Rufford Primary School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 26/04/2004 Inspector Name Anne Jeanette Faithfull

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name The Finches Pre-School Finchampstead Setting Address Finchampstead Memorial Hall The Village Finchampsted Berkshire RG40 4JR

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of The Finches Pre-School

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name The Finches Pre-School Address Finchampstead Memorial Hall The Village Finchampsted Berkshire RG40 3JR

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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 Finches Pre-School opened in 1995. The pre-school operates from Finchampsted Memorial Hall, in the village of Finchampsted. The pre-school serves the local area. There are currently twenty-eight children from two years to five years on roll. This includes seventeen funded three year olds and eleven funded four year olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The pre-school has systems in place to support children with special needs and who speak English as an additional language. The pre-school opens five days a week during school term time. Sessions are form 09.15 until 12.00. Eight staff work with the children. Over half the staff have early years qualifications to NVQ level two or three. Other staff are currently working towards a recognised early years qualification. The setting receives support from a teacher and from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership (EYDCP). The pre-school is

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Information about the setting

also 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 for nursery education at The Finches Pre-School is acceptable and is of high quality. Children are making very good progress towards all the early learning goals. Teaching is very good. Staff knowledge and understanding of the early learning goals is very good and enables them to work together as a team to provide suitable activities and experiences. The children are confident, happy, settled and eager to participate in the wide range of activities and experiences. Staff are effective in their use of questioning to encourage children's thinking and communication skills. However, there are limited opportunities for the children to experience and use everyday technology. Staff have effective strategies to manage children's behaviour and encourage children to share and co-operate, relationships between staff and children are very good. A planning, recording and assessment system is in place to check and record the

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How effective is the nursery education?

children's progress towards the early learning goals. Staff participate in planning and written evaluations which take place on all the activities, to ensure they are suitable to promote all areas of learning and identify the next step to move the children onto. Leadership and management are very good. Staff work well as a team and are committed to ongoing development of staff and continued improvement in the quality of education provided. The staff value the support of the committee. The appraisal system in place for the staff ensures a continuing commitment to the children 's education and on-going training for the staff. The partnership with parents is very good and contributes to the children's progress towards the early learning goals. Parents are encouraged to participate in a number of ways including the parent’s week, which enables parents to experience the daily resources and activities offered. Parents receive feedback regarding their child's

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What is being done well?

• Staff knowledge of the early learning goals is very good and enables them to work well together as a team to provide interesting and stimulating opportunities, activities, resources and experiences for the children. • Children's personal, social and emotional development is very good. They are confident, competent and interested in learning. The children are well behaved and good relationships are in place with the staff and children interact well with each other. • Children's communication skills are very good. They are confident in their interaction with staff and can express themselves well. Staff make effective

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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 use of questioning to encourage children's communication and thinking skills. Staff make effective use of activities and routine to promote children's vocabulary. • Staff have developed a very good partnership with the parents. Parents are encouraged to be involved with their child's learning and receive good information about their child's progress. Parents have the opportunity to attend parent’s week and experience all the activities and experiences their children participate in.

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What needs to be improved?

• opportunities for children to experience everyday technology in daily routines and activities.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Very good progress has been made since the last inspection. A comprehensive planning, recording and assessment system is now effectively in place and is used effectively by the staff to identify children's progress and all areas for development. There is a link between all planned activities and the early learning goals and identification of the expectation of learning for the children. Plans also identify which member of staff is responsible for the activity.

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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 confident, interested, enthusiastic and eager to participate in all activities. They show consideration and support towards each other. They can express themselves well. The children are well behaved, negotiate well with each other and have a clear understanding of right and wrong. The children interact well with each other and have good relationships with the staff.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children communicate and listen well to each other and staff. Children have many opportunities to look at and use books to locate information, especially in the role-play areas. Children have the opportunity in storytime to increase their vocabulary and participate in telling the story. Staff are effective in their use of open ended questioning to extend children's thinking and communication skills. Children have many opportunities to begin to recognise and write their own name.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Staff use everyday situations effectively to extend children's recognition of numbers and counting skills. Children have the opportunity to add and subtract using familiar rhymes. Practical activities provided enable the children to experience shape, measure and size. Children had opportunities of looking at patterns in fruit and on leaves. Children had the opportunity to look at big and little items in the story session of the giant turnip.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children have many opportunities to explore and investigate, including the interest table. Good opportunities are also in place for the children to question why things happen and how things work, these included the broad bean experiment. There are two computers for the children to use, however there are no other opportunities provided for the children to experience and use everyday technology. Staff provide many opportunities for the children to experience design and making skills.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children have the opportunity, through a variety of different activities, to effectively use both malleable materials and tools. Children are confident in their personal independence skills and show an awareness of basic hygiene. Children have the opportunity of participating in music movement and gym session, which helps to promote their physical development and understanding of different parts of their body.

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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 encouraged to use their imagination for example in the story session and role play areas. Children use a variety of materials daily to explore texture, shape and colour. Children were given the opportunity to use their senses when exploring the interest table; including touching and looking a different fruits. Good opportunities are provided to encourage children's individual creative skills. Children are encouraged to match movements to music and enjoy singing familiar songs.

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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

• There is no significant weakness to report but consideration should be given to improve the following, • provide opportunities for children to use and experience everyday technology.

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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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