Radmoor Day Nursery & Annexe

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 21/03/2005 Inspector Name Jackie Dew

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Radmoor Day Nursery & Annexe Setting Address Radmoor Road Loughborough Leicestershire LE11 3BT

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name Loughborough College of Further Education

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Loughborough College of Further Education Address Radmoor Road Loughborough Leicestershire LE11 3BT

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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

Radmoor Day Nursery is situated within Loughborough College Campus serving the local community and College students. The Nursery is registered as a Full Day Care setting also providing Out of School care in an after achool and holiday play scheme facility. The main nursery serving the local community is registered for 60 children aged from birth to 5 years. It operates from 08:00 until 18:00, Monday to Friday. There are two annexes which provide care for children of students attending courses at the college. Both annexes offer flexible attendance accommodating students on courses at the college. Annexe opening hours during term time only are 08:45 until 15:30, with extended hours at management discretion. An after school facility in the large annex is registered for 30 children aged 4 to 12 years operating Monday to Friday inclusive from 15:30 to 18:00. The Holiday Scheme operates in both annexes according to numbers.

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Information about the setting

There are 155 children on roll. Of these, 77 receive funding for nursery education. The setting supports children with special needs and whom speak English as an additional language. There are 26 staff who provide care in the 3 settings, 19 of which are qualified. The setting receives support from the Leicestershire Early Years 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?

Radmoor Day Nursery and Annexe provide high-quality nursery education overall which enables children to make very good progress towards the early learning goals in all the six areas of learning. The quality of teaching is very good. Staff plan an excellent range of stimulating activities which excite children's interest and promote their learning across the curriculum. Staff have very good relationships with the children and manage their behaviour well. They listen carefully to what children say and allow them many good opportunities to be independent. Staff question children very effectively and encourage them to extend their thinking and learning. Children's progress and achievements are well recorded and used to set new targets for individual's future development. Children with special educational needs and with English as an additional language are well supported in their learning within the setting.

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How effective is the nursery education?

The leadership and management of the nursery very good. The dynamic leadership style encourages high standards and good staff relationships. There is a clear development plan for the nursery to which all staff are committed. The management team uses many strategies to monitor the practice and the provision, identifying any weaknesses and addressing them effectively. Staff receive regular, relevant training which they share with colleagues. They also seek the advice of outside agencies such as the Early Years Development Partnership to further improve the provision. The parnership with parents and carers is very good. Parents receive very good practical information about the nursery and the Foundation Stage of Education. They are given information about the work their children are currently undertaking which enables them to extend their child's learning at home. Parents feel confident to share information about their child with staff and they receive more formal feedback at

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How effective is the nursery education?

parent/practioner meetings where they are able to discuss their child's progress.

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What is being done well?

• Staff have very good relationships with the children. They provide a secure and stimulating environment in which children develop good attitudes to their learning. • Children's self-confidence is well promoted. They are encouraged to make decisions and have personal independence. • Language features highly throughout the activities and children learn to describe, discuss and negotiate with others. • Every opportunity is taken to encourage children's mathematical understanding and their use of mathematical ideas to solve problems.

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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 high expectations for children's behaviour. They are good role models and the children consequently behave very well. • The high levels of leadership and management promote an excellent approach to the constant monitoring of practice and provision and the continued development of the nursery.

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What needs to be improved?

• the day's activity plan on display in the nursery,to include times, and to show which staff will be based at teacher-led activities.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Very good progress has been made since the last inspection. The setting now offers parents a folder containing all the practical information neccesary for the nursery and a detailed handbook on the Foundation Stage of Education. This explains the six areas of learning and the Early Learning Goals. It also contains suggestions for activities which parents can do at home to extend their children's learning in each of those areas.

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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 The children are enthusiastic and keen to learn. They are confident to try new activities and are able to concentrate at tasks for long periods of time. The children have good relationships with the staff and each other. They behave well and are kind to each other. They work co-operatively at the activities and share equipment well. The children are independent and are able to make choices for themselves. They have a good understanding of other people's needs, views, cultures and beliefs.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good The children interact and talk with staff and each other throughout the activities. They are able to use speech very well to negotiate and express their own ideas and feelings. The children enjoy books and stories and are able to join in the text. Most children are able to read their names and older ones recognise and name the sounds. Some can find objects beginning with a particular sound and find rhyming words. Older children are beginning to write their names and form letters correctly.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are able to count small numbers of objects correctly and find the matching numeral. Some older children can count to 20. Children can compare numbers and know that five is more than four. They are able to add and subtract small numbers of objects and play board games involving numbers. The children use mathematical ideas to solve problems and work out how many cake-cases they need. They use mathematical language, throughout the activities, to describe shape ,position, and size.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children have very good opportunities to design things using a variety of materials. They discuss what they are going to make, and how, and then work co-operatively to construct a marble track until it works efficiently. Both three and four-year-old children use the computer well to underpin their learning, particularly in maths and communication, language and literacy. They are learning about their own and other people's cultures and beliefs in the current 'People Around the World Topic'.

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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 The children are developing excellent physical skills and move confidently and with co-ordination when balancing, crawling and sliding. They handle a variety of tools and materials with increasing control. They are aware of space and others when using the wheeled toys and take turns well. Older children can throw and catch a ball and use the equipment imaginatively. They are becoming aware of the changes that happen to their bodies when they are active and are learning how to stay healthy.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good The children explore media and materials in an excellent range of well planned activities, such as making Easter cakes. They enjoy expressing their own ideas in their art work when painting dragons. The children choose their own materials and use a variety of tools, such as rollers, brushes and spoons effectively. The children know a wide range of songs and their actions and they enjoy listening to music from around the world. They are imaginative and enjoy making up stories in their 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: • include times, and state which staff will be based at teacher-led activities, in the daily activity plan on display in the nursery.

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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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