North Harrow Nursery

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 10/05/2004 Inspector Name Jennifer Devine

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name North Harrow Nursery Ltd Setting Address 42-44 Gloucester Road Harrow Middlesex HA1 4PW

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The partnership of North Harrow Nursery Ltd 4434439

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name North Harrow Nursery Ltd Address 12 Wolsey Road Northwood Middlesex HA6 2HW

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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

North Harrow Nursery Ltd opened in May 2003. Fehmida Versi is the registered person. It is a purpose built nursery, located in a residential area of Harrow. It is well served by public transport links and is close to local amenities. The nursery serves children and families from the local community but is open to all requiring a service. There are 25 funded 3 year olds and 10 funded 4 year olds. One child attending has special educational needs. There are no children with English as an additional language. The nursery opens five days a week all year round with the exception of bank holidays. Opening hours are from 08:00 to 18:00. The nursery employs 23 staff to work with the children, of which 14 have an early years qualifications. The setting is part of the National Day Nursery Association and 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?

North Harrow Nursery Ltd offers acceptable nursery education but has some significant areas for improvements. Children are making generally good progress in Personal, Social and Emotional and Physical development but in all other areas children's progress is limited. Teaching is acceptable but has some significant weaknesses. Most staff have a generally good understanding of the stepping stones but they lack understanding of how to provide sufficient challenges to encourage and extend children's learning. Curriculum planning is generally good, but needs further development to ensure all six areas of learning are consistently covered. Staff have a generally good understanding of assessing children's development. All staff have good relationships with children and have good strategies in place for behaviour management. The environment lacks organisation and stability to encourage children to become independent learners due to moving between two rooms throughout the day.

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How effective is the nursery education?

Appropriate systems are in place to support children with Special Educational Needs and those with English as an additional language. Leadership and management is acceptable but has some significant weaknesses. Managers are supportive to staff and have appropriate aims for children's care. No systems are in place for the Managers to regularly monitor and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of teaching. Although the nursery has generally good access to further training, staff have attended very few training courses on the Foundation Stage. Partnership with parents is generally good. The setting is welcoming and staff are approachable. Parents receive regular newsletters about the nursery but this contains very little information on the curriculum. Six monthly review meetings are held to keep parents well informed about their child's progress when a written report is also shared. Parents participate in some nursery outings but due to most parents

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How effective is the nursery education?

working parental participation is limited.

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What is being done well?

• Children have made good relationships with each other and adults. • Children are interested and enthusiastic to practise their emerging writing skills. • Children are becoming confident speakers and interact well with each other. • Children have very good opportunities to develop their understanding of Information Communication Technology.

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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?

• curriculum planning to ensure consistency across all six areas of learning • the staff's understanding of providing sufficient and suitable challenges to children, particularly in developing children's mathematical knowledge • more opportunities for children to develop their independence at snack/lunch times and in independently selecting resources • providing a stimulating and inviting book area with good quality books which encourage children's interest to use this area • providing well resourced imaginative/ role play situations to encourage children's imaginative thinking • more opportunities for children to learn about the natural environment • the methods used for monitoring and evaluation of teaching methods • information for parents on the Foundation Stage curriculum.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

N/A This is the first inspection since registration.

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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 are developing their confidence and have made good relationships with adults. They are generally interested in activities and are developing their concentration. They work well together and are learning to share and take turns. This is sometimes hindered due to lack of resources such as limited sand toys. Children are developing a sense of right and wrong. There are lack of opportunities for children to independently select resources and to develop self help skills.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Significant Weaknesses Children are becoming confident speakers and interact well with each other and adults. They show interest in practising their emerging writing skills. They participate in story and singing times. Children show little interest in the library area and lack encouragement to read and look at books. Books are generally in a poor condition. Children have opportunities to develop their imaginative thinking with role play areas but resources are sparse or in poor condition.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Significant Weaknesses Children have generally good opportunities to learn about and recognise shapes such as during movement sessions. They are beginning to count and recognise numbers through practical activities such as sand and water play. They are beginning to develop an awareness of measure when filling or emptying containers. However adults do not provide sufficient support to challenge children's mathematical awareness. There are a lack of opportunities for children to learn simple addition and subtraction.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Significant Weaknesses Children have good opportunities for using computers and have confidence in following a simple programme. Children learn about past and present events in their lives and about cultures and beliefs of others. They are involved in some exploratory /investigative work such as growing plants. There are limited opportunities for children to learn about the natural world, in particular visits outside the nursery environment.

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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 generally move around confidently with increasing control, such as when riding tricycles. They are developing a good sense of space during movement sessions. Children have generally good opportunities to learn about the importance of staying healthy. Children generally handle tools and equipment such as pencils or glue sticks with confidence but there are lack of opportunities for children to practise fine movements and hand eye coordination, such as cutting with scissors.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Significant Weaknesses Children have generally good opportunities to explore planned creative media such as cornflour and experiment with paint and gluing. They are generally confident and enthusiastic with these activities. There are lack of opportunities for children to independently select creative resources and work independently to develop their imagination. There are good opportunities for singing sessions but there is lack of planning to develop recognition of sounds from musical instruments.

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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 but has some significant areas for improvement. Children progress towards the early learning goals is limited by some significant weaknesses. The next inspection will take place in one to two years time.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT: THE KEY ISSUES

• develop curriculum planning to ensure consistency is applied across all six areas of the foundation stage to enable children to have opportunities of a broad range of activities and experiences • develop staff's knowledge and understanding of the Foundation Stage and how to provide suitable and sufficient challenges to encourage children's learning • develop systems for monitoring and evaluating the teaching methods of staff • develop opportunities to enable children to independently select resources and develop their self help 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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