The Lancaster School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 24/11/2004 Inspector Name Lynn Reeves

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Toad Hall Nursery (Haslemere) Setting Address Chestnut Avenue Haslemere Surrey GU27 2AT

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Careroom Ltd Address 3rd Floor, Wembley Point 1 Harrow Road Wembley Middlesex HA9 6DE

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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

Toad Hall Day Nursery is one of 15 nurseries run by Careroom Ltd. It opened in 1999 and operates from a former Victorian school, which has been converted for use as a day care facility, situated in Haslemere in Surrey. There are six classroom areas and a large main hall in the centre of the building that is used for a range of physical play activities. There are two outdoor play areas, one with a hard surface and one with grass. Children are accommodated in age related groups with appropriate toilet and nappy change facilities. All meals and snacks are prepared on site in the nursery's kitchen. The nursery serves families from the local community and surrounding villages. A maximum of 72 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each week day from 08.00 to 18.00 for 51 weeks of the year, excluding bank holidays. There are currently 83 children aged from 3 months to under 5 years on

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Information about the setting

roll, this includes 12 children in receipt of Educational funding. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The setting has experience of caring for children with special needs or who speak English as an additional language. The nursery employs sixteen staff, twelve of the staff, including the manager hold appropriate early years qualifications, one member of staff is working towards a qualification. The setting receives support from the Early Years and Childcare Service (EYCS). It is a member of the Pre-school Learning Alliance (PLA).

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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?

Toad Hall Nursery is acceptable and of high quality. Children are making very good progress towards the early learning goals The quality of teaching is very good. Staff have a sound knowledge of the Foundation Stage and the stepping stones and plan a well informed curriculum with clearly focused goals and objectives. Staff make excellent use of the routines, activity time, resources and incidental opportunities to extend children's learning. Good relationships are formed between the staff and the children; staff take time to fully explain situations to ensure children learn what is acceptable. Teaching methods are good, staff use effective questioning to make children think, although, there is a minor weakness in mathematical development. Resources are clearly labelled and provided at low-level encouraging independence. Good use is made of assessments, these reflect children's abilities and are used to inform the next stages

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How effective is the nursery education?

of planning. The group accept children with special educational needs and children who speak English as an additional language. There are effective systems in place to support them. The leadership and management of the setting is very good. A clear management structure is in place with all staff having defined roles and responsibilities. Staff work well as team and have clear lines of communication; they evaluate and review practice to ensure children steadily progress. Staff appraisals, quarterly supervision and personal development files ensure teaching and training needs are monitored. The partnership with parents is very good. Parents are informed about the nursery routines, themes and topics via the prospectus, newsletters and notice boards. They are kept informed of their child's progress through detailed records, termly progress reports and verbal discussions. Children's files are made available for viewing and

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How effective is the nursery education?

commenting on, although parents are not actively encouraged to be fully involved in their child's learning.

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What is being done well?

• Children are provided with an extensive range of toys, equipment and practical activities, the resources are laid out at low level and are clearly labelled, the rooms are bright, colourful and welcoming. Children's own paintings and designs are displayed on the walls and hung from the ceilings, offering a sense of individual pride. • Staff enjoy being with the children, they know them well and treat them with respect and equal concern, they allow children time to finish what they are doing and have good strategies in place for dealing with un-wanted behaviour. • Children's personal independence is developed and promoted well; children

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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 help lay the table for lunch, pour their own drinks, help to tidy up, sweep sand from the floor and put their own coats and shoes on for outdoor play. • Children have a developing awareness of their own needs and those of others, they share resources, take turns for example, set the timer when using the computer, help each other with pouring drinks and express their thoughts and feelings during group discussions. • Children are given lots of opportunities to practice writing skills, they use chalks on black boards, markers on wipe boards, pens and pencils on the writing table and in the role play area, they label their own work and recognise print in different forms from clearly displayed posters, information areas, question and letter boards.

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What needs to be improved?

• the opportunities for children to solve simple mathematical problems • the opportunities for parents to fully contribute towards their child's learning

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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 are developing a positive attitude to learning and remain full involved in their play. They show good levels of independence. They concentrate well and persevere with the task in hand, for example, when decorating their snowmen. They express thoughts and feelings during circle time and during practical activities. Relationships are good between adults and peers, children are confident and secure in the knowledge of what is expected from them and they behave well.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children's spoken language is developing well, they communicate ideas and describe what they are doing. They link sounds and letters and recognise print in various forms around the room. They access books independently and enjoy listening to stories, they are encouraged to predict and re-tell. Most children are beginning to write and form letters, some are able to write their names in full. Children practice emergent writing in role play, on the writing table and when labelling their own work.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children can count to 10 and some can count above this; they practice counting when setting the table for lunch, head counting when they move from room to room and counting money in the role play shoe shop. They develop an understanding of measurement through practical activities for example pouring drinks, using funnels, pebbles and foam shapes in water trays and using scales to weigh ingredients. They are not encouraged to solve simple mathematical problems.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children investigate and explore living things, for example, the wormery. TheY grow seeds, search for bugs and observe natural objects on the nature table. They use a range of objects and techniques to stimulate their curiosity for example spades for digging, fabrics for printing on and media to make things with. They use computers, phones, torches, scales and tills to support their learning, celebrate religious festivals and see a range of visitors to extend their knowledge of the wider world.

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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: Very Good Children demonstrate good spatial awareness and negotiate obstacles well for example the tyres and cones in the playground. They are gaining good manipulative skills when using pens, pencils, chalks, spatulas and paint brushes and use scissors with increasing control. They develop gross motor skills when using the climbing equipment, throwing and catching balls and bean bags and when dancing to music. Children recognise the importance of staying healthy by following good hygiene practices.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children enjoy participating in art and craft activities and use their senses to explore a range of textures, materials and media. Play dough, sand, wool, glitter, foil, pasta, raisins and fabrics are all available. They create well formed designs when making advent calendars, salt dough decorations and decorating snowmen. Children recognise and explore sounds when singing nursery rhymes, playing musical instruments and when dancing to music. They use their imagination well in role-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 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 improving the following: • further develop ideas to solve simple mathematical problems • ensure parents are able to fully contribute towards their child's learning. 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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