Leverton Hall

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 11/01/2005 Inspector Name Elaine Douglas

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Clutton Playgroup Setting Address The Cabin Off Station Road Clutton Bristol BS39 5PF

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Clutton Playgroup Address The Cabin Off Station Road Clutton Bristol BS39 5PF

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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

Clutton Playgroup is run by a committee. It opened in 1968. It operates from a hall and the group have access to the kitchen, toilets, quiet room and an enclosed outside area. It is situated in the rural village of Clutton near Bath and serves the local area. There are currently 23 children from three to five years on roll. This includes 22 children receiving funded nursery education. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The group opens five days a week during school term times. Sessions are from 09.30 until 12.00. Six staff work with the children. Three have early years qualifications. Two staff are currently on training programmes. The group receive support from the Early Years mentor/teacher (EYDCP).

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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?

Clutton Playgroup is providing good quality nursery education and children make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. The planning and teaching for communication, language and literacy, mathematical development, physical development and creative development are more effective and children make very good progress in these areas. The quality of teaching is generally good. Staff build trusting relationships with the children. They provide a good range of resources and very good opportunities for children to develop their creativity and express their own ideas. Staff work directly with the children and support their learning with appropriate interaction, and by providing good opportunities for children to think and demonstrate what they know. Staff consistently support children in understanding boundaries and expectations on behaviour. They plan an interesting variety of appropriate activities and provide good

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How effective is the nursery education?

opportunities for children to initiate activities and make choices. However, staff do not plan sufficiently to support the older and more able children in all areas of development. The leadership and management is generally good. There is good communication between the staff and the committee, and the committee support the group well. The leaders support staff with their development, through good opportunities to attend training and through daily interaction. Leaders regularly evaluate their practice. However, the current system does not always identify areas for improvement. The partnership with parents is very good. Parents receive good quality information on the setting and the Foundation Stage Curriculum. Parents have good opportunities to share what they know about their child. They are kept well informed of their child's progress and are encouraged to be involved in their learning.

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What is being done well?

• Children are provided with a very good range of resources to promote their understanding of the purpose of writing, such as, invitations, diaries, notepads, postcards etc. • Staff make very good use of child initiated activities to teach. For example, when two children ask for the shells out, staff use the activity for mathematical development and support the children in sorting and counting. They then develop the activity to get the children to look at which group is the largest. • Children's physical development is promoted effectively through a range of activities. Staff plan well to ensure children access large and small equipment regardless of the weather.

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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 • Children's creative development is very good due to staff acknowledging the children's own ideas and suggestions. Staff support children very well in making their own designs. They provide a wide range of tools and resources for children to work out how they might join and assemble in three dimensions. • Parents are provided with good opportunities to be involved in their child's learning. All parents are invited to attend sessions. They are given good information on extending the learning at home. For example, parents are asked to help their children to find objects at home beginning with their letter for the week. Parents are informed that the sound is important and that pig or pen would be good for the letter 'p' but phone would not.

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What needs to be improved?

• the planning and resources to provide opportunities for the older and more able children to use technological resources to support their learning; and to develop an understanding of other peoples cultures and beliefs • the use of daily routines for the older and more able children to manage age appropriate tasks • the system for monitoring and evaluating practice to ensure areas for improvement are effectively identified

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Very good progress has been made since the last inspection. Staff have purchased further resources and introduced effective measures to increase children's use of books both in small groups and individually, which were raised as key issues in the previous inspection report. Children now have access to a wide range of fiction and non-fiction books. Staff have introduced the use of a small table and chairs into the book area, as well as cushions. Children use books in small groups everyday and access books individually for stories and information. This has increased children's use of books and their understanding of their purpose.

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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 show independence in selecting and carrying out activities. They confidently separate from their carers and initiate interaction with others. They are developing good relationships with each other and the staff, and seek others to join them in activities and games. Children are beginning to develop an awareness of boundaries and expectations on behaviour. However, the older and more able children do not regularly manage age appropriate tasks.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children confidently engage in conversation. They ask and respond well to questions; they regularly talk through activities and recall past events. Children regularly link sounds to letters, particularly in their names. They enjoy a wide range of books individually, in small groups and in whole group situations, and handle books appropriately. Children regularly paint and draw, and have regular access to good resources which support them in understanding the purpose of writing.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children use numbers in their play and activities, such as counting the number of dots on the dice to move their counter the corresponding number. They count confidently to five and the older and more able children count beyond ten. Children are beginning to understand the value of groups of objects through good practical activities and use the appropriate vocabulary. They regularly use shape and size through practical activities and daily routines. For example, stacking books in order of size.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children show awareness of changes during well planned activities and are developing a good understanding of the environment, and the natural world. Children regularly design and construct using a variety of resources and techniques to assemble and join. However, the older or more able children do not have sufficient opportunities to use technological resources to support their learning nor are they sufficiently helped to develop an understanding of other peoples 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: Very Good Children move in a range of ways displaying very good balance and control. For example, one child is able to stop on the slide and change position before carrying on. They regularly use a wide range of large and small equipment and are developing good control, such as using scissors to cut a desired shape. Children negotiate the available space well and show respect for other children's space.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children regularly explore a wide range of media and materials through construction, collages and paint. They regularly work creatively in two and three dimensions, and through access to good resources are developing an understanding that media can be combined. Children use props well to support their role play and they play cooperatively on the same theme. Children confidently express their own ideas and respond well to what they see, hear, smell and touch.

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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 challenge the older and more able children, particularly in (i) managing age appropriate tasks (ii) using technological resources to support their learning (iii) to develop an understanding of other peoples cultures and beliefs • improve the system for monitoring and evaluating practice to ensure ongoing improvements.

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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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