Happy Stars Babies

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 14/10/2003 Inspector Name Jill Lee

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Happy Stars Setting Address 46 Glanville Avenue Scunthorpe DN17 1DD

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Happy Stars Address 46 Glanville Avenue Scunthorpe DN17 1DD

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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

Happy Stars Nursery opened in September 2002. It operates in two rooms in large detached house in a residential area of Scunthorpe, close to colleges and the town centre. Children are cared for in two groups; there are nine babies and toddlers aged under two years in the baby room, and 26 children aged two to five years in the main playroom. There is direct access from both rooms to a fully enclosed, concreted outdoor play area. There are currently 85 children on roll; this includes 12 funded three year olds and three funded four year olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. Two children, who are not currently funded, have special needs; there are no children for whom English is an additional language. The nursery is open from 8:00 to 18:00 each weekday throughout the year. Eleven staff, one of whom is part time, are employed to work with the children. All of the staff have an appropriate qualification in early years child care and education, or

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Information about the setting

are working towards this. The nursery works closely with the local Early Years Childcare and Development 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?

Happy Stars Nursery provides a welcoming environment where children are confident and motivated to learn. Effective teaching is helping children to make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. Progress in communication language and literacy, physical, creative and personal, social and emotional development is very good; progress in knowledge and understanding of the world and mathematical development is generally good. The quality of teaching is generally good; key strengths within children's communication skills and personal, social and emotional development are due to good planning and skilful interactions of staff within activities. Staff have good knowledge of the foundation stage, enabling them to plan varied experiences which promote children's enthusiasm and curiosity; they introduce and reinforce new concepts, and plan effective opportunities to consolidate learning. However, children

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How effective is the nursery education?

need more opportunity to use technology, to design and make their own models, and to practice solving simple problems. Staff know children very well and assessments are used effectively to plan groupings of children and to differentiate challenge within activities; planning for support for children with special needs is good. Children have high self esteem and behave very well encouraged by sensitive support and high expectations of staff. Leadership and management is generally good. There is clear commitment to ongoing staff development and well planned access to training opportunities. Staff are developing effective mechanisms to work as a cohesive team, and to share, evaluate and improve practice. Partnership with parents is generally good. Staff share information with parents on a daily basis although there is no formal process to share progress. Parents need more detailed information about the foundation stage curriculum to enable them to

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How effective is the nursery education?

participate more actively in their child's learning experiences.

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What is being done well?

• Effective planning of the whole nursery environment enables children to have well resourced access to opportunities and experiences in all areas of learning. • Children are happy, confident and secure; they are motivated to try new experiences. Staff have created a welcoming and child centred environment which promotes children's use of initiative and independence. • Children behaviour is very good; their self esteem is high. Staff provide good role models, helping children to develop caring relationships and to become aware of the needs and feelings of others.

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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 are committed to ongoing self evaluation and improvement of practice; they have well planned access to appropriate training opportunities.

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What needs to be improved?

• planning to allow children more opportunity to use technology and to design and make their own models, using a wide variety of tools and techniques; • use of naturally occurring opportunities and practical activities within the daily routine for children to solve simple mathematical problems; • information to parents about the foundation stage curriculum, to enable them to participate more actively in their child's learning experiences and to feel better informed about their child's progress.

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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 use their initiative to select activities in free play; they concentrate well and are motivated to learn. They are confident, enjoy independent play and join in group times with enthusiasm. Children take turns and share; their behaviour is very good. They understand expectations, develop awareness of their own needs and learn to care about others. They develop personal independence and learn about being part of the wider community.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children communicate clearly and share experiences, using language well to describe and inform. They are attentive listeners, and enjoy reading and listening to stories. They use books for information and enjoyment. They learn to recognise and practise writing their own name; they link sounds and letters. They use writing for many different purposes in free play.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children enjoy number rhymes and counting, recognising numbers and using number names accurately up to and beyond ten. They learn about shape and size in many practical activities, and use comparative size and positional language well in their play. They order and compare by size, and begin to recreate patterns. There are insufficient opportunities within daily routines for children to practice practical problem solving and consolidate their awareness of number concepts.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children explore the features of living things, looking at patterns and change; they look at how seeds and plants grow, and how to care for animals. They observe changes in the mixture when they cook porridge for the three bears. Children share their home experiences; they learn about their local community and the wider world. They need more opportunity to freely design their own models using varied techniques, and to use technology.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children move with confidence showing awareness of others. They negotiate steps on climbing equipment and control their bodies to run fast, drive cars and pedal bikes; they practice catching balls. They move their bodies to music, flutter like Autumn leaves, pretend to be daddy bear. They show awareness of good hygiene practices. Children use tools, dough, large and small construction and small world play with increasing control; they practice good pencil control and use cutlery correctly.

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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 express their own ideas and feelings in role play, painting and music; they are encouraged to explore and respond using all their senses. They explore colour and texture in paint, dough, and collage. They use their imagination in small world play; stories, outings and topics stimulate extended and imaginative role play based on their own experiences. They enjoy songs and action rhymes and participate with enthusiasm.

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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 planning to allow children more opportunity to use technology, to design and consruct their own models using a wide variety of tools and techniques, and to provide more simple problem solving opportunities within the daily routines; • give more detailed information to parents about the foundation stage curriculum, to enable them to understand and participate more actively in their child's learning experiences, and consider ways to enable parents to be better informed about their child's progress.

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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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