Glenfield Methodist Playgroup

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 03/02/2005 Inspector Name Fiona Stephenson

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Glenfield Methodist Playgroup Setting Address The Glenfield Methodist Church Station Road Glenfield Leicestershire LE3 8BT

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of The Glenfield Methodist Playgroup

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name The Glenfield Methodist Playgroup Address The Glenfield Methodist Church Station Road Glenfield Leicestershire LE3 8BT

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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

Glenfield Methodist Playgroup opened in 1973. It operates from the Methodist Church Hall, which is situated on a main road in Glenfield, Leicestershire. A maximum of 26 children may attend the playgroup at any one time. The playgroup is open each weekday from 09:15 to 11:45 during school term time. There is a secure enclosed outdoor play area for children's use. There are currently 48 children aged from 2 to under 5 years on roll. Of these 33 children receive funding for nursery education. Children attending the playgroup come from the local community. The playgroup currently supports a number of children with special educational needs. The playgroup employs 11 members of staff, 6 of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications.

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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?

Glenfield Methodist Playgroup provides good-quality nursery education overall which enables children to make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. The quality of teaching is generally good. Staff have a sound knowledge of the Foundation Stage Curriculum and this is reflected in their detailed curriculum planning. There are good assessment systems in place, however the assessment's of children's progress are not used sufficiently to inform the planning process, and to tailor planning more effectively to the individual needs of children. There is a good balance between child-initiated and adult-led activities and staff manage children's behaviour very well. Good use is made of 'focused' activities to extend children's learning, however staff do not make best use of other free play activities to support progress through the stepping stones of the curriculum. Support to children with

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How effective is the nursery education?

special educational needs is good. Adult-led activities are not always sufficiently differentiated to meet the differing ages and abilities of children. The leadership and management is generally good. The setting is managed by a team of workers who take on different areas of responsibility and who use each other's strengths to support their high commitment to children's care and learning. The management team have a good awareness of their strengths and areas for improvement, however they are not always clear on the most effective ways of delivering improvements. The partnership with parents is generally good. Parents are given good verbal information about the activities children are engaged in at playgroup, and have good written information available to them including progress reports on their child. The setting does not make the most effective use of parental knowledge at the beginning of the Foundation Stage to determine children's 'next steps', and there is insufficient

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How effective is the nursery education?

information provided to parents to maximise children's learning in the home environment.

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What is being done well?

• Staff provide very good support to children with special educational needs, working closely and effectively with parents and other professionals when appropriate. • Children are happy and settled at playgroup and form very good relationships with their peers and staff. Staff enable this to happen by providing a safe and secure environment where children are given good praise and encouragement. • Children have good opportunities to use and extend their imagination through the role play area, small world play and the use of different media and materials.

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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

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What needs to be improved?

• the use of children's assessments to support curriculum planning and differentiation of activities • the use of the outdoor area throughout the year to support learning in all areas of the curriculum • staff's use of their curriculum knowledge when playing alongside children in free-play activities to maximise un-planned opportunities to extend children's learning • the availability of resources to promote children's knowledge of intermediate communications technology • dialogue with parents about their child's learning progress on commencement of the Foundation Stage Curriculum and information to parents regarding their child's 'next steps' in learning and how these can be supported in the home environment.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Generally good progress has been made since the last inspection. Children are now provided with regular opportunities to learn about other cultures and beliefs and to develop respect for them through planned activities linked to different cultural celebrations such as Diwali and Chinese New Year. Children are provided with opportunities to find out about past events in their lives and those of their families, however four-year-olds are not always sufficiently extended. The setting has developed it's assessment and recording systems to ensure that progress can be clearly seen, however the systems are not being used to their full potential to enable planning to more accurately reflect the learning needs of children as individuals.

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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: Generally Good Children show increasing independence in selecting and carrying out activities. They are growing in confidence and are able to interact well with other people. Children have made good attachments to their peers and to members of staff, and have a good understanding of the playgroup's behaviour codes. They are learning well that people have different needs, and about themselves as a member of a community. However children are not sufficiently encouraged to care for themselves.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children have favourite nursery rhymes and songs which they join in with. They demonstrate good verbal communication skills in small group situations, although this is less well demonstrated in structured groups where children are inhibited by the large group size. Children demonstrate a good interest in books and enjoy having stories read to them. There is insufficient differentiation in linking sounds and letters to support more able children. Children are progressing well in mark-making.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children show interest in numbers and counting and use number names accurately in play. They are learning early addition and subtraction skills through songs such as 'five little monkeys'. Children observe and use positional language such as 'behind' and 'over', and use size language such as 'big' and 'little'. They are familiar with basic shapes, however their understanding does not translate well into talking about shapes of everyday objects. Understanding of capacity and weight is limited.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children have good opportunities to learn about the cultures and beliefs of others through festival celebrations such as Chinese New Year. A well planned curriculum provides children with good opportunities to learn about living things and to investigate objects and materials. Children make good use of the construction equipment, and have a growing understanding of time. Their understanding of the local environment is limited, and intermediate communication technology resources are poor.

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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: Generally Good Children move in a range of ways in the environment, such as walking, running, jumping and hopping. They adjust speed well and avoid obstacles when using their bikes, and demonstrate a good sense of space when playing among other children. Children use one-handed tools and equipment well and show increasing control using equipment for climbing and balancing. The outdoor environment is not used sufficiently to promote learning.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children have good opportunities to explore media and materials and make constructions, collages and paintings. They enjoy ring games and join in with favourite sounds. They are interested in the way musical instruments sound however the activities sometimes lack focus and don't sufficiently challenge more able children. Children make good use of their imaginations with role play and through small world activities.

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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

• make more effective use of children's assessments to support curriculum planning and differentiation of activities, and make more effective use of staff's knowledge of the curriculum to maximise un-planned opportunities during free-play to extend children's learning • make more regular use of the outdoor area throughout the year to support learning in all areas of the curriculum, and ensure there are sufficient intermediate communications technology to promote learning in knowledge and understanding of the world • extend dialogue with parents at the beginning of the Foundation Stage Curriculum to include information exchanges about their child's learning progress; provide parents with information on how they can support their child's learning in the home environment.

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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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