Norton Free Church of England Primary School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 31/01/2005 Inspector Name Sue Vernon

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Whitchurch Under 5`s Pre-School Setting Address The Bunglow, 1 School Close Whitchurch Bristol BS14 0DU

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of Whitchurch Under 5's Pre-School

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Whitchurch Under 5's Pre-School Address The Bunglow 1 School Close Bristol Avon BS14 0DU

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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

Whitchurch Under Fives Playgroup is a committee run pre-school group that operates from a converted bungalow adjacent to Wansdyke Primary School. There are five rooms which are used for different activities and enclosed garden areas for outdoor play. The group serves the local residential area. There are currently 40 children on the roll, which includes 36 funded three and four-year-olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There is support available for children with special needs. The group opens five days a week during term time only. Sessions are from 09:00 to 11:30 and 12:45 to 15:30 with some children attending for the full day. One full time and five part time members of staff work with the children. Three have early years qualifications and other members of staff are currently taking relevant training courses. The setting receives support from the Early Years Childcare Partnership advisor. Parents serve on the committee and are offered a parental rota

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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?

Whitchurch Under-5s Pre-School provides good quality nursery education overall which enables children to make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. Provision for their personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy and mathematical understanding is particularly well delivered and children make very good progress in these areas. There are some very strong elements in the quality of teaching which overall is generally good. Staff work closely with the children and are skilled in asking open, prompting questions that stimulate children's thinking and learning. The staff team use their understanding of the early learning goals and how children learn, to plan an interesting range of activities. The indoor rooms, resources and outdoor areas are organised creatively to make the best use of limited space. An established routine is in place to rotate play opportunities, although this limits extended imaginative play.

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How effective is the nursery education?

Staff manage behaviour well. Both large group and individual activities are presented clearly and enthusiastically. Observations are used in records to measure children's learning against the stepping stones. However, these are not used to inform the next stage of planning or to identify individual learning needs. The leadership and management of the group is generally good. The supervisor has developed a committed staff team who collaborate well in all aspects of their work. They are supported by the committee in a programme of on-going training to further develop their good practice. The current systems in place to monitor and evaluate the educational provision are not entirely effective. Partnership with parents is very good. Parents are kept well informed about the group's learning programme through displays and regular discussions with their key staff member. They are encouraged to help in the group which promotes their

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What is being done well?

• Staff have warm relationships with the children and work closely with them. They are skilled in using open questions to support children in learning through play and extend children's thinking and enjoyment of the activities. • Children are confident and eager to learn. They participate with enthusiasm and behave with respect towards each other. Children concentrate well and relish the opportunities for helping such as with ringing the bell and counting children to go out to the next room or setting out name cards and books. These activities build their confidence, independence and self-esteem. • Children have fun developing their understanding of numbers and mathematical ideas with both the planned opportunities offered within the daily routine, and the interesting selection of play equipment and resources.

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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 • Parents appreciate the systems for building links with staff and key workers and feel they are kept well informed about their child's learning experience within the group.

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What needs to be improved?

• planning to ensure that all aspects of creative development involving imaginative play receive regular and sufficient attention, for example with opportunities for extended role play • the monitoring and evaluation of activities and children's records to ensure they are used to inform the planning of children's future learning.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The group have made generally good progress since the last inspection. The setting were given a point for development relating to the planning and evaluation of activities. They have added links to the early learning goals in the planning of activities and also added some evaluations of the effectiveness of activities. This has enabled staff to be more clear about the aims and effectiveness of 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 are confident and keen to learn. They contribute enthusiastically and show good levels of concentration, supported by staff's praise and encouragement. Children have warm relationships with staff who are very good role models. Children show respect for each other and co-operate well. Their self-esteem is developed by the high expectations of the staff and their close, positive involvement in the children's play. Good strategies are used to foster independence.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children use language confidently to communicate with staff and each other. They are able to express ideas and feelings well, supported by close involvement of staff. Children enjoy developing writing skills and many recognise their names and attempt to copy. Books are enjoyed and valued by children both in groups with staff, and independently. Children are enthusiastically linking phonetic sounds to letters in a wide range of activities .

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are offered planned and spontaneous opportunities to count and use numbers as labels. They are using mathematics confidently for counting and problem solving throughout the sessions such as matching numbers of children and cups for snack time. Many can count beyond ten and recognise numbers in practical contexts. They are routinely using mathematical language to describe their play and are developing their awareness of shape, space and measure through practical activities.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children have planned opportunities to discover the natural world around them using their garden areas and looking at changes in nature such as tadpoles and caterpillars though these are not consistently offered throughout the year. Children enjoy designing and model building using various construction resources. They are developing skills in using the computer to support their learning and enjoy activities offered to extend their understanding of their own and other cultures and beliefs.

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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: Generally Good Children are moving confidently and safely around their environment and show good spacial awareness. They enjoy opportunities to use a variety of balancing and climbing skills within the soft play room though variety is not regularly planned. Children use of a selection of tools and resources that encourage manual dexterity within painting and free play activities. They show awareness of healthy eating and good hygiene.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children have frequent opportunities to explore colours, shapes and textures in a variety of well planned and resourced activities. They enjoy singing familiar songs and using musical instruments to explore rhythm. Children are offered opportunities to explore imaginative play though time to get engrossed and fully extend their ideas is limited particularly with role play and dance.

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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

• plan to ensure all aspects of creative development involving imaginative play receive regular and sufficient attention • strengthen the monitoring and evaluation of activities and children's records to ensure they are used to inform the planning of children's future learning.

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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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