Gordon Primary School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 10/07/2003 Inspector Name Lynne Stephanie Bowden

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Foundry Under Fives Pre School Setting Address Harbour View Hayle Cornwall TR27 4LB

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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

Foundry Under Fives Pre-School is a well established group run by a committee of parents that opened in 1994. It operates from its own purpose built premises with an enclosed outside play area near the centre of Hayle. The pre-school serves local towns and villages in the area. There are currently 54 children from two and a half to five years on roll. This includes 25 funded three year olds and no funded four year olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. None of the children has special needs and all children have English as their first language.

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Information about the setting

The group opens four days a week during school term times. Sessions are from 9.15 until 11.45 and from 12.45 until 14.45 on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Eight part time staff work with the children. Four have early years qualifications. One member of staff is currently on a training programme. The setting receives support from a teacher/mentor from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership (EYDCP) and is a member of the Pre-school Learning Alliance.

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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?

Foundry Under Fives Pre school offers generally good nursery education. Children are making very good progress in personal, social and emotional development, mathematics and physical development, whilst they are making generally good progress towards the other early learning goals. The teaching is generally good. Staff have a sound knowledge of the early learning goals. They effectively use routine activities to develop children's thinking and encourage their learning. Staff plan a balanced curriculum and provide a good range of resources to promote the children's learning. However, the learning intentions for many of these activities and how they can be adapted, are not identified in short term planning. The staff manage behaviour well, they provide good role models and the children are well behaved. Leadership and management is generally good. The committee and staff are clear about their roles and responsibilities. Systems are in place to monitor the

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How effective is the nursery education?

effectiveness of the staff and setting. The staff work well together as a team. Partnership with parents is generally good . Parents are made to feel welcome. When there children move on, the parents are given full reports on how their child has progressed. However there is no formal system in place to enable parents to share information, whilst their child attends the setting.

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What is being done well?

• Staff plan an interesting range of mathematical activities. • Children have many opportunites to develop their physical skills. • Staff make good use of routine activities to develop children's thinking and encourage their learning. • Staff use a good range of good quality resources, to promote children's learning. • Comprehensive records and reports on children's progress are given to parents, when their children leave the setting.

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What needs to be improved?

• the short term planning to identify more learning intentions and how activities are adapted to meet different ability levels. • children's opportunities to write with a purpose. • children's opportunities to select resources and tools and develop their own ideas in creative development and knowledge and understanding of the

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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 world. • the system for parents to share information about their child's progress during their time at the setting.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The setting has made generally good progress in response to the key issues raised at the previous inspection. The planning includes opportunites for children to learn about different cultures, for children to associate sounds with patterns and rhymes, words and letters. Children are regularly engaged in dance and imaginative movement. Planning covers most aspects within the six areas of learning.

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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 behave well and listen with concentration to instructions. The children are confident, they make suggestions at large group time and express their preferences in other situations. They have good relationships with each other and adults.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children discuss a variety of their own experiences, such as swimiing trips, with encouragement from staff. Children confidently talk and negotiate with each other and staff. They are familiar with books and stories. However the children do not have regular opportunities to write with a purpose.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children count confidently and show an understanding of simple mathematical calculations. Children show an understanding of the purpose of mathematics, for example in an imaginary shopping game. Children measure and compare differences in length and size. Children can name and identify a variety of shapes.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children show good awareness and knowledge of their local environment. They investigate and explore natural objects. Children are confident and competent computer users. They do not have opportunities to select from a variety of resources and tools to construct and assemble models.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are confident and competent at using a variety of apparatus and tools. They confidently move around each other and the premises. Children recognise changes that happen to their bodies, for example, that they warm up when they run around.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children use their imaginations to create a variety of scenes in both role play and small world activities. Children are familiar with and have opportunities to explore a variety of media and materials, but they have few chances to develop their own creative ideas.

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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

• improve short term planning to include learning intention for all planned activities and how activities are adapted to meet different ability levels. • develop opportunities for children to write with a purpose. • plan and provide opportunities for children to select resources and tools to design and assemble models and develop their own creative ideas. • develop a system to encourage parents to share information about their child's progress

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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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