Templars Junior School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 27/10/2004 Inspector Name Margaret, Ann Sandfield

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Christchurch Nursery Setting Address Christchurch Nursery The Annexe, Ingles Way Folkestone Kent CT20 1ER

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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

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?

Provision is acceptable and of good quality overall.Children are making generally good progress towards the early learning goals, though there are areas for improvement in Knowledge and Understanding of the World and Mathemetical Development. The quality of teaching is generally good. Staff know children well and have an understanding of the early learning goals. However, set daily routines do not fully support children's learning and insufficient monitoring and evaluation of the activities prevents children from being fully challenged. Staff support children's learning by encouraging them to choose their own activities and resources. However, children are not provided with meaningful information to be informed of the range of resources that are available to them. Most staff provide the right balance of support and encouragement and as a result children are happy, interested and involved in their play. There are generally good relationships within the staff group.

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How effective is the nursery education?

Leadership and management is generally good. They have clear expectations of what is required from the staff team and have a commitment to improving care and education for children. However the rigidity of the routine does not allow for children to maximise their learning during activities. There is no evidence that planning is influenced by individual children's needs. However the staff team generally appear knowledgeable and well motivated. There is evidence that there are good links with the local school to aid children's transition. Partnership with parents is generally good. Staff place a great deal of emphasis on working in partnership with parents, actively seeking parents views and encouraging them to share knowledge of their children's needs. They provide information about the provision including some visual evidence of how their philosophy and activities relates to the early learning goals and the experiences their children are receiving.

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What is being done well?

• Most children are interested and involved in their play confidently taking turns to speak and expressing views and communicating their thoughts and ideas during planned group activities e.g. weather, calendar and news time. Most staff are actively encouraging children and giving them praise and encouragement. Children have clear boundaries for behaviour and staff are generally good role models. As a result children's behaviour is generally good. • Children are given opportunities to understand that print can be used for a number of reasons through displays of posters and labels and are now being given regular opportunities to learn pencil control. They are developing an understanding of linking sounds, letters name and sound alphabet during practical play opportunities and formal group time. Children are given

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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 meaningful opportunities to extend their language through adult directed activities, whereby they are encouraged to communicate their thoughts and feelings and explore new ideas e.g. calendar, weather and news time. • Children have some formal and practical opportunities to learn to count, recognise and say number names e.g. calendar time and in the role play area. Some children say and use number names in familiar contexts, with one child sequencing number from 1 to 10 and when checking knew that number 4 was missing • Children had regular opportunities to explore cultures and beliefs of own and others on a topic basis e.g. celebrating two festivals each half term of own and others. • Children have opportunities to use a range of indoor and outdoor equipment and as a result they move around confidently, safely, in control and

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What is being done well?

co-ordination. They are given opportunities to learn how to stay healthy. • Children explore a range of materials, colour, texture, shape and form during practical activities including creative art and craft work. Most children repeat simple action and number rhymes and songs with confidence and enthusiastically.

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What needs to be improved?

• the increase in opportunities to build on relationships and encourage children to express themselves and explore events in their own lives and others during everyday practical activities e.g. snack and lunch time • the increase in opportunities for more able children to practice self care fully e.g. recognising and putting on own coat and footwear • the opportunities by staff to use good questioning techniques during everyday practical activities to extend children's language skills on a consistent basis • the increase in relevant opportunities for children to understand print carries meaning e.g. with words supported by meaningful symbols for less able children and especially for several children who have English as an additional language. • the opportunities to further re-enforce maths during every day practical routines and develop problem solving skills, e.g. snack time to count children, mugs, pieces of fruit needed and compare how many more would be need for

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What needs to be improved?

all children on a regular basis • the provision of good quality programmable toys in free play activities • the structure of the routine that provides sufficient time for children to extend activities that fully challenge them, enabling them to reach their full potential • the provision of good quality programmable toys in free play activities and provide sufficient support to encouragement children to use the range of computer programmes.

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What needs to be improved?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The groups progress in addressing the key issues has been generally good. The room has been re-designed and developed into three main areas of language and literacy, mathematics and creativity which has improved the organisation of resources. Children have free access to these areas and can make choices from a wider range of activities in order to help them to become more self controlled, independent and responsible. The provision of an inviting book corner including reviewing and replacing books, which are now displayed and provision of comfy cushions to encourage more children to use this area. This was not observed happening at the inspection. The provision of mark making equipment on a regular basis to giving children more opportunities to develop their pencil control. The group have increase their provision of child sized furniture for all children. A new home corner has been provided, encouraging children to be involved in

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What has improved since the last inspection?

various role play situations. Word labels are now being provided, however they are insufficiently detailed to enable children to make informed choices.

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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 Most staff are sensitive to the needs of the children and know them well. As a result most children are interested and involved in their play and learning. Most children choose between activities confidently. However letter labels did not provide sufficient information for children to know the full extent of the range of resources available to them. Most staff are good role models as children behave generally well.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children are given some meaningful opportunities to extend their language through some everyday and adult led activities whereby they are encouraged to communicate their thoughts and feelings and explore new ideas. However open ended questioning techniques were inconsistently applied during the session and as a result not all children were confident communicators. Children are given some opportunities to understand that print can be used for a variety of reasons.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Significant Weaknesses Children have some practical opportunities to learn to recognise and say number names in calendar time and 'shop'. However this activity was in isolation and with many opportunities being missed to re-enforce mathematical concepts during routine activities at snack and lunch time and when lining up. Children had some meaningful opportunities to develop mathematical ideas to solve problems and to compare shape, position, size, and quantity.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Significant Weaknesses Children extend their understanding in this area through topics, calendar and weather time comparing similarities, differences, patterns and change. However there were missed opportunities to extend the current topic and re-enforced during adult led activities or during everyday practical play. Not all programmable toys support children's learning neither were children observed using the computer. Children have regular opportunities to explore their own and other cultures and beliefs.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children are provided with a range of tools and equipment and as a result they are developing their manipulative and co-ordination skills. They handle a variety of objects, construction and malleable materials safely and with increasing control. However, children move around confidently, safely, in control and co-ordination. Children have opportunities to understand how to stay 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: Generally Good Children explore a range of materials, colour, texture, shape and form during practical activities, including opportunities to participate in regular art and craft activities. They are provided with experiences to explore, express and communicate ideas using all senses, as a result most children are communicating ideas confidently. Most children repeat simple action and number rhymes and songs with confidence and enthusiastically.

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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

• increase the opportunities to build on relationships and encourage children to express themselves and explore events in their own lives and others during everyday practical activities • provide opportunities for more able children to practice self care • increase staff's awareness of how to use good questioning techniques during everyday practical activities to extend children's language skills on a consistent basis • provide relevant opportunities for children to understand that print carries meaning • increase opportunities to further re-enforce maths during every day practical routines and develop problem solving skills • review the structure of the routine to provide sufficient time for children to extend activities that fully challenge them, enabling them to reach their full potential • review monitoring of children's learning in order to link to and plan effectively the next stages that fully challenges them and meets their individual needs.

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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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