Bottesford Preschool

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 04/02/2005 Inspector Name Diana Pidgeon

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Bottesford Pre-School Playgroup Setting Address The Garden Belvoir High School Bottesford Nottinghamshire NG13 0AX

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name Bottesford & District Pre-School Playgroup 1047896

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Bottesford & District Pre-School Playgroup Address The Garden Belvoir High School Bottesford Nottinghamshire NG13 0AX

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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

Bottesford Pre-school Playgroup is a registered charity managed by a voluntary committee of parents. It operates from a single storey building which is situated within the grounds of Belvoir High School. The accommodation comprises a large and small playroom, and there is an office and a kitchen. There is an enclosed outdoor play area, which includes grass and hard surface. Children attend from the local village community of Bottesford and surrounding rural areas. Children between the ages of two years nine months and five years are able to access a variety of full day and sessional places. There are currently 47 children on roll. Of these 39 children receive funding for nursery education. The playgroup opens Monday to Friday between 09:15 to 15:45 term time only. There are nine part-time staff members, four of whom hold a teaching qualification, and two who hold a relevant early years qualifications. The playgroup receives

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Information about the setting

support from the Leicestershire 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?

Bottesford Pre-School Playgroup offers high quality nursery education where children make very good progress towards the early learning goals. The quality of teaching is very good. The playgroup benefits from well qualified, knowledgeable staff who effectively plan a balanced and purposeful curriculum that supports children's learning in all areas. Good systems are in place to support children with special educational needs. Children's progress is regularly assessed and used to inform future plans. Some aspects of the observation and recording systems are still developing. Staff use the excellent resources in creative ways to extend children's interest. Imaginative use is made of the outdoor environment to extend all areas of learning. Staff have high expectations of what children can achieve and provide a clear structure and routines in which children feel confident and secure. Children behave well.

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How effective is the nursery education?

Leadership and management are very good. The staff are highly motivated and work well as a team under the guidance of the supervisors. There is a commitment to the continual improvement and quality of the educational provision through staff development, training and support. The playgroup regularly monitors and evaluates practice. The partnership with parents is very good. Useful information is provided about the setting, what children are learning and how this can be supported at home. Information about the children's achievements is shared in a variety of ways and parents views are actively sought.

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What is being done well?

• Children are successfully learning to be independent. They fetch their shoes and coats and attempt to dress themselves appropriately. Staff teach children fastening skills and allow them time to practise. Children show initiative by selecting resources and using them for their own purposes. For example older children find magnifying glasses to examine their finds closely and replace them after use. • Effective use of the whole environment ensures children's learning in all areas is extended outdoors. Children move freely between indoors and the outside area. They make good use of the sensory garden to dig, observe nature and to create sounds. • Thoughtful and creative use of the wide range of resources effectively supports children's learning and ensures they are interested and challenged. Children enjoy exploring the night room by torchlight and creating shadows. They enthusiastically search the small wooded area for the lost baby owls

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What is being done well?

and are delighted as they find them and count them all safely into the basket.

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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 • Staff have a very clear understanding of the Foundation Stage and use this to plan activities that help children make good progress towards the early learning goals. They have high expectations for the children and constantly take opportunities to extend and challenge individuals. This results in all children making good progress.

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What needs to be improved?

• monitoring of the new observation and assessment systems.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Very good progress has been made since the last inspection. Staff have introduced a number of effective measures to improve planning, assessment, resources, the partnership with parents and teaching which were raised as key issues in the previous inspection report. The partnership with parents has been considerably strengthened through improving the written information available to them, incorporating activities into the curriculum that can be continued at home, improving the communication systems and updating policies. As a result parents are well informed and involved in their children's learning. The planned curriculum now provides good opportunities for children to listen and move to a variety of music, and to access a wide range of reading materials. Children use books to locate information relevant to their topics and music is freely available to the children inside and outdoors in the sensory garden. Staff encourage

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What has improved since the last inspection?

children's listening skills in both small and large group activities and question them effectively. Staff skills in this area have been enhanced through training. Planning and assessment systems have been considerably improved since the last inspection. Staff now regularly observe children and record their progress towards the early learning goals. This enables staff to plan children's next steps in learning. The current assessment systems are still being fully developed.

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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 interested and motivated to learn as they eagerly try new activities. They are gaining confidence to speak in a group and rapidly learn to be independent as they select their own resources. Older children concentrate well to complete complex tasks. Children take turns and share experiences with their peers. They behave well and show consideration for others.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children's communication skills develop rapidly through positive staff interaction that extends vocabulary. Children readily initiate conversations and share news. They are learning to listen. Children enjoy stories and use books independently for enjoyment and to locate information. Children write purposefully within their play and make good progress in forming letters and writing simple words. Children recognise their names and link sounds and letters.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children use numbers confidently, recognising numbers on signs, and counting in activities. Some count up to 20 objects accurately. Many children offer solutions to problems when subtracting numbers from five in songs or working out how many more owls are left to find. Children use mathematical language in practical activities as they fill different sized socks with sand, bake, measure in the block centre or sort pairs of Wellington boots. Children recreate patterns using a variety of resources.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children experience many well-planned activities, which stimulates a lively interest in their environment and the wider world. They learn about their own and other cultures and discuss past events significant to them. Children confidently use the excellent range of technological resources. They enjoy going on a night walk with torches. Children design and build in the block centre with large and small construction materials. They investigate different objects and materials daily.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children use a range of small and large equipment when playing in the playroom or outdoors. Staff teach children appropriate skills and provide time for them to practise. Children climb, balance, ride wheeled toys and move with increasing co-ordination and control. They run, skip and hop showing a good awareness of space. Children handle a wide range of tools and develop good scissor and pencil control. Children are developing an awareness of their health and bodily needs through daily routines.

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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 access a wide range of resources, which enables them to express their feelings through artwork, role-play and music. They show enthusiasm as they experiment with their own ideas. Children paint freely to music, create their own models and make their own tunes. They act out real and imaginary scenarios in the night room and recreate a thunderstorm with the instruments. Children make good use of the sensory garden to explore and respond to what they see and hear.

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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: • continue to monitor the effectiveness of the new observation and record keeping systems.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT

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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