St Nicolas CofE Academy

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 18/11/2004 Inspector Name Judith, Mary Butler

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Rainbow Pre-School (Aylesbury) Setting Address Aylesbury Sports & Social Club Cricket and Hockey Section, Wendover Road Aylesbury Buckinghamshire HP21 9NJ

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of Rainbow Pre-School Committee 1030624

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Rainbow Pre-School Committee Address 32 Ramworth Way Aylesbury Buckinghamshire HP21 7EU

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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

Rainbow Pre-School first opened in 1980. It operates from a sports and social club in Aylesbury. A maximum of 26 children aged from 2 to under 5 years may attend at any one time. The pre-school is open 5 days a week from 09.30 until 12.00 and from 12.30 until 15.00 on Tuesdays and Thursdays. All children share access to an outdoor play area. There are currently 57 children from 2 to under 5 years on roll. Of these, 48 children receive funding for nursery education. Children attend from the local surrounding area. The nursery supports a number of children with special educational needs, and a number of children who speak English as an additional language. The pre-school employs nine staff. The manager and seven staff hold relevant early years qualifications to at least level 2. A further staff member is working towards an early years qualification.

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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?

Rainbow Pre-School offers acceptable nursery provision and is of high quality. Children are making very good progress towards the early learning goals. Teaching is very good. Staff have a sound knowledge of the Foundation Stage. They plan an interesting and fun range of activities for the children. All staff are involved in the planning process with the manager and deputy responsible for putting the final product together. Planning identifies the expected learning outcome, staffing and resources required. Staff miss opportunities to develop children's calculation skills through practical activities. Children participate in the activities offered with enthusiasm and enjoyment. A key worker system is in place and children's progress is monitored through regular observations. Children with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language are offered a very good level of support within the setting. Staff treat the children with kindness and respect; children

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How effective is the nursery education?

are well behaved. Leadership and management are very good. Staff are clear about their roles and responsibilities within the setting and work well together as a team. Regular staff meetings are held and these are used to plan future activities, discuss individual children's progress and identify staff training needs. There is no formal appraisal system in place for staff. Partnership with parents is very good. Parents receive comprehensive information about the setting, routines, curriculum and policies through the parents handbook, notice board and regular newsletters. Staff and parents verbally share information about the child at the beginning and end of the session. Termly parents sessions are held and parents can make an appointment to see their child's key worker and view the developmental records on their child.

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What is being done well?

• Children leave their main carer with ease. They enter the setting confidently and are able to select the toys and resources they wish to use from the range set up prior to their arrival. They are competent in their independence skills and many are able to work alone at a number of tasks. Children relate confidently to each other and adults within the setting. • Children respond enthusiastically to new experiences and are confident in communicating their thoughts and feelings to both their peers and adults. Children have many opportunities to freely express themselves through role-play, small world toys and art and craft activities. • Children relate events from their personal lives with confidence. They are developing an awareness of other cultures and traditions. Children have access to a good variety of media and materials to learn through first hand

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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 experiences and aid them in using their senses. They are confident in their use of the computer. • Staff show a secure knowledge of the Foundation Stage and stepping stones. They provide children with an interesting, fun and stimulating range of activities and resources. Staff use good consolidation techniques such as questioning, repetition and re-visiting topics to reinforce children's learning. They provide a high level of support to children with special educational needs, working closely with parents and outside agencies to support children's learning.

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What needs to be improved?

• appraisal system, to ensure that individual staff's strengths, weaknesses and training needs are formally identified and recorded • calculation, to increase opportunities for children to use simple calculations within he daily routines.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The nursery has made very good progress since the last inspection. Staff have introduced effective measures to increase opportunities for children to recognise and use letters. They have provided further resources, for example stencils and sponge printing letters, to be used by the children in regular planned activities. Clear labels of familiar objects are displayed around the setting. Children have opportunities to recognise their names through the daily routines. Children's art work is displayed in all areas of the building including the small group room, entrance hall and large hall. Staff use both fixed and portable boards to display children's art work. All pictures and samples of work are clearly labelled with the children's names.

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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 leave their main carer with ease. They select the toys and resources they wish to use and are developing their independence skills. Many children are able to work alone at a number of tasks. They are keen and enthusiastic to try new activities, for example the marbling pictures. Staff treat the children with kindness and respect. Children are well behaved, they share the toys and resources and show co-operation towards their peers. Children relate confidently to each other and adults.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children use language well to express their ideas and communicate with each other and adults within the setting. They are able to recognise their names and are becoming aware that print carries meaning. Staff provide a range of activities to enable children to practise their mark making and emergent writing. Older children are able to write their names and recognisable letters. Children enjoy books and stories in both small and large group situations. They handle books correctly and with care.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children count confidently up to, and many count beyond, 10. Children are beginning to recognise numerals from 0 to 9. Staff miss opportunities to use simple calculation in practical activities, for example the number of drinks at snack time. Staff provide children with a range fun activities to match and compare, for example matching the pairs of socks. Children use mathematical language in their play and are learning about shape and size through practical activities.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children talk with confidence about events that have happened in their personal lives. They are becoming aware of other cultures and traditions. Staff provide children with a good range of media and materials. Children learn through first hand experiences, for example playing with the rice and oats. Children are confident in their design and making skills; they use a range of construction, malleable and recycled materials to extend their skills. They are confident in their use of the computer.

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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 show good co-ordination skills and awareness of space. They move confidently around all areas of the pre-school and are able to negotiate both fixed and moving objects. They are developing their independence skills and show an awareness of personal hygiene. Children access a good range of tools, for example scissors, pencils and brushes. Children use them safely and with control. Children are developing their gross motor skills through a variety of large apparatus available each day.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are able to freely express themselves through a range of activities and resources such as role-play, small world toys and art and craft activities. They participate and respond to new experiences with enthusiasm and enjoyment. Children are confident in communicating their thoughts and feelings to each other and adults. Children enjoy singing and acting out the songs; some children make up their own words to familiar songs.

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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: • appraisal system, to introduce a system of formally recording individual staff's strengths, weaknesses and training needs • calculation, to provide children with further opportunities to use calculation within the daily routines.

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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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