St Richard's Pre-School Playgroup

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 28/02/2005 Inspector Name Jamila Aslam

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name St Richard's Church Centre Setting Address 35 Forge Lane Feltham Middlesex TW13 6UN

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of St Richard's Church

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name St Richard's Church Address 35 Forge Lane Feltham Middlesex TW13 6UN

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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

St Richard's Pre-School Playgroup is one of two provisions run by St Richards's Church Committee. It opened in 2002 and operates from the community area of the church building. It is situated in Feltham, in the London Borough of Hounslow and serves the local and wider community. A maximum of 30 children attend the playgroup at any one time. The playgroup is opened each weekday from 09:00 to 12:00, term time only. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area. There are currently 46 children aged 2 to under 5 years on roll. Of these 13 children receive funding for nursery education. The playgroup supports children with special educational needs, and also supports children who speak English as an additional language. The playgroup employs 9 staff, 3of whom, including the manager, hold appropriate early years qualifications. Some unqualified staff are working towards a qualification. The playgroup receives support from the Early Years Development and Childcare

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Information about the setting

Partnership (EYDCP). The Early Years Foundation Stage is the teaching method used for teaching children aged three to four years old.

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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?

St. Richard's Church Centre Play group provides good quality nursery education overall, where children make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. The quality of teaching is generally good. Staff have a good understanding of the foundation stage and how children learn. Effective deployment of staff and a good ratio of staff ensures key workers are able to spend time with individual children. Children and adults have good relationships. Staff are aware of the needs of children with English as an additional language and Special Educational Needs and support children well by providing 1:1 attention. Key workers observations are evaluated but do not consistently include what children know and can do, reducing the effectiveness of the plans and practice to support the next step in children's learning. Creative activity tends to be adult led. The leadership and management is generally good. The manager works directly with

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How effective is the nursery education?

the children and provides support and a good role model for staff. She has devised clear job descriptions for staff, so that roles and responsibilities are known and agreed, ensuring the smooth running of the play group. The manager has a good understanding of the code of practice for children with Special Educational Needs. However there is no system to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the quality of teaching, some staff are less secure in the areas of Maths and the use of Information technology. Partnership with parents is generally good. Good information is available about the setting, policies and procedures and child related matters. Parents, when available, are encouraged to support various events and themes. Staff greet parents warmly and make time at the start and end of session to speak to parents, however not enough information is given to parents to explain the foundation stage of learning.

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What is being done well?

• Children separate from parents with confidence and have good relationships with adults and their peers. Children are confident and participate well in familiar groups, listening attentively to stories and to the adults. • The children have good opportunities to extend their imaginative thinking, language and communication skills through role play. • Children sort and match objects and recognise numerals. Numbers are displayed providing good opportunities for children to become familiar with their shape and begin to understand their meaning. • Children's interest and concentration is encouraged by a well planned termly programme that includes parental involvement. Activities such as the mini beast activity builds on children's curiosity and effectively supports their

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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 learning. The 'Jasper's Bean Stalk', theme, how long it will take for the beanstalk to grow, encourages children's understanding of the concept of time. • Children have good opportunities to develop their physical skills and coordination, using a range of resources and joining in activities both indoors and outdoors e.g. hoops, balls through the net and climbing apparatus. • The children show an awareness of sound and rhythm during music sessions. They sing songs, dance and move to rhymes with enthusiasm.

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What needs to be improved?

• the opportunities to challenge and extend children's understanding of calculation, using simple addition and subtraction, • the planning and provision for children to use information and technology equipment to support their learning, • the programme for creative development to allow children to use their imagination independently, • the consistency and evaluation of observations, assessments and planning for the next steps for children, • the information for parents about the foundation stage and children's progress.

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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 have good relationships with adults and peers within the group. They separate from carer with confidence. They choose between the activities, select resources for themselves and learn to take care of their personal needs such as going to the toilet and washing their hands. Children behave well and share and take turns. Some older children are caring and considerate towards the younger children.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children are confident speakers, they use a wide vocabulary which is extended by adults. They listen attentively and with enjoyment to stories and group discussions. They have good opportunities for linking sounds with letters. The children are interested in books and are beginning to understand print carries meaning. They have good opportunities to express their imaginative thinking with role play.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children gain an understanding of size and shape through activities such as comparing the size of garden tools. Most children can count up to 9. Children sort and match objects and recognise numerals. Staff encourage the children to use positional language, over, under and through, by reading stories such as 'The Bear Hunt'. There are less opportunities for children to practice calculation, simple addition and subtraction e.g. at drinks time, how many more cups do we need ?

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children are developing a good sense of time through topics such as growing beans and how long it takes. Their design and construction skills are good. A range of well planned activities throughout the year gives children opportunities to experience cultures other than their own. Children are able to use small tools competently e.g. scissors, paint brush and the garden tools. However there are few opportunities to learn how to operate simple IT equipment or programmable toys.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children move around with increasing control and are beginning to show an awareness of space. They have good opportunities to experiment with a range of physical activities both indoors and outdoors. Children use tools and equipment with confidence and are developing good fine motor skills such as cutting with scissors. They are developing a good understanding of staying healthy for example inviting the dentist to talk about keeping teeth clean and eating the right foods.

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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 participate enthusiastically in imaginative play. Children play in the home corner and enjoy dressing up and serving play food. They show an awareness of sound and rhythm during music sessions. They enjoy using lego to build and construct models, houses and cars. Children have good access to creative materials to express their ideas. However, adult led activities, such as the flower gluing activity, does not support experimenting or children's independent creativity.

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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

• extend the opportunities for children to understand simple calculation, addition and subtraction • make greater use of information and technology equipment to support children's learning • allow children to produce their own ideas and creations • improve staff's understanding of the stepping stones to enable them to develop a consistent approach in observation, assessment and planning the next steps for children, with clear learning intentions, based on what children know and can do • provide parents with information about the foundation stage of learning and initiate more effective systems for informing all parents of children's progress towards the early learning goals.

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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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