King's Farm Primary School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 21/09/2004 Inspector Name Toni Hanson

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Trinity Methodist Church Pre School Setting Address Angel Way Romford Essex RM1 1JH

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and 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 of the quality and standard of day care in accordance with the National Standards for Under Eights Day Care and Childminding; and 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

Trinity Methodist Church Pre-School opened in 1974. It operates from the first floor of the Methodist Church hall building. The playgroup is situated in a residential area of Romford, Essex, close to Romford shopping centre and serves the local area. There are currently 58 children from two and a half to three years on roll. This includes 14 funded three- year-olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The setting currently supports a number of children with special needs and who speak English as an additional language. The group opens five days a week during term time. Morning sessions are from 09:15 to 11:45. Afternoon sessions are from 12:30 to 15:00 every day except Wednesday when there is no afternoon session. Nine staff work with the children. All staff have early years qualifications to NVQ level II or III. Three students are currently working towards a recognised early years qualification. The setting receives support from a teacher/mentor from the Early

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Information about the setting

Years Development and Childcare Partnership (EYDCP). The pre-school is accredited by the Pre-School Learning Alliance (PSLA).

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How good is the Day Care?

Trinity Methodist Pre-School provides good care for children. The setting's operational plan works well. Good policies and procedures are in place which the staff team work to at all times. Staff are clear about their roles and responsibilities and work well together to ensure the smooth running of the session. Staff have frequent opportunities to further develop their knowledge and skills through training. Children's safety is a priority, staff are vigilant about ensuring all areas of the premises are safe and suitable and children are well supervised. Most areas for promoting children's health are good. Staff have a sound understanding of their

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How good is the Day Care?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 responsibilities towards the children in their care, the signs and symptoms of abuse and the procedures they must follow if there is a child protection concern. Although children have access to a range of healthy, nutritious snacks and drinks throughout the session, an alternative snack for children that do not like fruit is not always available. A appropriate range of resources and activities are provided, that meet children's overall developmental needs. Staff have good relationships with children and are skilled at managing their behaviour positively and supporting new and settling children. There is a strong commitment to supporting children with additional needs. The staff team work closely with parents and outside agencies and have attended a

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How good is the Day Care?

range of relevant training courses, including smaller steps and meeting children's medical needs. Partnership with parents is very good, parent's input is valued and encouraged. They are provided with clear, comprehensive information about the setting and regular newsletters and notices to encourage their involvement with their child's learning and care. There is a well established key worker system and 'home link' books are used each day to exchange information with parents. All of the required documentation is in place, up to date and well organised.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

N/A. No areas for improvement were identified at the last inspection.

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What is being done well?

• Children's safety is a high priority. The setting's health and safety officer and staff team ensure there are good procedures in place to make sure all areas of the premises are checked on a daily basis and staff supervise children appropriately. Staff discuss and agree safety rules with children to ensure they learn how to use equipment safely. • Support for children with children with additional needs is very good. The setting's special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) is appropriately qualified and experienced and works closely with parents, staff and outside agencies to ensure children's individual needs are well met. • Staff manage children's behaviour in a consistent and positive way. Staff are good role models, speak respectfully to children and use praise frequently to re-enforce good behaviour. • There is a strong commitment to working in partnership with parents. A well established key worker system ensures parents are well informed about the

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What is being done well?

provision and their child's achievements and progress. Parents say that staff are caring, supportive and approachable. • Records, policies and procedures which are required for the efficient and safe management of the pre-school are comprehensive, well organised and shared appropriately with staff, students and parents.

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What is being done well?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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What needs to be improved?

• hygiene procedures, regarding ensuring children's hands are clean before they eat • the range of snacks provided, to ensure all children have opportunity to enjoy a snack during the session.

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CONDITIONS OF REGISTRATION

All registered persons must comply with all conditions of registration included on his/her certificate of registration. As a result of this inspection conditions of registration have been imposed / varied / removed and a new certificate of registration will be issued.

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by the time of the next inspection

Std Recommendation 7 Ensure good hygiene practices are in place regarding children hand washing at snack time. 8 Ensure the range of snacks provided meets the needs of all children.

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by the time of the next inspection

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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How effective is the nursery education?

