Smallworld

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 01/09/2004 Inspector Name Susan, Helen Spencer

p.1

SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Smallworld Setting Address Sandiway Primary School Norley Road, Sandiway Northwich Cheshire CW8 2JX

p.1

REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

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

p.1

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.

p.2

Information about the setting

Smallworld Pre School-Sandiway has been in the present ownership since Janaury 2003. It is part of a chain of six registered facilities, with three in Cheshire and three in Cumbria. The Sandiway pre-school is situated in a rural Cheshire village. It serves children and families living in and around the local community. The pre-school operates from a modular building within the grounds of Sandiway Primary School. The building houses both a separately owned and run before and after school club as well as the pre-school. Children have access to a main room, a television/rest area, an enclosed outdoor area as well as the regular use of the school hall. The pre-school is registered to provide care at any one time for a maximum of 26 children aged from two years six months to five years. Currently, there are 53 children on roll who attend various part-time sessions. Twenty-nine funded three year olds are enrolled.

p.2

Information about the setting

The pre-school is open Monday to Friday during term-time. The morning session is from 9.15 to 11.45 and the afternoon sesion from 12.30 until 15.00 hours. Children are able to bring a packed lunch to eat between sessions when they are supervised by the staff.

p.2

Information about the setting

Over the week seven staff working with the funded children with four staff covering every session. Three staff have a Level 3 Early Years qualification, one member of staff holds a Level 2 Early Years qualification and one staff member is working towards a Level 2 qualification. The setting receives support form the Cheshire Early Years Childcare and Development Partnership and the Sure Start programme.

p.2

Information about the setting

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

p.2

How effective is the nursery education?

Smallworld Pre-school-Sandiway provides good quality nursery education overall, where children make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. They make very good progress in mathematical, physical and creative development. Teaching is generally good. Staff have detailed knowledge and understanding of the early learning goals. Generally, the planning is effective. Valuable Rising 5's sessions for funded children are held. Generally, children are provided with challenging opportunities, especially by the qualifed and experienced staff. Staff do not consistently manage children's behaviour when they become over-exuberant. Resources are used effectively to promote learning. Leadership and management are generally good. Carefully compiled policies, operational and development plans show the leadership's commitment to good quality provision. These are not always put into practice. Staff's performance is

p.3

How effective is the nursery education?

monitored. Training to obtain vital qualifiactions is encouraged. It is not always undertaken by the many unqualified part-time staff. Partnership with parents is generally good. Good quality information about the pre-school is provided prior to a child enrolling. Regular newsletters are sent home. Before the start of a topic, information is given to parents. However, parents are not provided with daily information about the sessional activities in order to build on children's immediate interests and learning. A key worker system has been established to provide parents with more information about their children's progress. Although, there is open access to records there are no set times when parents are invited to make use of this facility. Parents are encouraged to share information about their children with the staff. Valuable parental contributions support and extend children's learning.

p.3

What is being done well?

• The close liaison with the primary school develops children's eagerness and confidence to progress onto the next stage of their education. This liaison, also, develops the staff's knowledge and understanding of the Foundation Curriculum. • Children enjoy their sessions and are enthusiastic to learn. • Children are given stimulating opportunities to develop their speaking skills and their letter recognition. • Detailed planning and carefully considered policies provide a generally good curriculum and supportive guidelines for the staff. • Children's mathematical knowledge and understanding are progressing well. They count with confidence.

p.3

What is being done well?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 • Parents are encouraged to be involved in their children's learning.

p.3

What needs to be improved?

• the management of children's behavious • the selection and delivery of the story read to children • the monitoring of the implementation of the carefully formulated policies • the display of positive images to reinforce activities promoting cultural awareness.

p.4

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

p.4

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children enjoy their learning and are interested in the activities offered. They are generally gaining in confidence and are willing to try new activities. Less confident children are well-supported by the staff, especially when settling into the pre-school. Children's views are listened to and respected by the staff. This enables children's self-esteem to grow. At times, children get over excited and do not concentrate.

p.5

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children have rich opportunities to develop their speaking skills. They are becoming aware of the link between sounds and letters. Children are learning to write individual letters and to link these to a range of simple words. Good access to books enables children to select and enjoy browsing through them. They handle books well. The selected story read by staff can be too complex. Insufficient time is allowed for children to discuss features of the story and to explore any new vocabulary.

p.5

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children enjoy counting. They are becoming confident and competent counters. Good use of routines, such as circle time, and structured activities undertaken in Rising 5's sessions, develop and reinforce children's understanding of numbers and how to write them acccurately. Children have interesting practical activities to introduce them to combining and comparing numbers. A range of planned activities enable children to develop their understanding of pattern, shape, space and measure.

p.5

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children develop their observational skills through a range of activities including observing the weather and animals. Good use of computer programmes enable children's confidence in using technology to be developed. This, also, supports and extends their learning. The close liaison with the primary school enables children to become aware of a feature of their locality which is of great importance to their lives. There are few images regularly displayed to reinforce cultural awareness.

p.5

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good A well-planned programme targets appropriate stepping stones for developing the children's confident, imaginative and coordinated movement. Children are able to move imaginatively through musical stimuli e.g. when marching to music. The limited resources within the room are used well to promote physical skills as tables are used instead of a climbing frame. Access to a range of equipment in the school hall enhances their physical skills. Children handle tools effectively.

p.5

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

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

p.5

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children enjoy using colour in their creative work such as when they are experimenting with marbling techniques. Planned activities enable children to explore the features of sound. They use musical instruments, move imaginatively to music and sing tunefully. Their imagination is further developed through their role-play and when interacting with others in their play. Children have a range of opportunities to respond to sensory stimulation within their creative work.

p.6

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

p.6

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.

p.7

WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT: THE KEY ISSUES

• develop practical strategies for the management of behaviour so children can learn to control the over-exuberance which they display at times • consider more carefully the selection of stories to be read by the staff to the children so they are appropriate for the children's level of understanding. Improve the delivery of the stories and the grouping of children for story-time. Provide opportunities for children to discuss features of the story and any new vocabulary. • monitor the implementation of the carefully formulated policies and the operational plan so areas for improvement are identified and action taken

p.7

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.

p.7

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

p.7