Broadway Playschool

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 10/03/2005 Inspector Name Emma Davies

p.1

SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Broadway Playgroup Setting Address United Reformed Church Hall High Street, Broadway Evesham Worcester

p.1

REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of Towerview Committee

p.1

ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Towerview Committee Address 24 Sandscroft Avenue Broadway Worcestershire WR12 7EL

p.1

ORGANISATION DETAILS

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

p.1

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.

p.2

Information about the setting

Broadway Playgroup is one of two groups run by a joint committee. It has been established for over 30 years and operates from the church hall of the United Reform Church in the village of Broadway near Evesham. A maximum of 20 children may attend the playgroup at any one time. The playgroup is open each weekday from 09:00 to 14:45 term time only. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area. There are currently 20 children aged from 2 years 6 months to under 5 years on roll. Of these, 14 children receive funding for nursery education. Children come from the local and surrounding areas. The playgroup supports children with special educational needs, and also children who speak English as an additional language. The playgroup employs ten staff in total, with three staff per session. Five of the staff, including the manager, are qualified to level 3 or above. Three members of staff are working towards a qualification.

p.2

Information about the setting

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

p.2

How effective is the nursery education?

Provision of nursery education at Broadway Playgroup is acceptable and of good quality overall. Children are making very good progress towards the early learning goals in communication, language and literacy, knowledge and understanding of the world, creative development and physical development and generally good progress in personal, social and emotional development and mathematical development.

p.3

How effective is the nursery education?

The quality of teaching is generally good. Children behave very well because staff set clear, consistent guidelines. Staff are enthusiastic and get involved in the children's play, questioning sensitively and developing language and ideas. Time and resources are used effectively with a good balance between free play and directed activities and working inside and out. However, unclear deployment of staff sometimes results in children feeling insecure. Staff have good knowledge and understanding of the early learning goals which is reflected in planning although children's learning about number and problem solving does not always come through in practical activities and routines. Leadership and management are generally good. Less experienced staff are encouraged and supported, but sometimes lack clear direction. Training needs are identified and staff access courses. Self-assessment is effective and the setting has

p.3

How effective is the nursery education?

a clear vision of how the two premises, this and a linked pre-school, will work as one pre-school. The setting is committed to the improvement of the care and education for all the children. Partnership with parents is very good. Parents are provided with good-quality information about how their children learn through the stepping stones of the Foundation Stage. They are well informed about their children's achievements and progress. The setting is preparing a CD for every family to demonstrate how each child is learning in pre-school. Parents are invited in to be involved with their children's learning.

p.3

What is being done well?

• Good emphasis is given for children to learn independence and to choose activities and materials to develop their own ideas. Staff respect children's initiatives and celebrate their achievements. • Staff are very involved in the children's imaginative play. Animated and enthusiastic staff encourage the children to develop language and give good support for them to express their own ideas. • Creativity is very well supported. Many opportunities are provided for children to learn skills and use them imaginatively in their own way. Children sing and move spontaneously to music.

p.3

What is being done well?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 • The setting has effective planning and assessment documents that support good practice. Staff know the children well and identify their individual learning needs.

p.3

What needs to be improved?

• the use of staff knowledge and understanding of the stepping stones to support, encourage and extend children to think and talk mathematically in their play • deployment and direction of staff to ensure consistent support for all children

p.4

What has improved since the last inspection?

Very good progress has been made in updated planning and assessment. Long term plans ensure that children learn consistently through the stepping stones of the Foundation Stage. Topic and weekly plans show details of what children will be learning through the activities. Staff make regular written observations of children's progress. These are used to inform an individual learning plan identifying the next stage for each child.

p.4

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

p.4

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children demonstrate growing confidence and self-esteem using activities that encourage development of their personal and social skills. They are making good relationships with each other and with staff. Staff give clear and consistent guidelines to behaviour and children are learning to consider the consequence of their words and actions. Children are learning personal independence and are able to work independently although support for new children is sometimes inconsistent.

p.5

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children are progressing very well in using language for communication and for developing thinking. Staff continually engage the children in conversation, rewording what they say, questioning sensitively to promote ideas and thought and adding in new vocabulary. The children get very involved in an excellent story time, joining in with familiar phrases, contributing ideas and learning about print and reading. Children learn a new letter sound each week. They are beginning to write their names.

p.5

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good The environment has good displays for children to count and become familiar with numerals and shapes although children do not freely use mathematical ideas and language in their daily routines and self-initiated play. Children count and compare numbers in directed group activities and they are encouraged to recreate patterns and to explore position size and quantity.

p.5

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children are given very many good opportunities to explore and investigate with paint, dough and a range of materials and equipment indoors and out. They use their senses in messy play and cooking. They make telephones and drums, cutting and sticking and experiment with sound. Good opportunities are planned for children to find out why and how things happen. In role play they explore and develop understanding of their everyday experiences supported by enthusiastic and responsive staff.

p.5

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

p.5

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are developing very good control using large body movements climbing, sliding and riding on wheeled toys. They have excellent opportunities to safely develop skills using tools to plant, cook and construct and build. They enjoy moving creatively to music. They make and play musical instruments, following instructions to start and stop, and play quickly and slowly. Good support is given for them to learn about their bodies and staying healthy.

p.6

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are given excellent support to develop creativity through art and craft, music and imagination. Many exciting activities and good provision of time motivate the children to explore colour, texture, shape and music. Creative activities are planned that involve all the senses. Children enjoy moving to music encouraged by staff who join in happily. Children use their imaginations in role play and stories and are developing confidence in developing their own ideas.

p.6

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

p.6

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.

p.7

WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT: THE KEY ISSUES

• make better use of the staff's knowledge and understanding of mathematical development to support the children's learning by extending and encouraging them to think and talk mathematically in their play. • deploy and direct staff to ensure that there is consistent support for all children at all times.

p.7

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.

p.7

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

p.7