Trinity Methodist Church Pre-School provides good quality provision where children are making generally good progress towards the early learning goals. Provision for their personal, social and emotional development is particularly well planned and they make very good progress in this area. The quality of teaching is generally good. Most staff understand how three and four year old learn and have an appropriate knowledge of the stepping stones and early learning goals. Staff are skilled at ensuring new and settling children are well supported. However, not all activities, resources and teaching methods used offer sufficiently challenging experiences for older and more able children. Staff manage children's behaviour sensitively and consistently, helping to build their self confidence and social skills. Support for children with special educational needs is very good. Staff work closely with parents and other professionals to ensure all

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How effective is the nursery education?

children are included in activities and receive any additional support they need. Leadership and management at the setting is generally good. There are clear and appropriate aims for the children's care and education and a strong team commitment to evaluating and improving care practices and the quality of nursery education. However, planned activities, the resources offered and teaching methods are not consistently monitored to ensure there is sufficiently challenging experiences for older and more able children. The staff appraisal system and regular training are used to further develop the staff's knowledge and skills. Partnership with parents is very good. An effective keyworker system and 'home link' books ensure parents are kept up to date with their child's achievements and progress. The parents notice board and regular newsletters give parents information about planned topics and events. These include information about activities parents

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How effective is the nursery education?

can provide at home to support their child's learning.

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What is being done well?

• New and settling children receive effective support to help them feel secure and at ease in their new surroundings, develop new skills and form good relationships with staff and other children. • Children with special educational needs are included in all activities. Staff find out all they can about children's specific needs, purchase any necessary equipment and attended relevant training. They work closely with parents and outside agencies to ensure children gain as much as possible from activities and receive the support they need to learn and make progress. • Children's physical skills are promoted well. The play programme is balanced to ensure children have frequent opportunities to sit, concentrate and enjoy freedom of movement and being active.

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What is being done well?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 • Partnership with parents is very good. Parents receive clear and detailed information about the setting and the curriculum. They are well informed about their child's achievements and progress. Staff share ideas about activities parents can provide at home to support their children's learning at home, for example looking at stars in night sky as the setting's next topic is 'night and day'.

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What needs to be improved?

• Planning and monitoring of the quality of teaching to ensure older and more able children are offered sufficiently challenging experiences. • Opportunities for children to be creative and imaginative through art and role play. • Opportunities for children to explore and investigate the natural world.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Generally progress has been made since the last inspection: At the last inspection, the setting agreed to ensure staff effectively support children's skills in physical development, provide more frequent opportunities for children to experience addition and subtraction in practical ways, listen to stories and ensure building and construction activities involve all children. A wide range of large and small equipment is provided to help children develop their physical skills and enjoy being active. They step up and balance on the climbing frame, learn how to manoeuvre the trikes and develop their hand control using pencils and dough cutters. Most staff effectively intervene to encourage and extend children's learning, for example learning to crawl forwards and backwards through the climbing frame tunnel. Children have regular opportunities to count and discuss numbers through their play, including counting the number of children present and singing number rhymes.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

However, opportunities for older and more able children to experience additional and subtraction in practical ways are often missed, for example working out if they have more lion or tiger figures during their small world play. Children can freely access the book corner during the session and staff sit and share books with children here. However, a group story is not provided at every session, therefore some children may not look at books and enjoy listening to stories on a frequent basis. All children have good opportunities to build and construct using a wide range of construction kits and tools. They build towers with bricks, work out how the train track fits together and use glue to stick recyclable materials together. These activities help promote children's physical and mathematical skills and find out about the different properties of the materials they handle.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Settling children receive good support to help them work out what the new environment of pre-school is all about. Staff manage children's behaviour sensitively, helping them to gain confidence and learn to enjoy playing and working with others. Children have good opportunities to develop personal independence, as they choose resources and help themselves to drinks and snacks. They explore their community through topic work and outings, such as taking part in the church's harvest festival.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children confidently talk to staff and each other and are developing the confidence to speak in group situations. They have some opportunities to develop their early writing skills, such as threading beads and drawing, this needs to be extended within the setting. The book corner allows children to handle and look at books. However, opportunities for children to enjoy planned story time and learn that print carries meaning are inconsistent. Most children can recognise their own name card.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children have frequent opportunities to name and recognize basic shapes and colours. They confidently solve problems of shape and size as they complete puzzles and build using bricks. Children learn to use numbers through daily routines and play as they count shapes on the computer game and the number of children present. However, opportunities for more able children to further develop their understanding of numbers by comparing groups of objects and solving number problems are often missed.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children enjoy learning to use the computer and are developing mouse control. They have frequent access to other forms of information and communication technology, such as using the digital camera to photograph their own work. Children have regular opportunities to design and build using a variety of resources such as recyclable materials and the wooden train track and bridge. There are however, too few opportunities for children to explore and investigate the natural world.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children are learning to move confidently, safely and with increasing control using a wide range of equipment including the slide, trikes, scissors and pencils. They enjoy dancing and moving to music and learn about keeping healthy through daily routines, such as washing hands after using the toilet. There are however, too few opportunities for children to learn about the benefits of being active and effects of exercise on their bodies, for example cycling makes us strong, hot and thirsty!

