Grange School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 15/02/2005 Inspector Name Margaret Moffat

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name First Steps Day Nursery Setting Address Wexham Park Hospital Wexham Street, Wexham Slough Berkshire SL2 4HL

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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

First Steps Day Nursery opened in 1986. It operates from purpose built accommodation in the hospital grounds. A maximum of 58 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 07.00 to 18.00 all year. All children share access to an enclosed outdoor play area. There are currently 79 children aged from 12 weeks to under 5 years on roll. Of these, 20 children receive funding for nursery education. The setting provides daycare for the staff of Wexham Park and Heatherwood National Health Trust. The nursery currently supports children with special educational needs and who speak English as an additional language. The nursery employs 15 staff. Of these 13, including the manager hold appropriate early years qualifications.

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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?

First Steps Day Nursery is acceptable and of good quality. Children make very good progress in personal, social, emotional development, knowledge and understanding of the world, physical and creative development. Provision for communication, language, literacy and mathematical development are generally good. The quality of teaching is generally good. Staff use the available resources and environment effectively to support children's learning. The nursery provides children with a good range of interesting and appropriate activities to encourage their development in most areas of learning. Staff form caring relationships with children and act as positive role models. They are developing their knowledge and understanding of the Early Learning Goals but miss opportunities to extend children's skills in some areas of the curriculum. Planning, observation and assessment procedures are not fully effective although staff are making progress.

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How effective is the nursery education?

They do not use their observations and assessment of children's progress to inform future planning and children's next stage of learning. There are effective procedures in place to support children with special educational needs and who speak English as an additional language. Leadership and management are generally good. The manager is committed to employing good quality staff and ongoing training to ensure the continued improvement of care and education for all children. She is working with staff to ensure planning, observation and assessment procedures are effective. Staff work well together and their deployment is effective. Partnership with parents is very good. Parents have access to information about the nursery and its provision through newsletters, display of plans, policies and procedures. They have opportunities to be involved in their children's learning through informal sharing of information, meetings with their child's key worker and

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How effective is the nursery education?

activities at home sheet. Parents and staff establish good relationships.

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What is being done well?

• Children are confident, interested and able to work independently. They show good levels of concentration, are well behaved and share toys and resources readily. • There is a good range of indoor and outdoor play activities to promote children's physical development. • The accommodation for the children provides a stimulating environment. Staff arrange the room and outside area well, with a variety of resources covering different areas of learning. Children can independently access resources and toys and make their own decisions.

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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 manage children's behaviour very well, they show interest in them and involve themselves in their play.

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What needs to be improved?

• the recording of observations and assessment of children's progress to inform future planning and what individual children need to learn next • opportunities for children to link sounds to letters • opportunities for children to develop simple calculation in everyday practical activities.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The nursery has made generally good progress since last inspection. A new system has been introduced to record children's observations and this information is used to complete their individual profiles. The information is not used to progress and guide planning. Plans now indicate what children should learn from activities using the stepping stones. However they do not indicate how these are modified or extended for children who learn at different rates. Progress has been made in both areas however issues outstanding are similar to those found in this inspection.

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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 confident and happy. They interact with adults and other children and form positive relationships. They show interest in the activities and resources available to them and can concentrate well to complete chosen tasks. They learn to share and take turns and are gaining good independence and self-help skills. They are familiar with the nursery routine and follow this well. Children enjoy the responsibility of being chosen to help staff.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children's spoken language and listening skills are developing well. They express ideas, engage in conversation, listen and respond with enjoyment to stories and songs. Staff miss opportunities to encourage children to link sounds to letters. Children are able to recognise and write their own name. Children are beginning to understand that print carries meaning and activities are organised to encourage them to practice writing for a variety of purposes for example shopping lists and menus.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children use number in familiar context, many count to ten and beyond and recognise and name numbers to ten. Staff miss opportunities to encourage children to explore simple calculation in everyday practical activities. Children are beginning to use mathematical language within everyday play for example tube making with newspapers, building bricks and weighing. They can recognise, name simple shapes and look for these in the environment.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children talk with confidence about personal events in their own lives. Themes and activities ensure children are developing their knowledge of other cultures and traditions. Children are confident in their use of the computer. They perform simple functions such as click and drag and change programmes when ready to move on. Opportunities are offered for children to explore, investigate and learn through first hand experiences.

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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 move around areas of nursery with confidence and control. They show good co-ordination and spatial awareness. Children are confident and capable when undertaking routine activities and they show a good awareness of personal hygiene. They handle a variety of tools and materials such as scissors, sand, pencils and knives with increasing control. They build with different construction toys, often working together.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children join in enthusiastically at group singing. Children express themselves freely through role play and are given opportunities to use their imagination in everyday activities. They act out being in restaurant and going shopping. They have access to different resources and materials that allow them to explore using all their senses. Examples of children’s artwork are on display throughout the nursery showing how capable they are.

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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 observations and assessment of children's progress are used to inform future planning and what individual children need to learn next. • Provide opportunities for children to link sounds to letters and develop simple calculation skills through everyday practical activities.

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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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