and work in partnership with parents and outside agencies to ensure children's needs are met. Children's progress in the area of knowledge and understanding of the world is restricted due to lack of programable resources. The assessment of children's

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How effective is the nursery education?

learning continues to be updated and keyworker groups ensure individual progress is monitored. Children's spiritual , moral, social and cultural development is fostered appropriately, with children responding to the welcoming atmosphere and good role models created by staff. Leadership and management is generally good . The co-operative management committee delegate the running of the group to the staff. Staff work well as a team in all aspects except for the planning, which is not shared. They meet weekly to discuss activities, evaluate, and record children's development. They are committed to ongoing training. They have forged strong links with the adjoining school. Partnership with parents is generally good, with written and verbal information shared . Parents support the group with resources and some with their time on a recently introduced rota .

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What is being done well?

Staff provide a balanced range of activities to ensure children progress age appropriately along the stepping stones to the early learning goals. Staff interact with the children and create a stimulating environment in which children are eager to learn. Children's physical development is very good due to the excellent range of activities provided by the staff.

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What needs to be improved?

Children's access to programmable resources. Information to adults within the group regarding the stepping stones to the early learning goals. Craft activities which always lead to the children creating their own work. The structure to mathematical activities. Review staff deployment to improve consistency of managing children's behaviour.

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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. Sound knowledge of the early learning goals has resulted in better planning and evaluation. Staff have responded to the weaknesses by producing and implementing a comprehensive action plan. They have provided more resources for children to read and write and use language to extend knowledge throughout the session. Sounds have been introduced into activities via music , tape recordings and vocabulary. There is increased mathematical input during free and structured play , but staff recognise they miss opportunities due to lack of adults at each activity.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children are confident , interested, eager to learn and discuss experiences. They show an age appropriate awareness of behaviour expectations, except occasionally in large groups, and use good manners. Children have an awareness of the needs of others, working co-operatively in pairs and small groups. Resources and activities,including visits to the local church, develop a sense of community.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children are confident to interact with adults and other children. They ask questions , discuss responses and share information. Children are becoming confident in their writing skills, but adults do not always correct poor practice regarding the correct way to hold implements or the use of upper case letters. Children have many opportunities to see text in books and labels on resources.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children develop mathematical concepts through many aspects of play . Children spontaneously count,add, subtract, write numerals, describe shapes. Due to limited numbers of adults present each session there is an inconsistency to formal mathematical activities.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children are able to investigate and explore a wide range of objects and materials on a daily basis. They have very limited access to programmable resources. Children eagerly ask questions to learn more about the activities provided. They recall events, visits in the community, and learn how others live.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are developing fine and gross motor skills age appropriately along the stepping stones. They have access to an excellent range of activities and resources. Children negotiate activities with an age appropriate awareness of safety They understand how their body reacts to changes in temperature and the need for personal hygiene. They join the reception class for outside playtime.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children are eager to experience the wide range of natural and man made resources in the craft area. This enables them to be creative both two and three dimensionally. Children do not consistently have the opportunity to create their own individual interpretation of the craft activity. Children follow instructions during activity songs and use their imagination to interpret how they feel.

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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

1. Include all staff in the formal process of planning which will result in a sharing and delegation of tasks. 2.Inform all adults/volunteers of the stepping stones to the early learning goals and related teaching methods. 3.Ensure children have access to programmable resources and technology.

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