St. Joseph's CofE Junior School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 26/01/2004 Inspector Name Amanda, Jane Nicholls

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Out of School Day Care, Full Day Care Setting Name St Judes Nursery School Setting Address Silver Street Portsmouth Hampshire PO5 3BW

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of St Judes Nursery School

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name St Judes Nursery School Address Silver Street Southsea Hampshire PO5 3BW

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and 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 of the quality and standard of day care in accordance with the National Standards for Under Eights Day Care and Childminding; and 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

St Judes Nursery School first registered in 1990 and operates in St Judes Youth Centre in Southsea, Portsmouth. There are currently 111 children from the age of 2 years to under 8 years on roll, part time, 47 of these are funded three year olds. Four children are in attendance with special educational needs and three speak English as an additional language. The group opens from Monday - Friday 08:00 - 18:00 term time only. St Judes Playscheme, run by staff of the nursery, provides care for children under 8 years and again is open from Monday - Friday 08:00 - 18:00, summer holiday care only. Staff value the involvement of teacher support from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership(EYDCP).

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How good is the Day Care?

St Judes Nursery School, provides good quality care for children. Staff are well qualified and the effectiveness of the operational plan is clearly evident within the daily running of the group. Interesting and stimulating activities create an environment which is welcoming, well organised and accessible. Documentation is detailed and appropriately stored. Effective arrangements keep the premise safe and suitable arrangements are made to identify hazards and to reduce risks. Good attention is given to the preparation of snacks and drinks. Staff are appropriately aware of child protection issues, although this is not always reflected within the nursery's written policy. There are many worthwhile opportunities for children to become involved and staff place a high emphasis upon what children are able to achieve. The time taken by

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How good is the Day Care?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 staff to listen to and respond to children's interests, results in their behaviour being good. The policies and procedures in place ensure that relationships with parents are effective and purposeful.

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What is being done well?

• The carefully considered operational plan ensures that children's needs are effectively met. Appropriately trained, well qualified staff work well under strong leadership and dedicated committee members. There are clear and effective procedures of line management including those to deputise and purposeful arrangements such as regular meetings, ensure staff feel involved, valued and well supported. • The creation of an environment which is warm and welcoming for children, parents and staff alike, is enhanced by the carefully thought through timetable, the interesting and stimulating range of activities and the interest shown by staff in what children do and say. High expectations are placed upon what children can achieve. Pre-school children for example move confidently between rooms and use toilet facilities independently, while those younger sit attentively for a story and join in willingly with songs and rhymes.

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What is being done well?

• The attention given toward the provision of high quality snacks and drinks is clearly enjoyed by children. They choose with care, pieces of fruit and biscuits and are able to identify their names on individually labelled milk cartons. Mid day lunches are laid upon well prepared tables in small social groups. Here, children can talk and share news with each other and with interested staff. • The arrangements to protect staff and children whilst on the premises ensures their safety. Effective systems are in place to monitor access and keep the provision secure while the newly fitted early warning alarms and fire fighting equipment optimises time should the building require emergency evacuation.

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What needs to be improved?

• The written statement of child protection arrangements including procedures for referral.

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Outcome of the inspection

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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CONDITIONS OF REGISTRATION

All registered persons must comply with all conditions of registration included on his/her certificate of registration. As a result of this inspection conditions of registration have been imposed / varied / removed and a new certificate of registration will be issued.

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by the time of the next inspection

Std Recommendation 13 To ensure that the child protection procedure for the nursery complies with local Area Child Protection Committee procedures

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by the time of the next inspection

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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How effective is the nursery education?

The provision for nursery education at St. Judes Nursery School is very good. It enables children to make very good progress towards the early learning goals in all areas of learning. The quality of teaching is very good. Staff are very knowledgeable about how children learn. They plan a wide range of exciting and stimulating activities. They work well together as a team, knowing instinctively when to support or extend challenges to ensure the individual needs of all children are met. Staff know the children and their families well, they are enthusiastic and interested in the individual contributions of the children. Staff set high and achievable expectations for the children, giving them very clear instructions and explanations. The leadership and management is very good. They are very supportive of one another and committed to the continued improvement of nursery education for children. They have very comprehensive systems in place for monitoring the

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How effective is the nursery education?

children's progress. They are very good at assessing their own strengths and weaknesses, deploying staff effectively to ensure outstanding learning experiences for the children. The partnership with parents is very good. Parents are provided with very comprehensive information about the setting via the hand book, notice board and regular newsletters. They are encouraged to be involved in their child's learning, by sharing their skills, bringing into the setting resources for the interest table and letter of the week. They have access to clear information about their child's progress and achievements. Parents are very supportive of the setting, they stand as committee members and offer help as parents volunteers working within the setting.

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What is being done well?

