John Rankin Junior School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 03/03/2004 Inspector Name Anne Munro

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Testwood Baptist Church Pre-School Setting Address 283a Salisbury Road Totton Southampton Hampshire SO40 3LZ

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of TESTWOOD BAPTIST CHURCH PRE-SCHOOL

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name TESTWOOD BAPTIST CHURCH PRE-SCHOOL Address 283A SALISBURY RAOD TOTTON SOUTHAMPTON HAMPSHIRE SO40 3LA

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ORGANISATION 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

Testwood Baptist Preschool is a community group with Christian aims and beliefs. It is managed by a steering committee of church members, staff and parents, employing an experienced staff team. Children attending come mainly from the area immediately around the church. There are no children who speak English as an additional language. The preschool welcomes children with special needs. Sessions are from 9:30 a.m. to 12 noon, a lunch club runs from 12 noon to 1 p.m. and an afternoon session from 2 p.m. to 3.30 p.m. from Monday to Thursday during term time. The group is registered to care for up to 26 children over two and under five years old and to accept nursery funding for three and four year olds.

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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?

Testwood Baptist Church Pre-School provides good quality nursery education overall which enables children to make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. Children's development in communication, language and literacy and their knowledge and understanding of the world is generally good. Their development in all other areas of learning is very good. The quality of teaching is very good. Staff have very sound understanding of the early learning goals and they are all included in planning a balanced curriculum to promote learning in all areas. They constantly engage children in conversation, developing their language skills and maximising learning opportunities, and liaise with other professionals to ensure that special needs are met. They use praise and encouragement to promote good behaviour, confidence and independence. They operate an effective system of assessing children's progress and have good

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How effective is the nursery education?

knowledge of individual children's capabilities. Leadership and management are generally good. There is a clear management structure and staff are all aware of their roles and responsibilities. The management committee works with the staff to provide a well-resourced and stimulating environment. Although there is no formal appraisal system, staff are supported in accessing training. Provision is regularly evaluated and areas for development discussed in staff and committee meetings and in consultation with parents. Partnership with parents and carers is generally good. Parents receive good information about the pre-school in a comprehensive prospectus and are informed about activities and events in regular newsletters. They are offered courses and leaflets to help them with their children's development and are invited to social events. They are able to discuss issues with staff but are not sufficiently involved in

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How effective is the nursery education?

the recording of their children's progress.

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What is being done well?

• Staff have very good knowledge of the children in their care and operate an effective system of assessing and recording progress, using the information to plan a balanced curriculum that promotes individual learning. • Staff liaise with parents and other professionals to ensure that children with special educational needs are included and their needs addressed. • Children learn to write their names and some can write other words. They regularly use emergent writing in activities, often with recognisable letters. • Children are very confident and independent in their personal care. Staff promote confidence and self-esteem with praise and encouragement.

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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

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What needs to be improved?

• opportunities for children to learn about the link between sounds and letters • opportunities to develop confidence in speaking in the larger group • staff appraisals • parents' access to children's records of progress.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Improvement since the last inspection is very good. There were three points for consideration which have all been addressed. The pre-school was asked to increase opportunities for children to use writing materials and practise writing their names. This area is now a strength of the group, with children using writing confidently, forming letters and writing their own and other names. There was also a recommendation that planning should include more detail of the intended learning outcomes. The planning system has been reviewed and improved and now includes details of intended outcomes, of the input needed from staff and of the children who would benefit most. The third point for consideration was that more activities should be included to encourage children 'to ask questions about what is happening and how things work'. A wide variety of topics is planned across the year to stimulate children's learning

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What has improved since the last inspection?

about themselves and their environment. Detailed planning ensures that staff can guide children towards making discoveries.

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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: Very Good Children arrive happily and settle quickly. They are able to sit quietly to listen and can concentrate for long periods. They generally interact well with other children, taking turns and sharing. They are confident in talking to adults and asking for help. They show good levels of independence in using the toilet, washing hands and pouring their own drinks. They respond well to instructions and willingly help put things away.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children enjoy sharing books in a comfortable reading area and borrow books to read at home. They listen attentively to stories and join in songs and rhymes with enthusiasm. Many can write their names and some can write other words. They often use emergent writing in role play situations, some with recognisable letters, giving meaning to their marks. There is less opportunity for them to practise linking sounds and letters. Children respond well to instructions and are confident in conversation.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Staff encourage counting and simple calculation throughout activities, for example at registration and snack time and when building with blocks. Most children are confident in counting to five and some as far as twenty. They use a variety of games and puzzles to learn about shape and pattern and to recognise numerals. They often practise mathematical language, for example in comparing their heights and when playing with sand, playdough and construction toys.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children learn about the environment from visitors and outings. They plant and watch things grow, but do not always record their findings. They talk with staff about themselves and their families, but do not often share experiences in a larger group. They learn about their own and other cultures in celebrating such festivals as Christmas, Divali and Chinese New Year. They design and build imaginatively with construction toys and with recycled materials, for example making boats for play people.

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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

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children develop good spatial awareness with increasing control and co-ordination, manoeuvring ride-on toys around the outside area and in the hall. They enjoy sessions of movement with exercise tapes and join in action songs energetically. They climb and balance on large apparatus and learn to control small equipment such as balls and beanbags. They develop manipulative skills with a range of tools such as scissors, pencils and crayons, and with play dough and small world toys.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children explore colour and texture using a range of materials and techniques, such as painting at an easel, sponge printing, collage, bubble painting and colouring with pencils, crayons and chalks. They show great imagination and act out their experiences in planned role play situations and in their own play. They join in songs and rhymes and some are very confident in singing solo. They learn about sound and rhythm with percussion instruments and move freely to music.

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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

• provide more opportunities for children to learn about the links between sounds and letters • implement a formal system of staff appraisal in order to evaluate progress and continue developing expertise • develop opportunities to share records with parents and involve them in the assessment of their children's progress.

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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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