Wellhouse Pre-School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 13/02/2003 Inspector Name Wendy Taylor

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SETTING DETAILS

Setting Name Wellhouse Pre-School Setting Address Crossley Fields Junior and Infant School Mirfield West Yorkshire WF14 0BE

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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

Wellhouse Pre School playgroup is situated in a new mobile building on the site of Crossley Fields Junior and Infant School in a residential area of Mirfield. The playgroup is long established but opened in the present premises in September 2002. There is a fully enclosed outdoor area, but at the present time this cannot be accessed by the children until the area has been appropriately surfaced. The accommodation comprises of an entrance and cloaks area and a large playroom organised into areas of play. There is direct access to the kitchen, office, and parents room and children's toilets are integral to the playroom with a separate staff toilet and nappy changing area. The playgroup is open each weekday morning and afternoon during term time from 9am until 12:00 and 1pm until 3:20pm. There are two supervisors and a staff team of six, with a further three available for supply cover. One supervisor and three staff work at each session with usually one or two

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Information about the setting

parent helpers. Supervisors and staff have appropriate levels of qualifications and experience or are working towards. The playgroup is managed by a parent's committee. There are 29 funded three year olds and 7 funded four year olds who attend over the week. There are two children who speak English as an additional language and there are no children with special educational needs. The playgroup has access to advisory teacher support from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership

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How effective is the nursery education?

Wellhouse is a good playgroup where children enjoy learning through a wide range of interesting activities. Staff have a good understanding of the foundation stage which ensures that children make generally good progress towards the early learning goals and very good progress in personal, social and emotional, mathematical and physical development. Teaching is generally good and staff work directly with the children to support and extend the learning. Although written plans do not directly identify the challenges made for older and more able children, staff use their knowledge of each child to ensure that challenges are set as they work alongside. However although a good range of resources are provided the creative area provides insufficient challenge and children do not regularly write for a purpose. Observations and evaluations are used to plan the next stages in children's learning. Children are not always grouped appropriately to ensure that the needs of each child

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How effective is the nursery education?

are met. Areas of play are well organised and enables children to make positive decisions about their own learning. There are two children attending for whom English is an additional language and there are no children attending with special needs. Leadership and management are generally good however there is a need for the different roles and responsibilities of staff and committee to be clearly identified. Staff carry out their own appraisals and training is ongoing. The staff team work hard and there is a shared commitment towards the continued improvement of the setting. Partnership with parents is very good and they are well informed about the setting and can also attend parents evenings. Activities and topics are displayed to encourage learning at home and children's records are very accessible.

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What is being done well?

Staff's understanding of the foundation stage ensures all areas of learning are covered well. Practical everyday activities are used well to help children make very good progress in mathematical development Children's personal, social and emotional development is very good, they are confident and independent, and concentrate and persevere to complete tasks Staff work well as a team and work hard to provide a stimulating and well resourced environment Staff evaluate activities effectively and use this information as well as observations to plan the next stages in children's learning Children's opportunities to learn about their community, the environment, the natural and wider world. Good use is made of the indoor space through well planned activities to compensate for the present lack of access to the outdoor area

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What needs to be improved?

The opportunities for children to develop their writing skills and writing for a purpose, and the range of opportunities to provide more challenge in the creative area. The grouping of children to ensure individual needs are being met

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children's progress is very good. They are motivated and work well independently and in planned activities. Children are confident and friendly and are able to take responsibility for their own learning and concentrate and persevere at tasks. They relate well to each other and the adults caring for them, and co-operative play is very good. Behaviour is good and well managed by staff. Children learn what is right and wrong and help to develop the rules of the setting.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children's progress is generally good. Their language is developing well and they confidently express their ideas, thoughts and feelings and use language to organise play such as in the home corner. Children recognise their own name and some children link sounds to letters. Children look at books independently and respond enthusiastically when listening to stories. Children attempt writing during planned activities but do not regularly attempt or use writing for a purpose during free play.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children's progress is very good. They recognise and regularly use numbers to count up to five and more able children can count beyond. Some children can calculate the number of objects without counting and are able to compare groups of objects leading to simple addition and subtraction. Children measure, compare and record their findings. They can recognise and name simple shapes, use basic methods to solve mathematical problems and recognise and create simple patterns.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children's progress is generally good. Children explore and investigate through many well planned activities. They learn about their environment, their local community, the natural world and develop a positive respect for the wider world, other lifestyles and cultures. Children use the computer confidently and can operate the tapes and CD's independently. Children's opportunities to select tools and techniques to shape,assemble and join materials are limited and lack challenge.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children' s progress is very good. They move confidently and safely throughout the environment. They move with control and co-ordination as they push and pull equipment and use tunnels and other large equipment indoors to develop their large physical skills. They handle tools and objects, construction and malleable with increasing confidence and control. They learn about health and bodily awareness through well planned activities topics and activities

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children's development is generally good. They explore shape, colour and texture through well planned activities however the creative materials offered for free play lack challenge. They enjoy music, dancing and musical instruments and sing simple songs from memory. They practice real and imagined experiences in the home bay. Children have many good opportunities to respond in a variety of ways through their senses and express their thought such as what they like and dislike

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Children's spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development is fostered appropriately: Y

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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

Improve the opportunities for children's emergent writing and writing for a purpose Improve the range of resources in the creative area to provide more challenge including tools and techniques to shape, assemble and join materials Monitor the grouping of children to ensure individual needs are being met

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