Belton Playgroup

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 25/01/2005 Inspector Name Jackie Dew

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Belton Pre-School Playgroup Setting Address School Lane Belton Loughborough Leicestershire LE12 9TU

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name Belton Pre-School Playgroup 1040441

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Belton Pre-School Playgroup Address School Lane Belton Loughborough Leicestershire LE12 9TU

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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

Belton Playgroup opened in 1984. It operates from the Village Hall in School Lane, Belton, which is situated in the north of Leicestershire. The playgroup serves the local community and surrounding villages. There are currently 30 children on the register. This includes 8 funded three-year-olds and 1 funded four-year-old. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are no children attending who have special needs or who speak English as an additional language. The group opens three days a week during school term-time only. Sessions are from 09:15 until 11:45. Three full-time staff and four part- time staff work with the children. Three members of staff are currently working towards appropriate early years qualifications. The setting receives support from a mentor tutor and 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?

Belton Pre-School Playgroup’s educational provision is of good quality overall. Children are making generally good progress towards the early learning goals and very good progress in personal, social and emotional development and in physical development. The quality of teaching is generally good. Staff have good relationships with the children and manage their behaviour well. They have generally good understanding of the early learning goals. Planning is closely linked to the six areas of learning and provides a good range of interesting activities for children, although older and more able children are not sufficiently challenged in developing writing skills. Good observations and assessment records are kept of individual children's progress and achievements and these are used to inform future planning in most areas. Staff plan the use of time and resources well but do not provide labelling around the room to

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How effective is the nursery education?

stimulate the children's interest in print. Staff have been reviewing resources and have identified areas for future development. The leadership and management of the pre-school is generally good. Clear aims have been identified for the future development of the pre-school and agreed with all staff. Good staff relationships are fostered and the playgroup leader and deputy give clear professional guidance to less qualified staff. The educational provision is generally monitored well and the pre-school seeks advice from other professionals. The partnership with parents is generally good. Parents receive a prospectus about the setting, which details the curriculum and policies. They also receive informative newsletters and topic information. Although parents receive verbal feedback about their children's progress and achievements from staff, there are no formal systems in place to share this information. Parents are encouraged to be involved with their

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How effective is the nursery education?

children's learning in the pre-school and are given suggestions for extension activities at home.

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What is being done well?

• Children’s personal, social and emotional development is promoted well. Staff have good relationships with the children and encourage personal independence. As a result children develop a positive attitude to their learning, good levels of concentration and behave well. • Children communicate well with staff and peers during the activities, expressing their own ideas and thoughts with confidence, both in large and small group situations. • The programme for physical development is particularly well planned and the variety of activities and high level of encouragement given, results in children making very good progress in this area.

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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 • Children's curiosity is well fostered by many well-planned activities to explore objects and materials and to solve practical problems.

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What needs to be improved?

• opportunities for older, more able children to write their names and to learn how to form letters correctly • opportunities for children to observe labelling around the room to stimulate their interest in print • the range of multi-cultural, maths, role play and information and communication technology resources to extend the children's learning in these areas • opportunities for staff to share information with parents about their child’s progress and achievements on a formal basis.

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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 good attitudes to their learning and are well behaved. They sit still and listen at story-time and have good levels of concentration. They have good relationships with staff and are becoming aware of the needs of others when sharing at activities. Children are given good opportunities to develop personal independence. They enjoy choosing their own activities and older children prepare the food for snack-time. Children learn about their own and other cultures.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children communicate well during the activities and enjoy learning new words, such as 'segment'. They join in stories and know that 'pear' rhymes with 'square'. They are able to read their own names and know how to use books correctly. Their understanding of print is not extended by the use of labelling around the room. Children attempt writing at some of the activities but older, more able children have few opportunities to write their names and to learn how to form recognisable letters.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children are beginning to count small numbers of objects accurately and to recognise the matching numerals. They are developing an understanding of simple addition and subtraction and enjoy singing number rhymes. They use mathematical ideas to solve problems, although a lack of resources limits their progress. Older children divide the fruit equally on to three plates for snack-time. Children use language correctly to compare size, position and shape.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children enjoy investigating materials and objects, such as magnets. They are developing a good knowledge of the natural world and know that caterpillars turn into butterflies. They are able to design and make things, such as sock puppets and vehicles, using a range of construction toys, tools and materials. The children are beginning to learn about information and communication technology and other cultures and beliefs but lack the range of resources to fully extend their learning.

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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 are developing very good physical skills and move confidently, safely and imaginatively, when using large climbing and balancing equipment. When riding wheeled toys the children are aware of others, use the space well and older children pedal bikes confidently. The children are developing good health and bodily awareness. They are beginning to understand the benefits of exercise, healthy snack food and personal hygiene. They know to wash their hands before preparing fruit.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children respond well to different experiences. They enjoy feeling their hands in the paint, sand and water and laugh at the 'Monkey Puzzle' story. Children express their own ideas when using a variety of materials and tools to make sock puppets and animal masks. They use their imaginations well in the role-play area, although a lack of resources limits their progress. Children sing simple songs and match movements to music.

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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 good quality overall. Children are making generally 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: THE KEY ISSUES

• provide more opportunities for older, more able children to write their names and to learn how to form letters correctly and to observe labelling around the room • extend the range of resouces in maths, role play and information and communication technologyto further improve the children's learning in these areas • provide opportunities for staff to share information with parents about their child’s progress and achievements on a formal basis.

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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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