Blundell's Preparatory School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 22/03/2004 Inspector Name Teresa Elkington

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Lets Play Pre-School Setting Address Three Bridges Community Centre Gales Place Crawley West Sussex RH10 1QG

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of Let's Play Pre-School 1029437

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Let's Play Pre-School Address Gales Place Crawley West Sussex RH10 1QG

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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

Registered charity number: 1029437 Let's Play Pre-school has been established since 1985 in the community hall in the area of Three Bridges, Crawley. It is a community group with a parent committee and serves children from the immediate and surrounding area. The Pre-school provides care for 26 children aged 2-5 Years. There are currently 35 children on roll, of whom funding is received for 19 three year olds and 12 four year olds. Of these three have Special Educational Needs and two have English as a second language. The Pre-School opens for five days a week, offering morning sessions, during term-time only. Children attend for a variety of sessions each week. All staff currently employed, have relevant qualifications, including First Aid Certificates and training in Child Protection.

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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?

Let's Play Pre-school provides high quality nursery education. It enables children to make very good progress towards the early learning goals. The overall quality of the teaching is very good. Staff form warm, caring relationships with the children. They understand how children learn and act as good role models. They have an understanding of the early learning goals, which is clearly reflected in the planning. Staff acknowledge children's differing levels of ability and will adapt or extend activities for less able or the more able children. Regular observations are made by staff to record children's progress, with information gained being used to plot children's individual progress and to inform the planning. The good quality resources available are well used to support the children's learning. Staff set realistic boundaries with ongoing praise and encouragement in promoting good behaviour. The leadership and management of the setting is very good. The pre-school benefits

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How effective is the nursery education?

from a strong, well established staff team. Clear communication and good support from the pre-school supervisor allows staff to provide a stimulating and well balanced programme. Systems are in place for the continual assessment and development of staff. The clear objectives, defined roles and responsibly of the whole staff team, ensures that children learn in a secure and stimulating environment. The partnership with parents is very good. Parents are clearly informed about the learning programme through the prospectus, newsletters, notice boards and displays of children's work. Parents and staff work together and share information about children's individual development and progress which is supported by a key worker system and where necessary home visits. Parents are actively encouraged to be involved in their children's learning for example the book sharing scheme.

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What is being done well?

• Staff work well as a team to provide an interesting range of activities. They act as good role models to the children, which encourages a secure, stimulating learning environment. • Children speak confidently and fluently, as a result of staff's consistent interest and engagement in their play and conversation. • Children's personal, social and emotional development is a particular strength. Staff support and encourage children to be independent and take a full part in their learning, which promotes children's self esteem and co-operation within the pre-school. • Children's progress in mathematics is developing well. Many opportunities are provided throughout the day to extend children's knowledge and understanding of number, size and shape.

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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 • Parents are actively involved in their child's learning and opportunities are provided for them to share information and extend their learning in their homes.

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What needs to be improved?

• the opportunities for children to explore how things work.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The Pre-school has made very good progress since the last inspection, in developing the area of weakness identified in the following area; include within the programme for personal, social and emotional development opportunities for children to develop an understanding of different cultural and religious events through a wider range of activities and resources. Children have access to a wide range of multi- cultural items in the role play area, which includes dressing up clothes and cooking utensils. Books, posters and puzzles extend children's awareness of their wider world. Clearly identified within the long and medium plans is the inclusion of the celebration of different religious festivals for example, Chinese New Year, Diwali, Christmas and Easter. The inclusion of these resources within the learning programme has provided children with many experiences of different and exciting aspects of the world in which they

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What has improved since the last inspection?

live and promoting their awareness of the wider world.

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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 work well on their own, and in small group situations. They show good levels of concentration and perseverance. Staff have developed good relationships with the children and know their individual needs. Children are confident, independent and play an active part in their learning. Children's behaviour is good, they are willing to share resources and co-operate when participating in all activities.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children are communicating well, they use clear language to describe their experiences and wishes. Staff question children effectively encouraging them to think and contribute their own ideas. Children show a love of books and stories and a growing interest in linking sounds to letters. Staff provide many opportunities for children to practice their writing skills in a number of situations, for example writing lists and putting names on their art work.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children learn how to use numbers in everyday situations and show that they understand size and shape, through practical activities. They show an interest in counting and are given good opportunities to use and recognise numbers 1-9 in familiar context. Staff plan activities and provide resources to promote an understanding of addition, subtraction and comparison.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Staff provide activities and resources that encourage children to explore and investigate, allowing them to talk about themselves, their immediate environment and the wider world. Children have free access to a good variety of resources, to encourage their building and designing skills. Children are confident in their use of the computer and have access to a range of information communication and technology equipment within play situations.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children enjoy a broad range of large and small equipment for physical play. They move with confidence and safety, showing a good awareness of space and others. Children are confident in their handling of small tools such as scissors, sewing needles, brushes and pencils. They are developing their fine control skills through a wide range of play materials such as 'small world' and construction sets.

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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: Very Good Children are encouraged to use their imagination and express their ideas in a variety of different ways, such as music and movement sessions and role play situations. Children enjoy participating in singing sessions and readily perform the actions to go with the rhymes. Children are encouraged to respond with their senses to experiences they obtain through both their play and planned activities, for example using play dough and clay; expressing what they feel when they touch the worm and snails.

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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 high quality. Children are making very 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

There are no significant weaknesses to report, but considerations should be given to improving the following: • There are no significant weaknesses to report but consideration should be given to the following area; • continue to develop the opportunities for children to find out how things work. 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

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

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