Priory School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 12/01/2005 Inspector Name Denys Rasmussen

p.1

SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Brightsparks Day Nursery Setting Address Meadow Hill Purley Surrey CR8 3HL

p.1

REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

p.1

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.

p.2

Information about the setting

Brightsparks Day Nursery opened in 1999. It operates from seven rooms in a single storey purpose built building, in the grounds of a senior school. The Nursery is located in a residential area of Purley and serves the local area. A maximum of 52 children may attend the nursery at any one time. There are currently 56 children from 10 months to 4-years on roll. This includes eight funded three and four-year-olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The group opens five days a week all year round. Sessions are from 08:00 until 13:00 and from 13:00 until 18:00 Three part time and eleven full time staff work with the children. Eleven staff have early years qualifications. Two staff are currently on training programmes. The nursery receives support from a mentor from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership (EYDCP).

p.2

Information about the setting

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

p.2

How effective is the nursery education?

Brightsparks Day Nursery provides good-quality nursery education overall, which enables children to make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. Provision for physical development and communication, language and literacy is particularly well-planned and children make very good progress in these areas. The quality of teaching is generally good. Staff manage the children well, interact skilfully and foster good relationships. Good topic based activities are planned and link well to most areas of learning, however, mathematical learning opportunities are not fully exploited as part of the everyday routine and the creative workshop was not used enthusiastically by the children. Activities are well managed and the organisation of the pre school helps children to increase their independence and self help skills. There is limited use of natural resources for children to investigate and explore. Children are given good opportunities to develop their language and literacy

p.3

How effective is the nursery education?

skills and are well developed in this area. The creative use of the garden and large hall ensure children's physical development is well promoted. Leadership and management is generally good. The setting gain support from outside agencies when appropriate. There is a commitment to staff development and staff have access to guidance, support and relevant training. The quality of the provision is reviewed and steps are taken to address identified weaknesses, but the system for reviewing is not sufficiently sound to ensure that all areas that need further development is identified. Staff work well as a team,and are aware of their roles and responsibilities. The partnership with parents is very good. There are effective communication systems in place and parents are well informed about their child's achievements and progress. Parents are given good information about the nursery it's provision and the foundation stage.

p.3

What is being done well?

• Staff use excellent strategies to promote good behaviour and consideration for others. They give children clear and consistent boundaries. Their calm and polite manner sets a very good example for children. • Children's physical skills are promoted very effectively through a stimulating range of indoor and outdoor activities. • Children's communication, language and literacy skills are promoted well within the day to day routine and by effective practical activities provided. • Parents are kept very well informed of their child's progress and day to day activities. There is a communications book which is completed daily about the child's day, including the child's mood, enthusiasm, meals and focus activity. The parents particularly commented on the caring and friendly staff, the

p.3

What is being done well?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 commitment of staff and the individual care their children receive.

p.3

What needs to be improved?

• the programme for mathematics • the use of natural resources to promote understanding of the natural world • children's interest in the creative workshop by extending the resources available to them

p.4

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

p.4

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are confident and relate well to adults and their peers, they show care and concern for each other and have particular friends. Children respond well to the familiar routines and behave well, they are busy and motivated. Staff encourage children's self help skills, they learn to put on their coat, pour a drink and use the toilet independently. Children talk freely about their homes and families and the way they feel.

p.5

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children listen well and enjoy listening to stories, they learn new vocabulary and enthusiastically predict the end of the story. Staff help children to link sounds to letters and some children use their phonic knowledge to read words. Children speak confidently, initiate conversations and negotiate with each other. They use language to explore real experiences. Children are attempting to write for a variety of purposes and some children can write their name.

p.5

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children are able to count to 10 and some children beyond 15. Children are using size language to compare and describe e.g. "that bear is smaller and that one is bigger". Children are encouraged to sort items by size and shape. There are missed mathematical learning opportunities throughout the daily routine such as at meal times or circle time and as to the use of labelling.

p.5

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children are developing an understanding of the people in their community prompted by role play and themed activities. They are beginning to be aware of past and present and discuss significant events in their lives. Staff question children's knowledge to make them think e.g. what is pasta made out of, discussing the journey of a letter. Some children understand weather consequences, however there is limited access to natural resources for children to investigate and experiment with.

p.5

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children move freely with confidence and pleasure and negotiate the nursery space successfully. They practise ball skills, they climb, slide, jump and run up and down hills. Children are able to use tools effectively e.g. cutlery, scissors, pencils and glue sticks. Children are introduced to their own health and physical needs, they know why they clean their teeth, what foods to avoid for teeth health, what foods are good for them. They are introduced to road safety.

p.5

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

p.5

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children use their imagination well when involved in role play and small world play. They use water and sand, rice and pasta, jelly, corn flour and play dough to experiment with. Children respond enthusiastically to group activities and are encouraged to describe materials with their senses, how it feels, how it smells. Children did not often use the creative workshop area as the media available is limited.

p.6

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

p.6

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.

p.7

WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT: THE KEY ISSUES

• improve the programme for mathematics by exploiting the mathematical learning opportunities during the everyday routine • provide a range of natural resources for children to investigate and explore • develop the creative workshop area, including extending the range and variety of resources available to the children and providing an area for children to display their work

p.7

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.

p.7

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

p.7