South Parade Primary School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 07/01/2005 Inspector Name Anne Munro

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Nursery @ Itchen College Setting Address Middle Road Bitterne Southampton Hampshire SO19 7TB

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of D Boggett/D Foster/M Perryman/S Holmes

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name D Boggett/D Foster/M Perryman/S Holmes Address Darinian Panwell Road Southampton Hampshire SO18 6BJ

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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

The Nursery at Itchen College has been opened since 2001. It operates from a building with disabled access, within the grounds of Itchen College, in eastern Southampton. There are three play rooms for children, with adjacent office, kitchen, toilets, staff room and outside play facilities. The nursery has been set up as a partnership between Mr and Mrs Boggett and Itchen College and is jointly managed by both parties. There are currently 60 children from 3 months to 5 years on roll, including 22 in receipt of nursery funding. The nursery supports a small number of children with special needs. The nursery is open all year round. Sessions are from Monday to Thursday from 08:00 to 17:00, and on Friday from 08:00 to 16:00. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are five full-time and seven part-time members of staff working with the children, plus an office based manager. Nine members of staff have relevant early

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Information about the setting

years qualifications, and three are working towards a recognised qualification. The nursery receives support from the Southampton Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership and is a member of the Pre-school Learning Alliance.

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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 of nursery education at the Nursery at Itchen College is acceptable and of good quality. Children are making generally good progress towards the early learning goals. Their progress in most areas is very good. The quality of teaching is generally good. Staff have secure understanding of the early learning goals and all contribute to planning a curriculum to promote learning. They regularly assess and record children's progress and have very good knowledge of individual needs and abilities, but written activity plans do not ensure progression in all areas for children at different stages of development. Staff use appropriate teaching methods and are particularly good at encouraging children's language skills and developing their independence. Space and resources are well-organised to enable children to make choices. Staff use praise and encouragement to promote good behaviour, and liaise with other professionals to

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How effective is the nursery education?

ensure that special needs are met. Leadership and management are very good. The managers employ well-qualified and experienced staff and maintain good staffing levels. They operate a formal staff appraisal system and support staff in accessing training. The supervisor ensures that staff are effectively deployed and monitors most areas of the educational programme. The management committee ensures that the nursery is well resourced and works with the staff to evaluate provision and to plan for future development. Partnership with parents is very good. Parents receive good information about activities and are encouraged to be involved in their children's learning. They are able to discuss progress with staff and to contribute to written records.

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What is being done well?

• Children's personal, social and emotional development is very good. They show high levels of independence, both in their personal care, using the toilets, washing their hands, dressing themselves and serving drinks and snacks, and in choosing activities and resources. Equipment is stored in accessible units throughout the nursery so that children are able to make their own choices, and learn to put things away and look after their environment. Children are very confident, being familiar with nursery routines and forming good relationships with other children and adults. • Children enjoy books and learn to handle them properly. They make good use of a well-resourced book corner, looking at books alone or with friends and asking staff to read to them. They make regular visits to the Book Bus where they can choose books, listen to stories read by the librarian and find resources for their current topics.

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What is being done well?

• Staff plan exciting art and craft activities and children are able to explore

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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 colour, shape and texture with a wide range of techniques and media. They have plenty of opportunity to express their own ideas and to talk about their creations. Staff scribe children's captions to their pictures and produce imaginative displays to encourage children to take pride in their work. • Partnership with parents is very good. Parents receive regular letters about activities and are encouraged to contribute resources and expertise to topics. They are given suggestions for continuing learning at home. They support social occasions such as the nativity play and parties. They are able to discuss children's progress with their keyworkers and are invited to regular parents' evenings to look at written records and add their assessment of children's development.

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What needs to be improved?

• the planning of activities to promote children's physical development • opportunities for older children to recognise and use numerals • the use of planning documents to ensure that individual needs are addressed and staff are clear about the intended learning outcomes of activities.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

This is the first inspection of nursery education.

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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 play confidently alongside others, learning to take turns and share. They are able to sit quietly and listen, and can concentrate for long periods at their chosen activities. They respond to instructions and understand familiar daily routines. They are developing very good levels of independence in their personal care and in choosing activities and resources. Staff use praise and encouragement to promote children's self-esteem and re-inforce their good behaviour.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children enjoy looking at books and listening to stories. They learn to recognise their written names and are introduced to the links between sounds and letters. They develop good control of pencils and brushes, and use emergent writing skills in role play situations. Some children are able to write their names. Children become confident speakers as staff constantly engage them in conversation, developing vocabulary and language skills.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Most children count confidently to 5 and some to 10, as staff encourage them to count, use simple calculation and join in number rhymes. There is less opportunity for children to recognise and use numerals. Children learn about shape and size using a variety of resources to sort and recreate patterns. They practise mathematical language while playing with sand, water and playdough, and on soft play equipment.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children design and build with various construction toys and with recycled materials. They use a computer and simple technology such as torches and tape recorders to support their learning. Staff encourage them to talk about their families and significant events in their lives as they learn about their own and other cultures. They learn about their environment from visitors and on walks around the local area, and are able to observe changes as they watch things grow and mix cooking ingredients.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children develop good spatial awareness manoeuvring ride on toys around the outside play area and joining in games and movement sessions indoors. They enjoy regular use of play equipment in the nearby sports centre but staff do not plan activities to ensure individual progression. Use of small equipment such as balls and beanbags is limited. Children have plenty of opportunity to develop manipulative skills with a range of tools.

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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: Very Good Children enjoy many opportunities to express their own ideas in imaginative art work with a wide range of techniques and media. They explore sound and rhythm using percussion instruments, move to music and join in songs and rhymes with enthusiasm. They use imagination in their play and act out their experiences in a well equipped home corner.

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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

• further develop the programme for physical development to include planned activities to ensure children's progression through the stepping stones • review the use of planning documents to ensure that the intended learning for children at different stages of development is clear; ensure that sufficient challenge is provided for the more able child, particularly in the area of mathematical development.

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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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