Hamd House School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 10/01/2005 Inspector Name Jean Prince

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Floral Place Nursery Setting Address 2 Floral Place Northampton Grove Islington London N1 2PL

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name Bright Horizons Family Solutions Ltd 02386635

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Bright Horizons Family Solutions Ltd Address 2 Crown Court, Crown Way Rushden Northamptonshire NN10 6BS

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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

Floral Place Nursery, opened in 1991. It is now owned by an international company who manages nurseries throughout the country. It operates from the ground floor of a multi-purpose building serving the local area. Both the large internal area and the small outside garden have recently been refurbished. The children play in a large open-plan room with clearly designated areas for the different activities. Outside is a secure two level paved area where children can use large toys and play games together. There are currently 32 children on roll, aged from 6 months to 4 years. This includes 2 funded three year olds. Children attend a variety of sessions. There are no children attending at present who have identified Special Educational Needs or English as an additional language. The group opens five days a week, all year round. Sessions are from 8:00 until 18:30. Five full time staff work with the children. All staff except one have early years

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Information about the setting

qualifications. One member of staff is currently on a training programme. The nursery receives support and advice and opportunities for training from the London Borough of Islington.

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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?

Children in Floral Place Nursery are making good progress in all areas of learning towards the early learning goals. Children settle well and are confident and happy in the environment. They are becoming independent learners. They have good relationships with staff and each other and provision for their personal, social and emotional development is very good. The quality of teaching is generally good. Staff provide many worthwhile activities and use their knowledge of how children learn to effectively develop the children's learning and independence. Staff are skilled at helping children to develop spoken language and imaginative play. Staff make detailed observations of children which they use effectively to plan further activities to develop children's interests, experience and knowledge. The records provide a clear picture of children's progress which is shared with parents on a regular basis. The leadership and management is very good. The new manager is developing a

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How effective is the nursery education?

team of committed staff who have a collaborative approach to all aspects of their work. Staff are observed on a regular basis and this has led to further training aimed at improving the quality of teaching. Clear procedures for monitoring and evaluating the curriculum are in place. The manager receives and acts upon support and advice from the Nursery Company staff. The partnership with parents and carers is very good. Parents receive useful and informative handbooks which explain in detail all aspects of the nursery provision. Regular well-produced newsletters and monthly meetings arranged by the manager, help parents to understand more about how they can support their children's learning at home.

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What is being done well?

• Staff encourage children to extend their conversation through good questioning and introducing new vocabulary, and as a result children are beginning to talk confidently. • Relationships with parents are positive, they are welcomed into the nursery. They are offered good opportunities to learn more about their children's learning through regular meetings arranged by the manager. • Children are learning growing independence and self care as they are well supported and encouraged to carry out tasks such putting on and taking off their coats, selecting activities and tidying up resources. • Staff use observations to plan activities which will develop children's learning through their own interests.

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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 work well as a team and are all committed to developing their own skills and knowledge.

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What needs to be improved?

• planned opportunities for children to focus on literacy activities related to the recognition of letters by shape and sound • regular group times throughout the day for older children when they can focus on planned stories, songs and rhymes

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Since the previous inspection the nursery has changed ownership and has had five changes of manager. The previous inspection identified three key issues. The need to provide more opportunities for children to take part in a wider ranger of physical activities, to include more opportunities for children to become familiar with the sounds, shapes, and names of letters, and to have greater access to everyday technology. A detailed action plan was produced with manageable and time-related actions. Good progress has been made with extending physical activities. The reorganisation of the internal area allows children to move freely and to access large blocks and planks which helps them to develop balancing skills. The children now benefit from regular planned activities organised and presented by an outside teacher. She plans games which allow children to work with a range of small apparatus such as balls,

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What has improved since the last inspection?

hoops etc. In addition children have fortnightly activities which involve dance and movement sessions. Although the computer is not currently in use, children now have more opportunities to use real and imaginary everyday technology. They see the digital camera in constant use and staff use the photographs to illustrate their experiences, and for discussion. Plans to include listening stations and story tapes are also about to be implemented. Progress with planning more opportunities for recognition of letters names and sounds is more limited as currently there are only very young three year-old children in the nursery. Staff are aware of the need to introduce more language activities as children develop interest in this area of learning.

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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's confidence is effectively supported and developed by staff who are sensitive to their needs and know them well. Children behave very well and share equipment. They are taught how to manage their differences through simple relevant explanations. Children access resources freely and are encouraged to develop their independence.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children speak with confidence and clarity. Staff promote this by skilful questioning which helps children to develop their communication skills. Staff support children's interests and imagination very well when they provide additional activities to develop role play. Older children would benefit from more activities which focus on letter sounds and shapes as they begin to show more interest in text. Opportunities for children to listen to stories and rhymes in groups need to be extended.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children use and react to mathematical language used in daily routines and activities very well. They learn about shape and size as they build with a range of blocks and three-dimensional shapes. They learn to count as they set the tables for meals. Older children will benefit from more opportunities to learn number songs and rhymes.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children use the local environment well as they visit a local road works and watch a steamroller at work. They visit the park and the library regularly which helps them to learn more about where they live. They have free access to a range of natural resources and are encouraged to explore and investigate for themselves. Older children are beginning to know about the uses of everyday technology as they take pictures with the digital camera.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children learn to use the space effectively and work with small equipment during regular sessions with a visiting teacher. They also have opportunities to move with confidence during dance and movement activities. They benefit from daily use of a small paved area where they can use wheeled toys and play small group games together. They are learning to control their fingers as they use various tools such as pencils, sharpeners, paints, chalks and crayons.

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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: Generally Good Children have very good opportunities to develop their role-play and imagination. They explore texture as they mix and handle corn flour and are able to select different materials as they create their own two and three-dimensional structures. Imaginative play is very well-supported by staff who organise additional activities to further children's learning. This is developed further as children take part in regular dance and story-telling activities.

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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

• plan more opportunities for older children to focus on literacy activities related to the recognition of letters by shape and sound • include regular group times throughout the day for older children, when they can focus on planned stories, songs and rhymes

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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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