Dickens Heath Community Primary School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 24/02/2004 Inspector Name Margaret Moffat

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Charlton Acorns Pre-School Setting Address Charlton Village Road Charlton Wantage Oxfordshire OX12 7HG

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name COMMITTEE OF Address ADDRESS NOT SUPPLIED U/A

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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

Charlton Acorns Pre-school originally opened in 1968. It operates from its own building in the grounds of Charlton Primary School, on the outskirts of Wantage. The pre-school serves Wantage and surrounding villages and is managed by a parent committee. There are currently 53 children from 2 to 5 years on roll. This includes 19 funded three year olds and 28 funded four year olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The setting currently supports children with special needs. There are currently no children who speak English as an additional language attending. The group opens five days a week during school term times. Sessions are from 09:00 until 11:45 and from 12:45 until 15:15. There are six members of staff working with the children on a rota basis. Five staff have an early years qualification to NVQ level 2 or 3. The setting receives support from a teacher from the Early Years Development Childcare Partnership (EYDCP).

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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?

Charlton Acorns Pre-school offers good quality provision which helps children make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. The provision for personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy, knowledge and understanding of the world, physical development and creative development are very good. Teaching is generally good with some very good aspects. Staff's sound knowledge of the early learning goals enables them to provide a range of interesting and appropriate activities to help children learn. Generally good assessment is in place which is used to check and record children's progress. This is not effectively used to inform future planning. Staff are effective in their use of explanation and questioning to encourage children's thinking. Opportunities are missed to extend older or more able children in mathematics through both planned and everyday activities. Children

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How effective is the nursery education?

behave well in response to the high expectations and support from staff. Systems are in place to give good support to children with special educational needs and English as an additional language. Leadership and management is very good. There is a good staff team in place who provide a well planned stimulating environment where children learn through a variety of activities. The supervisor and management committee provide good opportunities for staff training and development. Staff are committed to the improvement and quality of care and education. Partnership with parents is very good. Staff have good relationships with parents and carers. Parents are well informed about the activities and routines of the pre-school. Information is shared on a daily basis, staff regularly discuss children's progress informally and at a formal annual parents evening.

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What is being done well?

• Children's personal social and emotional development is very good. They are confident, form good relationships, behave well, negotiate share and take turns. • Communication, language and literacy is very good. Children are confident speakers and engage well in conversation. There are many opportunities for them to practice their writing skills and name their own work. • The wide range of activities and resources ensure children are making generally good progress towards the early learning goals. • Staff's use of effective explanation and questioning encourages children's thinking. Staff work well as a team and are committed to the improvement of nursery education.

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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

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What needs to be improved?

• evaluation to inform future planning for children's next stage of learning; • opportunities to extend older more able children's learning in mathematics through both planned and everyday activities; • opportunities for parents to be informed of their children's progress

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The pre-school has made very good progress since the last inspection and all issues raised have been addressed.

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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 develop good relationships with adults and each other. They behave well and respond positively to praise and encouragement offered by staff. Children are developing independence skills and show good levels of concentration when working together and independently. They take turns, negotiate and share.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children are confident speakers, they are able to hold conversations with each other and staff. They have many opportunities to practice their writing skills for purposes related to their play and are able to recognise and write their own names. Children are beginning to understand that print carries meaning and that text is read from left to right.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Most children can count confidently to ten and beyond. They are beginning to recognise numerals between one and nine in and out of sequence and are developing simple calculation skills. Children have opportunities to explore shape, size and pattern through a range of practical activities. Opportunities to extend older more able children's understanding of weight and capacity are missed in activities.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children are able to build and construct using a wide range of resources. They have opportunities to use everyday technology and they use the computer with confidence. They have developed a good understanding of time and talk confidently about events in their own lives. Children explore the local environment and natural objects through planned activities.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children move confidently in the setting and have an awareness of themselves and others. Children are developing very good co-ordination through activities such as throwing, catching and kicking balls. They can run, jump, hop and skip. They are able to use a wide range of tools confidently and many children have good scissor control. Children are confident and capable when undertaking routine activities, putting on coats, visiting the toilet.

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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 are given many opportunities to express themselves freely in art and craft activities. They enjoy and participate enthusiastically in group singing time. They have many opportunities to use their imagination in a variety of role play situations and instigate their own scenarios in the home corner. Children are able to express their ideas and feelings and to explore their senses through a wide range of activities.

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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

• develop existing system of evaluation to inform future planning for children's next stage of learning; • provide more opportunities to extend older more able children's learning in mathematics through both planned and everyday activities.

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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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