New Rush Hall School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 09/06/2003 Inspector Name Lynne Stephanie Bowden

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name The Garden Christian Pre-School Setting Address Western Terrace Falmouth Cornwall TR11 4QJ

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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

The Garden Christian Pre-school is a well-established, committee run group. It operates from two rooms, set within the Baptist hall in Falmouth town. The pre-school serves the local area. There are currently 30 children on roll. This includes 21 funded three year olds and five funded four year olds. Children attend a variety of sessions. The setting supports children with special needs and children who have English as an additional language. The group opens five days per week during school term-time, sessions are from nine-fifteen until eleven forty-five. One full-time and four part-time staff work with the children. All have early years qualifications. The setting receives support from local schools and the Early Years Development and Childcare 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?

Children are making generally good progress towards all of the early learning goals, in the six areas of learning. Teaching overall, is generally good. Staff build good relationships with the children, helping them to feel safe and supported. They have a sound understanding of early learning goals. They keep clear records of the children's progress and plan a range of interesting activities. They provide a wide selection of resources to meet most of the children's needs. However, during large group times, staff do not always maintain the children's attention and interest. Opportunities are missed in everyday activities, to encourage the children to practise their skills in meaningful ways, such as labelling their own work, or counting up how many places are needed at snack time. Staff use good questionning techniques when teaching children individually or in small groups. Leadership and management is generally good. There is a well established staff

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How effective is the nursery education?

team, who work closely together. They have regular meetings together to plan and assess their progress, but there is no clear system of supervision and appraisal of staff and the provision. Partnership with parents is now generally good. There is a clear system in place to keep parents informed of their childrens progress, through good use of records, reports and formal meetings. Parents are encouraged to be involved in their children's learning and welcome in the setting. Parents have good relationships with the staff team.

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What is being done well?

• Staff build good relationships with parents and children. • Staff plan and provide a wide range of interesting activities and appropriate resources to meet the childrens needs. • Staff monitor children's progress effectively.

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What needs to be improved?

• the organisation of large group times to encourage children to concentrate and listen effectively. • the use of opportunities in daily routines to encourage children to practise their skills in a meaningful way, especially writing, adding and subtracting. • the appraisal and supervision of staff and the provision.

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What needs to be improved?

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

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The setting has made clear improvements since the last inspection. The assessments now include all areas of learning. Staff and parents meetings have been established. Parents have access and can contribute to information about their children's records and assessments of progress.

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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: Generally Good Children are making generally good progress in personal and social development. The children show confidence in expressing themselves to each other and adults. They play cooperatively together, taking turns and sharing. They are aware of routines, happily helping to tidy things away. In small groups they are able to concentrate and show interest in their activities, but they do not all listen and become involved during large group activities such as story time.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children are making generally good progress in communication, language and literacy. They can negotiate with each other, discuss their activities and feelings. The children are able to recognise and identify letters, linking them to sounds and words. They see print in their environment and have practise at reading and recognising their own names, when they self register. They are learning to form their letters, but have limited opportunities to regularly practise writing in a meaningful way.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children are making generally good progress in mathematical development. They can confidently count up to 10 and beyond, with many recognising numerals up to 10 and can sort them into order. They are able to use some mathematical language, describing size, weight and shapes and can compare different amounts and numbers. They are not given the opportunity to count and develop their calculating skills during routine activities.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children are making generally good progress in knowledge and understanding of the world. They have access to a variety of resources, which they investigate and explore, such as learning about magnets and magnifying glasses and their uses. Children understand about different lifecycles, and are able to explain how caterpillars and frogspawn develop over time into frogs and butterflies.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children are making generally good progress in physical development. They can move with confidence, manoeuvring around each other both indoors and out. They have opportunities to dance, climb and jump. They are skilled at using large and small equipment, pushing, pulling and pedalling large wheeled toys and balancing on two wheeled scooters.

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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: Generally Good Children are making generally good progress in creative development. They freely express themselves in painting and modelling with dough and develop their imaginations with role play and dance activities.

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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 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: THE KEY ISSUES

• improve the organisation of large group activities to enable children to listen effectively. • increase use of everyday activities and daily routines to encourage children to practise and improve their skills in a meaningful way, especially writing, adding and subtracting. • establish a system of supervision and appraisal of all staff members. 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: THE KEY ISSUES

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

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