Small World Nurseries Ltd

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 25/01/2005 Inspector Name Judith Heald

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Small World Nurseries Limited Setting Address Tudor House, Manchester Road Castleton Rochdale Lancashire OL11 3AD

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Small World Nursery Ltd Address 30 Dearden Street Littlborough Rochdale Lancashire OL15 9DZ

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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

Small World at Tudor House is part of Small World Ltd. It operates from two buildings, the main nursery building is on two floors and there is a self-contained baby unit. It is situated in the Castleton area of Rochdale. A maximum of 81 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 07:30 to 18:00 for 51 weeks of the year. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area. There are currently 75 children on roll aged between 3 months to under 5 years. Of these 26 children receive funding for nursery education and 5 children attend the after school club. Children come from a wide catchment area. The nursery currently supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language. The nursery employs 22 staff. Eighteen of the staff, including the management hold appropriate early years qualifications. Four of the staff are working towards a

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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?

Small World provides good quality education overall, which enables children to make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. The quality of teaching is generally good, the staff provide a warm, welcoming environment. They provide a wide range of interesting and stimulating activities that promote learning, particularly in Maths and Knowledge and Understanding of the World, though sometimes they over direct focused activities. Staff develop children's language and communication by talking to the them, encouraging the children to develop their own ideas and thinking. They provide good support for children whose first language is not English. The staff promote and praise positive behaviour although the management of children's behaviour is not always consistent.

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How effective is the nursery education?

Staff assess children's progress and learning against the early learning goals, though the assessment and evaluation of focused activities is not yet fully developed. Leadership and management are generally good. The staff are enthusiastic, committed and have a good awareness of their roles and responsibilities. The staff attend regular staff meetings where training needs are identified. There is not yet a rigorous system to monitor and evaluate activities to inform children's learning and assessment against the early learning goals and future planning. The partnership with parents and carers is generally good. Parents feel very welcome and spend time talking informally to staff about their children. Parents receive regular information of forthcoming events within a newsletter, though they are not sufficiently aware of the assessment process against the early learning goals within the Foundation Stage Curriculum.

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What is being done well?

• Staff provide a warm welcoming environment where children can learn through play. • The staff provide a good range of interesting activities that promote learning particularly in Maths and Knowledge and Understanding of the World, making effective use of resources. • The staff team work well together and have clear roles and responsibilities that enable them to carry out their duties effectively.

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What needs to be improved?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 • the procedure to monitor and evaluate focused activities to inform children's learning and assessment against the early learning goals and inform future planning • the management of behaviour during large group activities • The opportunities for the children to develop their imaginative and creative skills during activities e.g. mark making in the home corner, writing about their names and news

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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 feel safe, secure and have good relationships with other children and staff. They confidently move around the nursery, exploring a wide range of stimulating activities. Children are developing their self help skills when they put on their coats, go to the bathroom and independently choose play experiences. The children generally behave well, although sometimes it is difficult for them to concentrate in large group sessions. Children do not have sufficient exposure to positive images.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children are confident communicators and are able to express their own ideas and needs e.g. circle time. They have access to a writing area but do not have regular access to writing materials to enhance role-play e.g. shopping list, encouraging understanding that we write for a purpose and that print carries meaning. Children enjoy group story time but do not regularly access books independently. Children are beginning to link sounds to letters e.g. through music and recognising their names.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children gain mathematical understanding very well. They develop a concept of number through play and practical experiences; they learn to count as they join in number songs and recognise the number of the week. They reinforce numbers through stories. Children use a wide variety of resources to problem solve and introduce shapes, using shapes to create collage pictures. Children use mathematical language; they talk about heavy, light, full, more and less when they play with sand and water.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children are confident to explore and investigate a wide range of man-made and natural materials e.g. observing insects through a microscope. Children learn about the community when they take walks, visit the swimming baths and meet visitors e.g. nurse, firemen. They are confident to use the computer. Children learn about other cultures by celebrating festivals and learning about other peoples beliefs as well as their own.

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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: Generally Good Children have many opportunities to develop fine motor skills e.g. spreading glue, painting. They develop their gross motor skills when playing outdoors negotiating space e.g. walking, running, crawling, although they do not have regular access to large indoor play equipment. Children learn about health through planned activities. Children are able to move confidently when playing and show awareness of themselves and others.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children explore a wide variety of man made and natural materials when playing. They develop sensory awareness exploring a range of different textures e.g. paint, play dough, fruit, mixing spaghetti. Children play independently using their imagination during role-play in the home corner. Children sing and have access to musical instruments during weekly music sessions. Children do not sufficiently develop their imaginative and creative skills during focused 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 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

• develop a procedure to monitor and evaluate focused activities, identifying children's learning and assessment against the early learning goals to inform future planning • develop consistent management of children's behaviour e.g. story time, registration • increase opportunities for the children to use their imaginative and creative skills during activities e.g. mark making in the home corner, writing about their news.

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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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