Poplar Street Primary School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 31/01/2005 Inspector Name Linda Dawe

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Roborough Pre-School Setting Address Methodist Church Hall Bickleigh Down Road Roborough, Plymouth Devon PL6 7BB

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of Roborough Pre-School

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Roborough Pre-School Address Bickleigh Down Road Roborough Plymouth Devon PL6 7BJ

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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

Roborough Pre-school opened in 1972. It operates from the Methodist Church hall, which is located on the edge of the village of Roborough. The group has access to a hall, kitchen, toilets and a secured outside area. Children attend from a wide catchment area including Plymouth. There are currently 24 children from 2 to 5 years on roll. This includes 18 funded 3-year-olds and 4 funded 4-year-olds. The group supports children with special needs. There are no children currently attending for whom English is an additional language. Children attend a variety of sessions. The group opens five days a week during school term times. Sessions are from 09:15 until 11:45. Afternoon sessions are for 2-year-olds and they run on two afternoons from 12:30 until 14:30. Four staff work with the children. They all have early years qualifications, including NVQ 2 and 3. They are often supported by students on placement. Two staff are

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Information about the setting

planning to do the NVQ 2 and 3 training programme. The pre-school is a member of the Pre-school Learning Alliance. It receives support from 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?

Roborough Pre-School provides good quality nursery education overall which enables children to make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. Children make very good progress in personal, social and emotional development, creative development and in knowledge and understanding of the world. They are making generally good progress in communication, language and literacy, mathematical and physical development. The quality of teaching is generally good. Staff are secure in their knowledge of the Foundation Stage and know individual children well. This enables them to effectively plan for individual children ensuring they receive appropriate support and challenge. Staff use time and resources well to ensure the curriculum is covered. They organise indoor space imaginatively to create an interesting learning environment. However books are not presented in a way that encourages children to access them freely

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How effective is the nursery education?

and as a result children's use of books is limited. Children have limited access to the outdoor area during winter months and as a result do not have regular opportunity to develop their physical skills. Children are well supported by staff in their play. Staff have positive relationships with all the children and constantly encourage and praise good behaviour and children's achievements. They effectively assess children's learning against the stepping stones and early learning goals and use this information to plan what children should do next. The leadership and management of the pre-school is generally good. There is a dedicated and committed staff team who work well together. They regularly evaluate activities to inform future practice and seek advice and support from outside agencies where necessary. However they have not identified the areas for development. The partnership with parents is very good. Parents are given detailed information

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How effective is the nursery education?

about their child's learning and progress and invited to be involved in their learning.

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What is being done well?

• Staff actively promote children's positive self-esteem by the use of constant praise and encouragement. Staff give children time to complete tasks and encourage them to make choices and decisions for themselves. • Parents are kept very well informed of their child's progress as a result of progress profiles they receive at the end of each term. They are also given detailed information about activities and learning intentions to enable them to support and extend their children's learning at home.

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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 are given regular opportunities to explore and investigate for themselves as a result of well-planned topics and staff's effective use of resources and time.

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What needs to be improved?

• children's access to outside play, particularly during the winter months • use of books • opportunities to calculate in practical activities • access to information and communication technology.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Generally good progress has been made with regards to the key issues set at the previous inspection. This has had a positive impact on children's learning. Children now have free access to writing materials in free play and role-play and they use these regularly to develop their writing skills. Art and craft materials are now freely available and children often choose to use them. However children still have limited opportunities to use and compare numbers in practical situations and this remains an area for development.

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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 are very enthusiastic to learn in the calm environment provided for them. They are very confident with adults and warmly welcome new children into the group. Children are very independent, taking themselves to the toilet and pouring their own drinks. They are pleased to share in their peers’ achievements; for example, they were all delighted when a 3-year-old recognised the number two. Children behave very well and are encouraged to be polite and considerate.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children are very confident communicators; all are keen to take turns during group activities such as registration and story time. They can link sounds to letters with support and encouragement from staff. The setting is rich in print at child-level and as a result children understand that print carries meaning, confidently choosing their own names at registration time. However they rarely select books. Children freely access writing materials and often choose to sit down and write or paint.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children are developing good counting skills. They count regularly and most are able to recognise numerals with more able children able to name double numerals when talking about the date at registration time. Children have a good concept of position and quantity. They correctly describe when pots are full or empty and compare size and weight during activities and projects. However they have limited opportunity to calculate or compare numbers. They know basic shapes and name them correctly.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children enjoy investigating and exploring the natural world, for example, when studying the life cycles of frogs or experimenting why things float or sink. They competently design and construct using a variety of resources. They have occasional access to ICT equipment in role-play although access to technology is limited. They explore a variety of cultures in meaningful contexts such as tasting foods and within their role-play. They are taken out to explore the local environment and community.

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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: Generally Good Children skilfully manipulate small tools such as glue sticks, pencils and spoons, developing their small muscles. For example, all children successfully ate jelly from a pot using a plastic spoon. They move around the setting with confidence and control negotiating steps as part of the daily routine. However they have limited opportunity to develop their large muscles through activities such as climbing and balancing during the winter months.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children enjoy exploring and experimenting with paint and have regular opportunities to do so. They are encouraged to investigate for themselves, for example, by mixing colours. They use their imagination well both in role-play and when using small world equipment, devising roles for themselves and their friends. Children effectively explore their senses during planned activities and through the sessions, for example, when making jelly, which they enjoy tasting, touching and smelling.

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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 children have opportunity to develop their large muscles through the provision of regular outdoor play • encourage the use of books throughout the session • provide opportunities for children to calculate in everyday activities. 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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