St Bridget's Pre-School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 21/11/2004 Inspector Name Susan, Helen Spencer

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name St Bridget's Pre-School Setting Address St Bridgets Church Centre St Bridgets Lane West Kirby Wirral CH48 3TJ

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name St Bridget's Pre-School Address St Bridgets Church Hall St Bridgets Lane West Kirby Wirral CH48 7JT

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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

St Bridget's Pre-school was established in 1992. It is situated in the grounds of a primary school in West Kirby and good links have been established between the two settings. Most of the children attending live in the immediate area and progress into the school. The pre-school is registered for 20 children to attend at any time. There are 24 children attending pre-school sessions including 15 three-year-olds who receive funding. In addition, a further eight children, aged from two to two years six months attend a separate session on Wednesday afternoons. The pre-school offers five sessions weekly and caters for children from two years six months to five years. It is open both morning and afternoon on Mondays, mornings only on Tuesdays and Fridays and on Thursday afternoons. It occupies a church hall that is shared with others, and equipment and resources have to be set up and put away before and after every session. There is access to the playground and the

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Information about the setting

school playing fields. There are two joint pre-school leaders. Both have relevant experience and one is nearing completion of NVQ level III in Childcare and Education. They are supported by a further three experienced staff, with one of these undertaking the same NVQ, and one being a qualified nursery nurse. The pre-school receives support from the local early years partnership.

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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 nursery education provided at St Bridget's Pre-school is very good. Children are making very good progress towards the early learning goals in all six areas of learning. The quality of teaching is very good. Staff have good relationships with children and know them well. Staff have a good knowledge and understanding of the foundation stage. However, planning does not show how activities will be adapted to meet the needs of more and less able children. Staff plan a good range of practical activities and they organise resources to provide a stimulating environment. They display commitment and enthusiasm. Planning and assessment are structured around the six areas of learning, but staff do not make best use of information from assessments to help with planning activities. Children have good opportunities to work in different groupings and with different adults during each session. They receive a good level of support from staff, who extend children's vocabulary and

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How effective is the nursery education?

develop their thinking skills. The leadership and management of the pre-school is very good. The staff team work effectively together to promote children's learning. They attend relevant training and they act on advice from the local early years partnership. Monthly meetings and frequent discussions provide opportunities to review provision but there is no rigorous system in place to ensure that all aspects of provision are monitored and evaluated. The partnership with parents and carers is very good. Parents are given good information about the setting and what children are learning. Staff regularly share children's assessment records with them, keeping them well informed of their children's progress and attainment. There are many valuable opportunities for parents to be involved in their children's learning, including helping during pre-school sessions and serving on the management committee.

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What is being done well?

• Good links have been established with the primary school to enable children to make a smooth transition to school life. • Children's personal, social and emotional development is fostered well. They are confident learners and staff offer praise and encouragement. • Children are confident communicators who are eager to share their news and ideas. •• Staff support children well, helping to develop their vocabulary and their thinking skills.There is a good range of resources and practical activities organised to promote learning.

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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 • Children are taken on many outings locally to find out about the features of where they live and there are many valuable opportunities for children to develop independence. • Good relationships have been established with parents, who are kept well informed about their children's progress towards the early learning goals.

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What needs to be improved?

• planning, to show how the needs of all children will be met • the use of information from assessments to plan activities that build on what children know and can do • the system for monitoring and evaluating practice.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Very good progress has been made since the last inspection. As a result of attending training, staff have devised a new statement relating to provision for children with special educational needs. This gives a good indication of how they will support children in a variety of ways. This information is shared with parents, to provide them with a clear understanding of the procedures involved and what action staff will take. Currently, there are no children with special educational needs attending the pre-school but staff are aware of the need to work in partnership with parents and other professionals. Staff have reviewed their system for sharing records with parents and carers. This exchange now takes place every three months, with parents signing records when they have discussed them. This is in addition to the informal discussions that take place daily. This combination of approaches enables parents to keep well informed

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What has improved since the last inspection?

about their children's progress towards the early learning goals.

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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 and well motivated learners. They are able to concentrate and persevere during activities. Staff have good relationships with children and they have fun together. Staff encourage good behaviour and offer praise and encouragement. Children are offered choices and there are many valuable opportunities for them to gain personal independence. Children display pride and satisfaction in their completed work and excitement as they share their news with friends and staff.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children are eager communicators, confidently sharing their news and ideas. They are very imaginative when making up their own stories during role play. They enjoy sharing books with staff, who read stories expressively. There are many good opportunities for children to write, as they label their work and write during role play activities. Staff provide good opportunities for children to recognise their names. They develop children's thinking skills through skilful questioning.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children have good opportunities to recognise patterns and shapes through creative work and games. They count confidently and staff use questioning well to develop children's understanding of addition and subtraction. Practical activities, such as baking, provide valuable opportunities to explore size and quantity. Children compare positions at snack time and when tidying up. They are able to match and sort objects competently when playing with small farm animals and when threading beads.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Practical activities, such as baking and planting give children valuable opportunities to experience similarities, differences and change. Staff provide many good opportunities for children to explore the local environment, enabling them to find out about different roles of people in the community. In addition, there are many good resources to enable children to find out about other cultures and beliefs. They use a computer confidently, explaining what needs to be done next as they work on it.

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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 display good dexterity when handling construction sets and modelling with play dough. They show good control when using pencils and when threading beads. A good range of equipment is provided to help children move confidently when they use the playground and the local park. Staff encourage children to develop an awareness of the importance of having a healthy lifestyle, and children enjoy weekly keep fit sessions and frequent walks. In addition, they undertake work on healthy eating.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children have many valuable opportunities to explore colour and texture. They model carefully with a range of materials and they use their imaginations as they make up their own stories. They particularly like dressing up. Specialist teachers provide weekly music and dance sessions which children enjoy, giving them good opportunities to listen to, perform and respond to music. Staff provide a good range of sensory experiences, both indoors and out, that effectively promote learning.

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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: • develop the planning of the programme to show how the needs of all children will be met and use information from assessments to assist in the planning of activities that build on what children know and can do.

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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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