Sudbrooke Pre-School Playgroup

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 11/03/2003 Inspector Name Anne Walker

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SETTING DETAILS

Setting Name Sudbrooke Pre-School Playgroup Setting Address Sudbrooke Village Hall Lincoln Lincs LN2 2SH

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of Sudbrooke Pre-School Group Commiittee

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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

Sudbrooke Pre- School group, operates from the village hall in Sudbrooke, which is approximately four miles from Lincoln city centre. The group serves the local and surrounding communities. It was registered in 1987 and provides Sessional Care for a maximum of 24 children aged 2.5 - 5 years of age. The Pre- School is managed by a committee of parents. The children have access to the main hall, and a separate adjoining room for their activities, with toilet facilities off the main entrance. An outdoor play area is available to the rear of the property. The playgroup is open 09:00 to 11:45am, Monday to Thursday and 12:30 to 3:00pm Mondays, when a rising 5 session is offered. The facility is open term time only. There are currently 30 children on roll with 10, 3 year olds and 7, 4 year olds for whom nursery grant funding is received. None of the children attending have special educational needs. Seven members of staff work with the children across the course of the week, with 5

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Information about the setting

staff at each morning session, [where there are more than 20 children attending], and 3 staff on the Monday afternoon session. The supervisor works all 5 sessions. The staff have a range of qualifications, and one person is currently working towards an NVQ 3 in Childcare and Education. Sudbrooke Pre- School is a member of the Pre- School Learning Alliance.

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How effective is the nursery education?

Sudbrooke Pre- School offers good quality nursery education which enables children to make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. They make very good progress in personal, social and emotional development, mathematics and knowledge and understanding of the world. Teaching is generally good with some very good aspects. The emphasis on supporting children's independence and self esteem helps them become keen learners. The staff are an effective team who take account of learning objectives when working with the children. Through their knowledge of the early learning goals they plan a range of practical activities and are skilled at identifying opportunities to consolidate childrens learning for maths and knowledge and understanding of the world. However opportunities were missed to support children's language development, through aspects of their imaginative play activities. There are currently no children with special education needs but a system

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How effective is the nursery education?

to provide support is in place. Leadership and management is very good. The pre- school benefits from good day to day leadership. Areas for improvement in practice and how these are to be achieved, such as ensuring the development records link more closely to the stepping stones are identified. The management committee works to support the staff and has established good links to ensure this is done effectively. The partnership with parents and carers is generally good. Parents are well informed about the routines and curriculum topics. They feel confident in their relationships with staff and that their child's keyworker will share achievements; they are able to see through displays, what the children have been doing. However opportunities for parents to become involved in their child's learning are not fully developed. They do not contribute to an initial profile, or have input into development records during the child's time at pre- school.

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What is being done well?

Children's self esteem and confidence is fostered well and they are keen to engage in activities. Staff plan an excellent range of practical mathematical activities and take opportunities that arise to consolidate and develop childrens knowledge. Children have an understanding of the place in which they live and features of the natural world in their environment. Staff work effectively as a team, they have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities and take account of learning objectives when working with children. This leads to a well structured session.

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What needs to be improved?

Staff's organisation of resources and their interaction, to improve imaginative play opportunities, that encourage children to explore real and imagined experiences and develop their language skills. Opportunities for parents to contribute to their child's development records and to be involved in their child's learning.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

There are more planned activities to promote imagination through dance and music and increased opportunities to explore sound. Some equipment has been purchased to support this work. Children are now regularly encouraged to record observations they have made and to talk about them. Recent examples of this work is displayed, such as the observational drawings of trees in the outside play area. These will form part of a display for a local conservation community project. Children have undertaken a topic, "All about me", where one of the activities was to draw themselves by looking in a mirror. All issues have been addressed satisfactorily.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children have good self esteem and are keen to take on the role of "helpers" and to display their work for parents and staff. They relate well to the adults caring for them and are well behaved. Children have a good understanding of the routines and behavioural expectations encouraged by staff through daily activities. Children are confident to select and explore the activities available to them and show curiosity and interest which underpins their learning in many areas.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Older children can write their names and attempt writing for different purposes eg postcards home and labelling their work. Younger children are keen to attempt writing/mark making. They learn that print carries meaning and 4 year olds are able to link initial letter sounds to familiar words and recognise their names Language skills are developing well and they contribute their thoughts and experiences in group situations but did not use imaginative play areas to express imagined experiences.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children can count and recognise numbers 1-9 and many 4 year olds can count beyond this. Older children are confident in adding and subtracting small numbers and use mathematical language to describe what they are doing. Children are able to describe shape, sizes, quantity and weight and demonstrate their understanding of these concepts through practical activities such as weighing parcels in the post office and making sandwiches for snack time.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children learn about the place in which they live and the natural world in their local environment through use of the outside play area, local visits such as to the church and by visitors to the pre- school. They talk about past and present events in their own lives. Children demonstrate curiosity and are keen investigators, they ask staff questions and remember information given to them such as the name of a flower. They have an awareness of the beliefs and cultures of others.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children move confidently and demonstrate increasing control and coordination when using large equipment. They are able to climb over and through objects; most 4 year olds could jump into a hoop with both feet together and attempted a forward roll. Children have good fine motor control which they demonstrate by using a range of tools. They demonstrate an awareness of space and move safely when using equipment such as the obstacle course or during circle time.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children explore a range of creative materials using all their senses such as free expressive painting where they mix colours, and using playdough where they use their hands and tools to mould and shape. During well planned music sessions they are able to listen and follow simple sound patterns with instruments and clap a rhythm to a tune; showing good concentration skills. Children did not make full use of all the imaginative play areas and very little role play was evident.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

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

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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

Organisation of resources and staff deployment, to improve imaginative play opportunities, which encourage children to explore real and imagined experiences and develop their language skills. Increase opportunities for parents to contribute to their child's development records and to be involved in their child's learning.

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