Queensgate Pre-School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 16/02/2005 Inspector Name Christine Tipple

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Queensgate Pre-School Setting Address Beverley Grammar School Queensgate Beverley East Riding of Yorkshire HU17 8NF

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of Queensgate Pre School

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Queensgate Pre School Address Queensgate Beverley North Humberside HU17 8NF

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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

Queensgate Pre-School opened in 1990 and is run by a voluntary management committee. It operates from a portacabin set within the grounds of Beverley Grammar school, they have sole use of the building, and the pre-school serves the local community. There is an enclosed outdoor play area. The group times of opening are Monday to Friday 09.15 - 11.45 term time only. There are currently 35 children on roll of which 22 are in receipt of nursery education funding. There are systems in place to provide support for children with special needs and for children with English as additional language. Eight staff are employed who all work part time with the children, four have relevant childcare qualifications, others have appropriate working experience. The pre-school is a member of the Pre-school Learning Alliance and receive support from the Local Authority.

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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?

Queensgate Pre-school offers good quality nursery education overall. Children are making generally good progress towards the early learning goals. In personal, social and emotional, mathematical, physical and creative development and knowledge and understanding of the world they are making very good progress. The quality of teaching is generally good. Staff provide a welcoming environment in which children learn through play. Planning is good, and sessions are well organised and run smoothly. Staff have a sound knowledge and understanding of the Foundation Stage, which ensures the six areas of learning are promoted in the routines and in the effective range of activities and resources offered. However, some aspects of literacy are not extended sufficiently. Staff offer the children appropriate support and challenges. They question children effectively to promote their understanding, thinking and communication skills. They assist children to

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How effective is the nursery education?

develop their independence in all areas and express themselves confidently. Staff provide good role models for the children, and they manage their behaviour well. Children’s assessments are regularly completed by the key worker, but these are not always clearly linked to the stepping stones. Leadership and management of the group are very good. The committee is organised and supports the staff in all areas of the pre-schools operations. They are committed to developing and improving practices and seek guidance and support as required. Staff work well as a team and attend ongoing training. The partnership with parents is very good. They have positive relationships with staff. They receive a range of detailed information, which is well presented, through newsletters, planning, displays and daily contact with their child's key worker. Parents are given good opportunities to be involved in their child's learning and to be

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How effective is the nursery education?

part of the management committee and they are kept informed of their child's progress and development.

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What is being done well?

• Staff give high priority to children's personal, social and communication skills. Children are provided with excellent support and staff have a good understanding of the children's individual needs. They are confident in their surroundings and are motivated to learn. Behaviour is managed in a caring and effective way within realistic boundaries. • Staff have a sound knowledge and understanding of the Foundation Stage curriculum. They plan a comprehensive range of activities which covers all six areas of learning. They ensure children are given sufficient time to explore and learn through practical activities and experiences, for example making a castle in the role play area, visit to the shop and explore their local environment.

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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 • There are an effective range of resources that are confidently used by staff to support children's learning. They are able to make choices and select resources independently to develop their ideas, for example to make flags for the castle. Children communicate well and staff's interaction with them provides good opportunities for open ended questioning and for children's contributions to be valued. • The committee and staff have a positive approach to the development and monitoring of the education and care of the children. They have developed links with support agencies and access to relevant training to ensure the ongoing quality of the education offered to the children. • Staff work very well with parents they operate a key worker system and parents are welcomed into pre-school. A report of their child's progress is

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What is being done well?

provided along with access to the ongoing assessments recorded by the key worker. Staff value parents contribution and comments in the sharing of their children's education, for example to contribute resources and information linked to the themes and activities provided.

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What needs to be improved?

• the opportunities for children to write for different purposes • the linking of the stepping stones more effectively in relation to children's assessments.

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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 keen, motivated to learn, and are confident in their surroundings. They try out new experiences, and are able to concentrate appropriately in their groups. Children are gaining independence in their self care and through access to the wide range of resources offered. Children have formed good relationships with adults and each other. Their behaviour is very good. They are supportive of each other and are able to share and take turns.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children enjoy books and they are aware that books give information, both real and imaginary. Children demonstrate good speaking and listening skills and they initiate conversation. The older and more able children are learning to recognise letters and sounds and most children can recognise their own name, however opportunities are not extended in all areas of the provision for mark making and the development of writing skills.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good All children use number and count in everyday activities. They access resources for sorting and recognising shapes. Three-year-old children count to five, and some, with four-year-olds, are confident to count beyond ten. Children use language for size, using "more" or "less", and they are developing methods to problem solve in practical situations, e.g. counting how many more candles are needed. Children are able to compare and make simple patterns through construction and creative play.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good The children explore and investigate their surroundings, this is supported with a variety of tools and equipment. They look at similarities and differences in living things, planting seeds, the weather and changing seasons. Good use is made of free play for the children to cut and design and put materials together. Access to information technology is well established. Children have a sense of place and time, and have an awareness of different cultures.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good The children move confidently around the premises demonstrating good body control and co-ordination. They are aware of each other during group activities and can move in a variety of ways. They use a good selection of tools for example, scissors, use of pencils, brushes and threading and malleable materials. Children are developing an understanding of their bodies and keeping 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 express themselves through the range of resources, using their senses, paints and other mediums, such as model making and collages. Children play well together and use imaginative and role-play very effectively. They express their feelings and experiences through carpet time and in the activities provided. Children are able to explore and develop and extend their own ideas in their creative play. They can sing a number of songs from memory and use a variety of musical instruments.

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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

• provide more opportunities for children to practise and refine their mark making and writing skills in everyday activities • ensure children's assessments are more closely linked to the stepping stones.

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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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