Saxon Green Playgroup

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 15/11/2004 Inspector Name Rachael Williams

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Saxon Green Playgroup Setting Address St Francis Church Hall Saxon Green Bridgwater Somerset TA6 4JA

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Saxon Green Playgroup Address Saxon Green Playgroup St. Francis Church Hall Saxon Green Bridgwater, Somerset TA6 4JA

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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

Saxon Green Playgroup was established in 1973 and is registered for 26 children between two and five years.

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Information about the setting

It operates from St. Francis Church Hall in Bridgwater, Somerset. There is one main hall with an adjoining smaller room used for supervised activities. The playgroup serves the local area and feeds into several local schools. There are currently 30 children on the register of whom 23 are in reciept of funding for nursery education. The group offers funded nursery education for three and four year olds. The group supports children with special needs. The group opens five days per week during school term times only. Morning sessions are daily from 09:15 to 11:45 and afternoon sessions operate on Mondays and Thursdays from 12:45 to 14:45. Four experienced staff work directly with the children at each session. Two members of staff are currently working towards a recognised early years qualification. The group are supported by an advisory teacher from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership.

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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?

Saxon Green Playgroup provides good quality nursery education and children are making generally good progress towards the early learning goals (E.L.G's) in most areas of learning. High priority is given to personal, social and emotional development where progress is very good. The quality of teaching is generally good. Staff are actively developing their knowledge of the foundation stage curriculum and are using it to establish effective planning documents. Planning shows progression towards the E.L.G's through a good range of interesting activities. However, not all areas of learning are sufficiently covered. Informative evaluations of activities influence future planning in order to meet individual needs. Although an appropriate system is in place to assess children's progress annotated observations are not regularly written to clearly identify each child's stage of development. Staff deploy themselves well to support and manage children appropriately. Clear

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How effective is the nursery education?

routines and boundaries ensure behaviour is managed well with appropriate and consistent strategies. Through establishing good relationships with the children staff have good knowledge of their needs and extend them appropriately in most activities for example, modelling appropriate vocabulary and effective questioning. Staff do not always make effective use of resources to challenge children in their learning. Leadership and management is generally good. Staff and committee work well together ensuring that relevant information is shared. Staff have identified some areas for improvement and have made good progress in addressing these. However, the lack of clear systems to monitor and evaluate the provision leads to some aspects not being fully addressed. Partnership with parents is generally good. Parents are kept well informed through the use of a notice board. Effective use is made of a supportive, parent committee.

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How effective is the nursery education?

There is no formal or consistent sharing of children's achievements.

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What is being done well?

• Children behave well. Clear routines and boundaries ensure children adapt their behaviour appropriately. Staff manage behaviour well with appropriate strategies which are consistently applied. • Clear planning documents ensure interesting activities support progression towards the E.L.G's. Staff understand what it is hoped the children will learn in order to extend appropriately for example, through effective questioning. Activities are effectively evaluated to influence future planning. • Children operate independently within the setting. They select activities that interest them and persevere with self chosen tasks.

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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 move well in a variety of ways for example, when participating in a movement tape and are able to negotiate pathways confidently.

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What needs to be improved?

• monitoring of the provision • planned opportunities to allow children to contribute to group story time, to use numerical knowledge to solve problems and to operate information and communication technology • consistency and regularity in recording and annotating assessments to clearly show children's stage of development giving each area of learning equal attention and to plan challenges to support children's learning • sharing of achievements and progression with parents.

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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 operate independently within the setting and are good at accessing self chosen activities which interest them. Children are good at persevering with activities for example, unthreading buttons and cotton reels. Good relationships have been established and children work collaboratively on tasks. Children take pride in their achievements and like to share their accomplishments with staff. Children behave well and are aware of the rules and boundaries established by staff.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children are confident to discuss their experiences using simple statements for example, visiting the carnival, with adults. Children select favourite books for staff to read for example,'Square Eyes'. Children listen attentively but are not encouraged to respond or to predict what might happen. Mark making equipment is controlled well showing good hand eye coordination.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children use size language and are able to make comparisons. Children count objects to 5 well and point to each object providing the correct name. Number rhymes are participated in enthusiastically. Children sort and match objects well by colour and size and are beginning to recognise flat shapes. Children are beginning to use their numerical knowledge to problem solve and calculate but there are few opportunities to promote these sufficiently.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children use large construction kits well and work collaboratively on a task for example, creating a tower. Children are keen to investigate the growth of plants and observe the seasons on nature walks. Although these are not sufficiently supported by staff to fully develop children’s skills. Children discuss their community experiences well with adults, for example, visits to the carnival. Children are not fully developing appropriate technological skills due to a lack of resources.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children show coordination in their pushing and pulling movements such as, manoeuvring a hoover. Pathways are negotiated well showing good spatial awareness for example, on ride on toys. Children manipulate beads skillfully when threading. Children move in a variety of ways when responding to a movement tape. Tools are handled with control showing good coordination for example, using a hammer. Children do not develop new skills as opportunities do not provide sufficient challenge.

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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 select favourite rhymes and participate enthusiastically clapping in time to the rhythm. Children enjoy role-play opportunities and play alongside each other negotiating roles as they engage in similar experiences. Children recognise colours and experiment with mixing them on the painting easel. However, children are not consistently able to develop freely and more able children are not sufficiently challenged to express themselves imaginatively in aspects of their creative development.

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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 systems to monitor and evaluate the quality of provision • plan more opportunities for children to contribute to group stories, to use numerical knowledge to solve problems and to operate information and communication technology • ensure assessments are regularly recorded to clearly show children’s stage of development and use these to share children's stage of development and achievements with parents on a more formal basis and to plan appropriate challenges for children's learning.

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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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