St Urban's Catholic Primary School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 19/01/2005 Inspector Name Judith, Mary Butler

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Iver Village Pre -School Setting Address High Street Iver Buckinghamshire SL0 9QA

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REGISTERED PROVIDER 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

Iver Village Pre-school first opened in 1981. It operates from the Community Rooms in the grounds of the Junior School. A maximum of 26 children may attend at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 09.30 until 12.00 and for 4 afternoons from 12.15 until 14.45 during school term times. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area. There are currently 45 children aged from 2 to under 5 years on roll. Of these 32 children receive funding for nursery education. Children attend from the local surrounding area. The nursery currently supports children with special educational needs and children with English as an additional language. The nursery employs seven staff. Of these three 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?

Iver Village Pre-School provides acceptable nursery provision and is of high quality overall. Children are making very good progress towards the early learning goals. Teaching is very good. Staff have a sound knowledge of the Foundation Stage and use this to plan an interesting and stimulating curriculum for children. All staff are involved in the planning process with two staff members taking responsibility for putting the final product together. Planning documents record staff deployment, expected learning outcomes, resources, group size of children, extension activities and evaluation. Staff miss opportunities to encourage the children to write their names and practise their mark making skills through practical activities. Staff observe and record children's achievements and use these to update the children's developmental records. Children with English as an additional language and those with special educational needs receive good support from staff.

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How effective is the nursery education?

Leadership and management are very good. Staff are clear about their individual roles and responsibilities within the setting. Staff hold regular meetings to discuss planning, individual children's achievements, routines and staff training needs. The manager encourages the staff to identify and attend regular training sessions to further develop their early years knowledge. Partnership with parents is very good. Parents receive clear and informative information about the pre-school through the prospectus, parents' notice board, newsletters and web site. They do not receive or have easy access to information about the Foundation Stage and curriculum offered. Parents and staff verbally share information about the children at the beginning and end of each session. Parents are invited to attend an annual parents evening when they have an opportunity to formally discuss children's progress and view the developmental records held on

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What is being done well?

• Staff plan interesting and fun activities for children to develop their number skills and recognise numerals. Children enjoy and participate with enthusiasm in the activities. Many children are able to count up to and beyond 10 with older children confident in recognising numerals from 0 to 9. Children have regular opportunities to match and compare and are further developing these skills through practical activities. • Staff manage children's behaviour effectively and reinforce positive behaviour using praise and encouragement. Children are well behaved. They are able to share the toys and resources and many show co-operation with their peers in their play. Good relationships are in place between staff and children. Many children are developing friendships with their peers.

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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 • Children are very keen to express their thoughts and ideas at group times. They are able to listen to the speaker and take turns in talking. They confidently communicate events that have happened in their personal lives and are becoming aware of other cultures and traditions through well planned activities and themes.

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What needs to be improved?

• information to parents, to ensure they have access to information about the Foundation Stage. • opportunities for children to write their names on their work and practise their emergent writing and mark making skills

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The pre-school has made very good progress since the last inspection. Staff plan a good range of mathematical activities for children. Children have many opportunities to use numbers and simple calculations within everyday situations. Planning documents record the expected learning outcomes through the planned activities. Staff undertake evaluation and this formally records what children have learnt. Planning documents show that children have opportunities to look at their bodies through themes and activities. Staff encourage the children to be aware of healthy eating and their bodies through discussion and conversation at snack times.

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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 enter the pre-school confidently. They select the toys and resources they wish to use and are able to work independently at a number of tasks. Staff foster good relationships with children. Children are well behaved and show co-operation with their peers in their play. They are keen to try new activities and are enthusiastic in their play. Children show good concentration skills and express their ideas and needs confidently to adults and each other.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children communicate and listen well to adults and each other. They are beginning to recognise letters and the sounds they make. Children are able to recognise their names and some children are beginning to write recognisable letters. Staff miss opportunities to encourage children to write their names and practise their mark making skills. Children enjoy stories and books; they handle books appropriately and are becoming aware that print carries meaning.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children count with confidence up to 10, older children can count beyond this and recognise numerals from 0 to 9. Staff provide children with interesting and fun activities to use and recognise numerals, for example the Cheerio activity. Children are confident in their use of mathematical language such as bigger and smaller. They are developing their confidence in matching and comparing through practical activities for example the fruit and vegetables in the home corner.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children are confident in their design and making skills. They use a range of recycled, construction and malleable materials to develop these skills. Children talk with confidence about events that have happened at home and are becoming aware of other cultures and traditions. Staff provide children with opportunities to look at the environment and plant and care for growing things. Children have access to a computer within the weekly planning.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children show good co-ordination and spatial awareness with opportunities to use a good range of small and large equipment. They move confidently around the pre-school and are able to negotiate both fixed and moving objects. Children are confident in their independence skills and show an awareness of personal hygiene. They are able to use a good range of tools, for example scissors, pens and cutters, safely and with control.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

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

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children have opportunities to express themselves freely through a good range of activities, for example art and craft, role-play and small world toys. They respond enthusiastically to new experiences and are confident in communicating their thoughts and feelings to each other and adults. Children have opportunities to explore a variety of media to explore shape, texture and colour. They enjoy singing and have a good repertoire of songs.

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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: • information to parents, to ensure parents receive and have access to information about the Foundation Stage. • opportunities for children to write their names and practise their emergent writing and mark making skills through practical activities.

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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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