St Nicholas Pre-School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 11/03/2004 Inspector Name Beryl Baggs

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name St Nicholas Pre-School Setting Address Church Hall Church Road Whitchurch Bristol BS14 OPR

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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

St Nicholas Pre-School is a long established pre-school, located in St Nicholas Church Hall, Whitchurch, a suburb of Bristol. It is owned and managed by a committee of parents who employ the play leaders and staff team. It is registered for 24 children from three years to under five years. It serves the local area. The pre-school uses the main hall, kitchen, toilets and a small enclosed outdoor area. The pre-school serves the local area. The pre-school is open term time only from 09:00 to 11:30 Monday to Friday and 12:30 to 15:00 Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. There are 41 children on roll of whom 24 three-year-olds and 17 four-year-olds receive nursery education grant. There are no children with special education needs or who use English as an additional language. There are seven members of staff who are currently working with the children. Six staff hold or are working towards an early years level three qualification. The

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Information about the setting

pre-school is supported by the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership and local teacher advisers.

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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 the early learning goals. Children are interested and eager to learn. They behave well. They remember stories and learn how to find information from books. They count well and learn about the changing seasons. They use equipment and tools skilfully. They explore colour and shape in their art. The quality of teaching is generally good. Staff value each child's work and link visits to role play in the pre-school. More able children are challenged well. Staff praise children's help in routines and the resultant good behaviour. Time and resources are managed efficiently ensuring children are involved at all times. Assessment of children's progress is used to plan the next steps for children. Planning does not include all the learning goals for an activity and staff are aware of the main objective only, so missing some opportunities for children to develop skills.

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How effective is the nursery education?

Leadership and management is generally good. The staff team meets to plan, review policies and what children are learning. The play leaders value how well they know the children, how well the staff get on together and the interesting activities provided for the children. The effectiveness of activities for learning is judged against the progress children make in their learning. The committee and play leaders are committed to training and qualifications for all staff, benefiting both funded and non-funded children. Parents do not have regular access to the group's noticeboard and daily information about the pre-school. Partnership with parents is generally good. They have good information about the pre-school in the brochure. A regular newsletter includes clear information about topics and what parents can do to help at home. An annual arrangement to see children's records is to be extended to twice a year at the request of parents.

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How effective is the nursery education?

Parents have opportunities to join a parent help rota either on a weekly or an occasional basis.

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What is being done well?

• The imaginative role play settings such as the estate agents and hairdressing salon. • The informative brochure for parents including descriptions of what children learn from play in simple language. • The management of children's behaviour. • Individual children's folders with colour coded assessments based on the stepping stones and examples of children work.

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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

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What needs to be improved?

• Opportunities for children's independence through access to resources, writing their names on their work and cutting out their own work and at snack time. • Parents access to the noticeboard so that they have daily information about the pre-school. • The resources for children's play by including everyday technology in role play, a wider selection of books displaying positive images of other cultures and way of life and opportunities to develop a sense of time. • Plans to include, and staff to understand, the full range of learning possible from each activity, so learning opportunities are not missed.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Parents are now better informed about the pre-school. The brochure now includes the list of equipment in general use, set beside the curriculum statement. Information about fees and nursery education funding is also clearly stated. Children have a wider range of activities to choose from but still do not self select additional resources for their play. Attempts to allow children to self select resources was not successful but has been included as a key issue from this inspection.

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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 interested and eager to learn. They show pride in a self-made book, excitement after a library visit. They play well together and have trust in adults. They behave very well, sitting quietly and helping to tidy up. They have opportunities for self care, washing hands, helping at snack time and pouring their own drinks. Children talk about their lives and learn about the needs of others. Some opportunities for self care and to present positive images of how others live are missed.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children use language well for communication and to explain what they are doing. They enjoy stories and use expressive words to describe what they feel. they remember stories and learn how to find information in factual books. Children have opportunities to link sounds to letters and to develop pencil control in preparation for writing. They have opportunities to write in role play and to dictate stories to an adult to write. All staff do not encourage children to write their own names.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children count very well to 10 and some beyond that. They have opportunities to the number of items to the numeral and to learn the sequence of numbers by identifying the missing one. Children are beginning to learn about addition and subtraction in small group activities, such as how many, take some away, how many left. They sing number songs. They have opportunities to sequence patterns, learn about position, shape and size often in practical activities.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children explore and investigate a wide range of objects, materials and the natural world around them such as leaves, snow and the changing seasons. They design and build with dough and junk. They use a computer and tape player with confidence. They visit the local community and have opportunities to learn about their own and others' festivals. Children do not have regular access to everyday technology in their role play and few opportunities to develop a sense of time and history.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children move with enthusiasm and safety. Children have good opportunities everyday for large physical play often enjoying equipment such as the slide, tunnel, or parachute. They are developing awareness of good health and how their bodies work. They use equipment, tools and materials with skill and confidence.

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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 explore colour and shape in two and three dimensions using vegetables, leaves and wellington boots to print. They use musical instruments, have listened to bagpipes and sing with enthusiasm. Children use their imagination well in role play. The hairdresser and baby clinics were popular with all the children. They use a range of small world toys such as cars and trains imaginatively. They express their ideas in paint and movement.

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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

• Extend opportunities for children's independence through access to resources, writing their names on their work and cutting out their own work and at snack time. • Review parental access to the notice board to ensure it can be seen by all parents each day and that the information is clear and understandable. • Develop the resources for children's play by including everyday technology in role play, a wider selection of books displaying positive images of other cultures and way of life and opportunities to develop a sense of time. • Ensure plans include and staff understand the full range of learning possible from each activity, so that learning opportunities are not missed.

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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.

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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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