Scallywags Nursery Limited

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 26/01/2005 Inspector Name Lynne Moodie

p.1

SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Scallywags Nursery Limited Setting Address Castle Lane Melbourne Derbyshire DE73 8JB

p.1

ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Scallywags Limited Address Castle Lane Melbourne Derbyshire DE73 8JB

p.1

ORGANISATION DETAILS

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

p.1

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.

p.2

Information about the setting

Scallywags Nursery Limited opened in September 2003, and is based in a purpose built ground floor building in the Derbyshire village of Melbourne. There are shops, schools and parks in the immediate area. The nursery serves the local and surrounding community. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The nursery supports children with special needs. The nursery offers full day care, five days a week from 7.30 a.m. until 6.00 p.m., all year round. Over half the staff have early years qualifications to level 3. The nursery receives support from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership.

p.2

Information about the setting

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

p.2

How effective is the nursery education?

Scallywags Nursery is a stimulating environment where the children are making generally good progress towards the early learning goals. The programme for teaching personal, social and emotional development and physical and creative development are particularly well taught and in these areas the children are making very good progress. The quality of teaching is generally good. The staff's knowledge and understanding of the early learning goals is very good. They know the children well and are able to extend the children's learning through careful use of questioning. The support for children with special educational needs is very good. The formal planning procedure includes all the early learning goals. It does not yet show however, how the activities will be adapted for children with different abilities. Neither does it ensure a balance between activities chosen by the children and those directed by the staff.

p.3

How effective is the nursery education?

Assessments of children's progress are regular and detailed but do not inform the planning for the next stage of their learning. This means that the children's progress towards the early learning goals is not always systematic. The staff have high expectations for the children's behaviour which is excellent. The quality of leadership is generally good. The management team support staff through regular monitoring and set targets for professional development. They share their clear vision for high quality care and education of the children. They have not yet ensured that the monitoring of children's progress is used to plan for their next steps for learning. The partnerships with parents and carers is generally good. Parents are encouraged to exchange information about their children during informal meetings with the staff. They are welcomed to join in with social activities such as the bonfire party. At

p.3

How effective is the nursery education?

present however, they are not given sufficient information about the educational programme provided by the nursery.

p.3

What is being done well?

• The staff's knowledge and understanding of the early learning goals enables them to extend the children's learning through stimulating activities and the skilled use of appropriate questioning. • Children who have special educational needs are welcomed in the nursery and are included in all activities. Staff work with parents and outside agencies to ensure a high level of support for their individual needs. • The staff use excellent strategies to promote good behaviour and consideration for others. They help the children to understand the impact of unacceptable behaviour on others. Their thoughtful, calm and polite manner sets a very good example to the children.

p.3

What is being done well?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 • The senior staff share a clear vision for the quality of care and education to be offered by the nursery. • The friendly and caring staff promote good relationships with parents and carers and encourage the regular and informal sharing of information about the children.

p.3

What needs to be improved?

• the planning and assessment procedure so that children are taught according to their individual skills, knowledge and experience • the balance of activities between those chosen by the children and those directed by the staff • the number of opportunities for the children to routinely observe positive images of people from other cultures and beliefs, both gender and those with differing abilities.

p.4

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

p.4

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good The children's behaviour is excellent. They build good relationships with each other by working in groups, taking turns and sharing equipment fairly. Through taking part in the bonfire party and eating Chinese sweets they are learning about their own culture and those of other people. There are however, few opportunities for the children to routinely observe positive images of people from other cultures, different gender and those with different abilities.

p.5

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Through talking and listening in groups and responding with enjoyment to stories, songs and rhymes the children are developing their vocabulary and their use of language for communication. Their language for thinking is extended as they organise their imaginative play such as in the home corner. At present however, there are too few directed opportunities for the children to regularly develop their skills in linking sounds and letters, reading, writing and handwriting.

p.5

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good The staff provide many interesting opportunities for the children to count through formal and informal activities. They count the spots in a dice game and children going out to play. Children paint and write numbers and look at the number lines on the wall. The children learn about shapes such as triangles, circles and squares through looking for them in the environment and making pictures. Opportunities for calculation are missed when staff put out the correct numbers of chairs at snack time.

p.5

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Through exciting activities such as collecting spiders and snails from the nursery garden and looking at them through hand lenses the children are learning about living things. They are encouraged to use all their senses when appropriate, for example by smelling lemon essence, feeling rough and smooth objects and listening to wind chimes. Although all the children use technology such as the television and tape recorder to support their learning, boys sometimes dominate the use of the computer.

p.5

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

p.5

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Through the use of the large and small climbing frames, slides, ladders and balancing beams the children are learning to move confidently and imaginatively. They develop skills for control and coordination when using the trikes and buggies. They children travel through barrels and pipes and over and around crates. The staff provide many exciting activities for the children to handle tools such as screw drivers and hammers. They construct with planks of wood and bake using spoons and bowls.

p.6

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good The staff provide many opportunities for children to explore media through making hard and soft pictures using shells, feathers and wool. The children paint with string and experiment by mixing their own colours. The children make 3 dimensional models such as the Chinese Lanterns, using paper and glitter. Their imagination is developed by painting in response to music. The children use musical instruments such as drums and tambourines to accompany their own dance, role play and stories.

p.6

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

p.6

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.

p.7

WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT: THE KEY ISSUES

• develop the already extensive planning and assessment procedure so that it ensures that the children are taught in groups, according to their individual abilities and knowledge •• ensure an effective balance of activities between those in which the children choose to engage and those directed by the staff, especially in communication, language and literacy.

p.7

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.

p.7

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

p.7