Mary Kelly's Rascals Day Nursery

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 16/06/2003 Inspector Name Gillian Patricia Bishop

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SETTING DETAILS

Setting Name Mary Kelly's Rascals Setting Address 69 Ainsworth Road Manchester Lancashire M26 4FA

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name F & J Rivers Quality Child Care LTD

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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

Mary Kelly's Rascals day nursery opened in 1989. It operates from four rooms in an end terraced property in the Radcliffe area of Bury. The nursery serves the local area. The nursery is currently registered for 36 children aged from 0-5 years although the building is being extended at this time and the numbers of children cared for are likely to increase. There are currently 53 children from 0-5 years on roll. This includes nine funded three year olds and 4 funded four year olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. One child has special needs and the group do not currently support any children who speak English as an additional language. The group opens five days a week all year round. Sessions are from 7:30 am until 6:00 pm. Eight staff work with the children all of whom have early years qualifications. Three staff are currently working towards NVQ Level 3 qualifications. The setting receives support from a teacher from the Early Years Development and Childcare

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Information about the setting

Partnership ( EYDCP) The setting has achieved the Investors in People status.

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How effective is the nursery education?

Mary Kelly's Rascals offers a provision which helps children to make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. Children's progress in mathematics and creative development is very good, progress in personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy, knowledge and understanding of the world and physical development is generally good, there are some minor weaknesses in each of these areas. Teaching is generally good with some minor weaknesses. Staff provide a warm caring environment where confidence and self esteem is well fostered through appropriate support and challenge, good relationships are formed with staff, children and parents. Key staff have a secure knowledge of the early learning goals but less experienced staff require further training and support with regard to the early years curriculum and current planning systems. Good provision is made for children with special needs, staff know children

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How effective is the nursery education?

well and are able to adapt planning and assessment systems to ensure the needs of less or more able children are being met. The leadership and management of the setting is generally good. Staff are aware of their roles and responsibilities and they work effectively as a team. The managers meet regularly in order to review and evaluate the effectiveness of the nursery setting, staff are consulted and committed to further development. The nursery building is currently being extended, good contingency plans have been established to ensure parents and children experience minimal disruption. The partnership with parents is generally good, staff are approachable and friendly and they welcome parents into the setting each day. Parents receive regular news letters which keeps them informed about events, topics and changes. Parents are also encouraged to see their childs assessment records and development files whenever they wish, although a more formal

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How effective is the nursery education?

opportunity to discuss progress is not in place at this time.

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What is being done well?

Children's enthusiasm, self esteem and confidence is well fostered, they are confident speakers who benefit from many opportunities to share their news within a natural part of routine. Children have very good opportunities to learn about mathematical concepts and regularly engage in simple problem solving. Activities are well organised and varied and provide children with opportunities to learn new skills. Appropriate challenges are set for less able and more able children.

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What needs to be improved?

opportunities for children's independence. further opportunities for children to discuss and explore the purpose and use of text. further opportunities for children to practice writing their own names and to record information during role play situations. resources to support children's learning in knowledge and understanding of the world and increased opportunities to under take scientific investigation both indoors and out. staff's working knowledge of the early learning goals and the development of medium term plans to include learning outcomes across all six areas of learning.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The setting has made generally good progress on the key issues raised at the previous inspection. Long, medium and short term planning are in place and take account of less and more able children, these plans are reviewed and developed to suit children's needs and progress. Children are now making generally good progress in language and literacy and very good progress in maths, resources have now increased to support these areas. Children are more familiar with the association of sounds and syllables and they have some knowledge of text and how it is read. Assessment records and individual development files are in place, these are shared with parents on an informal basis at this time although annual parents evenings are to be established in the near future. There is a named person for special educational needs.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children are making generally good progress in this area. Children are very enthusiastic, confident and eager to participate in activities and discussion, they have formed good relationships and respond well to praise and encouragement. Children concentrate during activities and take pride in their work, particular achievements are recorded in the 'well done book'. There are limited opportunities for children to develop independently when using the bathroom and during lunch times.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children are making generally good progress in this area. Children are confident speakers and good listeners, their eagerness to share news knowledge, and compare experience's is well fostered by many opportunities for discussion. Language is used well to communicate and express ideas. Children are able to recognise and write letters of the alphabet but there are missed opportunities to discuss the purpose of text and to write their own name and record information in role play situations.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are making very good progress in this area. Children can count to ten and above and are able to recognise numbers during a sorting game, such as sorting seven rabbits and then finding the figure 7. They confidently experiment with numbers and solve simple mathematical problems by means of addition and subtraction. Children are introduced to mathematical concepts such as symmetry and sequencing through well organised and appropriately challenging activities.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children are making generally good progress in this area. Children are eager for facts and they enjoy opportunities to ask and answer questions particularly where the topic relates to their own knowledge and personal experiences. Children use the computer with confidence and are able to follow simple programmes with success. There are limited resources to support this area of learning and in-sufficient opportunities to promote scientific investigation both indoors and out.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children are making generally good progress in this area. On-site and off-site activities promote opportunities for children to practise and develop new and exciting skills, such as balancing, climbing and swimming and they have developed competent use of stairs as their playroom is on the first floor. Children use a range of tools and resources within the writing area and during creative activities. Space is limited which restricts opportunities for activities which require large movements.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are making very good progress in this area. Children are imaginative and descriptive when sharing and telling stories and they enjoy taking lead roles during action songs, such as 5 little monkey's. Children have access to a good range of media and materials during creative work which they use with great thought and care. They work with a purpose in mind and share the end product with pride. Role play opportunities are under developed due to space restrictions.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

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

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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

Develop children's opportunities to be independent, particularly during snack, meal times and when using the bathroom. Provide opportunities for children to discuss and explore the purpose and use of text. Increase opportunities for children to practice writing their own names and to record information during role play situations. Develop the educational programme in knowledge and understanding of the world, increase resources and extend children's opportunities to under take scientific investigation both in doors and out. Provide training opportunities for less experienced staff members with regard to the early learning goals, develop medium term plans to include learning outcomes across all six areas of learning.

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