Early Learners Day Nursery

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 24/02/2005 Inspector Name Susan, Helen Spencer

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Early Learners Day Nursery Setting Address 178 Hawthorne Road Bootle Merseyside L20 3AR

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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

Early Learners Day Nursery is situated in the Borough of Sefton on a main road close to Bootle town centre. The nursery is a converted church and has been registered since 1994 for 50 childen in total. The Nursery comprises of a large, fenced outside play area with three playing surfaces. The Nursery has the children grouped into four separate rooms. Staff are either suitably qualified or working towards further qualification. There is a member of staff in each room who holds a relevant First Aid Certificate. The Nursery has 17 children who are funded three and four year olds. The Nursery receives support from the EYDCP. The Nursery is open from 07.30 until 17.30 Monday to Friday, all year with the exception of bank holidays.

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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?

Early Learners Day Nursery offers high quality nursery education where children make very good progress towards the early learning goals in all areas. The quality of teaching is very good. Staff have a good understanding of the early learning goals. They are keen, lively and enthusiastically provide an interesting array of varied activities to capture the children's interest. Their interactions with the children are very effective and their warm relationships promote well the children's confidence, independence and social skills. Staff plan conscientiously and ensure children within the two aged-based groups are offered experiences in all areas of learning. However, the new planning system is yet to be fine tuned and embedded to ensure it meets the development of each child. Staff have high expectations of behaviour and, alongside a star rewards system, ensure children behave well. Assessment records of children's progress are maintained.

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How effective is the nursery education?

The leadership and management are very good. Staff are aware of their roles and responsibilities and this results in the efficient day-to-day organisation. Staff meetings are held and contributions are valued. There is a strong commitment to the improvement of the provision for the funded children through evaluation of the educational provision, staff appraisals and the promotion of continual staff development. Partnership with parents and carers is very good. Parents have a positive view of the setting. They are fully informed about the routines, practices and activities. Staff provide a welcoming atmosphere and are willing to exchange information with parents about their child's progress at meetings or via the much appreciated communication book.

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What is being done well?

• Staff are both energetic and enthusiastic, constantly seeking to enhance the children's learning. They know the children very well and build trusting relationships by their consistent, caring approach, and give high priority to nurturing the children's personal, social and emotional development. Their effective interaction with the children clearly promotes the children's good behaviour. • Parents have a positive view of the provision. They are welcomed into the nursery and provided with daily written and verbal feedback on their child's ongoing progress. • Children are happy and confident. They form good relationships with staff and their peers, they take turns, share, care and respect each other. All enjoy exploring the activities provided, making especially good use of the role play

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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 area to give full flight to their imagination. • Children maintain attention well during activities. They are totally captivated during story time, listening carefully and anticipating what might happen next. Many love looking at books, sitting quietly absorbed, as they turn the pages and view the pictures. • Lots of practical activities develop well the children's counting skills and their ability to solve simple problems. • Children have an excellent repertoire of songs and rhymes. All join in with words and actions, while the more confident children happily sing songs of their own choice for the group.

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What needs to be improved?

• the new planning system to ensure the learning intentions for the groups are clearly based on the ongoing assessment of the children's progress

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Generally good progress has been made in response to the issue raised in the last inspection in 2001. The issue was in two parts. The first part was to ensure staff were clear about each child's progress towards the early goals. As an outcome, staff are now maintaining records of each child's progress towards the goals. The latter part of the issue was to involve parents in the process. The setting has clearly looked at strategies; Day Books are used and quick informal discussions occur with staff on a daily basis. The children's records are available to parents on request, although few take advantage of this offer. Last year parents declined the setting's suggestion of having an evening for parents to discuss their child's progress. The setting is now seeking alternative arrangements.

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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 happy, interested, confident and able to choose an activity to work on alone or within a group. They are learning to negotiate with others to share and take turns and to respect each other. They are developing good independence for their personal hygiene, during snack time and when tidying away. Children's behaviour is good, they recognise the boundaries and respond to guidance from staff.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children are encouraged to express their needs, talk about themselves and listen to others. They are totally engaged during story time. Many often sit quietly looking at books, handling them carefully and correctly. They know print carries meaning, recognise their own names and identify some letters by sound and shape. They are developing their pre-writing skills well and some are attempting to write their own names.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are able to count and spontaneously use number in their play with growing accuracy. Most count to five and some to ten and beyond. Some are starting to recognise numerals. Through the use of songs, rhymes and activities they are beginning to develop their concept of adding on and taking away. Children use mathematical language accurately, using words to describe shape, size and position, while many are able to solve problems and sort items by colour and size.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good During activities and when in conversation with adults children develop well their knowledge of the world they live in. Children are starting to sequence the days of the week, and are very aware of weather changes, recording them on a weather chart. All talk freely about significant events both in the nursery and at home. They enjoy using construction kits as they develop their design and make skills. Many enthusiastically enjoy using the computer and other technological toys.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children enjoy engaging in a range of activities that encourages their manipulative skills very well. They show a good sense of space awareness, especially indoors where they energetically enjoy ring and action songs and rhymes. Outdoors they move freely, negotiating well their speed and direction, while running, hopping and gleefully using the pedal vehicles. Children recognise the importance of staying healthy and are encouraged by staff to recognise changes in their bodies following exercise.

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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: Very Good Children have a very good repertoire of songs, which they sing with great enjoyment, gleefully joining in the actions; the more confident children name additional songs and will sing them for their peers. All enjoy exploring the sounds of musical instruments. Children enjoy imaginative role play based on their experiences and use the props available to act out situations. They enjoy exploring colour when painting and delight in tactile experiences when handling sand and water.

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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: • develop the new planning system to ensure the learning intentions for the groups are clearly based on the ongoing assessment of the children's progress

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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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