Our Lady's Pre-School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 30/11/2004 Inspector Name Emma Davies

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Our Lady's Pre-School Setting Address Our Lady's Parish Hall East Meadway,Tile Cross Birmingham B33 0AU

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of Our Lady's Pre-school

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Our Lady's Pre-school Address Our Lady's Parish Hall East Meadway Tile Cross Birmingham B33 0AU

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ORGANISATION 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

Our Lady's Pre-School has been registered for over 10 years. It operates from a community hall in the grounds of Our Lady's Catholic Church. The group serves the local community. There are currently 38 children from 2-4 years on roll. This includes funded three and four year olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The group opens 5 days a week during school term times. Morning sessions are from 9:15 until 11:45. Lunch time supervision is from 11:45 until 13:00. Afternoon sessions are from 13:00 until 15:30. Full-time care is offered from 09:15 until 15:30. Eight staff work with the children. Two thirds of the staff hold suitable early years qualifications and the others are working towards an appropriate qualification. The setting receives support from a teacher mentor from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership (EYDCP).

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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?

Our Lady's Pre-School offers children high quality nursery education and children are making very good progress towards the early learning goals in all areas. The quality of teaching is very good. Staff have a good grasp of how to promote the early learning goals and how young children learn. They interact confidently with children to involve them in activities and extend their learning. Staff have devised effective systems for planning and assessment which provide children with a good variety of appropriately pitched activities that encourage them to make progress in all areas of learning. The pre-school makes excellent use of accommodation, resources and staff deployment to provide a very good range of activities every session to suit the needs of all the funded children, including those who do not attend full time. Resources are organised well to encourage independent learning and carefully chosen to develop children's awareness of cultural differences in the

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How effective is the nursery education?

wider community. The leadership and management are very good. Good organisation and communication help to ensure that the pre-school's aims are well understood by all adults working with children in the group, including students, and this contributes to the consistency of approach. Strong emphasis on training helps staff to develop secure knowledge and understanding of the early learning goals and this underpins the good practice in planning, assessment and intervention. There are effective procedures to evaluate the success of activities. The partnership with parents is very good. Parents appreciate the friendly atmosphere and find staff approachable. They use formal and informal opportunities at parents' evening to discuss their children's progress. There is sufficient information on display about what children are expected to learn. Through newsletters, topic sheets and invitations to special events, the pre-school seeks to

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How effective is the nursery education?

involve parents their children's learning.

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What is being done well?

• Staff have secure knowledge and understanding of the early learning goals and this underpins the effective systems for planning and assessment. They encourage children to acquire positive attitudes to learning and help children to become confident and assured in their use of language and making connections between parts of their learning. • The accommodation is well organised and sessions well planned to ensure all children have independent access to a wide range of worthwhile activities every session. Displays are used well to inform parents about what children are expected to learn as well as to create a bright, welcoming atmosphere.

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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 • Staff make good use of incidental opportunities and preschool routines to develop children's confidence with number and their understanding about how numbers can be used to solve practical problems. Children are beginning to appreciate the power of numbers and how they can be used to record, compare and argue your case. • Children are encouraged to develop interest in books and find out that they can be used to tell stories and provide information. They expect that print is telling them something and develop confidence in using marks and symbols themselves to communicate and record. • Children have many opportunities to develop skills with tools, materials and small equipment and staff make good use of available facilities to encourage children to learn to balance and move in different ways.

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What needs to be improved?

• provision for more agile children to develop their skills in climbing, scrambling, sliding and swinging throughout the year.

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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 concentrate well, particularly during small group work, and show enthusiasm for new and familiar experiences, Children are keen to feel part of the preschool group by taking part in routines and responding to displays of their own work. They are able to stand up for their own point of view. They readily talk about their home life and develop sensitivity of how to behave towards those who are different.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children develop interest in books and stories and start to think about characters and consequences. They can read information from symbols and pictures and become confident in drawing and making marks to communicate and record for different purposes. Children use language well to exchange information and make their needs known, and can also use talk to make connections and comment on things that they find unusual and amusing.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children count accurately, recognise small quantities and match totals to numerals. Children develop a firm foundation for understanding calculation by using their number skills to solve practical problems, make comparisons and record and update quantities for later reference. Children learn about the features of shapes and can compare size, shape and position, noticing shapes in the environment and making their own patterns and arrangements.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children learn to build and construct in different ways, finding out about the strengths and limitations of different materials. Children operate a range of simple electronic equipment, including using the computer to write and play games. Children learn about aspects of their own and other cultures and show a keen awareness of cultural practices relating to ways of celebrating.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children move in different ways with control and co-ordination and show perseverance and agility in balancing activities. However opportunities for children to develop their skills on large equipment for climbing are limited. Children develop control with a wide range of tools, materials and small equipment. They learn about healthy practices and show a keen awareness of what is happening to their bodies

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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’s drawings show a good command of line, shape and colour and they are able to use these skills purposefully to make representations. They show a good awareness of form when working in three dimensions. Children use creative activities to respond to experiences and to communicate with others about their feelings, wishes and experiences. Children enjoy singing and joining in with actions to rhymes and ring games.

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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 the nursery should give consideration to improving the following • continue to develop opportunities for more agile children to develop their skills in climbing, scrambling, sliding and swinging throughout the year.

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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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