Heald Green Methodist Pre-School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 28/09/2004 Inspector Name Barbara Christine Wearing

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Heald Green Methodist Pre-School Setting Address Heald Green Methodist Church Brown Lane,Heald Green, Cheadle Stockport Cheshire SK8 3RR

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of Heald Green Methodist Pre-School

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Heald Green Methodist Pre-School Address Heald Green Methodist Church Brown Lane, Heald Green Cheadle Cheshire SK8 3RR

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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

Heald Green Methodist Pre-School has been registered since 1989. The Pre-School operates from Heald Green Methodist Church Hall in the Heald Green area of Stockport, which is close to Manchester airport, Wythenshawe Centre, local shops and parks. The group has access to the main hall, room one, toilet facilities and two outdoor play areas. The group also has use of the kitchen, which is shared with the other users of the premises. The pre-school is open from 09:15 to 15:00 Monday to Friday term time only and caters for children from both Stockport and Manchester. There are currently 48 children on roll who attend for a variety of sessions throughout the week. There are 40 three years olds attending the pre-school who are in receipt of nursery funding. Children over three may also access extended sessions. The pre-school also supports children with special needs, the premises has disabled facilities and is

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Information about the setting

accessible to wheelchair users. There are six staff who care for the children, four members of staff hold a level three qualification in childcare, one member of staff has a teaching qualification and the sixth member of staff is working towards gaining an NVQ level two in childcare. The pre-school gains support from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership and is a member of Stockport Pre-School Providers and the National Day Nursery Association.

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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?

Heald Green Methodist Pre-School provides high quality education overall which enables children to make very good progress towards the early learning goals. The quality of teaching is very good. Staff are enthusiastic, committed and have fun with the children. Long, medium and short term planning together with a clear understanding of the Foundation Stage enables staff to provide a wide range of well resourced activities which cover all the early learning areas. Staff use this and their assessments of individual children to ensure that they develop activities and interact with the children in a way which provides appropriate challenges for each child. Activities are available to the children long enough to allow them to practise their skills, consolidate their learning and extend their play. Staff take advice and consult with parents and other professionals to ensure that children with special educational needs are able to participate and benefit fully from

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How effective is the nursery education?

their time at pre-school. Staff are sensitive to the needs of all children and treat all children with a high level of care and respect. The leadership and management of the pre-school is very good. The manager has a good knowledge of the provision and the staff. Staff are given excellent support and access appropriate training which develops their skills and enables them to respond to new initiatives and constantly improve the provision. The staff are a committed, enthusiastic and close team. They are aware of each others roles, responsibilities, strengths and needs and support each other well. Thus providing a relaxed, happy, smooth running and constantly progressing environment for the children. The partnership with parents is very good. Parents are welcomed into the pre-school and have solid relationships with staff. Information relating to the setting and the children is shared in a variety of ways, such as parents evenings, concerts, notice

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What is being done well?

• Staff provide children with a wealth of well planned and resourced activities. They have an excellent knowledge and understanding of the children. They adapt activities to suit each child and are skilled in recognising opportunities to question children to enhance their learning in all areas throughout the day and during various activities. • Children and staff engage enthusiastically with each other during play. Children are happy, confident and keen to explore and learn. They are making very good progress in all areas of learning and are given time, space and encouragement to do so at their own pace. • Well resourced and stimulating role play situations are enabling children to

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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 develop great imaginative skills, build up relationships and develop their language, communication and negotiating skills. • Children are making particularly good progress in relation to music. They have a large repertoire of songs. Many children sing with good rhythm and tune. They clap in time to the music and sing loudly, quietly, quickly and slowly in response to the excellent piano accompaniment and staff lead.

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What needs to be improved?

• the children's individual creativity and design in art activities.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Very good progress has been made since the last inspection. All children are given many opportunities to extend their writing skills. They do this through using resources for mark making in the role play area such as writing out "prescriptions" in the baby clinic, writing captions and labelling their work.

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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 confident, happy, busy, enthusiastic and motivated. They take delight in taking part in large and small group activities, playing games on their own, with peers and adults. Children are assertive and are building good relationships with each other and staff. Staff value children, treating them with care and respect. They have a positive approach to behaviour management and children respond well. Children are developing independence and self-care skills.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children chat eagerly. They communicate clearly, recalling past events, sharing their ideas, plans and views. Staff question children to extend their thinking and language. Children link sounds to letters and practise this and their writing skills at various activities throughout the day. Many children can recognise their names and some can recognise other letters. Children enjoy looking at books. During small group story time staff enthral children with their expert story telling.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are developing a sound understanding of number. They can count objects beyond 10 and recognise some numerals. Children are encouraged to calculate throughout the day; identifying numbers which are more or less and singing number songs. Children have a good knowledge of shape and recognise for example that a rectangle has 2 long sides and 2 short sides. Children are skilled in recreating and some can create their own patterns. Children use mathematical language appropriately during play.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children are observant. They enjoy opportunities to explore a range of objects and materials, observing their properties and changes. Children construct making good use of various tools and resources to join things together such as glue, sticky tape and construction sets. Some of these activities have high levels of adult involvement preventing children from further exploration and experimentation. Children use technological equipment such as a projector to create their shadows and calculators.

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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 enjoy practising their large motor skills during outside and inside activities. Staff present children with challenges which encourage them to explore different ways of moving and extend their skills. Children can hop, run, skip and manoeuvre toys around obstacles. They have opportunities to climb, balance, jump and cycle. Children move with rhythm and enthusiasm to music. Children are developing good fine motor skills for example when using scissors, pens, threading and dressing dolls.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children have fun choosing from a variety of materials available for art activities. However much of the art work on display is adult lead. Children sing with enthusiasm. They demonstrate good imaginative skills when playing with small world equipment and in the role play area. Children are often involved in making resources for role play, such as an igloo or jungle. Staff are skilled in extended role play through good interaction and allowing children time to play on their own and with friends.

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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: • freedom for children to develop their individual creativity in the their art and design work and to use more of this work for displays.

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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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