Barnes Farm Junior School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 01/03/2004 Inspector Name Nikki Whinton

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Noah`s Ark Nursery School Setting Address Downlands Road Devizes Wiltshire SN10 5EF

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of Noah`s Ark Nursery School Committee

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Noah`s Ark Nursery School Committee Address Downlands Road Devizes Wiltshire SN10 5EF

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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

Noah's Ark Nursery School opened in 1998. It operates from a mobile room sited in the grounds of Wansdyke Primary School. The setting has a small outdoor area and is able to use the school playground for outdoor play. It serves the local area. There are currently 50 children from 2 to 4 years on roll. This includes 15 funded three-year-olds and 13 funded four-year-olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The group has experience of caring for children with special needs. There are no children currently attending with English as an additional language. The group is open Monday to Friday from 09.00 to 15.15. Sessions are from 09.00 to 11.45 and 12.45 to 15.15. Children may attend a supervised lunch from 11.45 to 12.45. Four part-time and two full-time staff work with the children. Five have early years qualifications. Two staff are currently on training programmes. The setting receives support from a teacher from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership

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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?

Noah's Ark Nursery School offers good quality provision, which helps children to make generally good progress towards the early learning goals in all areas of development. Teaching is generally good. Staff know the children well, act as positive role models and have a very good relationship with them. They provide a wide range of interesting activities to help children learn through meaningful practical play and they support children well in developing their confidence, independence and self esteem. They make good use of the available time, resources and accommodation to support children's development. The staff offer very good support to children attending the setting with special educational needs. Planning is generally good, and covers most of the clusters within the areas of learning effectively, however, staff do not make effective use of the assessment programme. Leadership and management are generally good. The group benefits from the

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How effective is the nursery education?

valuable experience of the qualified staff and well established committee officers. The setting has a good understanding of its strengths and areas for development and has strategies in place to support improvement. The staff and committee work well as a team and are committed to further developing the quality of the care and education provided. However, the group does not effectively monitor the effectiveness of the assessment system. The partnership with parents is generally good. Parents are provided with regular, good quality information about the setting and its provision. They are encouraged to be involved in their child's learning, both within the group and at home. However, parents are not encouraged to share with staff what they know about their child, to aid ongoing assessment.

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What is being done well?

• The SenCo and staff offer excellent support for children attending the setting with special educational needs. Children are fully integrated within the setting, activities and resources are adapted as appropriate to meet individual needs and good liaison is maintained between all appropriate parties. All children and staff are learning basic sign language as part of the daily routine. • The staff know the children well and have a very good relationship with them. They act as positive role models and actively promote children's developing confidence, independence and self esteem. • Children are confident, enthusiastic and well motivated to learn. They are developing their social skills and are aware of the need to share and take turns. They have a good range of vocabulary and use language well to

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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 express themselves and develop their play. • Children use their imagination well to extend their ideas, particularly during role play and in art. Staff offer children good support and a wide range resources to further enhance their play and learning. • Children enjoy building. They regularly build and construct to their own design, using a wide variety of construction materials, which are easily accessible to them for self selection. Staff give children the necessary time and support to enable them to complete the activities to their own satisfaction.

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What needs to be improved?

• the staff's assessment programme, to ensure regular assessments are undertaken on children across all areas of learning, which are used to plan for individual children's future development • the staff's planning of opportunities for children to participate in activities involving calculation, the local environment, gross motor development and information and communication technology • the staff's provision of opportunities for parents to share with the group what they know about their child, to aid ongoing assessment

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The setting has made generally good progress since the last inspection. Following the last inspection, the group was requested to: . record children's individual attainments to allow staff to plan, develop and extend children's skills and learning. . provide more opportunities for children to use their own pictures and words to communicate ideas. . provide more regular opportunities for children to record observations. Children now have regular opportunities to record their observations and to use their own pictures and words to communicate ideas. However, staff do not effectively assess children's progress or use the information to plan for individual children's future learning.

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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 are confident, enthusiastic and well motivated to learn. They are developing their social skills and are aware of the need to share and take turns. They take the initiative to extend their ideas, persevere well to complete tasks and show good self esteem. They are developing their independence and have regular opportunities to share experiences with peers and adults. However, children do not always behave appropriately when involved in whole group activities.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children have a good range of vocabulary, which they use confidently when talking to adults and peers. Children enjoy signing. They regularly sign whilst engaged in meaningful play activities. Children are developing their understanding of how to link letters and their sounds and take part in daily planned and spontaneous opportunities to explore books. Children have few opportunities to practice mark making skills whilst engaged in purposeful play activities.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children have regular opportunities to count and recognise numbers as labels as part of the daily routine. Children take part in a good range of stimulating activities to develop their understanding of shape, space and measure. However, children have few chances to develop their understanding of calculation.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children regularly build and construct to their own design, using a wide variety of construction materials. They have meaningful opportunities to increase their awareness of differing cultures and beliefs and are beginning to differentiate between the past and present through discussion with peers and adults. However, children have few chances to explore the local environment or to use programmable toys to support their play.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children move confidently and safely in the playroom and during gym sessions in the hall. They demonstrate good control, co-ordination and spatial awareness. Children use a variety of equipment, tools and materials safely, with developing confidence and control. They are learning about healthy eating and good hygiene practices through the daily routine. However, children have limited access to planned activities that promote gross motor development.

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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: Generally Good Children use their imagination well to develop their ideas, particularly during role play and in art. Children take part in varied activities to explore colour, texture, shape, form and space in two and three dimensions and regularly discuss their thoughts, feelings and ideas with peers and adults. However, children have limited opportunities to explore water or develop their understanding of musical instruments.

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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 the programme of assessment to ensure regular assessments are undertaken on children across all areas of learning. Use the information to plan for individual children's future development • improve opportunities for parents to share with staff what they know about their child, to aid ongoing assessment • increase opportunities for children to participate in activities involving calculation, the local environment, gross motor development and information and communication 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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