St Josephs Pre School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 13/01/2005 Inspector Name Linda Janet Witts

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name St Josephs Hilltots Pre School Playgroup Setting Address St Josephs School Front Street, Nympsfield Stonehouse Gloucestershire GL10 3TY

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of St Josephs Hilltots Pre School Playgroup

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name St Josephs Hilltots Pre School Playgroup Address Village Hall Church Street Nympsfield Gloucestershire GL2 7LY

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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

St Josephs Hill Tots Pre-School Group is run by a committee and has charitable status. The playgroup operates from St. Joseph's Primary School in Nympsfield, near Stonehouse in Gloucestershire. It has been registered since 2001 and until recently was based at the local village hall. The playgroup is open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday from 09.00 to 12.00, term-time only. There are currently 12 children on roll of whom three are funded four-year-olds and seven are funded three-year-olds. The group supports children with special educational needs. The group has sole use of a classroom during hours of operation. The room is also utilised by an after school club. Children are also able to use the school playground and field. A team of two staff are employed. Both hold level three qualifications, a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) at level 3 in Early Years Care and Education, and a Diploma in Nursery Nursing. Staff have also attended first aid and child protection

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Information about the setting

training. The group is supported by a Foundation Stage Consultant from the local Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership and the Area Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator. Parents also provide support at playgroup sessions on a rota basis.

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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?

St Joseph's Hill Tots Pre-School Playgroup provides high quality nursery education. Children make very good progress towards the early learning goals, in all areas of learning. Children show curiosity and are enthusiastic in their learning.

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How effective is the nursery education?

Teaching is very good. Staff are trained in the implementation of the Foundation Stage Curriculum. They have a clear understanding of the Early Learning Goals and associated developmental stepping stones. Staff have an excellent knowledge of the individual children and effectively plan a broad range of activities to promote their all-round development. They make regular assessments of children's progress but do not always record this to clearly show where each child is at in their learning. They effectively support the children, guiding, supporting as appropriate, asking questions to promote children's language and thinking. Staff promote good behaviour and encourage children's self-esteem. Good use is made of space ,time and resources. Leadership and management is very good. The leader and deputy are both experienced, enthusiastic and friendly. They work well together, planning and evaluating their practice, identifying strengths and weaknesses in the provision.

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How effective is the nursery education?

They make the most of training opportunities to enhance their delivery of the curriculum. High child: staff ratios are maintained, enabling support of individual children, as appropriate. The committee offers staff support, giving good access to training and fund raising to extend resources. The playgroup team are fully committed to providing high quality care and education. Partnership with parents is very good. Parents are happy with all aspects of the provision. They receive good information and two-way communication is encouraged. Parents are kept up to date with things happening in the group and children's progress. Playgroup duties encourage parents to be involved in their children's learning and to gain greater understanding of the Foundation Stage.

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What is being done well?

• Staff are experienced practitioners who plan effectively using their knowledge of where children are in their learning to offer a broad range of activities which build upon what children already know. They utilise space indoors and outside, time and resources well. They invite visitors into the group and undertake regular walks out into the local area to enhance children's knowledge and understanding of the world. • Staff interact with and support children in developing confidence. They encourage children to talk, valuing their contribution to the group. They introduce new vocabulary and help children to express themselves.

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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 • Staff understand that mathematical development does not depend on specific resources. They introduce mathematical ideas through practical activities and encourage children to count, calculate, talk about shapes and size.

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What needs to be improved?

• recording of assessments made, to show where children are in their learning; ensuring that the method used clearly reflects where each child is in their learning, using the regular observations undertaken and other sources of evidence to support judgements in a way that encourages parents to take further interest in their children's learning

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Not applicable as this is the group's first funded nursery education inspection.

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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 Most children are very settled, confident and have a strong sense of self; new children soon settle. They enthusiastically join in freely chosen or adult-directed activities, concentrating hard and persisting at activities. They have excellent relationships with their peers and staff. More mature children are very considerate of the needs of others. They reassure and assist younger children, unprompted. Children are very well behaved. They sit quietly, share, take turns and are good mannered.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children are confident talkers. They use talk to express their needs, ask questions, communicate ideas and recall past experiences. Children enjoy listening to and joining in, stories and rhymes. They handle books carefully and are encouraged to retell stories, using illustrations as prompts. Children mark make and are aware that print carries meaning and that writing can be used for different purposes. More able children can write their own names with recognisable letters.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Three and four-year-olds are keen to count and join in number rhymes. They count irregular arrangements of objects and can count down from five. They show interest in number problems, calculate and compare within practical activities. Children use mathematical ideas as they play. They talk about shape, size and quantity, describing the feel of objects in the 'mystery bag'. They match by shape and size, recognizing similarities in objects. They use language such as 'more', 'full' and 'half'.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children show curiosity, investigate and examine objects. They observe change through practical activities such as jelly or play dough making. Children enjoy exploring the local natural environment, hunting for mini beasts. They grow and tend flowers gaining an awareness of time. Children have learnt about their local community and different cultures from visitors and activities such as Holi splatter painting. Children construct with a range of resources and are able to use computers.

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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 are confident movers and have good opportunities to develop physical skills. They walk, jump, stretch and spin moving to music. They climb and balance, run at speed, changing direction, negotiating pathways, avoiding obstacles. Children propel wheeled toys backwards and forwards. They manipulate small resources and fastenings. They use scissors safely and cut around shapes with control. Children show some understanding of healthy practices and the effects of activity on their bodies.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children have a wealth of creative play opportunities. They engage in imaginative play based on their own experiences. They sing simple songs from memory, use musical instruments regularly and enjoy dancing. They tap out rhythms, varying the sound and change the tone of their voice, whispering and gradually increasing the volume. Children explore texture, paint, colour and combine materials, producing large and small scale creations. They differentiate colours, selecting for a purpose.

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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 key issues identified; a point for consideration is:- • to improve the recording of assessments made, to show where children are in their learning.

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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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