Field House Nursery

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 09/03/2004 Inspector Name Julie Larner

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Field House Nursery Setting Address Field House, Whitley Road Benton Newcastle upon Tyne Tyne and Wear NE12 8BP

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The partnership of Field House Nursery

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Field House Nursery Address Field House Whitley Road, Benton Newcastle upon Tyne Tyne and Wear NE12 8BP

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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

Field House Nursery is situated in a converted house that has been extended to accommodate 119 children aged from birth to five years. The nursery is in the residential area of Benton and lies on the borders of Newcastle upon Tyne and North Tyneside. The nursery is open from 08:00 until 18:00 Monday to Friday, 52 weeks of the year. There is a total of 25 staff, of whom one is the manager and three have supervisory responsibilities. There are currently 92 children on the register. The nursery provides funded nursery education for all of the ten three-year olds and the seven four-year-olds who attend. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language. The nursery receives regular support from the teacher advisor from the local authority.

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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?

Field House Nursery offers generally good quality education where children learn through a wide range of interesting activities. Teaching is generally good. Staff have good relationships with children and high expectations of their behaviour: as a consequence children behave well. There is a high ratio of staff: children, allowing them to provide good individual support for children's learning. Resources are used effectively and are set out to allow children choice. Children are encouraged to contribute and talk about their activities, however some opportunities to extend younger children's learning further are missed. Leadership and management is generally good. The manager values staff input and has clear systems to identify staff development needs. Staff are encouraged to attend a range of relevant training courses to further their skills and effective arrangements ensure that a high staff:child ratio is still maintained when staff attend

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How effective is the nursery education?

training. There are regular staff meetings where staff contribute to issues that affect the nursery. Partnership with parents is very good. Parents regularly receive both verbal and written communication about the nursery and have formal meetings to discuss their children's progress.

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What is being done well?

• There is lots of support for children's learning through the maintenance of good staff: child ratios; this allows staff to offer individual time and to monitor and further children's development. • There is a positive attitude to additional relevant training for staff, and they are encouraged to attend training to further their existing skills and develop new ones. • There is a wide range of planned activites in which children are interested. • There are effective partnerships with parents, they are encouraged to be involved in their children's learning and are provided with information about their children's progress both formally and on a daily basis. • Provision for creative development is very good and children enjoy a wide range of sensory experiences.

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What needs to be improved?

• the opportunities for children to refine and practise calculating skills • the opportunities for children to practise balancing and climbing skills.

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What needs to be improved?

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

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The programme for personal and social development has been extended by introducing more opportunities for the children to use their initiative during daily activities and routines. Children now act as monitors to give out equipment at mealtimes and they are provided with opportunities to serve themselves. Children also manage their own hygiene needs. Equipment is set out to allow them choices. There is a self-registration system and children are encouraged to dress themselves. The group has extended assessment records and there are now developmental records for children which chart and monitor their progress through the Foundation Stage Transfer Document which follows children's progress towards the Early Learning Goals. More information is now provided for parents on the education provision and there is greater encouragement for them to be involved in assessment of their children. Parents are provided with information devised by the nursery and they are also

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What has improved since the last inspection?

given published information. Parents now contribute to children's assessment through the completion of an "All about Me" booklet when children start to attend; they also complete assessment sheets which staff use when planning children's 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 settle well to activities and show confidence as they move freely around the nursery, accessing activities they have chosen. They behave very well and are competent in taking turns and sharing. They work well together and are forming good friendships. Children have very high levels of concentration on chosen tasks. They are developing a good awareness of their own needs and express these confidently.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children are gaining good opportunities to communicate in a variety of situations, they communicate well with their peers and adults. They enjoy stories and are keen to contribute and share experiences within the group. Children are given opportunities to practise their fine motor skills through the use of a variety of tools such as paintbrushes, spatulas and pens. Some children are beginning to form recognisable letters.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children are beginning to gain an understanding of mathematical language through staff's correct use of this. They are confident at counting, which they do on a regular basis in the nursery routine. There are limited opportunities for all children to compare, separate and combine objects.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children are provided with good opportunities to learn about the cultures and people who are different to themselves through a range of fun activities. They are becoming confident in the use of a digital camera which is used for meaningful activities including an "All about me" book; children have use of this to take photos of their families. Children are keen to explore the environment using a wide range of their senses.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children are developing good hand-eye co-ordination and use a range of equipment effectively. They are beginning to understand how to keep themselves healthy in planned activities and in role play. They use small and large equipment in physical play and experiment with new ways of using equipment. They move confidently around the nursery and negotiate space well outdoors. Staff are currently improving opportunities for children to develop and practise their climbing and balancing skills.

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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: Very Good Children are very good at recognising colours and have plenty of planned activities and opportunities within the daily routine to practise and extend these skills. Children have good sensory experiences in the day, which they enjoy very much. They are learning about different textures and smells through a range of interesting activities. Children are given good opportunities to use their imagination through art and role play and enjoy joining in with songs that are familiar to them.

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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

• provide regular opportunities for children to combine, separate and compare objects.

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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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