West Kent Learning Federation: Student Support Centre

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 14/03/2005 Inspector Name Jane Rea

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Raysfield Pre-school Playgroup Setting Address Dodington Parish Hall Finch Road,Chipping Sodbury Chipping Sodbury South Glos BS37 6JE

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Raysfield Playgroup Address Dodington Parish Hall Finch Road Chipping Sodbury South Gloucestershire BS37 6JE

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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

Raysfield Pre-school is a long established group which has been operating from Dodington Parish Hall since 1997. It serves the local community of Chipping Sodbury. The management committee includes parents of children attending the group. The pre-school opens four days a week (not Tuesdays), during term time only. Sessions run from 09:15 to 11:45 and 12:30 to 15:00. There are currently 44 children on roll, most of whom receive funding for nursery education. The group supports four children with special educational needs. All of the children currently attending speak English as their first language. Three members of staff work with the children and all are qualified to the equivalent of level three. Parent helpers provide additional support on a rota basis and the group also has students on childcare placements. There is regular liaison with a teacher from South Gloucestershire's Early Years 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?

Raysfield Pre-school provides good quality nursery education. Children are making very good progress towards the early learning goals for mathematics and creative development. Their progress in the other areas of learning is generally good. The quality of teaching is generally good. The staff team is knowledgeable and plans a good range of stimulating activities linked to the areas of learning. Children are grouped appropriately for some activities and this allows staff to interact well with the children and question them effectively. However, children are not supported sufficiently during large group times and the resulting unsettled behaviour sometimes disrupts concentration. Resources are plentiful, of good quality and used well, with children's creative development being enhanced by their free access to a range of creative materials. Support for children with special educational needs is good and their progress is monitored closely. However, staff do not use their

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How effective is the nursery education?

detailed assessments of what all children can do to plan how they will be extended through the activities provided. This leads to some children not being challenged sufficiently particularly in communication, language and literacy and physical development. Leadership and management are generally good. There is good liaison between the committee and staff, and good team work is evident. Useful evaluations are made of activities and an appraisal system has been introduced. The pre-school is aware that at times behaviour management is an issue, but steps to address this have not yet resulted in consistently calm group times. The partnership with parents is generally good. Parents are well-informed about the pre-school, what it offers and how children learn through play. They have very good opportunities to become involved in their children's learning through the well-supported parent rota. There is not enough encouragement for parents to

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How effective is the nursery education?

contribute to the assessments of their children's learning.

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What is being done well?

• Children are confident and show good levels of personal independence as they attend to their hygiene needs, freely select resources and help with the routine; for example with tidying up. • Children are making very good progress in mathematical development through well-planned activities and the effective use of routine activities such as snack time. • Planned activities cover all of the six areas of learning, and resources are accessible to the children allowing them to freely select items to use to express their own creative ideas.

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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 • Staff are knowledgeable about how children learn and ask good, open questions which encourage children to think. • Parents have good opportunities to be involved in their children's learning as they play alongside them in the sessions.

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What needs to be improved?

• the management of large group activities • the use of assessment information to plan the next steps in learning for all children.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Generally good progress has been made since the last inspection. Children now have good opportunities to develop their writing skills in meaningful situations such as role-play. However, there is not enough emphasis on extending this for more-able children. Children are now gaining some knowledge and understanding of different cultures and beliefs, although there is not enough emphasis on widening their experiences through meaningful activities. Staff now record children's progress against the stepping stones and have a sound knowledge of children's stages of development. However, they do not use this knowledge to plan how they will extend the learning of all children.

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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 enter the pre-school confidently and staff provide re-assuring support for younger, less confident children. Children willingly take on responsibilities such as giving out names and staff provide many routine opportunities for children to make choices; boosting their self-esteem. Children's personal independence is developing well as they select from a wide range of activities and resources. Overall behaviour is good, but there is sometimes disruption at large group times.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children's spoken language is developing well. They have a wide vocabulary using words such as 'recipe' spontaneously. They are encouraged to explain ideas, re-enact stories and problem solve. Children have good opportunities to learn about reading and writing in meaningful situations as they use forms, diaries and posters in their role-play. However, more-able children are not extended sufficiently; for example, by being routinely encouraged to label their own pictures.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are familiar with numbers and use them spontaneously and accurately as they play. Very good use is made of both planned and naturally arising opportunities to encourage children to count and solve mathematical problems such as how many more, or less, pieces of bread they need to make bread and butter pudding. Children are skilled at copying patterns and matching, and can name familiar two-dimensional shapes.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children have good opportunities to explore and investigate, learning about change as their beans grow and puddings cook. They examine made and natural items closely with magnifying glasses. Children confidently select the resources they need for cutting and joining and use them skilfully. They are aware of some uses of everyday technology. There is not enough emphasis on widening children's awareness of culture, for example, by including 'exotic' vegetables alongside the familiar.

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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 are developing good manipulative skills as they competently use tools such as scissors, glue sticks and table knives. They move confidently and show a good awareness of space. Children use a good variety of equipment to develop their large muscle movements and this is rotated so that they use a range of skills such as climbing and balancing over a period. However, there is not enough emphasis on supporting the children to extend their individual skills with the physical equipment.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are able to make choices from an interesting variety of creative resources which allows them to explore colour as they draw and paint; texture as they make collages, and shape as they use cutters to make circles of bread. Good emphasis is given to children expressing their own ideas. They use their imagination well in their role-play as they attend to sick animals in the 'vets' surgery. Children are familiar with a good range of nursery songs and sing very heartily.

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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 management of large group activities to ensure that their organisation promotes the concentration and learning of all children • use assessments of children's progress to plan the next steps in learning for all individuals.

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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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