Umberleigh Primary Academy

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 02/12/2004 Inspector Name Patricia Joan Latham

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Out of School Day Care, Full Day Care Setting Name The Early Years Nursery and The Early Years Playscheme Setting Address Milton Keynes College Chaffron Way Centre,Leadenhall Milton Keynes Buckinghamshire MK3 5LP

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Milton Keynes College Address Milton Keynes College Chaffron Way, Leadenhall Milton Keynes Buckinghamshire MK6 5LP

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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

The Early Years Nursery and The Early Years Playscheme opened in 1999. It operates from three self-contained rooms in Milton Keynes College, Woughton Campus, Leaden Hall, Milton Keynes. A maximum of 20 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 08.50 to 17.15 Monday to Thursday and 08.50 to 17.00 on a Friday. There are currently 36 children aged from 2 to under 8 years on roll. Of these, 16 children receive funding for nursery education. The nursery serves children whose parents are registered students at the college. The nursery currently supports children with special educational needs and children who speak English as an additional language. The nursery employs five members of staff, including a nursery manager whose responsibilities involve managing the nursery and teaching childcare within the college. All staff members have early years 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?

The Early Years Nursery provides good quality nursery education overall, which enables children to make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. The quality of teaching is generally good. Staff have a good understanding of the Foundation Stage stepping stones and plan the curriculum to cover all areas of learning. However, some aspects of literacy are not fully covered and staff miss opportunities to extend children’s skills in the correct formation of letters. Staff use time and resources wisely and offer activities which are interesting and varied. They question children to encourage their thinking and high ratios allow for individual support to be given as required. Staff manage children's behaviour calmly and consistently and foster children’s social development. They make recordings of children’s progress regularly and use these when working with their key worker children during daily activities.

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How effective is the nursery education?

Leadership and management of the nursery are generally good. Staff work well as a team and attend regular meetings. They keep their knowledge updated and are all involved with planning the programme. Learning intentions are set for activities, but these are not indicated on the focused activity sheets for all staff to follow. Although the overall programme of activities is evaluated this is not done systematically enough to indicate if learning aims have been met or all aspects of learning are being covered. Partnership with parents is very good and they receive full information regarding the nursery and activities undertaken. Information is exchanged between them and staff on a daily basis and they receive regular written progress reports. Parents receive good support to enable them to be involved with their child’s learning and development.

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What is being done well?

• Children are forming good relationships despite the fact that some see each other infrequently. They show a good understanding of how to work together, helping each other in activities and sharing tasks such as clearing up. • Staff have responsibility for noting the progress of individual children and undertake regular observations. These recordings are made across all Foundation Stage stepping stones to clearly show ongoing progress. This enables staff to give extra support, or extend learning, whilst they work with those children. • Children are encouraged to express themselves creatively through a range of activities. They have daily access to paint and drawing materials and produce regular wall displays connected to the current theme being followed.

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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 plan activities, which are linked by interesting themes, to stimulate children's learning. Children find out about Christmas in other countries whilst making Christmas decorations and learn about how their hearts work by using equipment brought by visiting paramedics. • Parents are welcomed into the nursery and are involved as much as possible with their child’s learning. Those who speak English as an additional language at home are asked to supply a list of familiar words, which staff use when their child first attends, and an interpreter is available should there be any difficulty in discussing children's progress or needs.

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What needs to be improved?

• activities to encourage children's understanding of the link between the sound and shape of letters and opportunities to practise and extend children's skills in correct letter formation • written sheets for daily activities to clearly show the intended learning aims for focused activities • evaluation of educational provision to ensure activities are assessed for their effectiveness.

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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 confident about entering the nursery and choosing activities. They concentrate and persevere when completing tasks and are enthusiastic about taking part in all activities. They are developing independence and take responsibility for personal hygiene. Children behave well, playing together and showing care and concern for each other.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children's language is encouraged. Children describe events and ideas and they are extending their vocabulary. They recognise and read their own name, and enjoy handling books. Children practise emergent writing skills, but there is limited opportunity for more able children to extend their skills in correct letter formation, or for all children to link the sound and shape of letters.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children count with confidence and practise this in all activities. They are developing an understanding of number operation and can calculate how many more chairs are needed for snack time. Children can recognise and name shapes, and recreate pattern when painting rainbows. They have an understanding of measure and use basic mathematical language appropriately.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children are inquisitive about the world around them and observe and examine things using basic technological equipment to support their learning. They ask questions about activities, observing how water freezes to make ice lollies and how magnets work. Children design and create many objects such as pretend cameras from recycled materials. They have an understanding of the passage of time and a growing knowledge of differing customs and beliefs.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Daily activities enable children to gain coordination over body movements and they are able to run, jump, climb and balance. They have an understanding of space around them and can catch, throw and steer small and large objects accurately. Children use a range of equipment with safety and have a growing understanding of how their bodies grow and keep healthy.

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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 explore and experiment with colour and a range of differing mediums. They enjoy mixing paint, and using clay, sand and salt dough. Children express their imagination through art, music and movement and enthusiastically take part in role play and singing songs. They are developing the use of their senses to distinguish objects, using 'feely' boxes to find things, and smelling and tasting differing foods.

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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

• develop daily action plans to ensure learning intentions are clearly indicated for focused activities and extend the evaluation of the provision to ensure all aspects of learning are included especially in relation to linking the sound, shape and correct formation of letters.

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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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