Birkenshaw CofE (Controlled) First School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 25/05/2004 Inspector Name Margaret Travers

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Woodpeckers Nursery School Setting Address Conyngham Lane Bridge Canterbury Kent CT4 5JX

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of Woodpeckers Nursery School

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Woodpeckers Nursery School Address Conyngham Lane Bridge Canterbury Kent CT4 5JX

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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

Woodpeckers Nursery operates from a mobile unit in the grounds of Bridge and Patrixbourne C P School. The Nursery School is managed by a committee of parents. The premises are new and spacious with three separate rooms, toilets, and staff facilities. The Nursery accepts 26 children aged 2 1/2 - 5 years, and is open five days per week from 08:45 - 11;45, and 12:00 - 14:45. The Nursery School is in receipt of nursery education funding for children 3 and 4 year old. Ther are 7 people employed to work with the children. The person in charge and the deputy are qualified to NVQ111 and 3 others to NVQ 11.

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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 Woodpeckers Nursery is generally good overall. Children are making generally good progress towards the early learning goals. Progress in knowledge and understanding of the world and physical development is very good. The quality of teaching is generally good. Staff plan a large variety of interesting practical activities both in and outside that motivate the children to learn. Adult-led sessions involving work sheets do not meet the needs of all children. Staff work well as a team and have very good relationships with children and parents. They have high expectations for children's behaviour and manage this well. Children's behaviour is very good. There are good systems in place to meet the educational and developmental needs of children with special educational requirements. Staff encourage children to express their own ideas although these are not always fully

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How effective is the nursery education?

challenged during adult-led craft activities and some opportunities are missed to fully extend children's vocabulary and language for thinking. Staff make informal observations and assessments of children's learning and use these well to influence planning. The leadership and management of the nursery are generally good. The manager keeps all staff well informed and identifies and addresses training needs. There is no formal system to monitor staff to ensure children's thinking and vocabulary are extended and the needs of the more and less able child are considered during adult-led activities. The leaders are fully committed to the improvement of education for all the children. Partnership with parents is very good. Parents are well informed of their children's day to day activities through noticeboards and discussions with staff. They are welcome to take part in the running of the nursery by joining the management

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How effective is the nursery education?

committee and becoming involved in fund raising. They can access policies and their children's records and add their comments and observation.

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What is being done well?

• Children's learning is extended well in a safe secure environment; they are motivated through a wide variety of purposeful and practical activities • Children have good opportunities to communicate their thoughts, ideas and feelings through their role play • Children enjoy books and stories and sing songs and rhymes from memory

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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 explore and investigate their world through a variety of interesting topics • Children are developing good coordination, dexterity and general physical strength through a variety of large and small equipment

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What needs to be improved?

• the adult-led sessions to ensure teaching methods are appropriate for individual children's needs; • the staff monitoring system to ensure all staff consistently develop children's language for thinking and vocabulary; • craft sessions to ensure children's imaginations and ideas are fully developed.

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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: Generally Good Children work well together in small groups and independently. They are motivated to learn through a good variety of interesting and purposeful activities although some adult-led activities such as worksheets do not sustain the children's interest. They are becoming independent when pouring their own drinks and take turns and share well. They respect the needs of others. They respond well to praise and encouragement. Children's behaviour is very good.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children communicate their thoughts, ideas and feelings well during role play and enjoy discussions with staff although occasionally vocabulary and language for thinking is not always fully extended. Children practise writing during everyday play. They recognise letters, their names and other simple words although some adult-led activities do not meet some children's individual needs. Children enjoy stories and books and learn songs and rhymes well.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children are learning to recognise and write numbers to ten as they write these on their height chart. They use sand and water play well to learn about quantities and are developing good problem solving skills. Children sing songs to develop an understanding of simple addition and subtraction. Staff help children to recognise patterns in their work although there are missed opportunities to learn about positions while they queue or for older children to use number dice.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children have many good opportunities to find out about the world they live in by growing plants. They receive local visitors, for example a policeman, a fireman and a paramedic. They learn about other cultures and countries through topic work and discuss the past and learn the names of dinosaurs. Children design and build their own models using scissors and tape and use programmable toys to develop their knowledge of technology.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

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

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children take part and enjoy weekly dance and music sessions and use a good variety of large equipment with increasing skill such as a climbing frame. They are developing good coordination and balance and show an awareness of others whilst using tricycles and other large wheeled toys. Children discuss healthy food and the importance of keeping healthy. They use small equipment such as brushes to paint the outside fence and thread beads and pasta. They use malleable materials such as dough.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children use a good variety of mediums regularly to develop their own ideas and imaginations especially when painting and printing on a large white fabric. They play percussion instruments and clap patterns and rhythms to music and enjoy singing and developing actions to songs during a weekly session with a music teacher. Children make up their own stories during role play and use a puppet theatre. Some planned adult-led craft activities do not fully encourage children's own ideas.

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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

• develop a formal staff monitoring system and ensure children's language for thinking and vocabulary is consistently extended; • monitor adult-led sessions to ensure children's individual and developmental needs are fully met through appropriate teaching methods; • fully develop children's ideas and imagination during craft activities. 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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