Seer Green Pre-School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 08/07/2004 Inspector Name Glenda Pownall

p.1

SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Seer Green Nursery Setting Address John Orme Room Jubilee Hall, School Lane Seer Green Buckinghamshire HP9 2QJ

p.1

REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of Seer Green Nursery 1026054

p.1

ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Seer Green Nursery Address C/O John Orme Room Jubilee Hall, School Lane Seer Green Buckinghamshire HP9 2QJ

p.1

ORGANISATION DETAILS

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

p.1

ABOUT THE INSPECTION

The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public of the quality and standard of day care in accordance with the National Standards for Under Eights Day Care and Childminding; and 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.

p.2

Information about the setting

Seer Green Nursery opened in the late 1960s. It operates from the John Orme room of Jubilee Hall in the village of Seer Green. The children have access to the Jubilee Hall for physical activities and a secure outdoor play area. The setting serves the local area. There are currently 38 children from 2 to 5 years on roll. This includes 22 three-year-olds and 9 four-year-olds who are in receipt of funding for nursery education. Children are usually aged two and a half before attending the nursery. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The setting currently supports five children with special needs.

p.2

Information about the setting

The group opens five days a week during school term times. Sessions are from 09:00 until 11:30, Monday to Friday, and from 12:30 until 15:00, Monday to Thursday. The Plus Four group currently operates on Friday mornings. There are nine part time staff working with the children. Over half the staff present at each session have early years qualifications to level 2 or 3. There are two staff working towards a recognised early years qualification. The setting receives support from the Local Authority. A parent committee manages the nursery.

p.2

How good is the Day Care?

Seer Green Nursery provides good quality care for children. Staff provide a warm and welcoming environment to parents and children. The well balanced range of resources support children's learning in all areas of development. The management has a commitment to staff training. Staff are effectively deployed during the session. They spend most of their time actively involved in children's learning. The children are confident, secure and happy. All required documentation is in place. A number of policies do not contain all the necessary information. Staff carry out a visual risk assessment of the premises each morning. Potential

p.2

How good is the Day Care?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 hazards and the action required to minimize the risk to children is not recorded. The system for monitoring access to and from the premises is very good. Staff actively encourage children to develop good personal hygiene routines. Children are regularly provided with healthy fruit snacks. Water is available throughout the session. The list of dietary needs does not maintain confidentiality. Staff are aware of the procedure to follow if concerned a child is being abused. Children have access to an excellent range of activities covering all areas of learning. Activities are extended to provide sufficient challenge for all children. All children are included and have equal access to all activities and resources. Staff act

p.2

How good is the Day Care?

as good role models to children. The children's behaviour is excellent. Parents are well informed about the daily routine. A parent information box provides useful resources including the policies of the setting. The setting operates an open door policy where parents have access to their child's records at anytime. Parents are able to be involved in the setting through the parent management committee, helping on outings and sharing skills and knowledge. Parents state they are very happy with the care their children receive.

p.3

What has improved since the last inspection?

The setting now has an action plan in place to ensure over half of the nine staff are qualified to level 2. Currently four staff hold relevant qualifications and two are completing training courses leading to a recognised qualification in childcare.

p.3

What is being done well?

• Staff plan an excellent range of activities, which provide challenge for all children. • Staff act as good role models to children. They are calm and patient and show respect to others. They offer lots of praise and encouragement to the children. The children's behaviour is excellent. • Children are provided with a good selection of fresh fruit, such as strawberries, clementines, bananas, apples and grapes at snack time. • Partnership with parents is very good. They are well informed about the setting and are given the opportunity to be actively involved in nursery life. • The leadership and management has a commitment to staff training. This ensures staff can put theory learnt into practice in the best interest of children in their care. • The system for monitoring access to and from the premises is very good. This ensures children cannot leave the building unsupervised.

p.3

What needs to be improved?

