The Co-operative Childcare Cam

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 06/01/2005 Inspector Name Shirley Ann Jackson

p.1

SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Imagine Co-operative Childcare Setting Address 22 Woodfield Road Cam Dursley Gloucestershire GL11 6HE

p.1

REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name Oxford, Swindon and Gloucester Co-Operative 19025R

p.1

ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Oxford, Swindon and Gloucester Co-Operative Address Society Ltd New Barclay House, 234 Botley Road, Oxford Oxfordshire OX2 0HP

p.1

ORGANISATION DETAILS

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

p.1

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.

p.2

Information about the setting

Imagine Day Nursery operates from five rooms within a detached building in Cam. The nursery is close to local shops and park. The nursery serves the local area. There are currently 71 children aged 6 months to 4 years on roll. This includes 21 funded three-year-olds and 6 funded four-year-olds. The nursery can support children with special needs. The nursery opens five days a week all year round. Sessions are from 08.00 until 18.00. Seventeen staff work with the children. Over half the staff have early years qualifications to NVQ level 2 or 3. Two staff are currently training to upgrade their qualifications. The setting receives support from a teacher mentor from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership (EYDCP).

p.2

Information about the setting

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

p.2

How effective is the nursery education?

Imagine Co-operative Childcare offers acceptable provision but has some significant areas for improvement. Children's progress towards the early learning goals is limited by significant weaknesses in the provision. The quality of teaching has significant weaknesses. Staff lack training and knowledge of the Foundation Stage, stepping stones and early learning goals. Staff interaction with children is appropriate. Interesting activities are planned for the children. However, the outcome of activities is not clear to staff or children. Many opportunities to consolidate and extend the children's learning are missed. Opportunities for children to learn through self-selected activities are lacking. This is mainly due to the strict nursery timetable. Staff build good relationships with children; children are confident and settled. Staff's knowledge of the importance of using observation and assessment to aid future planning is limited and these are not used

p.3

How effective is the nursery education?

to help children move on to the next stage in their learning. Children’s behaviour is generally good. Leadership and management have significant weaknesses. The new company is keen to develop and change practice. Some staff show a lack of commitment to training and their professional development. There is little monitoring of provision, for example, identifying the group's strengths and weaknesses. Children's progress towards the early learning goals is not systematically evaluated. Partnership with parents is poor. Relationships between staff and parents are friendly but have not moved on to a working partnership. Parents have limited opportunities to be involved in their child's learning. Little attention is paid to parent's comments about how their child learns. Parents are given limited information about the Foundation Stage and early learning goals.

p.3

What is being done well?

• Children are confident and settled. They demonstrate a sense of trust and confidence, such as standing at the front of the group to show and talk about items from home. • Children are beginning to use language for thinking and will ask questions to connect ideas. • Most children recognise their own names and know the initial sound of it. • Staff are good role models in promoting children's behaviour. Children are aware of the nursery routine and the behaviour expected of them. Children's behaviour is generally good.

p.3

What is being done well?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

p.3

What needs to be improved?

• staff's knowledge and understanding of the Foundation Stage, early learning goals and stepping stones and how to use it in planning for children's progress • monitoring of all aspects of the provision and opportunities to encourage professional development • partnerships with parents to include better sharing of information between parents and staff, communication about children's progress and information on the Foundation Stage.

p.4

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

p.4

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children have a strong exploratory impulse. They have a positive approach to new experiences. Children feel safe and secure and demonstrate a sense of trust. They relate to and make attachments to members of their group. Children show care and concern for others. They demonstrate a sense of pride in their own achievements, exclaiming "look, look at my dinosaur!". There are few opportunities for children to manage developmentally appropriate tasks and take initiatives.

p.5

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Significant Weaknesses Children listen to others in small groups when conversation interests them. Some children talk activities through, reflecting on and modifying what they are doing. Children draw and paint. They engage in activities requiring hand-eye co-ordination. Children have few opportunities to explore sound and rhythm in words, despite recognising some letter sounds. Although children listen to stories in groups, free access to books is limited. Displays of print in rooms is limited and is at adult height.

p.5

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Significant Weaknesses Children show an interest in numbers, counting and number problems. They willingly attempt to count with some numbers in the correct order. However, this is not developed further by staff for the more able children. Mathematical language is not well integrated into the daily routine. Children's understanding of numbers through practical activities is limited to counting children at circle time. Children use size language, but they have few chances to explore two and three dimensional shapes.

p.5

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Significant Weaknesses Children notice and comment on patterns. They join construction pieces together to build and balance. Children remember and talk about significant things that have happened to them. They show an interest in the world around them. Children have few chances to freely select and construct with a variety of resources or to experiment with craft/collage materials. They have insufficient access to simple equipment. Children have few opportunities to freely explore and investigate materials.

p.5

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

p.5

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Significant Weaknesses Children adjust speed or change direction to avoid obstacles, for example, playing on scooters. However, physical play does not develop children's skills further. Children talk freely about health issues, for example, four-year-old talking about having needles in her arm. This is not always extended and developed by staff to improve children's understanding. Children competently use a variety of small and large equipment such as pencils, scissors, scooters and trikes.

p.6

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Significant Weaknesses Children begin to differentiate colours and to describe the texture of things. They sing a few simple, familiar songs. However, they have little opportunity to enjoy music and musical instruments. Children have limited access to self-select resources to be spontaneously creative. Many craft activities are adult-led and have the expectation of an end product. Children use available resources to support role play. They engage in imaginative play based on their own first-hand experiences.

p.6

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

p.6

OUTCOME OF THE INSPECTION

The provision is acceptable but has some significant areas for improvement. Children's progress towards the early learning goals is limited by some significant weaknesses. The next inspection will take place in one to two years time.

p.7

WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT: THE KEY ISSUES

• develop staff's knowledge and understanding of the Foundation Stage, early learning goals and stepping stones and how to use it in planning for children's progress • develop methods used to monitor all aspects of the provision and provide opportunities to encourage professional development • improve partnerships with parents to include better sharing of information between parents and staff, communication about children's progress and information on the Foundation Stage.

p.7

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.

p.7

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

p.7