Little Owls Nursery Quarry Mount

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 06/07/2004 Inspector Name Valerie Craven

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care, Out of School Day Care, Sessional Day Care Setting Name Quarry Mount Childrens Centre Setting Address Pennington Street Leeds West Yorkshire LS6 2JP

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Leeds City Council Address 9th Floor West Merrion House Merrion Centre Leeds

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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

Quarry Mount Children's Centre opened in 2001, and provides full day care, sessional care, and out of school care, for the local community. It is situated in the Woodhouse area of Leeds in West Yorkshire. The centre provides an integrated provision for families and their children in the locality. This is a local authority setting that is managed on a day-to-day basis by the centre manager. Care takes place within the Quarry Mount Primary School building. The funded children have access to a spacious open-plan room, an adjoining small room, an area used for lunch and tea times, suitable toilet facilities, and a secure outdoor play area. Children are organised according to their age, including the funded children, often referred to as 'Foundation One' and 'Foundation Two', with opportunities to work alongside each other during the sessions. The centre has 63 children currently on roll, consisting of 15 three-year-olds in

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Information about the setting

receipt of funding, and 20 four-year-olds in receipt of funding. The staff are very experienced at supporting children with identified special educational needs, and children who are learning English as an additional language. The centre provides full-time and part-time places, and is open from Monday to Friday throughout the year, closing only for Bank Holidays, and during allocated staff training days. Daily opening times are from 08.00 to 18.00. There are 10 members of staff who work with the funded children. This includes 8 who are full-time, and 2 who are part-time. All of the staff hold recognised qualifications in childcare and early years education. In addition to this, the setting has a full-time teacher, receives support from the local Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership, including support from a visiting advisory teacher, with opportunities to attend locally organised training courses. They have access to a

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Information about the setting

very good level of support from staff who work in the school, including access to further training, and 'in-house' sharing of good practice.

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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?

Quarry Mount Children's Centre serves the local community very well, and provides an excellent and stimulating environment for all children to settle and learn. Children who are three-years-old and four-years-old are making very good progress overall towards the achievement of the early learning goals. They are making very good progress in all the areas learning. Quality of teaching is very good. Staff set a high level of challenge for all children, including the four-year-olds and more able children, often through frequent questioning during the sessions, such as the 'question of the day'. They have a secure knowledge and understanding of the early learning goals, support children with special educational needs and children who are learning English as an additional language very well, and have effective curriculum plans in place suitable for both the nursery and reception children. Leadership and management is very good. The setting is able to assess in detail its

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How effective is the nursery education?

current strengths and areas for future development, as reflected in a recent self-evaluation. There is a firm commitment by the staff to make improvements in the care and education for all children, including the development of the outdoor play area to further enhance children's learning. They are aiming for the achievement of a recognised quality assurance award, and intend to further develop the overall provision in the future. Partnership with parents and carers is very good. They are encouraged to be involved in their child's learning, such as sharing their special skills and personal experiences. Parents are provided with helpful information, are well informed about their child's achievements and progress, supported by the use of an effective key worker system, and can share what they know about their child.

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What is being done well?

• Staff's high level of challenge set for all children, including the four-year-olds and those who are more able, often through frequent questioning during the sessions, such as the 'question of the day', including 'are ladybirds red?'. • The ability of the setting to assess in detail its current strengths and areas for future development, as reflected in a recent staff self-evaluation, including a self-evaluation derived from the nursery and reception children. • Children's personal independence skills, often through daily routines, including getting their own milk and pieces of fruit during a 'free-flow' snack time, and their skill at working independently, supported by the accessibility of good quality and well organised resources in the many different activity areas.

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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's ability to attempt writing for a variety of purposes, such as writing a 'get well' letter, taking telephone messages, and when writing, including making lists, on various accessible clipboards. • Children's ability to recognise numerals 1-9, supported by the use of a wide range of good quality and interactive displays, such as number lines, and when referring to numerals highlighted in various activity areas, including numerals 1-4 featured on chairs in one of the role play areas. • Parent's level of involvement in their child's learning, such as sharing their special skills and personal experiences, including talking to the children and staff about how some festivals around the world are celebrated.

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What needs to be improved?

• the methods to ensure the current high quality and excellent educational provision is maintained.

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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 are developing their personal independence skills, often through daily routines, and are able to work independently by selecting resources for themselves. They have an aptitude to form good relationships with each other and the staff, are able to demonstrate a high level of self-confidence, including taking it in turns to sing their favourite songs in front of the staff and all of the children, and are developing a sensitivity to others, including those who have a disability.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children are developing an ability to attempt writing for a variety of purposes, such as writing a letter, taking telephone messages, and making various kinds of lists. They enjoy spending some of their time in the comfortable and inviting book area to help foster their early reading skills, are skilful at writing their own names on their work, and are able to speak clearly, show an awareness of the listener, and respond with enjoyment to stories, such as during 'circle times' and story times.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are developing their ability to recognise numerals 1-9, supported by the use of quality and interactive displays, and when referring to numerals highlighted in various areas. They are able to show an understanding of addition and subtraction, sometimes by singing songs, when one is taken away at a time, and can use mathematical language during many well planned activities, such as 'colour boxes' and 'what is in the box?', including words to describe and compare shape and position.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children are skilful at using a variety of everyday technology items to help support their learning, including items featured in the role play areas, such as in the centre's 'Fly Quarry Airlines', and are learning how to handle a 'mouse' during computer work. They are able to design and make when handling everyday materials, can explore and investigate when talking about observed changes to seeds and plants featured in the outside garden area, and can celebrate many festivals around the world.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

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

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are able to handle a wide range of tools, objects, construction and malleable materials, to aid the development of their manipulative skills, including writing implements to help foster their early writing skills. They are skilful at showing a sense of space, such as through music and movement activities, including listening to a piece of music and responding by moving around like a 'busy bee', can use large and small equipment, and are aware of the importance of staying healthy.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are skilful at exploring sound, often when handling many kinds of accessible musical instruments, and during popular music and singing activities. They are able to explore colour and a varied range of interesting textures, can respond in a variety of ways using all of their senses, such as their sense of smell, including making 'chocolate buns' when handling brown coloured, and chocolate smelling, playdough, and are able to use their imagination through role play 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 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 weaknessess to report, but consideration should be given to improving the following; • establish a range of effective ways to ensure the current high quality and excellent educational provision is maintained.

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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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