• documentation, to ensure all policies, including the uncollected child, complaints and allegation made against staff procedures include all required

p.3

What needs to be improved?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 information and that there is a system for recording the risk assessment and any action plans • records, so that the list of dietary needs is maintained confidentially.

p.3

CONDITIONS OF REGISTRATION

All registered persons must comply with all conditions of registration included on his/her certificate of registration. As a result of this inspection conditions of registration have been imposed / varied / removed and a new certificate of registration will be issued.

p.4

by the time of the next inspection

Std Recommendation 14 Update the uncollected child, complaints and allegation against staff procedures to ensure that all required information is included.

p.4

by the time of the next inspection

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

p.4

How effective is the nursery education?

Seer Green Nursery provides high quality nursery education overall, which enables children to make very good progress towards the early learning goals. Teaching is very good. Staff have a good knowledge of the early learning goals and plan a good range of activities to promote children's learning in all areas. The key worker scheme is effective. Good observation records are used to chart children's progress and identify their next steps in learning. A good system provides support for children with special educational needs, which includes a photograph diary. Staff's management of children and their behaviour is excellent. The children behave very well. The leadership and management are very good. The sessions provide a calm and stimulating environment for children to learn. Staff know their roles and work well together as a team. They are effectively deployed throughout the session. There is an efficient system in place to monitor the effectiveness of the education

p.5

How effective is the nursery education?

programme. Areas for improvement are recorded and monitored on the yearly action plan. The parent run committee provides effective support to the nursery leader. Staff induction and appraisal systems are in place. Staff are encouraged to identify and attend training to further their development and extend their knowledge of early years education. Partnership with parents is very good. Parents are provided with good quality information regarding the routines and curriculum of the setting. A daily exchange of information takes place between parents and staff. Parents are formally informed of their child's progress towards the early learning goals by a written report and consultation meeting. Both are provided in the summer term. There is no other formal exchange of information.

p.5

What is being done well?

• The range of opportunities for children to practise writing for a variety of purposes is outstanding. • Staff's management of children and their behaviour is very good. They interact well with the children offering praise and encouragement throughout the session. Children's behaviour is excellent. • Staff make good use of the daily routine to reinforce and extend children's understanding of adding and subtraction. • Leadership and management are very good. Through effective teamwork, support and planning, there is a commitment to improvement of quality in care and education. • Staff set challenges for all children. They use open-ended questions that

p.5

What is being done well?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 encourage children to think for themselves. • Children are developing a sense of the world around them through the many planned visitors who share their skills and knowledge of different cultures.

p.5

What needs to be improved?

• opportunities for parents to receive further formal information on their child’s progress throughout the year.

p.6

What has improved since the last inspection?

Very good progress has been made since the last inspection. Children are provided with excellent daily resources to practise their emergent writing including, postcards, envelopes and diaries. They are supplied with paper and pencils in the role play areas in order to make shopping lists and take orders, for example in the 'seaside café'. Children are encouraged to write their names on their work. They experiment with mark making in shaving foam and sand. The opportunities for children to practise emergent writing is identified as an aspect of outstanding practice in this report. Children are provided with a good range of opportunities to explore sound. New instruments have been purchased and children regularly access music and movement sessions. Children have listened to visitors playing string, brass and woodwind instruments. They find out how the different instruments make their sounds. Parents are now provided with good quality information on the education programme

p.6

What has improved since the last inspection?

and the early learning goals. The prospectus is regularly updated to ensure it reflects the current practice.

p.6

What has improved since the last inspection?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

p.6

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children enjoy an excellent range of activities and are keen and interested to learn. They form very good relationships with each other and staff. They share resources, take turns and are helpful to others. Their behaviour is excellent. Children show concentration and perseverance by completing tasks. Children's confidence and self-worth is fostered through consistent praise and encouragement, displays of their work and the opportunity to share completed activities with their parents and carers.

p.7

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children access an excellent range of activities to practise writing for a variety of purposes, including writing menus and taking orders in the café. Some children can write their name using correctly formed letters. Children are confident speakers. They use language very well to retell events and develop imaginary play. They are developing an awareness of letters and the sounds they make through regular activities such as the letter of the week. Children enjoy books and listening to stories.

p.7

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children count reliably to 10 and beyond and recognise numerals 1 to 9. They are developing an understanding of simple calculation through activities connected to the daily routine, such as working out the number of additional chairs required at group times. Staff use good questioning techniques and adapt activities to support and extend individual children's learning. Staff reinforce children's understanding of positional language through fun activities in the physical development sessions.

