The Learning Tree Nursery

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 09/11/2004 Inspector Name Judith Rayner

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Learning Tree Day Nursery Setting Address 10 Alfreton Road Sutton-in-Ashfield Nottinghamshire NG17 1FW

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REGISTERED PROVIDER 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

Learning Tree Day Nursery is one of nine nurseries in the Rocking Horse Nurseries Ltd. Group. It opened in January 1997 and operates from six rooms within a converted house on a main route into Sutton in Ashfield town centre. A maximum of 70 children may attend at any one time. The nursery is open Monday to Friday, between the hours of 07:30 and 18:00, for 52 weeks the year, with the exception of Bank holidays. Children have access to two secure enclosed outdoor play areas. There are currently 120 children under eight years on roll. Of these, 31 receive funding for their nursery education. Children come from a wide catchment as most parents travel to work to Mansfield, Sutton in Ashfield and surrounding area. The nursery supports a number of children with special educational needs. No children currently attend who speak English as an additional language. The nursery employs 22 staff. Fourteen of the staff, including the manager and

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Information about the setting

nursery group co-ordinator, hold appropriate early years' qualifications. Two staff are working towards a recognised qualification in early years.

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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 Learning Tree Day Nursery provides good quality nursery education overall, which enables children to make very good progress towards the early learning goals. The quality of teaching is very good. Staff encourage children to be independent and confident. They provide an exciting and stimulating environment where children are motivated and enthusiastic to learn. Children particularly benefit from good adult support and input. Very effective assessment systems are in place which are thorough and informative. Staff assess children's learning against the stepping stones and early learning goals and use this information to plan what children should do next. These records provide a clear picture of children's progress to inform teaching and to share with parents. The staff are fully aware of their roles and responsibilities and they work very well as a team. Staff skilfully encourage children to develop self help and independence

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How effective is the nursery education?

skills. The committed, positive approach by staff and systems in place ensures that all children, including children with special educational needs, are included in all activities and sessions. The leadership and management of the nursery is very good. The management staff have created a team who are committed to offering a good learning environment for children. They continually assess their own strengths and weaknesses and are proactive in ensuring a high service is maintained. Staff regularly participate in training and attend regular staff meetings. Useful staff appraisals are undertaken. The partnership with parents is very good. There is a comprehensive range of written information, which informs parents about the setting and the curriculum being delivered. Effective systems are in place where parents are actively involved in their children's learning and which is valued by the staff.

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What is being done well?

• Staff create an environment where children are excited, enthusiastic and motivated to learn. They encourage the children to be independent through selecting toys and activities, and to develop their self-help skills. Children are happy, confident and enjoy their peers and adult company. • Children's communication, language and literacy skills are very good. They know and sing a good range of nursery rhymes and songs and confidently participate during action rhymes. Children explore books with enthusiasm and listen intently during story time. Very good use of language is made by the children and they confidently hold conversations with their peers. • The staff team are highly committed to offering a continuing good quality learning environment. They regularly review their own strengths and

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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 weaknesses, undertake training and participate in team meetings. They plan effectively to meet children's individual learning needs.

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What needs to be improved?

• the organisation of the creative area to provide further opportunities for children to freely access the full range of resources.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Very good progress has been made since the last inspection. The staff introduced an action plan to improve the use of the television as a learning tool, which was a point for consideration from the previous inspection. Staff's awareness of this has been developed through in-house training. They now provide children with the opportunity to talk and extend their learning about what they are watching. They plan and prepare time for discussion with the children following the television programme. Staff also use the television as a tool for learning related to technolgy. For example, how to switch the television off and on and using the remote control. To ensure that the television is used effectively, the manager monitors the effectiveness and use of the television as a learning tool. These improvements have had a positive impact on children'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 motivated, keen and interested to learn. Children are actively involved in learning, show independence and self help skills. For example, children freely access their own drinks, choose games and toys. Staff and children have formed excellent relationships. Children are developing a good awareness of self, others and of diverse faiths and cultures. Staff are good role models and encourage good standards of behaviour. Children conform to boundaries and expectations.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children are given good opportunities to write for different purposes in every day situations. For example, tracing, chalking, drawing and painting. They are developing good manipulative skills and fine motor skills, for example in the use of scissors and pencils. Children are developing a good range of vocabulary. They enjoy selecting books and listen with interest to stories. Children particularly enjoy singing and action rhyme activities.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children can count and read numbers up to 10 and use numbers in everyday situations and activities. For example, counting how many children are in attendance. Children are developing awareness of adding and subtracting through practical tasks and daily routines. For example, children confidently count and subtract during the songs such as 'five little speckled frogs'. They recognise and name familiar shapes, and copy and devise their own pattern sequences using peg boards.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children confidently operate simple technological equipment such as the computer, tape recorders, telephone and microphones. Staff provide children with good opportunities to find out about their local environment, natural world and other countries. Children are confident in sharing past events in their lives. For example, children share experiences such as the firework displays they attended. Children build with a purpose using a good range of resources.

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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 have very good control and co-ordination and are developing good fine motor skills. For example, using scissors, glue sticks and turning pages in a book. They are developing good awareness of healthy eating, keeping fit and good hygiene routines through daily tasks and topic work. Children use of a range of apparatus effectively supports their balancing and climbing skills. They use a local park for more challenging apparatus, such as large swings and climbing frames.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children explore colour, shape and texture through a variety of materials and experiences, such as using jelly, sand and rice. Children join in with enthusiasm during singing and action rhyme activities. They have learnt a good range of songs and nursery rhymes. Children play co operatively and imaginatively in role play experiences. For example, children confidently sing using the microphone. They also freely express themselves when using a variety of 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 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 improve the following: • organise the creative area to provide further opportunities for children to freely access the full range of resources.

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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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