Beansheaf Community Pre-School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 09/02/2004 Inspector Name Christine Cutts

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Beansheaf Community Pre-School Setting Address Linear Park, Charrington Road Calcot Reading Berkshire RG31 7AW

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of Beansheaf Community Pre-school

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Beansheaf Community Pre-school Address Linear Park, Charrington Road Calcot Reading Berkshire RG31 7AW

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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

Beansheaf Community Pre-school is a parent committee run pre-school which has membership of the Pre-School Learning Alliance. It is located in the Beansheaf Community Centre. The Pre-school has been opened for 10 years and serves the needs of families in the surrounding area. Beansheaf Community Pre-school accepts children between the ages of three and five years old. There are currently 35 children on the register, including one four year old and 34 three year olds. There is a waiting list. Twenty eight of the three year olds and the one four year old receive funding. The group support children with special educational needs and English as an additional language. The pre-school opens Monday to Friday between 9.15 and 11.45 a.m. term time only. Four members of staff work with the children, two of whom hold appropriate qualifications in childcare. A further member of staff will be appropriately qualified by

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Information about the setting

end of September. All staff hold a current relevant first aid qualification.

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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 provision is acceptable and of good quality. Children are making generally good progress towards the early learning goals with areas of strength in personal social and emotional development. The pre-school offers children a welcoming and stimulating environment in which good use is made of the accommodation and resources to promote children's learning. Children's physical development is well supported by indoor activities, children have less opportunity to enjoy the out-side environment. Children's behaviour is generally good with staff supporting children to develop an understanding of right and wrong and the rules of the pre-school. The quality of teaching is generally good with staff having a secure knowledge of the individual children and their progress on the stepping stones. This is not reflected in the planning, and opportunities are missed to extend more able children. Children are well supported in using technology and to develop an understanding of different

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How effective is the nursery education?

cultures and beliefs. A good range of practical activities are provided for the children to develop mathematical concepts. Staff praise, encourage and support children's learning and provide good quality activities for children to play with imagination. Staff support children's spontaneous play well, building on children's own interests and experiences. Management and leadership is generally good with staff working well together, the supervisor is committed to building good staff relationships. A shared commitment to early years is clearly visible and management and staff are committed to extending their understanding in early years education. Partnership with parents and carers is generally good. Parents are actively involved in the life of the pre-school. They are supportive of staff and contribute to topics. Comments received show that parents appreciate the information exchanged on their children's progress.

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What is being done well?

• Staff encourage, praise and support children's learning, giving the children the opportunity to persevere and complete tasks. • Staff's secure knowledge of the stepping stones and early learning goals enables them to ensure the accommodation and resources are well used to provide fun activities that promotes learning for children including those with special needs.

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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 • The pre-school provide a range of activities well supported by staff for children to explore and investigate a range of materials using their senses and develop their use of technology. • The pre-school provide a good range of physical and creative activities well planned and supported by staff enabling children to move with freedom and imagination and to express themselves through a variety of media.

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What needs to be improved?

• Planning to include individual children's needs to enable staff to extend more able children's learning. • The opportunities for children to develop correct letter formation and practise writing familiar word and sentences. • The opportunities for children to solve practical problems through everyday activities.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The pre-school has made generally good progress on improvements since the last inspection. Children now have the opportunity to be creative using a variety of media through planned activities with regular opportunities to freely access materials to paint, draw and create two and three dimensional models. Children's communication language and literacy is developing with children's recognition of letters and sounds using a variety of resources including technology toys, puzzles and daily work on days of the week. Children now have more opportunity to develop knowledge and understanding of the world with planned activities and resources. The group celebrate festivals and events for their own and other cultures supported by a good range of resources that promoting equal opportunities. The pre-school develop children's understanding of time with discussion of past and future events during group times. Children's opportunity to explore and investigate the natural environment is still

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What has improved since the last inspection?

limited by the lack of dedicated out-side play area.

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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 active in their learning, are generally well behaved, show confidence and are developing independence skills. Staff give children the opportunity to talk about themselves and their experiences individually or in a group, building children's self-esteem. The children, supported by staff understand the rules of the pre-school.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children talk confidently and use language effectively to negotiate and make their feelings understood, building their competence with language through social interactions. Children show an enjoyment of books choosing to 'read' to adults and others. Their understanding of print and how books work is also well supported. Children recognise initial letters by shape and sound, recognising names, however there are limited opportunities for children to write familiar words or simple sentences.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children use mathematical language with confidence, they enjoy counting and count up to 10 with adult support, recognise numbers, name shapes and use mathematical language. Children enjoy the good practical activities staff provide to develop mathematical concepts. Staff provide less opportunities to use calculation and problem solving in everyday situations and practical activities. Children enjoy familiar counting songs.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Staff encourage children to investigate, observe and explore using their senses through a variety of activities and challenge and question children to develop their knowledge. Children have limited opportunities to learn about growth and change in the natural world using the out-side environment. Children use of technology toys are well supported and the pre-school provide a good range of resources to support children's understanding of other cultures and beliefs.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children's physical development is progressing through participation in well planned activities. They use tools and are developing good pencil control. Children use large apparatus, such as climbing frames and balance equipment and enjoy movement and dance. Good use is made of the in-door space to promote children's physical development, children have limited access to out-side play. Children's understanding of health and bodily awareness is well supported.

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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 There are well planned regular opportunities for children to express themselves through a very wide variety of media. Staff allow children the freedom and space to develop involved imaginative play through role play, dressing up, with small world play, construction, play dough, sand and water play, collage and model making.

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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

• Extend planning to include individual children's needs to enable staff to extend more able children's learning. • Develop opportunities for children to develop correct letter formation and practise writing familiar words. • Extend children opportunities to solve practical problems through everyday situations.

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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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