Cedars @ Boot Farm Day Nursery & Pre-School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 12/10/2004 Inspector Name Catherine Hill

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Boot Farm Kindergarten Setting Address Boot Farm Wasing Back Lane, Brimpton Common Reading Berkshire RG7 4RG

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The partnership of H A B Kindergarten Ltd 04268338

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name H A B Kindergarten Ltd Address 45 Sheridan Crescent Baughurst Tadley RG26 5HQ

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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

Boot Farm Kindergarten opened in 2002. It operates from a converted house based on a farm near Brimpton. The nursery provides care and education to children from both the local and surrounding areas. There are currently 52 children on roll. This includes 12 funded 3-year-olds and 2 funded 4- year-olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and English as an additional language although there are none at present in receipt of funding. The nursery opens 5 days a week all year round. Both full day and sessional care is offered to parents between the hours of 08.00 until 18.00. Nine members of staff work with the children plus the owner/manager who is supernumerary. Eight staff hold a relevant childcare qualification to NVQ level 2 or 3 and two are in the process of training. Professional development is ongoing for all staff. The majority of staff have a 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?

Boot Farm Kindergarten is an acceptable provision and of good quality. Children are making very good progress towards most early learning goals with generally good progress in knowledge and understanding of the world. Teaching is generally good. Staff organise and maintain a stimulating, positive learning environment for children. Activities are child led and staff support children well to develop knowledge and skills within a very friendly, relaxed and unpressurised atmosphere. Staff are young and enthusiastic and plan a good variety of activities for children, although activity learning objectives within planning documents are not clearly shown in relation to the early learning goals. They have high expectations with regard to behaviour and act as positive role models. Children, as a result, have good manners and behave very well. Leadership and management is very good. Strong leadership by the owner/manager

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How effective is the nursery education?

ensures good practice is maintained throughout the kindergarten. Friendly, dedicated staff work very well as a team to provide constant support and encouragement to all children. The owner is committed to improving the provision, supports continuing professional development for staff and has recently extended the kindergarten. She is fully involved in kindergarten life and constantly monitors practice using feedback from both staff and parents to inform plans for future development. Partnership with parents is very good. They receive information about the provision via a welcome pack, newsletters and information displayed. They are welcome to view and contribute to their children's records at any time and parents' evenings give them an added opportunity to keep informed of their child's progress. They are extremely happy with the care and education provided for their children. They like, in particular, the 'excellent caring staff, homely environment and the wide range of

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What is being done well?

• Organisation within the kindergarten is very good. Staff are well led and work effectively as a team to provide a secure, stimulating but homely learning environment for all children. Children are happy and relaxed and have the freedom to enjoy their childhood and learn by exploration and discovery both indoors and outside. • Children's personal, social and emotional development is excellent. They have very good relationships with each other, and play well both independently and co-operatively with others. They have good manners and behave well and are sensitively supported by staff in developing their skills. • Partnership with parents is strong. Parents are kept well informed about their

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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 child and kindergarten practice. Children benefit from the positive, regular communication between their main carers. • Children have excellent opportunities to develop their physical skills both indoors and outside. They enjoy weekly swimming lessons, have access to a good range of outdoor apparatus and daily opportunities to develop their fine motor skills using a variety of tools and equipment.

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What needs to be improved?

• planning and assessment records, to clearly show the learning objectives of activities, how activities will be adapted for differing abilities and the future learning targets for children, to ensure stepping stone progression in all areas of development • opportunities for children to develop their knowledge of, and skills in the use of, information and communication technology.

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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 and relaxed and enthusiastically engage in a range of activities. They concentrate well and become absorbed in learning through play. They have excellent relationships with one another and play co-operatively together. They share resources and patiently wait their turn, for example, when completing puzzles together. They are polite, helpful towards others and well behaved. Their independence skills are very good. They select resources, dress themselves and pour their drinks.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children are developing an understanding of the names and sounds of letters of the alphabet through staff supported activities, such as using the alphabet puzzle. They enjoy making marks on paper and some are able to write their name with clear, well formed, recognisable letters. They listen attentively to stories, show an interest in pictures supporting the text and ask questions relating to the story. Staff introduce new vocabulary to the children who are confident, articulate speakers.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are encouraged to develop their counting skills during play. They count when playing board games and some are able to count comfortably beyond ten. They are developing an understanding of calculation and its associated vocabulary. Staff use number rhymes, such as '5 currant buns', to reinforce children's understanding that numbers decrease as items are taken away. They recognise basic shapes and planned activities introduce them to measuring and comparative language.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children have good opportunities to learn about the wider world. They visit the nature reserve, garden centre, swimming pool and go on local walks. They enjoy exploring different materials and notice the change in texture, for example, when adding water to flour. They grow sunflowers to observe growth and learn about time through topics such as 'night and day'. Children, however, have limited opportunities to develop their knowledge of information and communication technology.

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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 move freely and safely around the kindergarten environment. They are aware of others and carefully manoeuvre around them to access different activities. They take part in regular physical activity and have access to a very good range of outside play equipment to develop their gross motor skills. They enjoy practising their swimming skills during weekly lessons and some are able to swim short distances unaided. They have good hand-eye co-ordination and well developed fine motor skills.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children have free access to a range of resources and activities to develop their imaginative and creative skills. They print using different fruit, make junk models, experience painting using marbles, brushes, rollers and their feet. They absorb themselves in role-play, for example, they put nappies on baby dolls and gently lay them down for a sleep. They enthusiastically join in with songs, match actions to words and show a keen awareness of their senses during play.

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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

• develop planning and assessment records to clearly show the learning objectives of activities, how activities will be adapted for differing abilities and the future learning targets for children to ensure stepping stone progression in all areas of development •• provide increased opportunities for children to develop their knowledge of, and skills in the use of, information and communication technology.

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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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