Saint Gabriel's College

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 16/03/2005 Inspector Name Jennifer Devine

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Bluebells Nursery Setting Address Our Lady Help of Christians Church Hall Lady Margaret Road,Kentish Town London NW5 2NE

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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

Bluebells Nursery is run by Ms Anita Pearson. It opened in 1995 and operates from a church hall in Kentish Town, London. A maximum of 16 children may attend at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 09:30 to 13:30, term time only. All children share access to a secure outdoor play area. There are currently 23 children from 2 years 6 months to under 5 years on roll. Of these 13 children receive funding for nursery education. The nursery currently supports children with special educational needs. There are currently no children attending who speak English as an additional language. The nursery employs three staff. Two of the staff, including the manager hold appropriate early years qualifications.

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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?

Bluebells Nursery provides good quality nursery education which enables children to make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. In personal, social and emotional development children are making very good progress. Teaching is generally good. Staff have a generally good understanding of the foundation stage and provide a well resourced environment. Planning covers all six areas of the curriculum and topic work relates to one particular area each term. Staff pay very good attention to promoting children's personal, emotional and social skills but do not always give enough priority to encouraging older children to extend their learning in writing skills and mathematical work. Staff observe and assess children's development but records do not identify the next steps of children's learning following the stepping stones. Very good systems are in place to support children with special educational needs and appropriate support is in place to support

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How effective is the nursery education?

children with English as an additional language. Leadership and management is generally good. The manager works directly with the children and the small staff team work very well together to create a happy and caring environment for the children and their families. The manager is committed to further training and has links with the Early Years department. There are currently no systems in place to monitor and evaluate teaching methods. Partnership with parents is very good. The setting is very welcoming and staff are approachable. Regular newsletters keep the parents well informed about the curriculum. Parents meetings are held regularly to share children's progress. They participate in the nursery and social events are well represented by parents.

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What is being done well?

• Staff have a generally good understanding of the foundation stage and provide a well resourced environment • The setting places a strong emphasis on children personal, emotional and social development and provides good resources for imaginative role play • The setting works very well in partnership with parents. Parents are made very welcome and are kept well informed about their child's progress and the curriculum offered. • Very good systems are in place to support children with special educational needs.

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What needs to be improved?

• observation and assessment methods to ensure children's achievements are

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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 easily identified and help children move on in their learning • the teaching methods for older/ more able children to extend their learning further • more opportunities for children to independently select creative resources to develop their imagination and ideas • monitoring and evaluation of teaching methods

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Children are now provided with generally good resources for mark making with writing materials placed in various areas of the room and activities are available for practising mathematical skills. However, staff do not place enough emphasis on encouraging children to persevere with these activities for meaningful times. During story times children are introduced to activities for developing the recognition of the alphabet.

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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 have made very good relationships with each other and familiar adults. They play well together and share and take turns. They are developing a secure understanding of their own needs and that of others. They are excited and curious to take in activities and persist at some tasks for extended periods. They freely choose from a broad range of activities set out and are developing independence with self help skills.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children are confident speakers and engage in conversation with adults and each other. They listen attentively and with enjoyment to stories and group discussions. They extend their imaginative thinking through well resourced role play areas. They are interested in books and beginning to understand print carries meaning. There are generally good resources available to write/mark make for a variety of purposes but older children lack encouragement to use this area effectively.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children use and recognise numbers during their play. They are beginning to understand simple addition and subtraction such as when singing number rhymes. They are learning about shape, space and size when fitting puzzles together or building with bricks. There are generally good opportunities to begin to solve practical problems with sand and water play. There are missed opportunities to extend older children's learning of mathematical concepts.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children have generally good opportunities to learn about past and present events in their lives and explore their own and others cultures and beliefs. They have generally good opportunities to be involved in investigative work and question why things happen. They explore the natural environment frequently. Children have access to some technological toys such as pretend mobile phones and calculators.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children move around with increasing control and are beginning to show an awareness for space. They have good opportunities to experiment with a range of physical activities both indoors and outside. They use tools and equipment such as pencils, rolling pins and scissors with confidence and are developing good fine motor skills and dexterity. Through daily routines children are developing the importance of staying healthy.

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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 Children are developing a good knowledge of colour, shape and texture with adult planned activities such as printing or sticking. There are missed opportunities for children to develop their ideas and express them selves with independent choices of creative materials. Children respond and sing a range of songs from memory. They have good opportunities to develop their knowledge of sound recognition, having access to musical instruments and participate in regular dancing sessions.

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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 assessment methods to clearly identify children's achievements which are linked with the stepping stones • develop the teaching methods for older/ more able children to extend their learning further • provide more opportunities for children to independently select creative resources to develop their imagination and own ideas • ensure effective systems are in place to monitor and evaluate the nursery education offered.

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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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