St Andrew's CofE VC Primary School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 13/01/2004 Inspector Name Mary Daniel

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name St John's Church Pre-School Nursery Setting Address 384 Ashley Road Parkstone Poole Dorset BH14 0AA

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of St Johns Church Pre-School Nursery

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name St Johns Church Pre-School Nursery Address 384 Ashley Road Poole Dorset BH14 0AA

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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

St John's pre-school nursery opened in 1977. It operates from two church buildings, each having access to the large church hall, a kitchen, the toilets and a small enclosed outdoor area. The pre-school serves the local community. The group are registered for 52 children aged from two to five years old, and there are currently 132 children on roll. The group is in receipt of government funding, and there are currently 50 three-year-old and 21 four-year-old funded children on roll. Children with special needs are catered for as are those with English as a second language. The group opens five days a week, Monday to Friday 9:15 - 11:45, and 12:45 - 3:15, and they also operate a lunch session from 11:45 - 12:45 pm. There are a total of 20 staff (including two kitchen staff), the majority of whom hold an early years qualification. All staff regularly attend training sessions. The setting receives support from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership and

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Information about the setting

the Pre-School Learning Association. The group is committee run, with close partnership between the group and the committee.

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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?

St John's Church Pre-School Nursery is of good quality and children are making generally good progress towards the early learning goals in communication, knowledge and understanding of the world and physical development and very good progress in personal and social, mathematical and creative development. Teaching is generally good with some very good aspects. Staff provide a happy and welcoming play environment and are committed to helping children progress. They work well as a team in using a very detailed and organised planning system. Staff are qualified and promote the early learning goals well through a range of stimulating activities. They help children think and ask why things happen through use of good questioning. Children use numbers confidently and enjoy solving practical problems through play. All children are valued and there is good provision for those with special needs. The overall curriculum is well balanced, however grouping of children

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How effective is the nursery education?

for certain activities, for example reading or some outdoor play, limits opportunties to ensure that all children are appropriately challenged. Behaviour management strategies used are very effective and good behaviour is promoted successfully. Leadership and management is very good. There are clear management procedures in place and staff are involved in a sound induction and appraisal system, supporting them in ongoing training opportunities. The nursery aim for continual improvement and are undertaking a quality assurance scheme to support this aim. Partnership with parents is very good. Regular and informative newsletters are issued to keep parents fully aware of events within the nursery. Parent consultation meetings are arranged on a termly basis and they can liaise regularly with their child's key worker. Parents are invited to various events and outings and included in all aspects of the provision offered to their child.

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What is being done well?

• The management of the group provides very good support and direction with a comprehensive operational plan in place. Staff deployment is very well organised and they are clear in their roles and responsibilities. They work very well together as a team to create a safe, secure and inviting environment where children can learn through play. All staff are supported well in ongoing training opportunities. • There are meaningful and exciting activities provided, aimed to help children in their development. All children are encouraged to participate and gain achievement, and feel part of the whole group. Children become absorbed and involved, having fun in their play. • Staff maintain appropriate and consistent behaviour management boundaries. They give a positive approach to learning and use lots of praise

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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 and encouragement. Children learn to respect others and they celebrate together when a child is rewarded for being helpful or kind, with a special leaf with their name on, to go on the nursery 'tree of kindness'. • There are very good procedures in place to encourage parents to become involved with their child's learning. There are regular opportunities offered to discuss their child's developmental progress and share information with their key worker. Parents receive good quality information on the setting and are kept well informed of events and changes within the nursery.

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What needs to be improved?

• the grouping of children for some activities to ensure they receive sufficient challenge in their learning at their own level of ability, particularly in some outdoor play sessions and the opportunities for linking sounds with letters • the opportunities for children to develop their use of books for enjoyment and their understanding and listening skills with stories.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The nursery has made very good progress since the last inspection. They have developed their planning and assessment system effectively to clearly show a balanced range of appropriate activities covering the curriculum, and children's developmental progress is assessed regularly and shared with parents. Staff have all received relevant training and have developed their teaching skills well to help children question why things happen and how they work. Staff provide a wide variety of activities that provide interest and stimulation, and they help to promote children's speaking and listening skills. The programme for knowledge and understanding has been developed to enable children to explore living, natural and man made objects through provision of exciting activities and interesting resources. Children have more opportunities to listen and respond imaginatively to a varied selection of music, and the increase of relevant resources has promoted children's interest in different

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What has improved since the last inspection?

sounds. Children are encouraged in developing good independence skills and they learn to put on their own coats, find their own lunch box and change their shoes for physical play sessions. All staff have attended behaviour management training and use appropriate strategies to settle children in large group sessions, encouraging them to sit quietly and listen 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 motivated in play, enjoying the good variety of stimulating activities. They sit and listen attentively within a large group. Children celebrate their birthdays together and are enthralled by Harry the hamster toy, who sings to them. They learn about their community, as they go for local walks, and they discuss familiar events. Children begin to develop self-esteem and independence skills very well. They learn the nursery 'golden rules' and behaviour is very good.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children enjoy joining in with favourite rhymes and songs. They learn that print carries meaning as they start to recognise their name cards. Children begin to handle books appropriately, although opportunities to do so are not always maximised. They learn to use writing tools effectively to form recognisable shapes, but lack regular opportunities to link sounds with letters through everyday practical experiences. They use language appropriately to describe their experiences and feelings.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children develop an enthusiastic interest in numbers when singing songs such as 'five currant buns. They enjoy solving practical problems with the varied and exciting range of mathematical play resources e.g. the numbered bricks on the lorries. Children are quick to recognise numbers of personal significance e.g. relating to their age. They use numbers very well through everyday opportunities and count very confidently in large groups. They use size and positional language appropriately.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children are interested to learn about change through exciting activities such as making glitter ice. They notice differences around them and show wonder as they look at their reflections in puddles. Children learn about living things as they follow the life cycle of the butterfly, but are not often exploring a sense of time through their own lives. They learn about other cultures in topics on countries around the world, and celebrate different festivals together learning to welcome diversity.

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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: Generally Good Children develop good fine motor skills, showing increasing dexterity through a wide range of suitable activities. They move confidently over and under climbing apparatus, and show excitement when joining in with the parachute games, but organisation of some outdoor play, limits opportunities for developing greater control and co-ordination when using resources. Children learn about healthy living as they enjoy tasting different fruits and vegetables.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children show great enjoyment in exploring different textures such as shaving foam, jelly and cooked spaghetti. They enthusiastically join in with movement games and listen to a wide range of music. Children become totally absorbed in imaginary play and use resources well to support their role play. They happily become involved in exciting creative activities that hold their attention well, and they use very good independent expression in their art and design.

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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

• review grouping of children to ensure that opportunities are maximised to provide sufficient challenge in all activities, particularly those for linking sounds to letters and large physical play • develop the opportunities for children to gain maximum potential in their understanding and enjoyment of stories and to use books independently and with others.

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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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