Kings Heath Grange Day Nursery

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 14/05/2004 Inspector Name Jan Georgeson

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care, Out of School Day Care Setting Name Kings Heath Grange Day Nursery Setting Address 23-25 Grange Road Kings Heath Birmingham B14 7RN

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REGISTERED PROVIDER 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

Kings Heath Grange Day Nursery opened in 1996, with the current owner taking over in 2002. It operates from seven rooms in a detached building converted for nursery use in Kings Heath, Birmingham. The nursery serves the local area. The nursery opens five days a week all year round. Sessions are from 07.30 until 18.00. Seventeen staff work with the children. Over half the staff have early years qualifications to NVQ level 2 or 3. The setting receives input from a support teacher from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership (EYDCP).

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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?

Kings Heath Grange Day Nursery offers children good quality nursery education and children enjoy learning through a range of stimulating activities. The quality of teaching is generally good. The planning system ensures full coverage across the early learning goals, with a good balance of activities across the week and flexibility to accommodate children's different patterns of attendance. Staff make imaginative use of accommodation and resources to ensure that children are involved in worthwhile activities throughout the day. They challenge the children to try out new experiences, to question and explain and to persevere. The system for assessing children's progress effectively records their achievements across all the early learning goals, but staff do not make full use of this information to match activities to children's individual needs. Leadership and management of the playgroup are very good. The new owner has a

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How effective is the nursery education?

clear vision of the aims for the nursery and the standards which it should reach and this is transmitted clearly and consistently. There is commitment to improvement through ongoing training and proactive development planning. The owner has introduced new initiatives to gather information about the nursery's strengths and weaknesses, including regular questionnaires to parents, and reliable processes to celebrate or remedy these as appropriate. The partnership with parents is very good. Parents have access to a particularly good range of information about the activities which take place and the educational aims of these activities. They are also invited to participate in workshops and special events, and together these aspects help parents to become involved in their children's learning in a way which best suits their requirements.

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What is being done well?

• Imaginative use of accommodation and thoughtful timetabling mean children are offered a varied and well-balanced programme of activities. The roof-top space has been developed well to support many aspects of children's learning. • Children are effective and exuberant communicators and can also use language to explain and organise their thinking, encouraged by skilful and sensitive interventions from staff. • Good teaching encourages children to match and compare size and shape in practical contexts. • Children have a positive attitude to acquiring new skills, particularly in physical development, where they show control, co-ordination and perseverance.

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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 • Effective leadership and management helps to create a good partnership between parents and staff so that they can work together to promote children's learning.

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What needs to be improved?

• the links between planning and assessment so that, when staff are planning how activities will be carried out, they make effective use of what they have found out about children's individual needs. • the provision to develop children's understanding about equal and unequal quantities so that they acquire a firm foundation on which they can build when they start to use numbers to make simple calculations.

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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 make very good progress in personal, social and emotional development. They show considerable self-confidence and even quieter children are able to express their wishes and make sure their needs are met. Children are lively and enthusiastic in their approach to learning and behave well, showing good awareness of the boundaries of acceptable behaviour. Children readily make connections between activities in nursery and at home, with a genuine interest in differences between their lives.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children make very good progress in communication, language and literacy. They communicate effectively and enthusiastically and also learn how to listen. Children use language to explain and imagine as well as to organise experiences and make connections between ideas. They develop manipulative skills and actively use writing for a purpose, for example to record ideas in group discussions. They learn to turn to books for information and for stories, benefiting from regular trips to the library.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children make generally progress in mathematics. They show confidence in counting and recognising numerals and are making very good progress here. They have some awareness of changes in quantity, but do not have a firm understanding of how to compare quantities or use their counting skills to find totals. They learn about size, shape and capacity in practical and enjoyable activities and confidently make comparisons, such as noticing that "he's bigger than her but she's bigger than him".

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children make very good progress in knowledge and understanding of the world. They learn about features of materials, environments and living things and associated changes and processes. They also use their knowledge to suggest explanations in new situations. Children show awareness of their own and other cultures and develop their sense of time talking about special events and family life. They learn a variety of techniques for building and joining and use these in their own constructions.

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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 make very good progress in physical development. They take part in energetic activities that encourage control, co-ordination and consideration for others. The older children also participate in more challenging activities in a local playground. Children show good awareness of space and are motivated to practice and experiment with equipment. Children develop awareness of healthy practices, the beneficial effects of exercise and how to look after their own needs.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children make very good progress in creative development. They respond to experiences and express their ideas using paint, modelling materials and collage. They explore different ways of using a variety of mark-making tools and use materials confidently to explore shape and colour. Children show imagination, for example as they sustain story lines in role play. They use musical instruments rhythmically and show good awareness of how to make (and stop making) sounds.

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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 the use of assessments so that they are used effectively • ensure that appropriate activities are planned which match children's level of understanding, particularly in the comparison of quantities.

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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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