The Firs Lower School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 14/03/2005 Inspector Name Caren Carpenter

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Andrew Memorial Day Nursery Setting Address Seventh Day Adventist Church Glebe Road London NW10 2JD

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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

Andrew Memorial Day Nursery opened in 1988. It is located within the London Borough of Brent and operates from a church a hall. They serve the local diverse community. The nursery opens five days a week from 08.15 to 17.30 and on Fridays at 12.45. There are currently 24 children aged 2 years to under 5 years on roll. Of these, 12 receives funded for nursery education. The nursery employs eight staff, five of the staff including the manager holds appropriate early years qualification.

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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?

The nursery provides a generally good educational programme in a happy, relaxed and friendly environment. The quality of teaching is generally good, which promotes children's learning towards the early learning goals. Staff knowledge of the early learning goals helps them to teach an interesting range of practical activities. However further support is needed to ensure that planning is effective both in promoting the early learning goals and ensuring progression of learning. Staff plan interesting activities, which supports children's learning well. However staff do not evaluate activities, in order to consider children's achievements and areas for development, the plans were not available at the time of the inspection. Children are making generally good progress in the areas of personal social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy. Children are making generally good progress towards knowledge and understanding

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How effective is the nursery education?

of the world and their physical development. They investigate and explore why things happen and how things work. However they have few opportunities to begin to know about cultures and beliefs of other people. Staff plan opportunities for children to participate in physical indoor play. However the older and more able children have limited access to apparatus for climbing and balancing, to move safely and to develop their large muscle skills. The leadership and management is generally good. The manager and staff have a good working knowledge of the early learning goals. The deployment of staff helps children to feel secure within their environment. Partnership with parents is generally good. Parents are provided with written information about the educational programme. Parents are invited to attend regular meetings to discuss their children's written achievement reports with staff.

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What is being done well?

• Children are well behaved, they respond positively to staff. Staff discuss simple rules and give clear and consistent guidelines for good behaviour. • Children are polite and sensitive to each other and behaviour is good due to high expectations from staff. • Children are motivated and interested to learn and are involved in their chosen activities.

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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?

• ensure planning is available for staff, parents and for inspection purposes. • further support for staff, in planning and evaluating the educational programme, in order to consider children's achievements and areas of development. • strengthened the programme for knowledge and understanding of the world, by ensuring children have opportunities to begin to know about the cultures and beliefs of other people. • strengthened the programme for physical development, by ensuring that the older and more able children have access to apparatus for climbing and balancing, to move safely and to develop their large muscle skills.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The setting was required to plan adult-led activities for knowledge and understanding of the world, physical and creative development more effectively. Ensure children are actively involved in doing the activity themselves, that there is wider range of materials and resources available for them to use and provide more challenges for the older and more able four-year-olds. Staff plan activities that are adult-led and are actively involved in supporting children's learning during practical activities. This results in contributing effectively in children making generally good progress towards the early learning goals. Children are able to initiate and lead their own learning during practical activities. The setting has increased the resources and materials available to the children and plan interesting and stimulating activities, which provides sufficient challenges to the older four-year-olds. However; further improvements is required to ensure that the older

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What has improved since the last inspection?

and more able children have access to apparatus for climbing and balancing to develop their large muscle skills. The setting was required to ensure that adults give emphasis to mathematics during free-play sessions to reinforce and consolidate children's mathematical language and knowledge. Staff should introduce more mathematical language such as long, short, full and empty to extend children's ability to problem solve and use mathematical language as they play. Staff ensure that emphasis is given to mathematics during free play to reinforce and consolidate children's mathematical language and knowledge. They support children's mathematical development by introducing words to extend children's ability to problem solve such as, how much, more, less, heavy and light during sand and water play activities. However; further improvements is required to ensure that the more older and able children begin to relate to simple addition and subtraction

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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 forming good relationships with both each other and adult, they behave well and are co-operative during play. Children are confident and are able to sit and listen attentively to stories and during group activities. They behave well and co-operate taking turns during activities. Children have good opportunities to initiate and lead their own learning.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children are confident speakers and use a wide vocabulary, which is extended well in all activities. Children develop their reading skills through listening attentively to stories. They enjoy making marks and practise their pre-writing skills.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children can count beyond ten and understand that numbers have a value. They are learning about shapes, colours, sequencing and patterns. Children are able to recognise numbers around the room. They are familiar with number rhymes, counting games and songs.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children have good opportunities to build, assemble and construct with a wide range of materials. They are learning about the natural world such as growing plants. They enjoy using the computer confidently with staff support. However; they have limited opportunities to begin to know about the cultures and beliefs of others.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children use many tools and items of large and small equipment with growing confidence and skill, which is shown in their writing, drawing and models. They are learning about staying healthy through the daily routine and through a range of practical activities. However; the older and more able children have limited access to apparatus for climbing and balancing, to move safely and to develop their large muscle skills.

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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: Generally Good Children enjoy a wide variety of activities, which give them opportunities to explore colour, texture and shape. They sing a range of simple songs from memory confidently and have good opportunities to select and play a range of musical instruments independently. Children are able to express themselves well imaginatively through role-play, painting and drawing.

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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

• ensure planning is available for staff, parents and for inspection purposes. • further support for staff, in planning and evaluating the educational programme, in order to consider children's achievements and areas of development. • strengthen the programme for knowledge and understanding of the world, by ensuring children have opportunities to begin to know about the cultures and beliefs of other people. • strengthen the programme for physical development, by ensuring that children have opportunities to have access to apparatus for climbing and balancing, to move safely and to develop their large muscle skills.

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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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