Fairfield Primary School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 09/02/2005 Inspector Name Margaret Travers

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Flying Start Day Nursery (Moorlands) Setting Address The Marld Ashtead Surrey KT21 1RW

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Flying Start Day Nursery Address 309 The Greenway Epsom Surrey KT18 7JE

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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

Flying Start (Moorlands) is an independent privately owned Day Nursery. The nursery is accommodated within a large Victorian house on three levels consisting of five play areas including a separate baby unit on the ground floor. There is a secure area for outdoor play. The nursery has it's own access and car parking. It operates five days a week through the year from 8:00 to 18:00. It serves parents from the surrounding area. There are eighteen members of staff, most have NNEB or working towards a level 2/3 qualifications in Childcare. Most staff hold a certificate in first aid. Children are grouped according to age. Activities are in all curriculum areas of the Early Learning Goals - Foundation Stages. The outdoor area is used daily to provide a further range of activities.

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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 Flying Start Day Nursery provides high-quality nursery education overall, which enables children to make very good progress towards the early learning goals. The quality of teaching is very good. Staff encourage the children to become confident in choosing and developing their own ideas and activities. They plan effectively against the stepping stones and early learning goals and provide a broad range of interesting activities in which children are motivated and progressing well. Staff have good relationships with the children and parents. They organise resources, routines and the accommodation well. Staff regularly assess and observe the children and get to know them well. Effective planning ensures individual children's progress is maintained, although next steps are not formally documented. Staff take children outside each day but climbing and balancing skills can sometimes be limited during muddy weather. There are good systems for working with children

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How effective is the nursery education?

with special educational needs. The leadership and management are very good. There are good systems in place for evaluating the provision. Management encourages all staff to work together to monitor and implement changes whenever needed. The training and curriculum leader works closely with staff, monitoring teaching, and modelling and giving support to less experienced staff. There are good systems for staff appraisal and development, and management encourages regular external staff training. The partnership with parents and carers is very good. Parents discuss their children daily with staff. Notice boards show current plans and topics which helps parents extend learning at home. Parents receive invitations to meetings when they can discuss and add comments to their children's assessments. Pre-school children are starting to take books home to share with parents, and a daily contact book works well, encouraging parents and staff to exchange observations about children's

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What is being done well?

• Children are encouraged to develop good consideration towards others. They say please and thank you and take turns and share resources well. Children are learning very good independence. • Children take part in a wide range of interesting activities and topics. There is a good balance between practical adult led activities and child initiated self choice. • Children are progressing well with language and mathematical skills. They are learning about the natural world and their own and other families. • Children are developing good imaginations through a range of tactile craft activities.

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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 nursery works well with parents and there are good relationships. • Staff plan and assess well against the stepping stones and get to know individual children well.

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What needs to be improved?

• the continuity in finding ways for children to develop large climbing, balancing and bike skills during bad weather • the on-going support given to less experienced staff, to ensure they use routines and play to develop children's learning consistently.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The improvement since the last inspection has been very good. At the last inspection the nursery were required to consider one point relating to children's indoor physical skills. Children now take part in daily physical activities including music and movement, dance, and weekly structured sports sessions.

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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 listen for their names well at circle time, and share their news and views showing confidence when speaking in front of the group. They interact well showing good consideration of others. They are encouraged to say please and thank you and develop self independence as they pass biscuits and drinks. Children take turns to become a helper and share resources with each other. They have good relationships and enjoy their learning both independently and in small groups.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children play listening games and are learning new vocabulary. They discuss their own ideas and develop these in the bank and restaurant role play areas. Children are learning to recognise letter sounds, simple words and their names. Through practical activities, games and puzzles they match words and objects. Children practise writing by chalking patterns on the steps and boards outdoors, as well as in role play areas when they write reservations for the restaurant.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children count children at circle time. They find the matching quantity of cups and talk about needing one or two more. They print patterns on pictures of their hands and count fingers, adding quantities together. Children sing number songs and rhymes. They notice repeated patterns during bark and brick rubbings and when rolling a painted tyre across a long sheet of paper. Children play number games and use puzzles to learn about shape and size. They use water play to learn about quantity.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children take part in topics such as land, sea and sky, and use soil in a tray to explore. They discuss what happens when ice melts and observe caterpillars turning into butterflies. Children cook bread and notice changes. They use bug views and magnifying glasses and grow their own tomatoes and plants outside. They use a good range of computer software well to develop learning in all areas. Children discuss new babies in their families and have chance to help bath them.

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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 use the well resourced garden daily, to develop good physical skills, climbing, balance and coordination. This area is presently undergoing major refurbishment to enhance the provision, and there are plans to find alternative ways for children to climb, balance and develop bike skills during muddy weather. Children take part in weekly sports activities when they learn ball skills and play games to develop strength and stamina. They are developing good dexterity through threading.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children print, paint and can freely make models. They explore warm and cold colours, and make large boxes into tractors and a dragon for Chinese New Year. They design and decorate their own place mats for lunch. Children sing well known songs and explore sounds through musical instruments. They dance, make animal sounds and use story themes to express their ideas about how a Gruffalo looks. Children dress up and develop their own stories well..

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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 find ways for children to develop large climbing, balancing and bike skills during bad weather • continue to give support to less experienced staff to ensure they use routines and play to develop children's learning consistently.

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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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