Old Co-operative Day Nursery

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 26/02/2003 Inspector Name Tina Garner

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SETTING DETAILS

Setting Name Old Co-operative Day Nursery Setting Address Old Co-operative Gotham Nottinghamshire NG11 0HJ

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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

The Old Cooperative Day Nursery opened in 1992. It operates from 7-9 Wallace Street in the village of Gotham, Nottingham and serves the village and neighbouring communities. The nursery offers full and sessional care and is registered to provide 30 places for children aged 0-8 years. There are currently 55 children on roll, which includes 7 funded 3 year olds and 8 funded 4 year olds. Children attend a variety of sessions. There are currently no children with special needs or who have English as a second language, attending the setting. The nursery is open 5 days a week, 7:30am to 6:30pm, Monday to Friday. There are 11 full time and 2 part time staff who work with the children. Six have early years qualifications, with all other staff working towards NVQ2 or NVQ3. Two qualified staff work full time with the pre-school children. The setting receives support from a teacher/mentor from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership.

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How effective is the nursery education?

Old Cooperative Day Nursery offers good quality provision which enables children to make generally good progress towards the Early Learning Goals. They make very good progress in personal, social and emotional development, mathematics and creative development. Teaching is generally good with some very good aspects. There is a well planned curriculum which covers the six areas of learning and demonstrates an understanding of the early learning goals. The staff make excellent use of practical, planned activities and opportunities that occur during the day, to increase childrens mathematical knowledge. Activities are stimulating and meaningful and engage children in their learning process. The challenges set for three year olds are very good, whilst those for 4 year olds are generally good with some missed opportunities to extend learning in aspects of communication language and literacy. Staff are good role models and offer a consistent approach to managing

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How effective is the nursery education?

behaviour, consequently children are well behaved and sensitive to the needs, views and feelings of each other. Leadership and management is very good. Managers have effective systems for identifying and supporting training needs to ensure staff have the appropriate skills to do their jobs. They facilitate time for staff to plan the curriculum and record childrens' achievements. Evaluations of activities are not used as tools to inform staff when planning for childrens' next steps in learning. The nursery works closely with the local school to ensure a consistent approach to childrens' education. Partnership with parents and carers is very good. Systems are in place to keep parents well informed about the nursery routines and activities. There are opportunities to share information and discuss childrens' progress both formally and informally and the nursery have a willingness to support families in a

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How effective is the nursery education?

variety of ways to ensure that the child is ready to learn.

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What is being done well?

Staff plan an excellent range of practical mathematical activities and take all opportunities to develop childrens' mathematical knowledge and thinking. Childrens personal, social and emotional development is very good, children are sensitive to the needs, views and feelings of each other; they are well behaved and have a strong sense of community. Staff work well as a team, are good role models and have consistent expectations of childrens behaviour. Managers have a committed approach to develop and enhance staffs' skills through training and appraisals.

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What needs to be improved?

Staff planning to assist 4 year olds to recognise and write their names through practical activities. Staff planning to assist 4 year olds to learn to link sounds to letters, naming and sounding the letters of the alphabet. Staff's evaluation of topics/activities so that they are more informed when planning childrens future steps in learning.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The organisation and siting of imaginative play so that it is available to children throughout the day.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Four year olds have good personal independence, whilst 3 year olds demonstrate increasing skills and confidence in this area. They dress and undress themselves and use the bathroom independently. The children display a positive attitude to new experiences and take part in the activities offered to them with interest. Four year olds initiate conversation and contribute to group discussions; they are able to listen to each other and staff and take turns with their peers at activities.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Four year olds have good verbal communication skills which they use effectively to initiate, explain and share conversations with each other and staff. Children enjoy and use books with care. They know that print carries meaning and in English is read from left to right and top to bottom. Children have access to a good range of books. Children are encouraged to recognise their name and other everyday words, through labels in the nursery.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good All children demonstrate an interest in numbers and counting, 4 year olds can count to 20, with many younger children able to count to 10. They show confidence in using their mathematical knowledge to solve problems. Four year olds demonstrate an emerging understanding of adding and subtracting numbers through practical activities. Children are able to use appropriate shapes to create and build their own representational models and can name simple shapes.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children have a knowledge of the cultures and beliefs of others, which is fostered through a range of practical, planned activities, which acknowledge diversity. They confidently express through language, role play and artwork, past and present events in their own lives and those of their families. There are good resources to enable them to develop their designing and making skills.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children are competent at using a range of tools and materials during activities and meal times and demonstrate good fine motor control. They move with confidence and demonstrate an awareness of space when working alongside others during physical outdoor play. Through daily routines children learn about the importance of keeping healthy and demonstrate an awareness of caring for themselves by cleaning their teeth and washing hands before meals and after using the toilet.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good All children recognise and name colours. By playing with materials such as paint, sand and corn flour they learn to explore form and shape in two and three dimensions. Children play cooperatively with each other to engage in imaginative role play and use resources available to develop their ideas. The children enjoy singing simple songs and action rhymes and are able to do so from memory.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Children's spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development is fostered appropriately: Y

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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

Develop opportunities for 4 year olds to recognise and write their names and other familiar words through practical activities. Develop opportunities for 4 year olds to link letter sounds with letter recognition. Use of evaluations of topics and activities to inform staff when planning for childrens' next steps in learning.

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