The Purbeck School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 03/02/2005 Inspector Name Philippa Clare Williams

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Hampstead Activity Nursery Setting Address Christ Church Hampstead Square London NW3 1AB

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Mr C & Mrs J Barnard Address 1 Church Road Highgate London N6 4QH

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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

Hampstead Activity Nursery was registered in 2000. The Nursery operates in a converted part of a church, it is virtually self contained and comprise three rooms with access to a further space in the main body of the church. A large secured patio area surrounding the church provides children with opportunities for outdoor play. The Nursery serves the local community. The Nursery opens five days a week during term time. Sessions are from 08:00 to 12.15 or 13:30 to 18:00 or from 08:00 to 18:00. Children attend full or part time sessions. The Nursery is registered to care for no more than 33 children under 5 years; of these, not more than 9 may be under 2 years at any one time. There are currently 32 children on roll, of whom 11 receive nursery education funding. The Nursery is currently supporting some children who speak English as an additional language. There are no children currently being supported with special needs.

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Information about the setting

Overall there are 8 members of staff including the Manager, of whom five hold child care qualifications at a level two or three. The Nursery receives support from the Early Years Development Childcare Partnership (EYDCP).

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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 educational provision at Hampstead Activity Nursery is acceptable and of good quality overall. Children are making generally good progress in most areas of development and very good progress in the personal, social and emotional and mathematical development. Children are settled, confident and happy in the environment. Teaching is generally good. Staff offer a wide range of activities which cover the most areas of learning and are well managed, however there is over dependence on children completing workbooks which limits children's opportunities to write for themselves in their self chosen play. Staff support children well individually and in small groups, They speak clearly to the children, listen with interest, provide new vocabulary and good questioning to encourage children's language and thinking. As result children are confident communicators. Relationships between staff and children are good and children's behaviour is good in response to praise and

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How effective is the nursery education?

appropriate expectations. The assessment system covers all six areas of learning and clear targets are set for each child. However there are weaknesses in the short term planning as they do not show how the activity can be adapted to meet learning needs, as a result information gained from observation are not used effectively to match activities to individuals or groups of children. The leadership and management is generally good. Staff work well together as a team. There is a commitment to improving the nursery education, however the Nursery need to ensure staff knowledge is kept up to date on the Foundation Curriculum. There is a system in place for monitoring and evaluating activities. Partnership with parents is very good, they are well informed about the setting and the curriculum and encouraged to be involved in their child's learning. Termly parent meetings, sharing of children's assessments and informal daily discussions ensure

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How effective is the nursery education?

parents and kept informed of their child's progress.

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What is being done well?

• Staff encourage children to respect and be courteous to each other, as a result children play well together and are good at sharing and being kind to each other. Children are friendly, confident and well behaved. • Staff use effective questioning and provide children with new vocabulary, and encourage conversations. As a result children are confident to speak in a familiar group, they talk well in their role play, they make up their own stories and negotiate with each other. • Children enjoy stories being read to them, staff encourage their participation and ask children questions throughout the story session. Children are beginning to know stories and some are able to predict what will happen

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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 next. • A key strength is the opportunity children to develop early mathematical concepts through the use of practical activities and children's self chosen play. Children confidently use maths language and are beginning to understand about early additions and subtraction skills.

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What needs to be improved?

• the short term planning, so it is based on assessments of children's progress and their next steps in learning, and they indicate the role of the adult and how the activity can be adapted or extended for individual learning needs of children • the opportunities for children to explore how things work and why things happen and to use information communication technology to support their learning • the range of resources and materials in order for children to be able to explore and use different textures and materials develop their own creative ideas • the opportunities for children to be able to attempt writing for a variety of purposes in their self chosen play • the opportunities for children to use large equipment to develop their climbing and balancing skills

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What has improved since the last inspection?

This was the Nursery's first Nursery Education Inspection.

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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 Staff are very good at developing children's confidence and independence. Children enthusiastically participate in the dancing session. They show good concentration skills and listen attentively to stories. Children's relationships are good, they work well together and take turns and share. Children are developing good self care skills, they are keen to assist at snack time by serving each other and pouring their own drinks. Staff help children understand and respect the needs of others.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Staff are very good at questioning and extending vocabulary and conversations with children, as a result children are confident talkers. They use talk well in their role play and are confident to speak up in groups. Most children are able to read their own names, and some of others. They are learing to link sounds to letters. They enjoy stories. There is an overdependence on children completing workbooks and children are not given sufficient opportunity to write in their self chosen play.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are learning to count up to 10, understand numbers and early calculation through their self chosen play and practical activities such as counting the children, bowls and cups at snack time, and playing "What's the time Mr Wolf?". Staff provide good opportunities for children to compare size of duplo towers, identify shapes of biscuits and weigh objects in the shop area. Children are able to problem solve when completing puzzles.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children are able to build and construct with a variety of materials. Children learn about different cultures through celebrating different festivals and topic work. Children talk about their families and past events. Different topics are used well to help children to understand about their local environment and living things. They enjoy watching the local school performance. Less opportunity is available for children to explore and investigate and use information communication technology.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children have good opportunities to development fine manipulative skills as they use pencils, pour drinks, paint, and thread. They manoeuvre wheeled toys well. They dance, jump and show good co ordination during the music and movement session. They are beginning to be aware of health and body needs e.g. wiping their nose and using the toilet and eating healthy foods. There are insufficient challenging opportunities for children to use large equipment for climbing and balancing skills.

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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 They use resources well to support their role play, and are able to make their own stories. They responded in a lively and spontaneous manner to the dancing session. They have regular opportunities for singing. They had access to a paint activity and enjoyed mixing the paints and using the different utensils. The limited range and choice of materials limits children's opportunities to express themselves creatively.

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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 the short term planning so it is based on assessments of children's progress and their next steps in learning, and they indicate the role of the adult, and how the activity can be adapted or extended for individual learning needs of children. • Improve the opportunities for children to explore how things work and why things happen and to use information communication technology to support their learning. • Provide a wider range of resources and materials in order for children to be able to explore and use different textures and materials develop their own creative ideas. • Increase the opportunities for children to be able to attempt writing for a variety of purposes in their self chosen play. • Provide regular opportunities for children to use large equipment to develop their climbing and balancing skills.

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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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