Little People Farfield

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 27/09/2004 Inspector Name Stephanie Joy Bennett

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care, Out of School Day Care Setting Name Little People Farfield Setting Address Farsley Farfield Primary School Cote Lane, Farsley Leeds West Yorkshire LS28 5ED

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Little People Ltd Address Farsley Farfield Primary School Cote Lane,Farsley Leeds West Yorkshire LS28 5ED

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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 People, Farsley Farfield Nursery opened in January 2001. It is privately owned. The nursery serves the local community of Pudsey, Leeds 28. It operates from three buildings on the same premises. One main building provides day care for children aged three months to five years, and has three main rooms. The two smaller buildings provide out of school facilities, one for children under eight years, and one for children over eight years. There are currently a total of 146 children on roll, aged from three months to eleven years, of whom 3 three year olds are in receipt of funding. The setting supports children with special needs. The group opens five days a week, all year round. Sessions are from 07:30 to 18:00 hours. Twenty-six part-time/full-time staff work with the children. The majority of staff hold a relevant childcare qualification. Several staff are working towards gaining a recognised qualification. The setting receives support from the Local Authority.

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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?

Little People Farfield Nursery provides generally good quality nursery education overall which enables children to make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. Provision for their maths and creative development is well planned and children make very good progress in these areas. The quality of teaching is generally good. Staff manage the children well and have good relationships with them. They provide a secure learning environment, and encourage children to acquire and develop new social and independence skills. They have a sound knowledge of the foundation stage, which enables them to make good plans in all areas of learning, however, these plans are not always implemented effectively and do not take into account children's individual needs. Staff have clear methods of assessing children, which shows their progress towards the early learning goals, but observations are presently not carried out frequently

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How effective is the nursery education?

enough. Resources are mostly well organised to enable children to access areas independently, but children have restricted space in the construction area to extend their opportunities to build. Staff interaction with children is appropriate, but does not always further challenge older and more able children to extend their language. The leadership and management is generally good. The supervisor has developed a committed team who are keen to attend further training and improve the education provided. She acts on advice and has implemented a programme for staff development. There is not yet a formal system to monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching, and the education provided. Partnership with parents is generally good. Parents spend time talking informally to staff and are well informed of the setting and the education of the children. They are encouraged to share what they know about their child, and contribute to some

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How effective is the nursery education?

aspects of nursery life. They are currently not able to actively contribute to the children's assessment records.

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What is being done well?

• Staff provide a secure learning environment for children to develop good personal independence and self care skills. Children are able to select and pour their own drinks, younger children are well supported by staff. They can freely select resources independently, particularly for designing and mark making. • Staff use good opportunities to develop young children's mathematical skills and early calculation skills, through interaction and practical everyday activities. • Good use is made of Information and Technology equipment to encourage children's interest and develop their I.T skills, which supports their learning.

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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 benefit from interesting story sessions. They are able to be actively involved, with the use of good visual aids. As a result, they have a good interest in books and develop early reading skills.

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What needs to be improved?

• staff's further knowledge and understanding of the foundation stage, in order that they plan and implement activities more effectively, and assess children's individual needs and progress towards the early learning goals • staff's abilities to extend children's learning through the use of questions, and organisation of resources so that spontaneous and valuable opportunities are not missed • the organisation of the construction and small world area, so that children's opportunities to build and construct are extended • the monitoring and evaluation of the quality of teaching and the education provided.

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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 Most children are confident and secure, so they are able to learn and develop new social skills. They choose their own activities and select resources for themselves in most areas. They are developing skills to take care of their personal needs such as hand washing, and dressing themselves. Most children behave well, and are taught to take turns and share, but staff's occasional lack of positive reinforcement means that some may not develop a clear understanding of what is right and wrong.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Staff's good planning of story sessions means that children are very interested and involved in stories and can listen well for long periods. They access books independently, and are beginning to handle them well. They are beginning to use early writing skills and have some opportunities to write for a purpose and make marks. Staff often miss chances to further extend their language through spontaneous interaction and activities.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are beginning to be able to count to ten, and most count to five confidently. More able children recognise numerals to five. They are beginning to use simple methods to solve mathematical problems and early calculation skills. Most are developing good early concepts of shape, size, and position, and are able to use mathematical language such as "bigger than.", and "one more."

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Planned activities help children notice when changes occur, such as seasons, and they develop a good awareness of caring for living creatures. Most children are showing a growing interest in Information and Technology. Staff provide good support to help more able children to develop their skills and support their learning. Good resources enable children to begin to join, and assemble, but the organisation of the construction area restricts opportunities for them to build and construct.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Most children move in the spaces available freely and with increasing control. They can use outdoor equipment such as slides, crates and blocks to help them balance and climb. Most are beginning to handle small tools and objects with increasing control, such as using knives and forks and cutting malleable materials, gluing and using scissors. Staff presently do not always plan activities which encourage children to develop their health and bodily awareness.

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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 use their imaginations well. They are able to role play both real and imagined experiences. All children love to sing and know a good repertoire of songs. Most are confident in expressing themselves through the use of actions and movement. Musical instruments are freely accessible, and staff plan musical and movement sessions. Staff encourage them to freely develop their creativity through a variety of media and materials, so children develop an awareness of colour, shape and texture.

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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

• Further develop staff's knowledge and understanding of the foundation stage, so that planning is implemented more effectively and includes how children's individual needs are planned for, and evaluated. • Develop staff's abilities to use spontaneous opportunities, to further extend children's learning, and language skills, through the use of questions, interaction and the organisation of resources. • Plan and organise resources and activities, which encourage children to build and construct using large and small materials. • Implement a formal system to evaluate the quality of teaching and education provided.

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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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