Edgbarrow School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 02/03/2004 Inspector Name Heather Fletcher

p.1

SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Tavistock Pre-School Setting Address Tavistock Infants School Broadacres Fleet Hampshire GU51 4EB

p.1

ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name TAVISTOCK PRE-SCHOOL Address BROADACRES FLEET HAMPSHIRE GU13 8EU

p.1

ORGANISATION DETAILS

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

p.1

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.

p.2

Information about the setting

Tavistock Preschool opened in 1992. It is a committee run provision, which operates, from a pre-fabricated building within the grounds of Tavistock Infants School in Fleet, Hampshire. The building contains a main room with a kitchen area, staff room and toilet facilities. There is an enclosed outdoor area with an all weather surface. The preschool serves the local area. There are currently 55 children from 2 to 5 years on roll. This includes 32 funded 3 year olds and 11 funded 4 year olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The setting supports children with special needs and who speak English as an additional language. The group opens 5 days a week during school term times. Sessions run every day from 09:00 until 12:00 with three afternoon sessions on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 12:30 until 15:00, for older children who will be starting school in September. Eight full and part-time staff work with the children. The full time supervisor and

p.2

Information about the setting

deputy are qualified and three other members of staff are currently working towards a recognised early years qualification. The preschool is committed to ongoing professional development and training for all staff. The setting receives support from a teacher/mentor from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership [EYDCP], and is currently working towards PLA Accreditation.

p.2

Information about the setting

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

p.2

How effective is the nursery education?

The provision is acceptable and is of high quality. Children are making very good progress towards the early learning goals. Teaching is very good. Staff have a sound knowledge of the early learning goals, and are deployed well to support children's learning, often working with a small group, or one-to-one. Staff talk with children to support and consolidate learning during activities, although at times more open-ended questioning techniques would prove beneficial. Detailed curriculum planning ensures activities are stimulating and provide suitable challenges. Excellent observation and recording systems ensure staff are aware of what children can do, and what they need to achieve next. The group is well resourced. Imaginative setting out and rotation ensures provision of a variety of activities. Staff act as sound role models and children behave well and develop self-esteem in response to encouragement and praise. However, children

p.3

How effective is the nursery education?

would derive greater enjoyment from the consistent use of larger books at group storytime. Leadership and management is very good. The supervisor, supported by an effective committee, provides visionary leadership, and is proactive in introducing new ideas and methods which enhance the quality of the educational provision, for example, a refined key worker and record keeping system, which is highly efficient. Detailed and comprehensive plans, policies and procedures underpin the high quality of the provision, and demonstrate the competence of the management. There is a firm commitment to ongoing staff training and development. Partnership with parents is very good and benefits children. Parents receive quality information about their children's progress, activities and achievements. The group invites parents to take an active role by contributing skills and resources, or helping to raise funds. Open evenings and social events are a regular occurrence.

p.3

What is being done well?

• Children are confident, independent, enthusiastic and motivated to learn. • Children behave well, and form warm relationships with adults and peers. • Effective long, medium and short term curriculum planning ensures that children enjoy a range of stimulating activities, which supports their development across all six areas of learning. • The key worker observation, evaluation and assessment system is highly efficient. It accurately tracks children's progression through the stepping stones and informs future planning to ensure that individual needs are met. • Leadership and management is very good. There is a clear vision for the future with a firm commitment to continually improving the quality of care and

p.3

What is being done well?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 education provided. Comprehensive plans, policies and procedures are in place, which underpin and reflect the high quality of the provision. • There is an effective partnership with parents, which contributes to the good progress, which children make at the preschool.

p.3

What needs to be improved?

• staff's ability to extend children's thinking at times by using more open-ended questioning techniques • the organisation of 'book times' during the session, so that children are not obliged to put their books away before they have finished browsing.

p.4

What has improved since the last inspection?

The preschool has made generally good progress since the last inspection. They have completed a review of arrangements for the grouping of children at storytime, and now provide a variety of different sized papers for children to use when painting at the easel.

p.4

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

p.4

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children show interest and enthusiasm during activities, and are motivated to learn. They are confident, relate well to adults and peers, and negotiate and collaborate with each other as they play and learn. They work well as part of a group, take turns and share fairly. Children show independence when visiting the toilet, washing their hands or reaching for a paper tissue. Most are able to dress themselves without assistance. Children behave well and show kindness and consideration for others.

p.5

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children use language to communicate and clarify thoughts, for example when discussing the diggers. They initiate and maintain conversations with adults and peers, and take account of what others say. They are linking sounds to letters and sounding the letters of the alphabet. Children enjoy looking at books and listening to stories, although staff sometimes bring browsing prematurely to an end. Children write their names and make their own books, and are developing good pencil control.

p.5

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children count reliably up to 10, and some to 20. They use numbers during play, and enjoy number games. They sing number songs, such as '5 Currant Buns', to develop the idea of addition and subtraction. They compare numbers and calculate answers to simple problems. They explore shape during games. They consider position, shape, size and quantity, for example when playing in the 'shoe shop' or enjoying circle games outside. They compare heavy/light, full/empty when playing with water and sand.

p.5

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children ask questions about why things happen and how things work. They build, design and construct with a variety of tools and materials. They manage simple computer programmes and extend their knowledge of the world by using programmable resources. They have a sense of time and place, discuss the weather and events at the 'big school' adjacent. They enjoy visits from people in the community. They are interested in living things, visit a local farm, grow flowers and talk about trees and birds.

p.5

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

p.5

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children move confidently. They show balance, co-ordination and control when using large apparatus or playing circle games. They display a sense of space when they form a line, or pedal a tricycle backwards whilst checking for obstacles. They recognise the importance of good personal hygiene and a healthy diet, know to wash their hands and brush teeth, and the foods, which are healthy, or not. They throw, catch, kick and retrieve balls. They manipulate with small tools and malleable materials.

p.6

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children design and create with a variety of materials in two and three dimensions. They are building a familiar repertoire of songs; they make rhythmical movements. They develop narratives and themes imaginatively as they role play, and make observations and respond to questions as they explore with water, sand and collage materials. They respond with interest to what they see, hear, smell, taste, and feel; they discuss the appearance, taste and texture of different fruits.

p.6

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

p.6

OUTCOME OF THE INSPECTION

The provision is acceptable and is of high quality. Children are making very good progress towards the early learning goals. The next inspection will take place in three to four years time.

p.7

WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT

There are no significant weaknesses to report, but considerations should be given to improving the following: • There are no significant weaknesses to report, but consideration should be given to improving the following: • incorporate more open ended questioning techniques by staff to extend children’s' thinking • reorganise 'book times' within the session so that children are not obliged to put their books away before they have finished browsing.

p.7

WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT

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.

p.7

WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

p.7