St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School, Lancaster

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 01/02/2005 Inspector Name Caroline Preston

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Lincoln Hall Playgroup Setting Address 70 Fern Street London E3 3PR

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of The Committee of Lincoln Hall Playgroup

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name The Committee of Lincoln Hall Playgroup Address Lincoln Hall Playgroup The Linc Centre, 70 Fern Street London E3 3PR

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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

Lincoln Hall Playgroup is a voluntary run playgroup. It opened in 1982 and is situated in a residential area of Devons Road in Bow. A maximum of 20 children may attend the playgroup at any one time. The playgroup is open each weekday from 09:30 to 12:00 and 01:00 to 03:15 for 41 weeks of the year and children attend for a variety of sessions.. All children have access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area. There are currently 44 children aged from 2 to 5 years on roll. Of these 31 children receive funding for nursery education. The playgroup serves the local area. The playgroup currently supports a number of children with special educational needs, and also supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language. The playgroup employs four staff , three of the staff including the manager hold appropriate early years qualifications to National Vocational level 2 or 3. One member of staff is working towards a qualification. The setting receives support from

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Information about the setting

an advisory teacher from the Early years Development and Childcare Partnership (EYDCP). The setting have completed module one of the Sheffield quality Kite mark accredited quality assurance scheme.

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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?

Lincoln Hall playgroup provides high quality nursery education overall, which enables children to make very good progress towards the early learning goals. The quality of teaching is very good. The staff have a sound knowledge of the stepping stones towards the early learning goals. They work excellently as a team to plan and provide an excellent range of learning experiences. Staff support children consistently and allow them to learn through a stimulating environment. Staff manage children's behaviour calmly and sensitively and respond to individual behaviour patterns well, helping children to build self-confidence and social skills. Children with additional needs are supported excellently by staff who work closely with parents and outside agencies. Children who speak English as an additional language are supported excellently by staff, who work with parents to learn key phrases and adapt the environment to promote dual -language print.

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How effective is the nursery education?

The leadership and management of the setting is very good. The management team have high expectations for the children's care and education. Staff are enthusiastic about always improving their knowledge and skills and attend a range of training courses. The setting is committed to the evaluation and improvement of the care practices and education. The setting has completed module one of a quality assurance scheme and intends to continue to improve childcare practice and education. Partnership with parents is very good. Parents are well informed about the nursery curriculum and activities on offer. Staff are available to speak to parents daily and set times throughout the year on a more formal basis.

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What is being done well?

• Children with special educational needs are included in all activities. Staff find out all they can about children's specific needs. They work in partnership with parents, carers and outside agencies to ensure children gain as much as possible from activities. • Many children arrive at the centre with English as an additional language. Staff are good at both learning key phrases from the children's language and encouraging the English language. They value what children say, introduce them to new vocabulary, and encourage them to listen to each other. • Children's physical skills are promoted excellently through a range of very good outdoor activities. • Parents are kept informed of their child's progress. Home Liaison and memory books are exchanged daily between parents and staff.

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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?

• the planning to clearly state how activities are adapted to challenge more able children.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Very good progress has been made since the last inspection. Staff have introduced a number of effective measures: to improve information given to parents, details in short term plans, assessments of children's progress, teaching of mathematics, pre-reading and writing skills which were raised as key issues in the last inspection report. Staff have introduced a system where all new children are inducted to the playgroup without the older children in their first week. Staff also complete with parents, parent questionnaire forms so staff can gain information about their child's individual needs. Staff complete a report on all new children who have been in the setting after seven weeks to gain knowledge of where they are at in the six areas of learning. Staff meet with parents twice a year and informally daily. The impact for parents has been very good, when questioned they all responded very positively and feel they are informed

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What has improved since the last inspection?

about their childs progress. Short term plans are very detailed, assessments are undertaken regularly and recorded well. A very good range of activities planned around the early learning goals ensures children have many opportunities to learn about mathematics, pre-reading and and writing skills. The impact on the children shows that they are confident handling books, listening to stories, and mark making.

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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 are interested, excited and motivated to learn and are offered a very good range of learning experiences. They show curiosity and concentrate at most activities. Children have a strong sense of 'self' as a member of different communities. There is a wealth of dual-language posters and signs and awareness of children's own and other cultures. Children are happy and confident, they behave well and are considerate towards others.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good There are lots of opportunities for children to practice their pre-writing skills. Children understand that print carries meaning, they handle books and enjoy story time. Staff skilfully use the whiteboard to adapt story and singing times and rein-force language and print and encourage children whom English is an additional language and who have special needs to fully take part. Children link sounds to letters when recognising their own names.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are learning to count and understand numbers through a range of practical experiences. Children have opportunities to weigh, make patterns, compare size, and to add and subtract. Skilfully planned activities encourage mathematical language. Number print is all around the environment. Children count during snack time and find correct number chart for the children sitting at each table. Children counted well during singing "five green bottles".

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children have very good opportunities to learn about the world they live in. Well planned activities such as constructing a large size model of the local area, learning about people in the community and of different cultures. Children have very good opportunities to learn about information technology and are confident using the tape recording equipment and large headphones and the touch screen computer with a range of equipment that is adaptable to meet children's special needs.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children have excellent opportunities to play outdoors with a very good range of resources including : balancing beams, climbing apparatus, digging and planting resources, dressing up, throwing and catching resources. Children move confidently towards self-independence through selecting play resources, washing hands, putting and taking of coats and aprons, dressing up. Children use a range of small equipment with increasing control for examples scissors and small construction.

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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 have lots of opportunities to explore colour, shape, space texture and form in two and three dimensions. They build models of the local community, they create art work using different green textured materials, using green glue. Children enjoy imaginative play for example in the shop with tills, baskets, empty food packages and in the house. Children play alongside other children engaged in the same theme. Children begin confidently to build up a repertoire of songs during song time.

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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 high quality. Children are making very 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

There are no significant weaknesses to report, but considerations should be given to improving the following: • There are no significant weaknesses to report, but consideration should be given to improving the following: • planning to clearly show the adaptation of activities and resources for more able children.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT

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

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

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