Daisy Chain Pre School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 22/07/2004 Inspector Name Sarah, Louise Gilpin

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Daisy Chain Pre School Setting Address Thurlstone Primary School Royd Moor Road Sheffield South Yorkshire S36 9RD

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of Daisy Chains Pre School 1046991

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Daisy Chains Pre School Address Belle Royd Cottage Off Folly Lane Thurlstone South Yorkshire S36 7QF

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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

Daisy Chains Playgroup operates in a classroom within Thurlstone Primary School near Penistone. There is an outdoor play space available. The playgroup offers sessional care for a maximum of 16 children between two years and five years. The group opens Monday to Friday from 09:15 until 11:45 during term time. There are 26 children on roll, including 5 three-year-olds and 6 four-year-old children in receipt of nursery education funding. There is provision for children with special educational needs (SEN) and those who speak English as an additional language (EAL). There are two qualified staff members who are supported by a regular parent helper. The playgroup receives support from the Local Authority. In addition support is provided by the local school, the management committee and the local community.

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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?

Daisy Chains Pre School provides a stimulating environment for children who as a result make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. They make very good progress in most areas and generally good progress in communication, language and literacy and in their creative development. The quality of teaching is generally good. Staff have a sound understanding of the early learning goals and plan an interesting range of activities for the children which are related closely to the stepping stones. They complete comprehensive assessments of the children, that include photographic evidence of children engaged in learning. They build warm and friendly relationships with the children and use the routine of the day effectively to ensure children have a broad and balanced range of activities available to them and good use is made of key worker groups. The care for children with SEN is insufficiently planned and activities are not adapted effectively.

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How effective is the nursery education?

There is suitable provision for children with EAL. The leadership and management is generally good. The supervisor effectively oversees the planning and evaluations completed by the staff to ensure the children have access to a broad curriculum. There are suitable procedures in place to inform parents about the plans for children. The supervisor is committed to the continual improvements of the setting and the inspection process is viewed positively. There are however no defined procedures for the appraisal of staff is used to highlight their individual training needs. The partnership with parents is generally good. Parents receive information about the plans for children through regular newsletters, verbal exchanges and when helping during the session. They have good relationships with the staff and easy information exchanges take place as the children are dropped off and collected. There is however insufficient information regarding children's progress towards the

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What is being done well?

• The grouping of the children allows staff to effectively plan for their development and progress towards the early learning goals. • Children's personal, social and emotional development is promoted well by the staff who quickly build successful relationships with them and support their play appropriately. • Practical, everyday activities are used well to promote children's knowledge of and ability to solve mathematical problems. • The leader promotes an ethos of good quality early years principles and is committed to the continual improvement of the provision for all children.

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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 • The outdoor area is used well to extend children's play and learning experiences. • Children listen intently to group and one to one stories which are well read by staff and supported by a range of good quality props.

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What needs to be improved?

• the provision for special needs children • the opportunities children have to explore their own creativity • the information provided for parents regarding their children's progress • the monitoring and appraisal of staff.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Very good progress has been made against all key issues arising from the inspection in 2003. The staff and management of the setting have successfully addressed the issues and as a result the children are making consistently good progress towards the early learning goals. To improve staff's knowledge of the early learning goals they have attened some courses and had in house development lead by the play group supervisor. The organisation of the key worker groups sessions allows staff to plan specific activities for the children which are age appropriate and provide for their individual needs. In addition these group activities provide more challenge for the older children who now plan and review their own activities each session. The session timing has been reorganised to ensure children are busy throughout their time in the playgroup each day. The plans and activities for all children and the key worker groups are

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What has improved since the last inspection?

evaluated each day and this information is systematically used to inform the assessments of the children. Staff complete regular observations of the children and use photographic evidence to illustrate clearly what children can do.

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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 show curiosity and eagerly explore their surroundings. They are well settled, they enjoy close relationships with the adults present and form friendships with their peers. Children are beginning to concentrate well for short periods and the older children spend extended time working at chosen activities. They take pride in their achievements and show pleasure with the finished results, for example when drawing and building.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children confidently use a wide vocabulary to converse and negotiate. They use language appropriately when enjoying rhyming activities. Children show an enjoyment of books, the older and more able children can predict events and retell stories, they especially enjoy using props to retell a story. Some children are beginning to accurately form the letters of their name. However children with SEN are not always included in some story and group activities.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children show an increasing interest in number and activities such as counting, the older children accurately use number names spontaneously in their play. They are able to sort and compare objects, they engage in practical activities that promotes their understanding of early calculating. Children know and confidently use positional language such as in, on, up and down. They are beginning to have an understanding of shape and can describe features of some two dimensional shapes.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children demonstrate a growing curiosity of the world around them and enjoy exploring their local environment. They competently engage in a range of construction activities, the older children show skills in building and balancing items such as small blocks and bricks. Children talk freely about their families and friends and they show a keen interest in those around them.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children confidently move around the setting, they negotiate the tables, chairs and travel to the outdoor area with ease. They enjoy activities which promote their developing hand-eye coordination such as moulding dough and cutting. Children are confident when using a range of small and large equipment, they especially enjoy playing with the parachute.

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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 engaging in role-play activities, especially when supported and encouraged by staff. They enjoy exploring the texture of different media, such as dough. Children enthusiastically engage in music and singing activities, they find rhyming activities very humorous. The children have limited access to creative activities such as free painting and collage which promotes their individual creativity.

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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

• Continue to ensure that children with special educational needs are fully included in all activities throughout the playgroup session. • Provide opportunities for children to explore and develop their own individual creativity. • Devise a system for ensuring parents are kept up to date with their children's progress towards the early learning goals. • Implement an appraisal system to better inform the professional development of the staff.

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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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