Little Stars Christian Pre-School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 20/01/2005 Inspector Name Paula Hunt

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Little Stars Christian Playgroup Setting Address Leamington Spa Baptist Church Chandos Street Leamington Spa Warwickshire CV32 4RN

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of The Committee of Little Stars Christian Playgroup

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name The Committee of Little Stars Christian Playgroup Address Chandos Street Leamington Spa Warwickshire CV32 4RN

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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

Little Stars Christian Playgroup opened in 1996. It operates from two rooms in the Baptist Church Hall Leamington Spa. The Playgroup serves the local area. There are currently 39 children from 2 years to under 5 years on roll. This includes 21 funded three-year-olds and 9 funded four-year-olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The setting supports a number of children with special needs, and who speak English as an additional language. The group opens 5 days a week during school term times, and occasional sessions for children up to 6 years in the school holidays. Sessions in the term time are from 09:15 until 13:15 on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and from 09:15 until 11:45 on Thursday and Friday. Eight staff work with the children. Seven of the staff have early years qualifications to NVQ level 2 or 3. A qualified teacher is employed fulltime by the playgroup. The setting receives support from a advisory teacher from the Early Years Development

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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?

Little Stars Christian Playgroup offers very good quality education where children are making very good progress towards the early learning goals through a wide range of interesting activities and experiences. Teaching is very good. Staff have a good knowledge of how children learn. They are clear about what they want children to learn and make very good use of planned activities to extend and consolidate children's learning. The session is well balanced to provide opportunities for children to pursue their own interests as well as take part in adult supported activities. Leadership and management of the playgroup is very good. Staff work well together and form an enthusiastic and capable team. They are calm, relaxed and friendly, offering appropriate support and praise to enhance children's self esteem. Staff are committed to ongoing training and share information gained at courses with each other. Membership of a quality assurance scheme encourages the group to regularly

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How effective is the nursery education?

assess its own strengths and weakness. Partnership with parents is very good. Parents are provided with information about the group and forthcoming topics. They are given information about the Foundation stage of learning and comment they feel fully involved in their child's education. Parents share information with the playgroup before their child begins by completing an information form with basic details. Children's assessments are shared with parents and there are daily opportunities for verbal feedback from staff.

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What is being done well?

• Children are polite, well behaved, independent and self reliant. They form very good relationships with both the staff and other children. • Staff are engaged in children's play and conversation extending their learning through appropriate questioning. • Children are imaginative and able to express their ideas freely through a very good range of activities i.e. role play, small world play and craft activities. • Staff work closely with parents to meet the needs of the children, sharing information and encouraging parental involvement with their child's education.

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What needs to be improved?

• further opportunities to see words around the setting.

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What needs to be improved?

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

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The playgroup has made very good progress since the last inspection to extend the existing worthwhile opportunities for speech and language development. Further training has been attended by staff and new systems introduced to further stimulate and encourage communication and is now a routine part of every activity. Parents are also advised of the theme to facilitate further discussion 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: Very Good Children are well behaved confident and eager to learn. They separate easily from their carers and form very good relationships with staff and other children. They are able to sit quietly and patiently during group time and story, responding to instructions about daily activities and routines. Children are independent and make decisions and choices regarding their play activities. They are self reliant in their personal care when washing their hands and managing their clothes.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children's speaking and listening skills are very well developed, staff are engaged in children's play and conversation using appropriate questioning to extend their learning. Children have many opportunities to practise and consolidate emerging writing skills. They know print carries meaning and use writing in a variety of meaningful situations such as within role play. Children know and respond well to stories, poems and singing, which are often linked to topics.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children show that they understand mathematical language and concepts such as shape, size and volume through well planned practical activities such as water play, construction etc. Children develop a firm foundation and understanding of number operation and recognition through a wide range of mathematical experiences provided. Most children can count an irregular number of objects and find the total number of items in two groups by counting all of them.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children are enthusiastic to explore and investigate new objects and materials in their environment, using discussion and their senses. They have observed minibeasts and studied people, customs, festivals and animals of world countries. Children's interest in the natural world is stimulated by frequent visits to the surrounding area. Children are beginning to have a good sense of time and place. They are able to talk about significant events that have happened and about their feelings.

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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 regularly engage in indoor activities to develop whole body movement and move confidently around the setting. They learn to use a good range of large and small equipment, many children pedal and steer trikes with control and co ordination, and are gaining an awareness of space. Children's manipulative skills are developing through activities such as threading and using scissors, pencils and rolling pins. They are learning how to keep healthy, such as through eating fruit and exercise.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children participate enthusiastically in music sessions, singing simple songs from memory and put actions to music. Children use their voices and instruments to distinguish between loud and soft sounds. Children explore shape, colour, texture through a variety of practical activities and are able to draw freely. They engage in imaginative role play often copying what they have seen from adults e.g. removing a cake from the oven with oven gloves.

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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 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: continue to develop and extend visual labelling across all six areas of learning

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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 Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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