David Livingstone Primary School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 25/03/2003 Inspector Name Mo Roberts

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Setting Name Pillowell Early Years Group Setting Address Pillowell School School Road, Pillowell Nr Lydney Gloucestershire GL15 4QT

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name Pillowell Early Years Group 1087041

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Pillowell Early Years Group Address c/o Pillowell CP School School Lane, Pillowell Nr Lydney Gloucestershire GL15 4QT

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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

Pillowell Early Years Group has been open since approximately 1991. It uses a purpose adapted room in Pillowell Community Primary School and the school playground and infant toilets. Sessional care is provided Tuesday to Friday. 9.00am. to 12 noon. It opens 33 weeks a year, and follows the school's terms. The Tuesday session is for the older children described as 'the rising fives'. The setting caters for a small number of children with special educational needs. All children currently speak English as their first language. It serves the local village and the surrounding rural community.Two staff work with the children and they have appropriate playgroup qualifications which they are currently extending. The group has support from an advisory teacher. A maximum of 12 children attend each session. There are three three- year- olds and eleven four- year- olds at present attending the setting.

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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 is of good quality overall. Children's mathematical development is very good and they make generally good progress towards the other early learning goals. The standard of teaching is generally good. Staff plan and provide a good range of activities for all six areas of learning. Most activities are appropriate for the stage of learning a child has reached. In the 'rising fives' group the staff's expectations are a little too high for some children's concentration; the worksheets and formal approach do not suit the needs of the more immature children. Individual assessments are detailed, but the information is not used to identify those children who find the approach too hard. In other sessions the challenges in the wide variety of activities are appropriate. Children in these groups who need extra help with their learning are well supported.

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How effective is the nursery education?

The group runs smoothly, with staff appropriately deployed. The day is well organised. Children are mostly well behaved and are learning to share nicely. Sometimes, a few children are less co-operative. Staff insist that they do as they are asked; but do not always give sufficient patient explanation of why this is essential. Some children are not made aware of the consequences of their actions and are not encouraged enough to begin to negotiate with the others. The current arrangements for the use of the playground while promoting a sense of community fail to stimulate imaginative play for the youngest. The leadership and management is generally good and the partnership with parent's is very good. The day to day running of the group is efficiently managed.The committee offer the Playleader good support and effectively over see the running of the group. The monitoring and evaluation of the setting is not fully developed.

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How effective is the nursery education?

Parents are well-informed about what happens and support their children's learning. The group is a well integrated part of the school community.

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What is being done well?

• The children are given confidence and opportunities to try a wide range of new activities. • They are encouraged to settle well into the school environment to share things and consider each other. • A strong interest in mathematics is fostered. • Parents are fully involved in the group and their children' s learning

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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

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What needs to be improved?

• children's awareness of the consequences of their own actions,and the staffs' use of language to descibe behaviour and to model negotiation as a means of resolving problems; • the use of the outdoor area for imaginative play • asessment details to ensure activities are matched to all children's needs especially in the rising fives group, • the system for monitoring and evaluating the group's overall development

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The setting has made generally good progress in addressing the key issues raised at the last inspection. They have introduced activity planning sheets and evaluations of sessions. Staff are aware of the need to adapt these plans to individual needs, although they do not always succeed in doing this. They work on letter sounds more than previously; but are still not entirely sure about a full range of methods for promoting interest in this area of learning. More activities highlight the differences betweeen old and new and there are increased opportunities for making and designing things in the sessions. Written reports are now provided for parents.

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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 Children make generally good progress towards the early learning goals.They are good at dressing themselves and are independent in many respects. They confidently try new activities. They are considerate of others in their own small community and in the wider school environment. Although they mostly behave well, some are not fully aware of the consequences of their actions. They share well and play together happily most of the time.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. They use language well to help their thinking skills such as when they learned the rules of snakes and ladders. They are less successful when using language to sort out disputes. They are interested in books and know a good range of rhymes and stories. Too few recognise some letter sounds. Their writing skills are developing, but worksheets are too hard for some.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children make very good progress towards the early learning goals.There are good opportunities for those who learn quickly to fully develop their ability. They use mathematics in everyday activities such as deciding how many are present. Problem solving is well supported through songs and games. Mathematics is reinforced in play situations. Children develop good ideas about the importance of patterns. They are good at using and identifing shapes.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. They are developing a good understanding of the world around them. They are made aware of the passing seasons and the changes in the natural world. They are aware of the difference between old and new things. They enjoy making things. The opportunities to use modern technology are limited. Children learn about other countries and customs. They also find out about their local area.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. They have regular physical activity and full use is made of the school hall. They participate in the school playtime and race about using space well. They have less opportunity to use outdoors for imaginative play as the older childen tend to dominate. They are aware of some health matters and begin to understand how their bodies work. They adeptly use a wide variety of tools. Riding,climbing and balancing skills are good.

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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 Children make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. They are entusiastic in the role play and use their imaginations well. This is seen as they play with a range of toys and things like the sand. There are good topics that stimulate their senses and they enjoy tasting things from other cultures. There are good opportunities to paint and create models. There are very limited opportunities for creative outdoor play.

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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 the staff's discussion and management techniques so they can fully support children's ability to negoitiate and ensure children are made aware of the consequences of their actions; • develop the use of the outdoor area to extend children's learning especially in physical development and imaginative play; • increase the detail in the assessments so activities can be fully matched to children's individual needs, especially in the' rising fives' group.

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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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