Brereton Playgroup and Preschool

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 15/09/2004 Inspector Name Susan, Helen Spencer

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Brereton Playgroup Setting Address School Lane Brereton Green Nr Sandbach CW11 1RN

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name Brereton Playgroup Committee 1079328

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Brereton Playgroup Committee Address School Lane Brereton Sanbach Cheshire CW11 1RN

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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

Brereton Playgroup operates in a small purpose-built play building within the grounds of Brereton Infant/Junior School. It has been registered since September 1983 for 12 children per session. The playgroup presently operates weekly during term time for five mornings, 09:00 - 12:00, for children aged between two years and six months and school age, and for two afternoons, 13:00 - 15:30, for two terms before children start school. The group is administered by a parents' committee who are elected annually. The playgroup serves the immediate community with some children also attending from other local villages and towns. The premises consists of one playroom, with kitchen and toilet areas. The setting has access to the school playground and playing fields. Staff presently consist of one supervisor and a parent helper at each session. The group currently has eleven funded three- and four-year-old children, no child has

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Information about the setting

special educational needs but one child has English as a second language.

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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?

Brereton Playgroup provides a stimulating, friendly, welcoming environment and offers good quality nursery education overall. Children make generally good progress in personal, social, emotional, creative, communication, language and literacy development. Provision for their mathematics and physical development, and their knowledge and understanding of the world is particularly well planned and they make very good progress in these areas. The quality of teaching is generally good. The supervisor and helpers are enthusiastic and work well together. Planning is good. The supervisor has a clear understanding of the areas of learning and plans an interesting, exciting range of activities. She is constantly modelling very good effective ways to help children learn. However, at times others involved in delivering the curriculum are not made aware of the learning intentions of the activities to enable them to support the

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How effective is the nursery education?

children's learning. Resources are appropriate. Assessments are maintained for each child, resulting in a profile of their achievements in all areas of learning. The leadership and management are generally good. The supervisor and committee members are clear about their roles and responsibilities. All are committed to the playgroup's development and to the care and education of the children. However, the monitoring and evaluation of the provision is informal and the role of the helpers is not sufficiently detailed. Partnership with parents and carers is generally good. Parents are very happy with the playgroup and value it as an essential part of the community. They are actively involved in sharing their skills and time. They are provided with some good quality information about the setting, including the weekly curriculum plan. However, they are given insufficient information about the areas of learning, and too few

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How effective is the nursery education?

opportunities to contribute to and be informed of their child's development records and next stage of learning.

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What is being done well?

• The supervisor's knowledge of the areas of learning leads to the planning of creative exciting topics and activities. • The playgroup's very good varied resources are well organised and set out at the start of each session to promote interesting learning opportunities. • Children are excited, curious and want to learn. They form good relationships with their peers within a secure sociable environment. • Children are provided with very good opportunities to investigate the world around them. They enjoy exploring colour and texture, extending well their manipulation of materials, tools and equipment. All energetically engage in physical activities developing well their co-ordination and spatial awareness.

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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 • Lots of practical activities provided to develop the children's concept of number and encourage them to solve simple mathematical problems.

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What needs to be improved?

• the information to parents about the six areas of learning • parents' opportunities to contribute to and be informed of their child's development records and their child's next stage of learning • the clarity of the helpers' roles and responsibilities, and the guidance and information given to them so that they know the learning intentions of the activities and are therefore able to support fully the children's learning • the book corner's usage.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The improvements made since the last inspection have been generally good. The playgroup has ensured the key issue to raise the children's concepts of addition and subtraction are developed and any incidental opportunity is used effectively to reinforce and consolidate the children's understanding. Mathematics development is very good. The second key issue to display the weekly curriculum plans for parents has been achieved. Weekly plans are now on the parents' notice board. The issue to display books has not been fully addressed and remains an area for further action.

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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 clearly enjoy their time at the playgroup. They are forming good relationships with adults and their peers. All show great curiosity and high levels of interest, enthusiastically participating in activities. They confidently select and access their own resources and are developing good personal independence. Children generally behave well, they recognise and understand the boundaries and know right from wrong, although they do not always adhere to the playgroup's routines.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children talk confidently and respond to adults' questions. Older children use language skilfully to talk and negotiate with their peers. Children listen carefully to stories and join in. They know print carries meaning through sharing books and the use of their name cards. However, the book corner is not sufficiently inviting to encourage the children's usage. All children experiment with writing and mark make to communicate meaning, while some older children are starting to write their names.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are developing good counting skills through lots of opportunities to practise both counting and the recognition of numerals. Most can count to five and some count confidently to ten and beyond. They are beginning to understand the concept of simple addition and subtraction. Children use mathematical language in everyday play appropriately to name familiar shapes and to describe size and position. They attempt to solve simple problems by estimating, then checking that estimation.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children show interest and curiosity about their own life and the world they live in. They are engrossed and animated by the study of insects and note their different features. Children are very aware of weather changes and their impact on the environment. They also show an understanding of past and present events and recall these experiences during role play. All children enjoy using a range of technological toys, and many when working with construction sets use good design and making skills.

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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 are competent at using a range of tools and materials safely and with increasing control, for example pencils, brushes, scissors and small construction materials. Children move confidently within the group indoors and enjoy using the climbing frame and balancing on the snake. During outdoor activities they show a good sense of awareness and control. Many confidently use a range of wheeled vehicles and enjoy simple throwing activities.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children explore a range of creative materials and experiment with colours and textures. They enjoy mixing colours to create different shades. Children delight in using musical instruments to create sounds and rhythms and younger children are starting to commit a range of songs and rhymes to memory. All enjoy engaging in role play based on their own experiences, while some give full flight to their imaginations.

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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

• develop the book corner and enhance its usage • ensure parents are more fully aware of the six areas of learning and increase the opportunities for parents to contribute to and be informed of their child's development records and their child's next stage of learning • ensure all working in the playgroup have clear roles and responsibilities and know the learning intentions of the activities so that they are able to support fully the children's learning needs.

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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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