Mucky Pups Nursery

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 25/10/2004 Inspector Name Karen Cooper

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Mucky Pups Nursery Setting Address 250 Lyndon Road Solihull West Midlands B92 7QW

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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

Mucky Pups Nursery opened in 2000. It operates from premises situated in a small row of shops in a slip road off the main Lyndon road in Olton. The nursery operates from the ground floor of the premises and consists of a large play space, a kitchen, utility, office/staff room, children's and staff toilets, and a nappy changing area. There is an outdoor area available for play. The nursery serves the local area and also takes children to and from the local school nursery and provides a before and after school service. There is a separate baby nursery across the road. There are currently 45 children from 2 to 8 years on roll. This includes 2 funded 3 and 4 year olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The nursery supports children with special needs and who speak English as a second language . The nursery opens five days a week all year round excluding bank holidays. Sessions are from 07.30 to 18.30hrs.

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Information about the setting

There are five full time staff including the owner working with the children, four have an early years qualification and one is working towards a recognised early years qualification. There is an additional staff member employed to help at lunch time. The setting receives support from a teacher/mentor from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership (EYDCP).

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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?

Mucky Pups nursery provides good and secure accommodation where children engage in a variety of first hand play experiences and some more focussed learning activities which help children make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. Children make very good progress in communication language and literacy, knowledge and understanding of the world, personal social and emotional and physical development. Teaching is generally good. Some staff have attended work shops for the foundation stage and are secure in their knowledge of the early learning goals. Observations are carried out and there is a manageable system for recording children's attainment in place, although the information gained is not used effectively to plan the next steps in the children's learning. Staff are consistent in their approach to managing children's behaviour and encourage children to develop good social values and self

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How effective is the nursery education?

confidence. There are some missed opportunities during activities and daily routines to encourage children to make progress in their mathematical and creative development. A special educational needs policy is in operation and staff work closely with support workers and parents to ensure requirements of the Code of Practice are met. Leadership and management is generally good. The nursery benefits from strong leadership and a committed staff group. Staff are clear about their roles and responsibilities and work well together as a team. They have regular opportunities to improve their personal development and are encouraged to share their ideas and be actively involved in the running of the nursery. Partnership with parents is very good. Parents are encouraged to share in their children's learning and are kept well informed of their progress. They are provided with written and verbal information about their child's development and of the

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What is being done well?

• The children who have been identified as having a special educational need are well supported with individual plans, which are reviewed and revised on a regular basis. The advice and support from outside agencies and parents is used when developing these individual plans. • Children are provided with many experiences to develop their physical skills through a variety of daily practical activities and children are learning to handle a range of tools equipment and material confidently and safely. Tools and equipment such as scissors, pencils, computer, cutlery and climbing frame are used with appropriate adult support and guidance matched to individual abilities.

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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 have created a caring, friendly, learning environment where children are well settled Organisation of the daily routines, activities and the deployment of staff is good. They are committed to further training to improve the care and education of the children and good support is given to all the children both on an individual basis and when working in a group. • New parents are invited to visit, talk to staff and stay with their children during an initial settling in period. They are given an informative booklet containing useful information about the nursery, its policies, routines and activities and the educational programme. News letters, parents meeting and daily discussions keeps parent well informed about activities, topics and progress.

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What needs to be improved?

• the provision of daily routines and activities that promote the development for simple problem solving. • the daily programme for children to freely choose activities to extend their imagination • the use of information gathered from assessing and observing children's progress in the six areas of learning to aid future learning.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Not applicable, as this is the first inspection.

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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 interested, motivated to learn and eager to participate in activities. They are learning to care for their own belongings and the simple rules for working happily together. They are co-operative, take turns, know right from wrong and behave well. They eagerly help put things away after use and enjoy being given responsibilities. They are learning about themselves and developing an awareness of other cultures and beliefs through planned topics.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Most children are confident speakers and easily engage in conversation with each other and adults. They join in enthusiastically with stories, know how books work and are beginning to understand that print carries meaning. They are attempting to link sounds to letters, and some more able children can recognise their own names. They practise mark making and some children are starting to form recognisable letters.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children learn about shape, colour and size through practical daily activities and technology. They create patterns using interlocking blocks and threading and are beginning to develop an understanding of matching, sorting and sequence. They enjoy singing number rhymes and many can confidently count to ten. They match numbers to objects and sometimes solve problems through activities, but this is not consistent. They learn to compare size and position when completing jigsaw puzzles.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children freely talk about past and present events, families and current topics. They discuss the weather, seasons and days of the week on a daily basis. They explore the natural world and handle both man made and natural items such as those on the 'Autumn' display table. They know how the telephone, programmable toys and computer works and are stimulated to ask how and why things work through cooking, water and sand play. They build and construct with a range of malleable and junk material.

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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: Very Good Children practice moving in different ways and enjoy joining in with music and movement sessions. They move confidently around the indoor and outdoor play spaces. They regularly use climbing equipment to develop their large motor skills and use a range of small equipment such as glue spreaders, paint brushes, cutlery and pencils with increasing skill. Their spacial awareness is developed as they eagerly join in action games and the need to keep healthy is encouraged through topics.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children explore and experiment with a variety of materials through planned activities such as dough, paint, collage, sand and water. They participate in cooking activities which results in the end product being eaten and readily express themselves through music, movement and singing. They often explore colour and texture during daily craft activities, although are not encouraged to create independent work and opportunities to extend their imagination are limited.

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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

• Extend the existing programme for mathematical development to ensure children develop their simple subtraction and calculating skills through daily activities and routines. • Improve opportunities to develop children's imagination during role play and daily activities. • Improve the system for observing and assessing children's progress to ensure that the information gained is used effectively to inform planning in order to meet development needs of individual children.

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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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