Capenhurst Grange School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 03/03/2003 Inspector Name Theresa Mumby

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SETTING DETAILS

Setting Name The Drive Playgroup Setting Address Methodist Church Hall Ilford Essex IG1 3PP

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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

The Pre-school use the large hall, two other rooms and the garden. It is managed by a voluntary management committee of church members, staff and parents. The Pre-School is open from 9:15 to 12:00 Monday to Friday during school terms. It is registered for thirty -five children aged two to five years. The children come from a variety of different cultural backgrounds and attend a variety of sessions. There are nineteen three year olds and one four year old attending. Sixteen three year olds and one four year old receive nursery education funding and one three year old has special educational needs. Fifteen children speak English as an additional language. There are seven members of staff, one is working towards a level three qualification in child care and education, two have a level two qualification, two are working towards a level two qualification. The Pre-School receive advice, support and training from Redbridge Early Years and the Pre-School Learning Alliance.

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How effective is the nursery education?

Children are making generally good progress towards the early learning goals in the areas of personal, social and emotional development, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world and creative development. The children co-operative well with staff and each other. Many children are confident in counting and number recognition. They learn a lot about the jobs people do and the festivals each other celebrate. There are significant weaknesses in the areas of communication, language and literacy and physical development. Staff are committed to the care of the children and are keen to help children learn. Many staff are studying to improve their qualifications. However, staff's knowledge and understanding of planning, using the early learning goals, is insecure so opportunities to help children progress are missed. The closed questions staff ask children do not extend the children's experience, rather they children distract them

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How effective is the nursery education?

from what they are trying to achieve. The use of time and resources and the way children are grouped does not offer children sufficient challenge and opportunities to experiment and explore. Parents receive clear well written information about the setting. Parents appreciate the quality of care staff provide. However, some parents say that they are unclear about what children are learning and their achievements and progress. Opportunities for parents to share information about their children and to get involved with their learning are not supported by the organisation of the ends of the day and the key worker system. The Pre-School is effective in ensuring the special educational needs of children are planned for. Staff are encouraged to attend training. However, issues raised at the last inspection regarding methods of teaching have not been addresed effectively. The setting is not sufficiently effective in

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How effective is the nursery education?

monitoring and evaluating their provision to ensure children are making progress in all six learning areas.

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What is being done well?

Children's behaviour is good, they able to share, to wait and to take turns they understand the boundaries set and the expectations of staff. Children can count to ten accurately and to recognise numbers. The effective use of story props with songs, rhymes supports this aspect of children's mathematical development effectively. Children are introduced to many different work and community environments through the role play areas provided such as clothes shops, pizza parlours and estate agents. Children with special educational needs are supported effectively.

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What needs to be improved?

staff's understanding of planning using the early learning goals so they are clear about what they intend children to gain from the activities and experiences they provide. the grouping of children and organisation of time and resources in order to provide children with challenge and choice throughout the day. how questions and conversation are used to extend children's learning the assessment of children's achievements and progress and how this is communicated to parents

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Themes and focus activities have been used more effectively to extend children's progress in the area of knowledge and understanding of the world. Attempts to develop children's interest in technology have been made through the use of a camera, computer and tape recorder.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children's progress in this area is generally good. Children are able to share, to wait and to take turns. They enjoy each other's company and relate well to staff. Behaviour is generally good, children understand the boundaries set and the expectations of staff. Children's personal independence and their self confidence is not fostered by the amount of time they spend in large mixed age groups. They show more interest and curiosity in the small, planned group times but these are infrequent.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Significant Weaknesses Children's progress in this area has significant weaknesses. They learn about the rhythm and rhyme of words and initial sounds at circle times. However, the group size means not all children participate. Story times lack challenge and the book area is not well used. Children are learning to recognise their names and to write in role play and at the writing table. More free writing could be encouraged here. Children are given insufficient opportunity to talk about their ideas and feelings.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children's progress in this area is generally good. Many children can count to ten with confidence and some beyond ten. They are effectively encouraged to count and recognise numbers through songs, rhymes with the use of story props. However, few opportunities are planned and provided for children to compare amounts, size and recognise patterns. Some opportunities are missed to provide children with the chance to solve simple number problems at routine times like snack and tidying up.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children's progress in this area is generally good.They are introduced to many different work and community environments through the role play areas provided such as clothes shops, pizza parlours and estate agents.Children's interest in technology is fostered through the use of tape recorders, computers and cameras. Children are encouraged to find out about each other's cultural festivals.However, children have access to a limited number of stories which reflect different cultural backgrounds.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Significant Weaknesses Children's progress in this area has significant weaknesses. They are developing climbing, balancing and bike skills well. However, children only have access to a limited range of tools and materials in each activity area each day. These are changed daily so children are unable to practice and refine their skills. One activity recently focussed on how bodies work but children have insufficient ongoing opportunities to learn about keeping healthy and to notice changes happening to their bodies.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children's progress in this area is generally good Children to explore colour and express themselves through the use of paint. Children enjoy singing and actions songs. Children are interested in role play and using the wide range of dressing up clothes. However, their play in each role does not develop as the role play areas change daily. Children explore texture and form with sand, dough and water but learning is limited by the few accompanying resources that are accessible to children.

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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 but has some significant areas for improvement. Children progress towards the early learning goals is limited by some significant weaknesses. The next inspection will take place in one to two years time.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT

improve staff's understanding of planning using the early learning goals so they are clear about what they intend the children to gain from the activities and experiences they provide. improve the grouping of children and organisation of time and resources in order to reflect individual need, provide children with challenge and choice throughout the day and sufficient opportunities to practice and refine skills. ensure staff understand how to ask questions and use conversation to extend children's learning develop the assessment of children's achievements and progress so it is made clearer and devise ways this can be easily communicated to parents

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