Carmel Sixth Form College

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 11/02/2004 Inspector Name Julie Steeples

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Punch And Judy Playgroup Setting Address C/o Lympne Village Hall Lympne Kent CT21 4LE

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of Punch And Judy Playgroup

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Punch And Judy Playgroup Address The Street Lympne Hythe Kent CT21 4LQ

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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

Lympne Punch and Judy Playgroup opened in 1987. It operates from the village hall Lympne, near Hythe, Folkestone. The playgroup has access to two rooms, toilets, a kitchen and an outside area. It serves the local area and surrounding towns. The playgroup is registered to provide 26 places for children aged two to five years old. There are currently 40 children on roll. This includes 5 funded four-year-old and 14 funded three-year-olds. Children attend a variety of sessions each week. No children attending have special educational needs and none speak English as an additional language. The playgroup opens four days a week term time. Sessions last from 9 am to 12 noon. The playgroup offers a lunch club from 12 to 12:45 pm. Parents provide a packed lunch. Six staff work with the children. Two have early years qualifications and attend short courses. The playgroup receives support from a Pre-school Learning Alliance Development

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Information about the setting

worker and a teacher from the Early Years 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?

The provision of nursery education at the Punch and Judy Playgroup is generally good overall, with some very good aspects. Children are making very good progress in communication, language and literacy, mathematical and physical development and generally good progress in all other areas of learning.

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How effective is the nursery education?

The quality of teaching is very good. Children are keen to learn and show enthusiasm for the activities. Staff develop good relationships with the children and act as positive role models. The staff's sound knowledge and understanding of the early learning goals is effective in ensuring children receive a balanced programme of activities. Children are confident and well motivated. Detailed planning and the use of appropriate teaching methods is particularly effective in promoting communication, language and literacy, and mathematical skills, enabling children to make very good progress. Systems are in place to support children who have special educational needs and for whom English is an additional language. The children's behaviour is very good. Many exciting activities promote knowledge and understanding of the world, but children have limited opportunities to use technology. A wide range of creative activities is provided but tend to be staff-led,

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How effective is the nursery education?

consequently children lack opportunity to use their own imagination and express their own ideas in art and design. The leadership and management of the nursery is very good. Staff are well informed and the supervisor identifies and addresses any training needs. In the past year the supervisor has made positive changes in the playgroup provision and is very aware of what needs to be done to differentiate in planning for different groups of children in the playgroup. The partnership with parents is very good and has a positive effect on children's progress. The parents are well informed about their children's development, and are welcomed into the group to help with activities and play along side the children.

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What is being done well?

• There is very good provision for communication, and language and literacy, with a strong emphasis on promoting speaking and listening skills. Children have the confidence to ask questions, express views, and use language to communicate their feelings and experiences • Children are confident, work well together, and have formed good relationships. Staff have very good knowledge of the foundation stage and how young children learn. • Children are well supported by the adults in the group. • Staff have continuously updated their training and have attended short

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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 courses about relevant child care issues. • Details observation, record keeping, and assessment enables staff to have a clear view of the children's progress. This helps the staff to identify areas for concern quickly and to plan appropriately for future learning.

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What needs to be improved?

• opportunities for children to take part in a broad range of creative activities that allow them to express their own ideas and imagination freely. • the organisation of activities, and staff deployment, to allow children to have greater opportunities to use information technology

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What has improved since the last inspection?

There as been generally good improvement since the last inspection. Varied writing materials are now provided on a daily basis in the role play area. Clear signs identify various area of the playgroup, such as the Book Corner and the Post Office, and all main activities are now clearly labelled. This has had a good impact on the children's learning. There has been limited progress in the area of creative development. The activities still tend to be staff led, and consequently there is a lack of opportunities for children to use their own initiative and develop their imaginations.

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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: Generally Good The children are interested in activities, show good levels of concentration, are eager to learn and self motivated. They work well independently and as part of a larger group. Children's behaviour is very good. Staff employ a consistent approach, and children respond to correction and observe the rules of sharing and turn taking. There are missed opportunities to develop the children's independence at snack time.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children are chatty and responsive to each other and adults. Staff use planned discussion groups very effectively to develop and extend children's language. Children speak clearly and confidently, using complex sentences. A child explains to the group that his toy hedgehog is soft, not spiky. Children identify letters by sound, and begin to write their own names. They write freely and imaginatively in free-play activities. Children actively select books, sharing and discussing the stories.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children count competently and recognise number to ten and beyond. They count spontaneously as part of their play. Staff support children well, encouraging them to describe and recognise shapes in activities such as Kim's Game. They are developing understanding of mathematical language and are extending simple calculating skills using play dough. They use mathematical ideas of space and shape, for example during a detailed group discussion of the comparative shape of football and rugby balls.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children choose from a variety of well-planned activities. They explore and investigate the world around them using a range of resources and skilfully construct models, creating their own designs. Children discuss and find out about events in their own lives and develop a sense of community with help from visitors, such as the fire service and dentist. There are few resources to reflect other cultures. Children investigate technology using a range of resources including a computer on occasions.

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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 The children move with co-ordination and good spatial awareness. They move confidently with ability to control speed and direction. Planned activities challenge children's fine manipulative skills and effectively develop balance and control. Children handle a range of large and small equipment, tools and materials with increasing control and skill. Staff make the most of daily routines to develop children's understanding of the importance of keeping healthy.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children enjoy singing and music joining in enthusiastically. They take part in imaginative role-play co-operatively, often for sustained periods of time. They play musical instruments and are learning about rhythm. Staff plan activities so children use their senses to explore colour, shape, form and texture in a variety of materials. While these reflect careful preparation by the staff, children have only limited opportunities for experimentation and using their own imagination.

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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

• develop opportunities for children to take part in a broad range of activities which allow them to use their own imaginations and communicate their own ideas freely. • develop further opportunities for children to use information technology. 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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