Little Learners Day Nursery & Youngstars Creche

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 18/01/2005 Inspector Name Jacqueline Crawford

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Little Learners Day Nursery & Youngstars Creche Setting Address Butlins Skyline Ltd Upper Bognor Road Bognor Regis West Sussex PO21 1JJ

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Bourne Leisure Address Butlins Skyline Ltd Upper Bognor Road Bognor Regis West Sussex PO21 1JR

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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

Little Learners Day Nursery and Youngstars crèche operates from purpose built buildings on the site of Butlins Holiday Resort on the sea front in West Sussex. It is registered to provide care for 46 children aged 0 to 8 years. The nursery is open Monday to Friday from 08.45 until 17.15 and available for the staff children of Butlins holiday resort. The children use two rooms with separate toilet facilities and have access to a secure outdoor play area. There are five members of staff who work directly with the children. The crèche is open daily from 09.00 until 17.30 and 19.00 until 23.00 for holiday makers staying at Butlins. Children use two rooms with separate toilet facilities and there are nappy changing facilities for parents to use. Children have access to a secure outdoor play area. There are five members of staff who work directly with the children.

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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 of nursery education at Little Learners Day Nursery is acceptable and of high quality. Children are making very good progress towards the early learning goals in all areas of learning. The quality of teaching is very good. Staff have a secure knowledge of the Foundation Stage and stepping stones across the six areas of learning. The curriculum planning, organisation of activities and daily routines provide effective learning opportunities for all children. Provision to evaluate activities needs to be improved. Staff guide and support the children extremely well. They use their teaching skills to present the children with new learning experiences which provide challenge and guide them towards the early learning goals. Staff extend activities successfully between different areas of learning and stages of children's development. They make regular observations to monitor children's progress but the

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How effective is the nursery education?

development records are not consistently maintained. Staff are enthusiastic and work effectively as a team. They form very good relationships with the children and act as extremely good role models. The leadership and management is very good. The management is committed and highly organised, with effective systems in place to monitor and evaluate the quality of care and education based on the curriculum guidance. Management supports and values the staff team extremely well. Staff training needs are recognised and further development is encouraged. The partnership with parents is very good. Parents receive good quality information relating to the provision of care and nursery education. They are kept fully informed of the planned curriculum, topics and events, through notices and newsletters. Information is shared about their child's progress through daily diary sheets, development records and consultations with staff. Parents have opportunities to

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How effective is the nursery education?

contribute to their child's learning, good links are established between home and the nursery.

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What is being done well?

• The knowledge and skills of the staff and the effective curriculum planning focused on the Foundation Stage and stepping stones across the six areas of learning. Planning allows the topics and themes to be extended through each area of learning. • The welcoming and stimulating environment in which children are happy, motivated and interested. The nursery activities are well organised and provide imaginative play and learning experiences for children, for example the 'Opticians' role play area. • Children are developing their social skills and personal independence

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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 extremely well. They are learning to recognise their personal needs and those of others, and are confident to choose activities and select resources themselves. The planned topics, for example, 'Senses', enable children to learn how their bodies function and to gain new experiences, such as an introduction to Makaton sign language.

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What needs to be improved?

• the evaluation of planned activities in order to identify that the learning intention has been met and to inform future planning • to ensure children's assessments and development records are kept up-to-date in order to plan for their next steps in learning.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

At the last inspection there were four key issues identified for consideration. To develop the written planning programme. The curriculum planning has been extended and now includes forward planning. The comprehensive learning programme is based on the curriculum guidance for the Foundation Stage. To develop the children's development record keeping system. A keyworker system and children's development records have been introduced. Children's progress is monitored but recording is not always consistent To improve the staff training on special educational needs. A special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) has been appointed. She attends relevant training and cascades the information to other staff. To extend the programme for creative development. Children are now offered a wide range opportunities to freely express their ideas and experiment with colours, materials and resources, developing their creative skills well.

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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 developing their personal independence and self-care extremely well during activities and daily routines. They are confident to try new activities, for instance when blindfolded to explore tastes of different fruits. They listen attentively showing good levels of concentration and persistence in their chosen activities. Relationships are extremely good at all levels. Children learn to share fairly and take turns, developing their social skills and friendships well.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children communicate well with adults and other children, they pay attention to what others say and are confident to share their ideas and experiences. They listen attentively to stories and learn how books illustrate real life situations. Children extend their vocabulary and explore descriptive language as they participate in role play and the 'Senses' topic. Children learn to link sounds and letters and to recognise and write their own names.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are beginning to count confidently to 10 and beyond. They are developing an awareness of simple number operations, such as adding and taking away. They are beginning to recognise number and shapes, to compare quantity and size and to use the vocabulary involved. The wide variety and good balance of resources available, enable children to develop mathematical ideas and methods to solve problems.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good The wide range of topics and planned activities enable children to explore and investigate features of the local environment and the natural world. They are developing their design and making skills, using a variety of resources and techniques to assemble and join materials, for example, when making 'rice' shakers. Opportunities to use everyday technology are provided. Children are developing an awareness of their own and other cultures as they celebrate a variety of festivals.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children move safely and with confidence around the nursery, showing an awareness of space and others. Staff support and encourage children to co-ordinate their movements using a varied range of physical play equipment. The wide variety of tools and resources enable children to increase their manipulative skills extremely well. Topics such as 'Senses' enable children to learn how their bodies function and how to care for them.

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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 The variety of activities successfully promote children's creative development. Activities relating to the 'Senses' topic are varied and interesting, children clearly enjoy the 'Opticians' role play and the blindfolded tasting game. Children receive opportunities for free expression using a good variety of resources to explore texture, shape and colour. They enjoy music sessions in which they explore musical sounds using instruments and simple 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 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: • include the evaluation of activities into the curriculum planning • ensure children's assessment and development records are kept up-to-date. 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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