Marsh Lane Under 5's

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 24/03/2003 Inspector Name Alison Edwards

p.1

SETTING DETAILS

Setting Name Marsh Lane Under 5's Setting Address Marsh Lane Community Centre Eckington Derbyshire

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

Marsh Lane Under 5's opened in 1992 and is registered to provide sessional day care to 25 children between two and five-years-old. It is a committee-run group and serves the village of Marsh Lane and neighbouring communities. It offers funded nursery education to three- and four-year-olds, and has support from the Derbyshire Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership. There are currently 38 children on roll of whom 12 are funded three-year-olds and 6 are funded four-year-olds. No children currently attend with English as an additional language or with identified special educational needs. The pre-school operates from the village hall situated on a main road through the village and has use of the main hall, kitchen and toilets. Children do not use the outdoor area. The pre-school opens five mornings a week during term times from 9.30 a.m. to 12.00 noon. Children attend a variety of sessions. There is an associated parent and toddler group which operates on

p.2

Information about the setting

Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9.45 to 11.45 a.m. at Green Lawn Community Hall, Marsh Lane. Five childcare staff are employed at the pre-school, three of whom hold recognised early years qualifications at Level 3 and one of whom is working towards a Level 3 qualification. The pre-school also operates a parent rota system.

p.2

How effective is the nursery education?

Marsh Lane Under Fives provides good quality nursery education where a stimulating environment offers children a good range of interesting activities to enable them to make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. Teaching is generally good. Staff generally use time and resources well to support children's learning, although effective teaching strategies are not always used to manage children's behaviour during circle time. Long and medium-term planning effectively supports balanced coverage across most areas of learning. A systematic assessment procedure is in use, although this is not yet effectively linked to short-term planning to ensure activities and teaching strategies meet children's individual learning needs. Leadership and management are generally good. Roles of committee and staff are clearly defined, with structured and informal opportunities to share information. Staff are committed to further professional training and work well

p.3

How effective is the nursery education?

together as a team to create a secure and relaxed environment for children. Although systems to evaluate the success of activities and teaching strategies have been introduced, these are not yet used consistently to develop best practice The partnership with parents is generally good. Parents can contribute to the group through membership of the management committee, and value the chance to be directly involved in their children's learning through a rota system. Parents are encouraged to settle their children by shared reading at the start of the morning, providing useful informal opportunities to talk with staff. However there are some missed opportunities to share information with parents about the foundation stage and children's progress.

p.3

What is being done well?

Children's knowledge and understanding of the world is promoted very well with well-planned opportunities to explore and investigate their environment and good opportunities for children to develop confidence in use of information technology Provision of a welcoming atmosphere in which parents' involvement in their children's learning is actively encouraged Staff show strong commitment to continuing professional development and work effectively together as a team and with the management committee A stable and relaxed environment helps children develop confident relationships and enthusiasm for learning Staff make good use of available space and resources to promote children's learning and independent self-care skills

p.3

What needs to be improved?

use of assessment to inform short-term planning to ensure activities and teaching strategies meet children's individual learning needs, and that parents have ready access to clear information about their children's progress. effective use of daily routines and planned activities to consolidate and extend number recognition and practical calculation teaching strategies during group time to promote listening opportunities for outdoor physical play

p.3

What has improved since the last inspection?

The setting has made generally good progress since the last inspection. It now makes effective use of available resources and accommodation to provide stimulating activities, promote children's co-operation and involvement, and offer children opportunities for choice, creativity and independence. Children now have regular planned opportunities to practice mark-making and writing skills and recognise letters, names and other words. Planning now directly links to areas of learning to identify what children are intended to learn. Systems are in place to evaluate the success of activities and teaching strategies, and to assess children's progress, but these are not yet used to full effect in short-term planning to ensure children's individual learning needs are met.

p.4

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Staff help children separate confidently from their carers and to develop secure relationships in the group. Daily routines encourage children's independent self-care skills and offer them opportunities for choice. Children show enthusiasm and sustained interest in most activities although staff do not set clear expectations for behaviour in circle time. Well-planned role-play activities help children develop their imagination and ability to co-operate.

p.5

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Well-chosen stories and adult encouragement to use a well-stocked book corner promote children's enjoyment of books and stories, and captions and name cards also help children understand print. Children confidently talk about their ideas and experiences, but do not always listen well to others in a group. There are now useful planned opportunities for mark-making leading to letter formation skills, but some missed opportunities to encourage children to write independently for a purpose .

p.5

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children have many worthwhile opportunities to explore shape, space and measurement through activities such as construction, cooking and pattern making. They use rhymes and worksheets to count and compare numbers under 10, but daily routines and planned activities are not used effectively to help children consolidate and extend their skills in number recognition and practical calculation

p.5

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children enjoy many activities to help them explore and investigate materials and living things. Staff make effective use of topic-based learning to help children learn about the environment and different cultures and lifestyles. There are well-planned opportunities for children to learn about design and construction techniques and to handle a variety of simple tools and equipment. Children are confident in using simple computer programmes.

p.5

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Varied indoor activities help children develop confidence in movement and use of large equipment, and give many opportunities to develop hand-eye co-ordination through use of items such as sieves and funnels as well as mark-making and threading activities. A healthy range of snacks and varied cooking activities promotes healthy eating. However there are few opportunities for children to experience outdoor play and some missed opportunities to provide challenge for more able children.

p.5

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Planned activities introduce a good range of art and craft materials and creative techniques although there are some missed opportunities to actively encourage children to extend and develop their own creative skills and ideas. Adults support role-play well to help children develop co-operative imaginative play to act out a narrative. There are regular planned opportunities for children to enjoy music of varying kinds.

p.6

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

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

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

Develop use of assessment to inform short-term planning to ensure activities and teaching strategies effectively meet children's individual learning needs, and to promote information share with parents Provide more opportunities for children to develop number recognition and practical calculation skills through daily routines and planned activities Review ways to provide more outdoor activities to promote children's physical development

p.7