Toad Hall Nursery Woking

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 21/02/2005 Inspector Name Jenny Scarlett

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Toad Hall (Goldsworth Park) Setting Address Goldwater Lodge, Wishbone Way Goldsworth Park Woking Surrey GU21 3RT

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Careroom Ltd. Address Third Floor, Wembley Point, 1 Harrow Road Wembley Middlesex HA9 6DE

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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

Toad Hall is 1 of 15 nurseries run by the Toad Hall group. It opened in 2002. The nursery operates from a self contained building in Goldsworth Park near the town of Woking in Surrey. A maximum of 44 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each week day from 08:00 to 18:00 for 51 weeks of the year. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor area. There are currently 56 children from 3 months to 5 years on roll with 23 children attending the pre-school room. Of these 22 children receive funding for nursery education. Children come from the local area. The nursery currently supports a small number of children with special needs. The nursery employs nine staff, three of whom work in the pre-school room. Two of the staff working with the funded children hold an appropriate early years qualification.

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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?

Toad Hall provision at Goldsworth Park is acceptable and is of high quality. Children are making very good progress towards the early learning goals. Effective teaching helps the children make very good progress towards all of the areas of learning. The quality of teaching is very good. Staff demonstrate very good knowledge of the foundation stage and early learning goals. They use this knowledge to plan a broad and mostly balanced curriculum to cover all the aspects of learning. Staff use good consolidation techniques through repetition questions and revisiting topics to enhance the children's learning. They use the accommodation and resources well to support the children's learning and increase their independence. Group times for all children are presented in a lively and enthusiastic manner, with good opportunities to extend the children's learning through practical and spontaneous activities. Those

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How effective is the nursery education?

with special needs are encouraged to participate in the full range of activities. Staff assess the children and keep careful records which provide a clear picture of their progress to share with parents. Leadership and management are very good. The acting manager has developed a committed, established staff team who share a collaborative approach to their work. Staff monitor and assess the provision and children's progress. They evaluate the quality of teaching to fulfil its vision to provide high quality care and education for children. Partnership with parents is very good. Parents receive clear and detailed information about the educational provision through informative brochures. They are actively involved in their children's learning and well informed how to support this at home. Records of children's progress are of a high standard and systematically shared with all parents.

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What is being done well?

• Children behave extremely well due to clear expectations set by all staff who have a consistent and positive approach. Their calm and polite manner sets a very good example for the children. Staff use the photo board to provide a focus for the promotion of positive behaviour in children, and care and concern for others. • Children are developing an enthusiasm for books, understanding what they are for and how they work. They are becoming absorbed in self chosen books and some children utilise the story sacks effectively to recall and narrate the story themselves. • Children enjoy using numbers and counting, in well planned activities and across the curriculum that challenge them particularly well. They use effective practical ideas in daily activities and games with very good opportunities to

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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 recognise and relate to numbers, counting, comparing and developing mathematical concepts such as the fishing game. • Children's personal social and emotional development is very good. They are confident, interested and able to work on their own. Children have very good opportunities to choose resources and activities themselves and their independence is encouraged as they select their own snacks and help lay the tables and serve the meals. They enjoy the activities and make rapid strides in their learning due to the staff demonstrating a good understanding of the individual needs and abilities of the children.

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What needs to be improved?

• opportunities for children to be given time to finish and complete an activity before changes in the sessions occur • opportunities for children to have an appropriate balance of large physical activities and to promote and develop spontaneity between indoor and outdoor activities.

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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's confidence and self esteem are built by staff who are sensitive to their needs and know them well. They choose between activities, select resources for themselves and take care of their personal needs, such as changing shoes for outdoor play. They are encouraged to take part in activities and show good concentration skills when working independently. However there are some missed opportunities to allow the children to complete and finish an activity when changes in the session occur.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children are confident and keen to communicate with each other and adults. They use language well to negotiate and express their ideas. They explore and learn new words such as 'Guava' and 'Avocado' at story time. Activities such as role play are extended well to include good opportunities to write for a purpose. Their spoken language and writing skills are developing well as a result of the worthwhile range of planned and spontaneous activities and because staff provide good individual support.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children count confidently up to and beyond ten and many recognise numbers up to twelve. They learn to use numbers in everyday situations and show that they understand size, shape and colour through practical activities such as the puppy game. There are good opportunities to extend the children's understanding of comparing as they explore counting using their fingers. There are good practical activities to develop their awareness of weight and concept of money in varied role play situations.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Planned activities aid children to notice changes such as growing plants in the garden and observing the changes in the weather. They design, build and construct with large and small bricks and play dough to extend their skills. Children talk about personal events in their own lives and are learning about the wider world and diversity through well thought out activities such as Chinese New Year. Children are progressing very well in ICT through a carefully well planned programme.

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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 show a good awareness of basic hygiene and through good discussions with staff recognise the importance of staying healthy. They show confidence in controlling pencils and scissors to develop their manipulative and small muscle skills. There are good opportunities to develop their fine manipulative skills such as using chop sticks to pick up noodles. However opportunities to fully develop children's large physical skills in planned and spontaneous activities are not fully exploited.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children respond to new experiences and explore a variety of media and materials such as cooked noodles. They draw freely and apply paint in different ways as they create their own self portraits and family trees. Children appreciate listening to different repertoires of music and enjoy singing time. Indoor role-play is varied and interesting. Children draw on their own experiences and imagination as they cook meals in the Chinese Restaurant and plan, design and make food menus in the office.

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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 high quality. Children are making very 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

There are no significant weaknesses to report, but considerations should be given to improving the following: • There are no significant weaknesses to report, but consideration should be given to improving the following:- • opportunities for children to have an appropriate balance of large physical activities and to promote and develop spontaneity between indoor and outdoor activities.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT

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

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

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