Spilsby Playgroup

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 07/02/2003 Inspector Name Hazel Taylor

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Spilsby Playgroup Setting Address Woodlands Avenue Spilsby Lincolnshire PE23 5EP

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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

Spilsby Playschool has been established for over thirty years and is privately owned. It currently operates from a mobile classroom unit stationed in the grounds of Spilsby Primary School which is situated near the centre of this small rural town. The majority of the children who attend live locally or travel from surrounding villages. There is one main room to be used for activities and there is direct access to a fully enclosed outdoor play area. The group also has the use of the extended school grounds. The toilet and kitchen facilities are time-shared with the school's nursery class who occupy the other classroom in the unit. The playschool is registered for 24 places and children are accepted from the age of two and a half years to under five years. There are currently 53 children on roll, including 29 funded three-year-olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. One child has special needs and the group supports one child who speaks English as an

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Information about the setting

additional language. The group opens between 09:00hrs and 15:45hrs five days a week during school term times. A total of seven staff work with the children; four have early years qualifications. The setting is involved with the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership.

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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?

Spilsby Playschool provides a happy and welcoming environment where children make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. In some areas, such as personal, social and emotional development and knowledge and understanding of the world, children's progress is very good. This is a result of the skilful methods staff use to engage children's interest and to foster their independence and self-esteem. The quality of teaching is generally good. Staff have a sound understanding of the foundation stage and provide an interesting range of practical activities to help children learn. Planning and assessment systems generally provide a suitable framework to help children make progress. These systems, however, are not consistently used effectively to plan how activities will be adapted or extended to fully support differing abilities - particularly in some aspects of children's mathematical development.

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How effective is the nursery education?

Staff work well alongside the children and have high expectations of their behaviour. This has a positive impact on the relationships within the group. There is an effective system in place to provide good support for children with special educational needs. The leadership and management of the nursery is generally good. The manager provides clear direction for the staff team who work well together. The manager and staff are enthusiastic and are keen to improve the standards of care and education within the pre-school. All staff are positively encouraged and supported to undertake further training as a means to maintain and improve standards. The partnership with parents is very good. Parents receive good quality written information about the nursery which is reinforced verbally on a regular basis. Parents share information about their child with staff and receive helpful information about their child's progress. Staff enthuse parents to be involved in children's

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How effective is the nursery education?

learning at home and contribute to the nursery.

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What is being done well?

• Staff work well as a team to provide an interesting range of activities, good role models and a harmonious learning environment. The planning of the educational programme effectively promotes learning in all six areas of learning. • Staff give high priority to children's personal, social and emotional development. Children become confident, interested and able to work on their own. Children are good communicators - behaviour and relationships are good. Staff know the children well and have high expectations of what they can learn.

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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 • Children respond well to the imaginative role play opportunities offered which are linked to themes. Children speak clearly and fluently about past and current events as a result of the staff's consistent interest and engagement in their play and conversations. Good use is made of information and communication technology to support children's learning. • Staff's have a clear understanding of the importance of partnership with parents and this has a positive impact on children's development and learning. Parents receive good quality written information about the nursery which is reinforced verbally on a regular basis.

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What needs to be improved?

• the planning of group work to identify how activities, particularly with regard to mathematics, can be differentiated to ensure that children of all abilities are able to gain the most from the activity and the learning materials. • the monitoring and evaluation systems to effectively identify areas requiring further detail in planning and, in particular, for that which supports children's mathematical development.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The setting has made generally good improvement since the last inspection. The group has moved into new premises since the last inspection and now operate from a room of which they have sole use. The group can be more effective in their celebration of children's work on the walls and in the storage and presentation of resources so that they are easily accessible by children. They also have direct access to an enclosed outdoor area as well as having the use of the extended school grounds. Staff have extended and refined the ways in which they share information with parents and involve them in the assessment process. They provide clearly detailed information for parents to support an awareness of how children learn towards the early learning goals in the six areas of learning. Regular staff meetings allow future training needs to be discussed and there are plans to reinstate staff appraisals to identify staff opportunities for personal

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What has improved since the last inspection?

development. Further monitoring and planning refinements are required to fully exploit teaching and learning opportunities and ensure that the group activities are sufficiently differentiated so that children of all abilities gain the most from the activity and the learning resources.

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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 work well independently and in groups. They are enthusiastic and well motivated. Children are becoming confident, expressing their needs and taking the initiative in a variety of situations. They develop good relationships both with adults and their peers. Behaviour is good.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children are good communicators. They interact well with adults and peers, negotiate and use talk to organise their play with others. Children access and use a range of purposeful opportunities to develop their understanding that print carries meaning. Children have opportunities to attempt writing and give meaning to marks on paper. They know how to use books for enjoyment and to locate information.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children are confident in using correct mathematical language in a variety of situations. Children learn how to use numbers in everyday situations and show that they understand size and shape through practical activities - recognising and counting reliably numbers 1 to 10. Some group activities lack a variable challenge to enable children of all abilities to gain the most from the activity and the learning materials.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children can communicate details of past and present events in their own lives, those of their families and other people they know. They are developing a good understanding of their own and others cultures. Children access and use very good learning opportunities to explore and find out about the natural environment. Good use is made of information and communication technology to support children's learning.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children move confidently and in safety. Space is well used and children spontaneously access purposeful opportunities in a variety of situations both indoors and outdoors. Children's small hand skills and whole body movements are developed through effective use of a wide range of equipment and large apparatus. Children are developing an understanding of the effect that good hygiene and exercise can have on their health.

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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 respond well to the imaginative role play opportunities offered which are linked to themes. They are also able to make good use of resources independently to develop their own imaginative creativity. Children explore colour, texture and shape through a variety of play materials and are able to use resources to express their ideas and communicate their feelings.

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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

• ensure that the planning of group work identifies how activities, particularly with regard to mathematics, can be differentiated so that children of all abilities are able to gain the most from the activity and the learning materials. • ensure that the monitoring systems are fully effective in identifying areas requiring further detail in planning and in particular for that which supports children's mathematical development.

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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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