• The setting provide an excellent range of stimulating learning experiences, which are tailored to meet the individual needs of all children. • Staff have a good understanding of how children learn, they share their enthusiasm with the children providing the motivation and encouragement to try new experiences, to be independent, and to find out things for themselves. • Parents knowledge of their child is fully recognised and used in partnership with the setting to support the child's progress and achievement.

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What needs to be improved?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The system for assessing children's progress and achievements.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are very familiar with the daily routine. They are motivated and interested in the activities on offer. They are able to concentrate and often become very engrossed in an activity. Children are very independent, and are good role models. They have a clear understanding of what is right and wrong, and apply these principles to help younger children.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children speak clearly and fluently, very confident to express their views and feelings. They are introduced to new vocabulary, which they then use in everyday conversation. They play in a print rich environment, and understand print carries meaning. They enjoy listening to stories, they know how to handle books appropriately, and often 'read' stories to their friends. Children are forming recognisable letters, more able children can write their own names and those of their friends.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are confident counters, and understand the value of numbers 1-10. They use and recognise numbers in familiar contexts e.g. calendar and telephone numbers in role play. Children use and understand mathematical language when making comparisons, e.g. more than less than. They are using mathematical ideas to solve problems through meaningful activities e.g. how many cups are needed at snack. Children are pairing, sorting and re creating patterns. They enjoy singing number rhymes.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children are curious to find out how things work, and persevere with tasks, they enjoy experimenting with mirrors and water. Children are competent computer users, displaying excellent mouse control and loading their own programmes. Children have an awareness of their place in the local community, and are developing an understanding of people and other cultures through strong links with their adoptive family in the Dominican Republic.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children move confidently and with an awareness of safety throughout the setting. Children negotiate obstacles competently, they travel under and over, along balancing and climbing equipment. They have an awareness of space, themselves, and make room for their friends at circle time. Children have access to and select appropriate tools, which they use with ease and control, e.g. pencils, paintbrushes and scissors.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children explore a range of exciting painting techniques. They have access to a wide range of recyclable materials with which to create their own models. Children have the opportunity develop and extend their imaginative play, using and selecting props to support their ideas. Children listen to and experience a wide range of music, from Vivaldi to African music. They enjoy making their own music, singing songs and rhymes. Children have time to complete an activity to their satisfaction.

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Children's spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development is fostered

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and 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: • further develop the system of evaluating activities to ensure the continual high level of learning experiences

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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 Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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STANDARD 1 - SUITABLE PERSON

Adults providing day care, looking after children or having unsupervised access to them are suitable to do so.

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STANDARD 2 - ORGANISATION

The registered person meets required adult: child ratios, ensures that training and qualifications requirements are met and organises space and resources to meet the children's needs effectively.

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STANDARD 3 - CARE, LEARNING AND PLAY

The registered person meets children's individual needs and promotes their welfare. They plan and provide activities and play opportunities to develop children's emotional, physical, social and intellectual capabilities.

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STANDARD 4 - PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

The premises are safe, secure and suitable for their purpose. They provide adequate space in an appropriate location, are welcoming to children and offer access to the necessary facilities for a range of activities which promote their development.

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STANDARD 5 - EQUIPMENT

Furniture, equipment and toys are provided which are appropriate for their purpose and help to create an accessible and stimulating environment. They are of suitable design and condition, well maintained and conform to safety standards.

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STANDARD 6 - SAFETY

The registered person takes positive steps to promote safety within the setting and on outings and ensures proper precautions are taken to prevent accidents.

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STANDARD 7 - HEALTH

The registered person promotes the good health of children and takes positive steps to prevent the spread of infection and appropriate measures when they are ill.

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STANDARD 8 - FOOD AND DRINK

Children are provided with regular drinks and food in adequate quantities for their needs. Food and drink is properly prepared, nutritious and complies with dietary and religious requirements.

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STANDARD 9 - EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

The registered person and staff actively promote equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice for all children.

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NEEDS AND DISABILITIES)

The registered person is aware that some children may have special needs and is

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NEEDS AND DISABILITIES)

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 proactive in ensuring that appropriate action can be taken when such a child is identified or admitted to the provision. Steps are taken to promote the welfare and development of the child within the setting in partnership with the parents and other relevant parties.

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STANDARD 11 - BEHAVIOUR

Adults caring for children in the provision are able to manage a wide range of children's behaviour in a way which promotes their welfare and development.

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STANDARD 12 - WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS AND CARERS

The registered person and staff work in partnership with parents and to meet the needs of the children, both individually and as a group. Information is shared.

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STANDARD 13 - CHILD PROTECTION

The registered person complies with local child protection procedures approved by the Area Child Protection Committee and ensures that all adults working and looking after children in the provision are able to put the procedures into practice.

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STANDARD 14 - DOCUMENTATION

Records, policies and procedures which are required for the efficient and safe management of the provision, or to promote the welfare, care and learning of children are maintained. Records about individual children are shared with the child's parent.

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STANDARD 14 - DOCUMENTATION

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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