St Gabriel's CofE Primary School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 21/02/2005 Inspector Name Beryl Baggs

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name The Bush Nursery Setting Address The Bush Nursery Pilton Shepton Mallet Somerset BA4 4HP

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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

The Bush Nursery opened in 2000. It is privately owned and operates from a detached house in ten acres of land in the countryside near to Pilton, Shepton Mallet. It is a full day care nursery offering full- and part-time sessions for children from 12 months to under 5 years. The nursery is registered for 10 children and is open from 08:00 to 18:00 Monday to Friday for 51 weeks of the year. The nursery does not provide overnight care. Children use a main play room, the conservatory and a large fenced garden area for everyday play. There are facilities for nature walks and occasional use of a music room. Children have independent access to the toilet. Children have supervised access to ponies, rabbits and the family dog. There are 25 children on roll of whom 11 three-year-olds and 1 four-year-old receive nursery education grant. No children have special educational needs or use English as an additional language.

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Information about the setting

There are five members of staff of whom four hold or are working towards a childcare qualification. There are also three part-time volunteers who help in the nursery. The nursery is supported by the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership.

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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?

The Bush Nursery is of good quality and children are making generally good progress towards the early learning goals. Teaching is generally good. Staff understand how children learn through play. One activity in each session is planned, identifying the early learning goals and resources required, but these do not provide equal coverage of all areas of learning. Staff play with the children, listen and suggest ideas to extend play. Behaviour is managed well with explanations of what is expected. Some activities for funded children are disrupted by the behaviour of the younger children. The assessment records have not been retained following a change in the system to record observations. Observations are not made frequently or regularly. Leadership and management is generally good. Regular staff meetings develop a consistent approach to children's learning, and allow staff to discuss planning. Staff performance is monitored. The nursery and parents rightly value the personal

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How effective is the nursery education?

attention given to children's individual needs. The manager recognises the challenge of keeping on top of paperwork. Ideas from training are implemented to improve care and education for all the children. The reliance on developing number and literacy skills as opportunities arise, rather than planning for the funded children, has resulted in the identified weaknesses. Partnership with parents is generally good. They receive a brochure with information about the nursery with a brief reference to the early learning goals. They are aware of the Foundation Stage and that children learn through play but do not have clear information about the topics. Staff talk to parents about the children on introductory visits and on a daily basis. Parents receive a summary of their child's progress at quarterly parents evenings. They do not have information about how to extend their children's learning at home or about the learning intentions of everyday activities or

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What is being done well?

• Children have daily opportunities to enjoy physical play with bikes, tractors and trailers, and balls. Children enjoy walks in the large gardens around the nursery. • Children enjoy topics about life in the area, observing the changes in the seasons, fruit growing, life cycles of butterflies and about people who help us such as farmers and farriers. • Children are confident and curious about the world around them. They ask questions and explore materials such as sand and water. • Regular staff meetings allow staff to develop a consistent approach to children's learning and to be all involved in planning activities and topics.

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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 • Parents are confident to share information about their children and to approach staff to discuss children's progress daily or at parents evenings.

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What needs to be improved?

• the planning to ensure that all children take part in activities across all six areas of learning without distraction from the younger children • the opportunities for children to be freely creative in their own designs in a range of media and materials • the new system of assessments of children's progress to ensure regular and frequent observations are recorded against the early learning goals and used to develop the next steps for children • the information for parents to develop their understanding of what children learn through everyday play activities and topics and how parents can extend their children's learning at home.

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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 Children are confident to separate from parents and are curious about what happens around them. They have friendships with other children and share and take turns in games and role play. They behave well, join in tidy-up time and respond well to explanations of how to behave in disputes. Children choose their own activities and have some opportunities to develop independent skills. They show concern for others but enjoy a limited range of images of how other people live.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children talk well and enjoy rhyming words such as 'Yummy, scrummy in my tummy'. Children enjoy stories and try to listen well. Some children know the initial sounds of their name and name objects with the letter sound from the alphabet tree, although they do not have planned activities to link sounds to letters or to write recognisable letters. They do not use the book area often and do not always have the opportunity to use writing in their play.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children count well, some to 10 and beyond with adult support. They sing songs, counting one less. They enjoy completing jigsaws, matching shape and colour. They judge the shape of bricks in building to ensure a good fit. They weigh and measure ingredients in cooking and are beginning to understand about sequencing and sorting into sets. There are limited planned activities for all children to link counting to numerals and practise simple problem solving and calculation.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children explore sand, floating and sinking, shaving foam and paint. They build with Duplo, magnetic blocks, junk and train tracks. They have occasional use of the camera and tape recorder. They learn about changes in the seasons, hibernation and life cycles. They go on nature trails in the grounds, look for minibeasts and enjoy visits from a farrier and a farmer. They taste food from different countries and explore how other people go shopping. They celebrate Christmas and Easter.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children have daily opportunities to pedal, run and play ball outside. They show great skill in negotiating the island in the driveway with tractors and trailers when travelling at speed. they learn about healthy food and their senses. They learn about fire safety and lighting a bonfire. They show developing skills in threading, using brushes, spreading glue and handling books.

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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 print with paint and shapes, mould salt dough, and use bubble and sponge painting in planned art and craft activities. They use chalk on the tarmac outside. They sing familiar songs. They enjoy moving to music with a visiting keyboard player, learning about loud and soft, short and long notes. They develop imaginary situations in role play. They respond with smiles to achievements. Children do not always have the opportunity to be freely creative with their own designs.

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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

• review the planning for funded children to ensure they all take part in activities across all areas of learning without distraction from the younger children • develop the new system of assessments of children's progress to ensure regular and frequent observations are recorded against the early learning goals and are used to develop the next steps for children • improve information for parents to develop their understanding of what children learn through everyday play activities and topics and how parents can extend their children's learning at home.

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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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