St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Poole

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 20/05/2004 Inspector Name Barbara Christie

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Willowdene Nursery School Setting Address 1 Tangmere Road Tangmere Chichester West Sussex PO20 6HW

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REGISTERED PROVIDER 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

Willowdene Nursery School was first registered in 1990 by West Sussex County Council and was re registered in 1992 under the Children Act 1989. The facility is set in a purpose built building and consists of several rooms on two floors, including a large hall. Use is made of the fully enclosed gardens which are paved and grassed offering safe outside play areas. All but one of the fourteen staff hold at least a level NVQ 3 qualification. The Nursery is in receipt of nursery education funding for 3 and 4 year old children. The facility is open from 08:00 until 18:00 and is currently registered for 60 children. Teacher support is received from the Early Years Department.

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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 for nursery education at Willowdene Nursery School is of high quality overall which enables children are making very good progress towards the early learning goals. The quality of teaching is very good. It is of a high standard and has a very positive impact on children's learning. Staff plan very well to provide interesting and stimulating activities that effectively promotes learning across each of the six areas of learning. Clear goals and boundaries relating to expectations in the group are set and behaviour is very good. Children are confident and independently select from a wide range of good resources. Listening skills are developing very well and children demonstrate a wide vocabulary. All children recognise, and most are able to write their own names and other familiar words. Staff provide stimulating activities for children to take part in counting, recognition of numbers, problem solving and simple

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How effective is the nursery education?

forms of addition and subtraction. Arrangements are in place for children with special educational needs. Provision to extend learning for the children who finish before others is good. Assessment of children's progress is detailed and sufficient.

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How effective is the nursery education?

Leadership and Management are very good. Meetings are held to discuss planning and to ensure a balanced programme of learning; informal discussion at the start and end of each session is used to evaluate activities. Staff training needs are supported well. Partnership with parents and carers is very good. Relationships are well established and are effective in forming secure partnerships. Parents and carers are well informed of the educational provision in the group, and they are informed verbally of progress and attainment. Although methods to share formal recordings of assessment have not been explored.

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What is being done well?

• Staff plan well to ensure that children are able to take part in a wide range of stimulating activities that promote each of the six areas of learning very well. • Staff give appropriate praise and encouragement, increasing children's confidence and self-estem. • Clear goals and boundaries are set with regards to expectations in the group. Children's behaviour is very good at all times. • There is a happy ethos created by kind caring staff, all children are valued, treated equally and with respect. • Effective and appropriate questioning extends the children's vocabulary and all aspects of mathematics very well, enabling children to build on what they

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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 already know and understand. • Children have easy access to and are able to select from a wide range of very good quality educational resources, which are used effectively to enable children to explore ideas and investigate change.

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What needs to be improved?

• ways in which formal recordings of assessment can be shared with parents at appropriate intervals throughout the year.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Four key issues were raised relating to: extending opportunities for communication language and literacy and mathematics; to expand recording of progress and achievement and to use outcomes to inform planning and to improve the quality of information given to parents. Very good progress has been made in implementing the action plan to address these issues. The programmes for all aspects of communication, language and literacy and mathematics are very good and included throughout the sessions. Recording of progress is very good and outcomes are used to inform planning. Parents are given adequate and appropriate information about the educational provision.

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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 work well in all group activities, they are interested and eager to join in. Staff discuss right and wrong to increase children's awareness of the needs of others; planned activities extend this well. Children listen well to directions and instructions, they accept the goals and boundaries set, and behaviour is very good. They have very good opportunities to select from a wide range of resources. Skills of independence are encouraged and are developing well.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children listen well; they are interested in stories and topics, and confidently discuss families and events. Children's vocabulary is good, they express their own ideas to extend meaning; appropriate questioning increases learning effectively. Children know alphabet letters and sounds of letters. Reading and writing skills are developing well, tools and materials are easy to access and are used effectively throughout the session.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children have high quality and well planned activities to increase all aspects of mathematical learning, with appropriate questioning to extend language. They have very good opportunities to develop counting skills and recognition of numbers. The resources are of very good educational value; every day items are used very well to ensure that mathematical learning is interesting and stimulating for all children in the group.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children have very good opportunities to explore and investigate changes, for example, observing growth of plant life. Resources enable children to look closely at patterns. They have very good opportunities to design cards and books and very good access to a range of technology. Construction toys are used well to build towers. There are very good and appropriate activities and group discussions to talk about families and changes in the environment, linked to the topic of shopping and fruit.

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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 with confidence and staff reinforce awareness of space to ensure safety. In the outdoor area they have access to a range of apparatus to promote large movement. Children are confident, and skills of coordination are developing well. Children are aware of the need for personal hygiene to prevent the spread of germs, and sun protection during outdoor play. They have easy access to a good range of small equipment; small hand movements and skills of manipulation are increasing well.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children have good opportunities to select from a range of natural and man-made materials, with interesting opportunities to explore colour. Children choose freely and are encouraged to use their own ideas in art and craft. Staff support well and plan activities that extend learning effectively. Singing is a regular feature, and musical instruments are easy to access. Children make good use of the home corner, they have regular access to dressing up clothes and imagination is stimulated well.

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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: • Points for consideration: • consider how the outcomes of assessment can be summarised so that parents can formally review their child's progress and attainment throughout their time in pre-school.

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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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