Chigwell and Hainault Synagogue Nursery

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 04/02/2003 Inspector Name Linda Oliver

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SETTING DETAILS

Setting Name Chigwell and Hainault Synagogue Nursery Setting Address Limes Avenue CHIGWELL Essex IG7 5NT

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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

Chigwell and Hainault Synagogue Nursery opened in 1980. It operates from two playrooms and also has the use of a large hall within the Chigwell and Hainault Synagogue. There is an enclosed outdoor play area adjacent to the building. The children who attend the nursery are drawn from the local Jewish community. The nursery is registered to provide places for fifty-two children aged between 2 and under 5 years old. There are currently thirty children on roll. This includes six funded three year olds and two funded four year old children. Children attend a variety of sessions each week. There are a small number of children currently attending who have special needs, but there are no children whose first language is not English. The nursery opens five days a week during school term times. Sessions are from 9.15 am until 12.15 pm. Currently there are four full time members of staff and five staff working part time with the children. Four members of staff have Early Years

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Information about the setting

qualifications, and two staff are currently attending training. The nursery works closely with the Pre-School Learning Alliance and Agency for Jewish Education. Within the nursery there is a strong sense of religious, cultural and family identity.

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How effective is the nursery education?

Chigwell and Hainault Nursery offers good quality provision where children make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. Teaching is generally good and has a positive impact on the children's learning. Staff's knowledge of the foundation stage enables them to plan an interesting and appropriate range of activities to support children's progress. However, staff provide insufficient challenge for the more able children in some aspects of language and mathematics. The staff interact well with the children, engaging them in conversation, encouraging them to listen and think. Children behave well in response to high expectations and sensitive support of staff. Staff foster self esteem in children through giving appropriate praise and encouraging them to take responsibility in the nursery. The nursery accommodation and the wide range of well organised resources has a positive impact on the children's learning, allowing children to be confident and independent

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How effective is the nursery education?

learners. While the group maintains its commitment to the Jewish faith appreciation of the diversity in the wider world is demonstrated in a wide selection of resources. Currently children who have special needs attend the nursery and there are systems in place to provide support. Staff use observation and assessment records of the children in their planning to ensure that children's progress towards the early learning goals is monitored. Leadership and management is very good. Much of the success of the nursery is due to the strong leadership. There is a commitment to ongoing staff support and development. A feature of the group is their ability to assess and review the effectiveness of their own practice. There are generally good informal relationships between staff and parents. Parents are kept informed about their child, nursery activities and routines through daily contact, displays and written

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How effective is the nursery education?

information. However, there are no formal systems to update parents on children's progress.

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What is being done well?

Children's personal, social and emotional development is excellent. They are motivated, work well both alone or in groups. Behaviour is exemplary. Children speak clearly and confidently as a result of the staff's high level of involvement in their play and conversations. Staff work well as a team to plan, provide and present an interesting range of activities which enable children to be independent and initiate their own play and learning. Strong leadership fosters good early years principles and commitment to the continual development of the nursery practice.

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What needs to be improved?

staff awareness of how to provide further opportunities for more able children to develop their understanding of linking sounds together and to experiment with rhyming sounds more able children's understanding and use of mathematical calculation, addition and subtraction, in everyday practical activities

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The setting has made very good progress since the last inspection. Staff have introduced sequence cards to encourage children to recreate patterns for example in threading activities. Planning includes regular opportunities for children to recognise pattern through topic work e.g. animal skin prints. While the long term planning shows an emphasis on knowledge and understanding of the world, weekly plans and activity sheets detail how topics are broken down to cover the six areas of learning.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children make very good progress in personal, social and emotional development. They respond positively to staff and their behaviour is very good. Children co-operate, work well together, and demonstrate an understanding of their own feelings and show concern for others. Confidence and independence is fostered through organisation of resources, daily opportunities and the support of staff. The children's progress in this area underpins their learning across the curriculum.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children are making generally good progress. Children speak confidently, engaging in conversation with staff and their peers. Children make marks, write their names and practice writing for a variety of purposes. They listen attentively to stories. Children develop their reading skills from a wide variety of text displayed in the rooms. Many children recognise letters and use sounds of letters. However more able children are not sufficiently challenged in this aspect of their learning.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children's progress in mathematical development is generally good. Staff plan a range of activities to promote understanding of size, shape, and position. Children measure and compare in practical activities. They use number in everyday situations and many can count reliably up to 10 and beyond, recognising and writing numerals. Many children use one more and less, however more able children are provided with few opportunities to further develop their understanding of addition and subtraction.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children's progress in this area is generally good. They use their senses to explore a range of objects and materials through practical activities. Children use construction equipment and tools to build. However, there are limited opportunities for them to be involved in design. Children learn about the natural world and talk about patterns and changes they see in their environment and themselves. They talk about past and present events in their own lives and learn about the lives of others.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children make generally good progress in physical development. Staff provide regular opportunities for children to develop and practice their skills. Children move confidently and with co-ordination showing an awareness of space, themselves and others. However there are few opportunities for children to practice their balancing skills. Children handle tools and objects well and with safety. They learn about the importance of hygiene and keeping healthy.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children's progress in creative development is good. Children are provided with everyday opportunities to explore colour, texture, shape and form. They enjoy expressing their ideas through a good range of activities such as role play, painting, collage and movement.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Children's spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development is fostered appropriately: Y

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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

develop the more able children's literacy skills by providing further opportunities for linking sounds of letters and using rhyming sounds increase staff's knowledge of how to use everyday practical activities to extend the more able children's understanding of addition and subtraction

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