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children join in enthusiastically with familiar songs and rhymes at group time and have regular access to musical instruments. They explore and talk about the different textures of chalk, glittery dough, glue and paint. Children use their imagination well when caring for dolls and making staff 'tea and cakes' in the home corner. However, they do not always have a wide enough range and choice of resources to express their ideas and thoughts in other art and role play situations.

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

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and 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

• improve the planning of activities and systems to monitor the quality of teaching, to ensure there is sufficient challenge for older and more able children • improve the use of resources to promote children's creativity through art and role play • strengthen the programme for knowledge and understanding of the world, to promote children's understanding of the natural world.

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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 Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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STANDARD 1 - SUITABLE PERSON

Adults providing day care, looking after children or having unsupervised access to them are suitable to do so.

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STANDARD 2 - ORGANISATION

The registered person meets required adult: child ratios, ensures that training and qualifications requirements are met and organises space and resources to meet the children's needs effectively.

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STANDARD 3 - CARE, LEARNING AND PLAY

The registered person meets children's individual needs and promotes their welfare. They plan and provide activities and play opportunities to develop children's emotional, physical, social and intellectual capabilities.

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STANDARD 4 - PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

The premises are safe, secure and suitable for their purpose. They provide adequate space in an appropriate location, are welcoming to children and offer access to the necessary facilities for a range of activities which promote their development.

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STANDARD 5 - EQUIPMENT

Furniture, equipment and toys are provided which are appropriate for their purpose and help to create an accessible and stimulating environment. They are of suitable design and condition, well maintained and conform to safety standards.

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STANDARD 6 - SAFETY

The registered person takes positive steps to promote safety within the setting and on outings and ensures proper precautions are taken to prevent accidents.

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STANDARD 7 - HEALTH

The registered person promotes the good health of children and takes positive steps to prevent the spread of infection and appropriate measures when they are ill.

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STANDARD 8 - FOOD AND DRINK

Children are provided with regular drinks and food in adequate quantities for their needs. Food and drink is properly prepared, nutritious and complies with dietary and religious requirements.

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STANDARD 9 - EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

The registered person and staff actively promote equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice for all children.

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NEEDS AND DISABILITIES)

The registered person is aware that some children may have special needs and is

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NEEDS AND DISABILITIES)

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 proactive in ensuring that appropriate action can be taken when such a child is identified or admitted to the provision. Steps are taken to promote the welfare and development of the child within the setting in partnership with the parents and other relevant parties.

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STANDARD 11 - BEHAVIOUR

Adults caring for children in the provision are able to manage a wide range of children's behaviour in a way which promotes their welfare and development.

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STANDARD 12 - WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS AND CARERS

The registered person and staff work in partnership with parents and to meet the needs of the children, both individually and as a group. Information is shared.

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STANDARD 13 - CHILD PROTECTION

The registered person complies with local child protection procedures approved by the Area Child Protection Committee and ensures that all adults working and looking after children in the provision are able to put the procedures into practice.

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STANDARD 14 - DOCUMENTATION

Records, policies and procedures which are required for the efficient and safe management of the provision, or to promote the welfare, care and learning of children are maintained. Records about individual children are shared with the child's parent.

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STANDARD 14 - DOCUMENTATION

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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