Little Clovers Day Nursery

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 23/11/2004 Inspector Name Susan, Helen Spencer

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Holts Community Centre Playgroup Setting Address Wildmoor Avenue Oldham Lancashire OL4 5PU

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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

Holts Community Centre Playgroup opened in 2001. It operates from Holts Community Centre where it has the use of one room and an enclosed outdoor play area. It is situated in Holts Village in the Lees area of Oldham and serves the local community. There are currently 15 children on roll aged between two years six months and four. This includes three funded three year olds. Currently no children have special educational needs and none use English as an additional language. The group opens four days a week during school term times. Sessions are from 09.30 until 12.00. Three paid staff and a volunteer work with the children all of whom are working towards child care and education qualifications. The playgroup receives support from Oldham's Sure Start/Early Years Team.

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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?

Provision at Holt's Community Centre Playgroup is acceptable but has significant weaknesses that hinder the progress of children in some aspects of their learning. They make generally good progress in personal, social and emotional, and creative development. There are significant weaknesses in the other areas of learning. Teaching has significant weaknesses. Staff's limited understanding of the early learning goals impacts on their ability to plans effectively. This limits children's learning in some areas. Provision meets the needs of some children but provides little challenge for others. Teaching is often unfocused and fails to target the needs of individuals. Resources are plentiful but they are not organised well to promote learning in mathematics, physical development and knowledge and understanding of the world. Staff are warm, friendly and kind and generally manage children's behaviour well but there are inconsistencies in managing more challenging

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How effective is the nursery education?

behaviours. Assessment is based on staff's observations of children but these are not dated and it is unclear how they are used to inform planning for future learning. There are significant weaknesses in leadership and management. Staff meet regularly to discuss planning and children's learning. Some plans are evaluated but it is unclear how this information is used to improve and develop provision. Leadership is clear and effective overall but there are no clear systems to monitor and review the effectiveness of provision and the educational programme or action plan for the future.

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How effective is the nursery education?

Partnership with parents is generally good. Parents are happy with the provision. They receive good quality information about children's activities when their child starts at the group but little information about children's daily play and learning. Parents and staff share information about children's welfare each day but there are no planned chances for them to contribute to their child's record of achievement.

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What is being done well?

• Children are happy and confident. They enjoy attending the playgroup and take part willingly and enthusiastically in a range of activities. They particularly enjoy using the large climbing frame and the role play area where they can play out familiar roles. • The warm and friendly staff team are very approachable. This encourages parents to share information about their children's health and well-being at the beginning and end of each session. Staff show genuine care and concern for children and their families. • Staff listen very carefully to children and show interest in what they have to say.

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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 • The attractive learning environment is a colouful haven which appeals to children and holds interest for them. Children's own work is valued and respected and is a prominent feature of displays. The book area is cosy and inviting and encourages children to use books carefully and independently. • Provision meets the needs of some children well. Children feel safe and secure in the homely atmosphere created by staff.

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What needs to be improved?

• plans to identify clear intended learning outcomes that reflect the individual learning needs of all children • assessment systems to reflect the stepping stones towards the early learning goals and reflect parents observations of their own child's learning at home • the use of equipment and routines to support learning in communication, language and literacy, mathematics, knowledge and understading of the world and physical development • systems to review and monitor the effectiveness of provision by recognising strengths on which to build as well as areas for improvement • the staff's understanding of the early learning goals by involving them in planning and assessment to ensure that activites are clearly focused and intended learning identified.

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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 and enjoy attending the playgroup. They have lots of chances to make free and independent choices. Behaviour is generally good. They share and take turns but some children do not follow accepted codes of behaviour. They manage their own clothing and attend to their own hygiene needs. They are not fully involved in tidying away equipment, nor are they encouraged to help at snack time. Through planned themes they learn about their own needs and the needs of others.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Significant Weaknesses Children speak confidently but their listening skills are limited by no planned stories or discussion. Children and staff enjoy books using them carefully in a comfortable reading area. There are no chances for children to recognise and use their names. An alphabet chart is presented in a way that makes it difficult for children to use. Children enjoy using a well-equipped writing area, but this is not supported to enable children to make meaningful connections between print and the spoken word.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Significant Weaknesses There are some useful resources to support children's understanding of numbers. However these are not used fully or consistently. Some routine activities promote children's understanding of numbers to five but this is neither consistent nor planned. Children make some good use of materials to explore and learn about shapes as they make pictures and patterns. Little attention is paid to shape as a feature of environment meaning that some learning opportunities are lost.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Significant Weaknesses There are some good opportunities for children to explore and investigate the natural and made world. However they have fewer chances to experiment using construction materials and information technology. There are few chances for them to learn about a sense of time other than by observing seasonal changes. They learn about other people's work through role play and small world toys but this is limited. They are aware of the customs of other cultural groups through celebrating festivals.

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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: Significant Weaknesses Children are confident and controlled when using the climbing frame and forming a circle for group music. The group has a commitment to healthy eating but this is not shared with children at snack time. They use balls and beanbags to practise their developing skills, but these sessions lack a clear sense of purpose. Children have access to a good range of resources to develop their hand skills managing paintbrushes and writing tools well, but some cutting activities are too difficult.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children use creative play materials freely and imaginatively. Their own artwork is a prominent feature of displays. They enjoy music and experience a range of different types of music. Children sing and dance well. The home area is well resourced and enjoyed by children as they act out domestic scenarios. Although children have access to a good range of materials they do not always explore these using all their senses. They have few chances to freely express themselves through music and dance.

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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 but has some significant areas for improvement. Children's progress towards the early learning goals is limited by some significant weaknesses. The next inspection will take place in one to two years time.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT: THE KEY ISSUES

• develop plans that ensure the full coverage of the early learning goals making best use of resources and routines to provide effective learning opportunities for children in: communication language and literacy, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world and physical development • develop assessment so that it reflects the stepping stones and is informed by parents' conributions of their own observations of their child's learning at home • introduce a system to review and monitor provision for children's nursery education that identifies areas of strength and demonstrates a commitment to improvement over time • develop staff's knowledge and understanding of the early learning goals and the importance of assessment

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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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