East Markham Primary School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 02/02/2005 Inspector Name Joanne Lindsey Caswell

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Reigate High Street Play Group Setting Address Methodist Church Hall High Street Reigate Surrey RH2 9AE

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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

Reigate High Street Play Group has been established for over 30 years. It operates from two large rooms within the Methodist Church in Reigate town centre. Toilets and hand washing facilities are easily accessible from group rooms and staff have access to kitchen facilities. The playgroup serves the local area. It is open from Monday to Thursday, from 09:15 to 11:45. An afternoon session operates on both Monday and Tuesday afternoons, from 12:15 to 14:45. There are currently 28 children, aged from two to four years, on roll. This includes 23 children who receive funding for nursery education. Staff have some experience in supporting children with special educational needs and children who speak English as an additional language. A team of five staff work with the children. Of these four hold a recognised early years qualification. The group is a member of the Pre-School Learning Alliance and is a registered

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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?

The provision for nursery education at Reigate High Street Playgroup is acceptable and of good quality overall. Children are making generally good progress towards the early learning goals, although there are significant weaknesses in the area of Mathematics. Children's progress in all other areas of learning is generally good. The quality of teaching has some significant weaknesses. Staff foster close relationships with children and provide a happy and caring atmosphere. Staff hold recognised qualifications, but have not updated their training to ensure their knowledge reflects current practice. Some staff's understanding of the Foundation Stage is limited and there is no provision in place for formal curriculum planning, preventing children's differing abilities to be catered for. Most strategies for managing children's behaviour are effective. There are weaknesses in the provision for supporting children with special educational needs. Staff do not always utilise all

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How effective is the nursery education?

potential learning opportunities, such as snack time, to extend children's learning and development. The current system for monitoring children's progress is not utilised fully. The leadership and management have significant weaknesses. Staff work together as a team and support one another well. All staff are valued as members of the team and are invited to share ideas and contribute towards meetings. A staff appraisal system is in place, but this has not been effective in addressing the shortfalls in staff training and knowledge of current practice issues. There is no system in place for carrying out self-assessment, although the committee are willing to implement this. The partnership with parents is generally good. Parents are greeted warmly and talk with staff about their children on a daily basis. Parents receive information about the playgroup and the weekly activities, although information is not always available for

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How effective is the nursery education?

parents to be able to extend playgroup activities at home.

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What is being done well?

• Children are confident and sociable and show care and concern for others. • Children form good relationships with their peers and adults and understand the importance of sharing and co-operation. • Good provision is in place to foster children's physical skills. Children are able to use a variety of tools and apparatus to develop their co-ordination and dexterity. • Children's creative skills are developed through a wide range of art and craft, music and sensory play. • Staff form close relationships with children and interact with them well, leading to a relaxed, and happy environment.

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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 • Children have good opportunities to explore and investigate and gain an understanding of the place in which they live.

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What needs to be improved?

• the opportunities within the daily routine for children to develop counting and mathematical skills • the opportunities for children to celebrate a wider range of cultures and festivals • staff's understanding of the Foundation Stage curriculum and their knowledge of planning and assessment, particularly in the areas of mathematics and developing a formal programme to introduce children to letters and sounds • staff's understanding of the role of the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) and supporting documentation • the system for staff appraisal and self-assessment to review playgroup practice.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Staff have made limited progress in meeting the key issues raised at the last inspection. Staff agreed to: 1) Improve the assessment system by i) expanding it so that staff are able to monitor children's progress towards the early learning goals, and ii) encouraging parents to contribute their observations to the records. Staff have implemented the Surrey Profiles for monitoring children's progress, although as there is no formal system in place for curriculum planning, the early learning goals and stepping stones to learning are not identified, preventing staff from closely monitoring, and planning for, children's individual progress. Parents state that they feel involved and welcome to contribute towards their children's assessment. The assessment system remains a weakness in provision. 2) Reorganise break times so that they provide children with a more valuable learning experience. Staff still miss potential learning opportunities presented at snack time, such as

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What has improved since the last inspection?

developing children's understanding of mathematical concepts and increasing their skills in independence. 3) Give more emphasis to calculation when planning mathematical activities. Due to the weaknesses in curriculum planning and the lack of formal plans, there are shortfalls in the provision for mathematical development. Some incidental activities such as counting and number rhymes are used to develop children's skills in

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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 calculation, although there are many missed opportunities to extend children's understanding of number value throughout the routine and this remains a weakness in provision. 4) Give greater priority to teaching all the children to recognise letters of the alphabet by shape and sound and provide four year olds with the opportunity to increase their early writing skills. Good provision is now in place for children to develop writing skills, although there is no formal system in place for introducing children to letters and sounds and this is not reflected in planning.

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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 are confident and sociable and they form good relationships with their peers and staff. They have high self-esteem and their behaviour is generally good. Children are developing good skills in independence, although this is not exploited fully during snack time and there is limited provision for older children to take on responsibility. All children understand the importance of sharing, taking turns and co-operating as a group.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children contribute towards group discussion. They listen attentively and most children concentrate well. Children are developing a keen interest in stories and handle books correctly. Provision is in place for children to practise mark making using a variety of resources and some children are able to write their names from memory. There are limited opportunities for children to see their names in print and develop their understanding of letters and sounds.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Significant Weaknesses Children are beginning to recognise numbers that are important to them and some children have an understanding of less than/more than. Provision is in place for children to sort using a range of resources. There are many missed opportunities within the daily routine for children to count and develop their skills in calculation and problem solving. There are no formal curriculum plans in place to develop children's understanding of the concepts of size, shape, weight and pattern.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children have an understanding of the community in which they live, as they visit features of the town, such as the church and park, and enjoy a visit from the fire service. There is some provision for children to explore and investigate, using resources such as magnets. Children are beginning to develop a sense of time and compare past and present. Although children talk about other countries, there is limited provision for them to develop an understanding of a wider range of cultures.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Provision is in place for children to move in a variety of ways, such as climbing, crawling and balancing, showing good co-ordination. Children are able to manoeuvre wheeled toys, such as prams and trolleys, competently and they can negotiate obstacles. They use a range of tools, such as writing materials, and show good manipulative skills. Children are not always reminded about the importance of good hygiene practice, such as remembering to wash hands before snack time.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

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

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children use a range of media, such as paint, glue, wood and ink and undertake model making to express themselves creatively. They enjoy regular musical activities and learn a variety of songs and rhymes and use instruments. Children play imaginatively and use dressing up clothes, although due to the organisation of the sessions, children's access to role play is often limited. Good provision is in place for children to enjoy sensory play, using texture such as jelly and custard.

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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

• improve staff's understanding of the Foundation Stage curriculum, enabling them to plan a structured curriculum covering all six areas of learning to ensure that children's progress towards the early learning goals is catered for. Ensure planning records incorporate long term, medium term and short term planning and clearly identify targeted aspects of learning to monitor children's progress • improve staff's understanding of planning and assessment, in order for them to clearly monitor each child's individual progress towards the early learning goals and use this knowledge to ensure that all activities are suitably adapted to challenge all children effectively • improve the programme for Mathematics, to ensure that all mathematical aspects of learning are identified in planning and children are introduced to a wider range of mathematical concepts through daily routine activities • develop the systems for staff appraisal and self-assessment, to enable staff

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT: THE KEY ISSUES

to identify shortfalls in training, particularly in the areas of curriculum planning, assessment and special educational needs.

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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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