The Links Primary School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 22/06/2004 Inspector Name Joyce Bowler

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Holway Community Playgroup Setting Address Holway Primary School Shakespeare Avenue Taunton Somerset TA1 2JA

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Holway Community Playgroup Address Holway Park Community Primary School Shakespeare Avenue Taunton Somerset TA1 2JA

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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

Holway Community Playgroup is managed by a voluntary committee. It opened in the 1980's and operates from a classroom within Holway Park Primary School on the outskirts of Taunton. A maximum of 20 children may attend the playgroup at any one time. The playgroup is open each school day during term times from 09:30 to 11:30 and from 12:30 to 15:00. Children have access to an outside play area which is shared with the reception class at the school. There are currently 29 children from age 2 to under 5 years on roll. Of these 21 children receive funding for nursery education. The playgroup sup[ports children with special needs but does not currently have children attending with English as an additional language. The playgroup employs five staff. All of these 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?

Holway Community Playgroup offers high quality provision which helps children to make very good progress towards the early learning goals. Teaching is very good. Staff demonstrate a sound knowledge and understanding of the Foundation Stage in both planning and assessment systems. They are currently establishing a new recording format for assessment. Staff are a skilful and enthusiastic team of friendly practitioners. They exploit activities, both planned and spontaneous, to ensure that children are learning through play and having fun with their friends at playgroup. Effective challenges are set for those who are more or less able. Staff deploy well during sessions and know when to guide children and when to stand back to allow children to explore and investigate. Very good use of both time and the high quality resources supports effective planning. Behaviour management is appropriate and staff are sensitive to each child's level of

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How effective is the nursery education?

maturity. Children respond well to praise. Leadership and management is very good. The staff are supported by the committee and they work together to produce a clear vision of the groups aims. This is demonstrated in the prospectus and in the everyday running of the group. The staff team is well established and they carry out ongoing assessment of their provision. They evaluate all activities and topics. Staff meet with other early years providers locally to access in-service training and to share best practice. The supervisor is liaising with the reception teacher at the school to promote a united Foundation Stage provision. The partnership with parents is very good. The prospectus provides excellent information including details of the group's ethos, the curriculum, the key worker system and how staff assess children. Regular newsletters and daily verbal feedback opportunities keep parents well informed about their child and the

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How effective is the nursery education?

playgroup. New procedures are planned to involve parents further in children's learning.

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What is being done well?

• There is effective curriculum planning which relates to all areas of learning with knowledge and understanding of the world being a key strength. Staff use assessments to ensure that activities are relevant for each child. These act as individual learning plans for each child and are used to inform future planning. • The staff team demonstrate skilful interaction with each child. Their friendly

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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 and enthusiastic approach encourages children to form good relationships in the group. This promotes good behaviour and a happy learning environment. • The effectiveness of the programme for personal, social and emotional development is paramount to the staff team. They work hard to ensure that children settle in well and continue to feel part of a happy community. • The playgroup is very well resourced with high quality toys, games and equipment for use both indoors and out. Displays and interest tables are of a very high quality. • The supervisor is working with the reception teacher to extend the use of the outside area into an out of doors classroom. This is intended to create more opportunities for continuity in the Foundation Stage provision on site as most of the playgroup children will go on to the primary school.

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What needs to be improved?

• monitoring of the newly introduced assessment system.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Holway Community Playgroup has made very good progress since the last inspection. All three previous key issues have been addressed by means of staff monitoring and evaluating the provision and developing their planning. Staff organise the timetable to provide a range of activities over the six areas of learning. They have developed plans and these now deliver a balanced curriculum in the long, medium and short term. The staff appraisal system has been re-introduced and is used to ensure that any training needs are addressed. Everyday situations are now used to give children more opportunities to use mathematics in a practical way.

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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 benefit from sensitive settling in procedures which allow them to become familiar with playgroup routines. In turn this enables them to grow in confidence and self esteem by feeling part of the group. There is a happy atmosphere which is conducive to playing and learning. Children choose activities and resources, contribute their own ideas and develop personal independence by making their own snack and working as individuals. They understand shared behaviour rules at playgroup.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children enjoy joining in discussion, listening to stories and expressing their own thoughts and ideas. Staff encourage children to communicate with confidence and fluency. Children benefit from an appropriate introduction to reading and writing. They develop the necessary skills in mark making, painting and drawing and begin to recognise and write their own names. Books are used to support themes and both fact and fiction books are displayed on the interest table and in the book corner.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are learning to use maths in everyday situations and are becoming familiar with number and simple calculations. Staff ask children to count at register and snack time and introduce challenges such as working out how many more of something is needed or trying to add the numbers of boys and girls together. Children demonstrate their developing ability to use maths language and can differentiate between size, shape and amount.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good This is a key strength of the curriculum as staff plan an interesting and exciting programme for children. Children explore and investigate via very good use of the local environment. They have plenty of first hand experiences including growing plants and vegetables and harvesting them, watching tadpoles grow into frogs, handling small creatures and carrying out simple science experiments, e.g. sinking and floating activities. They are learning a sense of time and place.

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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 develop across the stepping stones towards the early learning goals by accessing an extensive range of resources and well planned activities. Challenges and regular practice are built in to meet all levels of ability. Children develop skills in movement, climbing and balancing. They have access to a variety of large and small equipment to develop large muscle groups and eye to hand co-ordination and fine motor skills. Children are learning about health and bodily awareness.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children have access to an impressive range of opportunities to express their creativity. The curriculum includes planned activities for art, dance and music as well as daily opportunities in the basic play provision for role play, craft and stories. Children enjoy imaginative play and this is fostered by a good range of small world toys and dressing up clothes. Staff help younger children to extend their play. Children are able to give free rein to their imaginations and creativity abilities.

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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 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.

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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 the following: • continue to monitor and review the effectiveness of the newly introduced assessment system as it becomes established fully.

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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.

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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

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