Priory Park Pre-School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 03/12/2004 Inspector Name Anne Munro

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Priory Park Pre-School Setting Address Community Hall, Upper Brook Drive Locks Heath Southampton Hampshire SO31 6PT

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of Priory Park Pre- School

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Priory Park Pre- School Address Priory Park Community Centre Upper Brook Drive, Locks Heath Southampton Hampshire SO31 6PT

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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

Priory Park Pre-school has been registered since 1991. It is a community pre-school, managed by a voluntary committee of parents, offering sessional care. The pre-school operates from a community hall in the residential area of Locks Heath, having use of a large play room with adjacent toilets, kitchen, and outdoor play facilities. The pre-school serves the Locks Heath and wider community in the surrounding areas. The setting is registered to care for up to 26 children aged from 2 to under 5 years. There are currently 43 children on roll, including 38 in receipt of nursery funding. The pre-school supports a small number of children with special needs. There are eight members of staff working with the children, including seven with early years qualification to level two or three. The pre-school opens during term time, on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 09:15 to 11:45. It also opens during five afternoons from Monday to Friday, between 12:15 and 14:45. The

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Information about the setting

pre-school receives support from the Early years Development and Childcare Partnership and is an accredited member of the Pre-school Learning Alliance.

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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?

The provision of nursery education at Priory Park Pre-school is acceptable and of high quality. Children are making very good progress towards the early learning goals. The quality of teaching is very good. Experienced and well-qualified staff have sound knowledge of the early learning goals and plan a balanced curriculum of activities to promote children's learning. Staff make regular observations and keep accurate records of children's progress. They have very good understanding of children's individual needs and abilities. They use appropriate teaching methods and make good use of space to provide a stimulating environment. They are particularly good at developing children's language skills and including number work in daily routines. Staff encourage children's independence and use praise to re-inforce their good behaviour. They liaise with parents and other professionals to ensure that special needs are addressed.

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How effective is the nursery education?

Leadership and management are very good. An active committee of parents provides practical help as well as taking responsibility for finance and employment issues. Their successful fundraising ensures that the group is well resourced. The supervisor provides strong leadership ensuring that staff are deployed effectively and are aware of their roles and responsibilities. Staff are encouraged and supported in taking up training opportunities. Committee and staff together continue to evaluate provision and plan improvement and development. Partnership with parents is very good. Parents receive good information about activities and are encouraged to be involved in their children's learning. They have regular access to their children's records and are able to contribute their observations and discuss progress with staff. They are invited to help in sessions and join in social and fundraising events.

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What is being done well?

• Children show very good levels of confidence and independence. They are able to dress themselves for outside play and put on aprons and dressing up clothes, often helping each other. They can pour their own drinks and spread toppings on crackers. They move confidently between activities, making choices, asking for help when they need it, and helping to put things away and keep their environment tidy. • Staff are constantly engaging children in conversation, promoting discussion and developing children's language skills. Children are confident in talking one to one and in group situations. They take turns to talk and pay attention to what others have to say. • Children are confident in counting and staff encourage them to use simple

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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 calculation in daily activities, for example in singing number rhymes and working out what is left when one goes away, or counting children in a group and deciding how many there will be when one more comes. Children are good at recognising numerals and at matching and naming shapes. • Partnership with parents is very good. Parents are very involved in the group, serving on the management committee and organising and supporting successful fundraising events, as well as providing practical help in sessions. They receive good information about activities and are able to share in their children's learning, contributing resources for topics and continuing the themes at home. They are able to discuss their children's progress with staff and to contribute to the assessment and recording of their achievements.

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What needs to be improved?

• display of children's work and opportunities for children to recall past experiences.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Improvement since the last inspection is very good. The group was asked to " continue to develop in all areas of the early learning goals and maintain the very good standards provided, for example by attending appropriate training and sustaining the very good relationships with parents and carers". The group continues to develop and improve. All staff attend training and continue to update their skills and knowledge. They introduce new ideas gained from training and workshops, for example in using musical instruments and in developing children's physical skills with small apparatus and movement sessions. They evaluate their practice and discuss improvements in staff meetings, for instance changing the organisation of snack time and improving safety on the climbing frame. Parents play a very active part in the pre-school and are encouraged to help in sessions. They develop better understanding of their children's learning and children

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What has improved since the last inspection?

benefit from interacting with other adults.

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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 come confidently into preschool and quickly settle to familiar routines. They sit quietly and listen when appropriate and can concentrate at their chosen activities for long periods. They relate confidently to adults and play well alongside other children, learning to take turns and to share. They are developing good levels of independence in their personal care and in choosing activities and resources. Staff use praise and encouragement to promote self-esteem and good behaviour.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children enjoy looking at books and listening to stories. They learn to recognise their written names and are introduced to the links between sounds and letters. They develop good pencil skills with a variety of activities and use emergent writing skills in imaginative role play situations. Older children can form some recognisable letters. Staff are constantly encouraging conversation so that children become very confident speakers and pay attention to others in a group discussion.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good All children are confident in counting to five and many can count further, as staff make counting and simple calculation an integral part of daily routines. Both three and four year olds can recognise and use numerals. Staff encourage them to use the language of size, shape and position throughout activities and children use a good range of resources to sort, match and recreate patterns.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Staff plan exciting activities to stimulate children's interest in the world around them. They learn about their environment from visitors and outings. They talk about their own and other cultures, but not about past experiences. Children experiment with such things as pulleys and magnifying glasses, and observe changes as ice melts and as they mix ingredients for playdough or pancakes. They design and build with a variety of construction toys, and use technology to support their learning.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children develop awareness of space and others as they move around the outside area with ride-on toys or in planned movement sessions. They enjoy action songs and circle games, inside and out, and move to music. They use climbing frames, balancing beams and obstacle courses to develop control and co-ordination, and practise new skills with balls, hoops and beanbags. They show increasing manipulative skills using a wide range of tools and materials.

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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 learn about colour, texture and shape as they explore a variety of techniques and media. They enjoy drawing and painting and have plenty of opportunity to express their own ideas. They use percussion instruments to learn about sound and rhythm, and join in songs and rhymes with enthusiasm. They use imagination in their play and act out their experiences in imaginative role play situations and with small world toys.

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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 recall past experiences and begin to differentiate between past and present.

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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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