p.7

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children are provided with many opportunities to investigate, for example, floating, sinking and dissolving activities. They have regular access to a computer with adult support. Some children are able to click and drag the mouse to complete tasks. They construct using a variety of materials selecting tools and techniques for themselves. Visitors are welcomed into the setting to share knowledge of their own cultures. Children are becoming aware of their own cultures and those of other people.

p.7

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

p.7

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children enjoy a variety of physical activities to develop large-muscle skills. They move confidently with control and show awareness of space. They develop an awareness of health and personal hygiene through daily routines. Good practice enables 'plus four' children to change their clothes before physical exercise. Children access an excellent range of resources to increase their small-muscle skills. They manipulate tools such as scissors, paintbrushes and pencils with increasing dexterity.

p.8

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children respond well to the opportunity to freely express their ideas and use their imagination through a wide range of activities. These include junk modelling, painting and dough. Children are confident in role-play situations. For example, being a customer and waiter in the 'seaside café', making choices from the menu and 'writing' down the order. They enthusiastically sing songs and rhymes from memory. Children are developing a sense of rhythm through regular music and movement sessions.

p.8

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

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

p.8

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.

p.9

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: • provision of further formal information to parents on their child's progress during the year.

p.9

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.

p.9

WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

p.9

STANDARD 1 - SUITABLE PERSON

Adults providing day care, looking after children or having unsupervised access to them are suitable to do so.

p.10

STANDARD 2 - ORGANISATION

The registered person meets required adult: child ratios, ensures that training and qualifications requirements are met and organises space and resources to meet the children's needs effectively.

p.10

STANDARD 3 - CARE, LEARNING AND PLAY

The registered person meets children's individual needs and promotes their welfare. They plan and provide activities and play opportunities to develop children's emotional, physical, social and intellectual capabilities.

p.10

STANDARD 4 - PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

The premises are safe, secure and suitable for their purpose. They provide adequate space in an appropriate location, are welcoming to children and offer access to the necessary facilities for a range of activities which promote their development.

p.10

STANDARD 5 - EQUIPMENT

Furniture, equipment and toys are provided which are appropriate for their purpose and help to create an accessible and stimulating environment. They are of suitable design and condition, well maintained and conform to safety standards.

p.10

STANDARD 6 - SAFETY

The registered person takes positive steps to promote safety within the setting and on outings and ensures proper precautions are taken to prevent accidents.

p.10

STANDARD 7 - HEALTH

The registered person promotes the good health of children and takes positive steps to prevent the spread of infection and appropriate measures when they are ill.

p.10

STANDARD 8 - FOOD AND DRINK

Children are provided with regular drinks and food in adequate quantities for their needs. Food and drink is properly prepared, nutritious and complies with dietary and religious requirements.

p.10

STANDARD 9 - EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

The registered person and staff actively promote equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice for all children.

p.10

NEEDS AND DISABILITIES)

The registered person is aware that some children may have special needs and is

p.10

NEEDS AND DISABILITIES)

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 proactive in ensuring that appropriate action can be taken when such a child is identified or admitted to the provision. Steps are taken to promote the welfare and development of the child within the setting in partnership with the parents and other relevant parties.

p.10

STANDARD 11 - BEHAVIOUR

Adults caring for children in the provision are able to manage a wide range of children's behaviour in a way which promotes their welfare and development.

p.11

STANDARD 12 - WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS AND CARERS

The registered person and staff work in partnership with parents and to meet the needs of the children, both individually and as a group. Information is shared.

p.11

STANDARD 13 - CHILD PROTECTION

The registered person complies with local child protection procedures approved by the Area Child Protection Committee and ensures that all adults working and looking after children in the provision are able to put the procedures into practice.

p.11

STANDARD 14 - DOCUMENTATION

Records, policies and procedures which are required for the efficient and safe management of the provision, or to promote the welfare, care and learning of children are maintained. Records about individual children are shared with the child's parent.

p.11

STANDARD 14 - DOCUMENTATION

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

p.11