Alderman Pounder Infant and Nursery School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 11/02/2005 Inspector Name Carol Newman

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Busy Bees Play Group Setting Address Peace Memorial Hall Woodfield Lane Ashtead Surrey KT21 2BE

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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

Busy Bees Play Group was registered under a joint ownership, which included the current owner, in 1995 and under a sole ownership since 2000. It operates from one room in the Peace Memorial Hall in Ashtead in Surrey. A maximum of 24 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 09:15 to 12:00 term time only. Children have access to a small fully enclosed outdoor area. There are currently 23 children aged from 2 to under 5 years on roll. Of these, 12 receive funding for nursery education. Children come from a wide catchment area. At present no children with a statement of special educational needs, that receive funded nursery education, attend the group. The group supports a number of children with English as an additional language. The nursery employs seven members of staff. Three of the staff, including the owner/manager, hold an appropriate early years qualification. Seven members of

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Information about the setting

staff hold a current first aid certificate. The setting receives support from the Early Years Childcare Service.

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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 educational provision at Busy Bees Nursery is acceptable and is of good quality. Children make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. Children's progress in creative development is very good. Progress in personal, social and emotional development, knowledge and understanding of the world, communication, language and literacy, mathematical development and physical development is generally good overall. Quality of teaching is generally good. Staff have a satisfactory understanding of how children develop and learn. However, staff do not always support children's learning by taking advantage of spontaneous learning opportunities or by extending learning. Activity planning sheets are not always used effectively. Staff build good relationships with the children to help them to feel secure. They use positive body language and good eye contact when speaking to the children. Staff demonstrate a

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How effective is the nursery education?

positive attitude towards learning. They give children time to complete activities and children are allowed to interpret activities for themselves. Some observations are made to record children's achievements. However, children's progress towards the early learning goals is not effectively identified in the record keeping. Leadership and management is generally good. The owner/manager is committed to improving the quality of care and education. She meets regularly with staff to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the provision. Staff are encouraged to enrol on relevant courses. However, the action plan from the previous inspection has not been fully implemented with regard to the development of the assessment records. The partnership with parents is very good. Parents are regularly informed about the children's activities and they can make appointments to discuss their children's progress. Staff share their observations of the children informally, on a daily basis.

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How effective is the nursery education?

Parental opinion is sought through the parent Opinion Polls.

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What is being done well?

• Children's creativity is developing well. They explore a range of materials using their senses. Children respond positively to songs and music and play imaginatively. Staff allow children to interpret activities for themselves. • Parents receive information regarding the current topic through the noticeboard and this is updated regularly. Parental opinion is sought through the parent "Opinion Poll" questionnaires. • Staff meet regularly to discuss children's progress and new ideas for activities.

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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

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What needs to be improved?

• the planning, observation and record keeping so that children's individual progress through the stepping stones towards the early learning goals is clearly identified and addressed in planning • the staff's understanding of the aims and objectives of each activity and how young children learn, in order that all children may be suitably supported and challenged.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The improvement in the educational provision since the last inspection is generally good. At the last inspection, the group agreed to revise the assessment records and to link them more closely to the early learning goals. The group have implemented the Surrey Child Profiles. However, records only relate to the children's progress with regard to the yellow and blue stepping stones. Also, the group agreed to provide parents with information about the curriculum changes at that time. The group gives parents basic information regarding the six areas of learning in the prospectus and in newsletters.

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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: Generally Good Children talk freely about their experiences during circle time and free play activities. They understand the nursery routines and react well to requests to tidy up. Staff reinforce these routines by giving reminders of what happens next. Children demonstrate their independence when they put their art work in their trays. They express pleasure in their achievements when they show their work to adults. Some children find it difficult to share resources, particularly during child led activities.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Most children speak very confidently. They recognise their own names on labels and register themselves on arrival by putting their name on the board. Children enjoy listening to favourite stories. They can predict what happens next in the story in response to open ended questioning by the staff. Children handle books carefully and they are beginning to write their names competently. Staff do not make best use of the daily routine to encourage children to link sounds to letters.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children count confidently. They count to ten and beyond and know the next number when counting for the date. Children recognise simple 2D shapes and they notice similarities when sorting objects such as shells. Children understand simple subtraction when they deduct one from two, during conversations. Children count four corners for "Wind the Bobbin Up". Staff do not take sufficient advantage of opportunities in the daily routine to encourage comparison of number or simple problem solving.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children learn about different cultures and beliefs through topic work such as "Chinese New Year". They understand the use of, and can operate, simple equipment such as the musical keyboard. Children select and use small tools well. They use rollers, cutters and glue sticks when making collage and modelling with playdough. Children observe change when growing beans indoors and flowers outdoors. No current evidence was seen of children building structures on a large scale.

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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: Generally Good Children move confidently on the trampet indoors. They have free access to a wide range of equipment in the outdoor area, such as trikes and cars and resources that encourage imaginative play. However, these activities are not included in planning and children do not respect the limited space of others. Children have good hand/eye co-ordination. They play throwing games with bean bags and soft balls and they use a range of small tools when playing with the play dough and constructing collage.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children explore different textures when they make collage, use the paint dabbers on textured paper and at the feely board. They respond to songs such as "Wind the Bobbin Up" by joining in the chorus and actions. They choose to play the electronic organ and to dance along. Children play imaginatively with the small world figures and when they make and share playdough cakes. Staff encourage children to play imaginatively when they ask them to move as different animals.

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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 the planning, observation and record keeping, so that children's individual progress through the stepping stones towards the early learning goals is clearly identified and addressed in planning • develop the staff's understanding of the aims and objectives of each activity and how young children learn, in order that all children may be suitably supported and challenged.

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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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