Moira Pre-School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 20/10/2004 Inspector Name Lynne Moodie

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Moira Pre-School Setting Address Village Hall Ashby Road, Moira Swadlincote Derbyshire DE12 6DP

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Moira Pre-School Address Village Hall Ashby Road, Moira Swadlincote Derbyshire DE12 6DP

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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

Moira Pre-school formed in September 2004 and replaces Moira Playgroup which opened in 1973. The change of name reflects the pre-school's intention to accept government funding and to teach the foundation stage curriculum. It continues to be run from the village hall with the same members of staff as previously. The pre-school is administered by a management committee. It has use of the main hall, kitchen, toilets and an enclosed outdoor area. It serves the local area and surrounding villages. There are currently 25 children from two-and-a-half to five years of age attending the pre-school. Of these, nine three-year-old and two four-year-old-children are in receipt of funding. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are at present no children attending the pre-school who have special educational needs or who have English as an additional language. The setting is open each weekday morning during school term times. Sessions are

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Information about the setting

from 9:30am until 12.00noon. There are four members of staff who work with all the children. The role of supervisor is shared by two staff. Three members of staff are presently working towards NVQ qualifications in early years development. One of these is working towards level two and two are working towards level three. The fourth member of staff is training to become the special needs coordinator but is otherwise unqualified. The setting benefits from the support of Leicestershire Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership.

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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?

Moira Pre-school provides a welcoming environment in which children are making generally good progress towards the early learning goals. In the areas of personal, social and emotional development and physical and creative development the progress they are making is very good. The quality of teaching is generally good. The staff know the children well and are able to extend their learning through good use of questioning, although not all staff are sufficiently secure in their knowledge of the early learning goals. Assessment of children's progress and attainment is made regularly, however these assessments do not include information collected from parents nor do they sufficiently inform the planning for the next steps for children's learning according to individual needs. Staff do not sufficiently plan for children’s progress towards all aspects of the early learning goals, neither do they monitor children’s spontaneous achievements in

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How effective is the nursery education?

order to plan for next steps. When the children are in small groups the staff manage them very well, their behaviour is less consistent when in larger groups and the activities not suitable for all children. Leadership and management are generally good. Staff plan the curriculum together and a supervisor ensures that all early learning goals are covered. A new system is in place to monitor and evaluate the provision for education, which are discussed at weekly meetings. The leaders' vision is that all children should make the best possible progress towards the early learning goals. The partnership with parents is generally good. Parents appreciate the warm and friendly attitude of the staff. They are given good quality information about the setting's provision in the prospectus. The newsletter gives ideas for activities parents could do with their children to enhance their learning. They are not however,

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How effective is the nursery education?

proactively encouraged to join in with the pre-school's routines and activities on a regular basis.

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What is being done well?

• The staff planning of the curriculum covers all six areas of learning and is particularly effective in personal, social and emotional development and physical development. • The staff are skilled in asking questions to extend the children’s learning through daily routines and activities. • The staff know the children very well and foster their self-esteem and confidence through planned and informal activities.

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What needs to be improved?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 • opportunities for children to routinely see positive images of people from other cultures and beliefs or those with different abilities • opportunities to use information technology to support learning • the use of time and resources for both adult planned activities in appropriately sized groups and children’s spontaneous learning to ensure they make maximum progress towards the early learning goals • the staff's knowledge and understanding of the early learning goals • the use of assessment to inform the planning of the next stage of children's learning.

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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 eager to learn through the provision of exciting activities. They are developing independence when putting on their own coats, blowing their own noses and washing their hands before eating their snack. Through taking turns and sharing equipment children are learning to form good relationships with their peers. There are at present too few opportunities for them to routinely see positive images of people from other cultures and beliefs or those with different abilities.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children develop language for communication through being encouraged to talk about their activities in answer to staff's questions. They enjoy stories and singing songs and extend their vocabulary by talking about items used in their topic such as 'wheat' and 'harvest'. Through the use of role-play they develop language for thinking and imagination. Ineffective use of available resources restricts children’s progress in early reading and writing.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children count during routine activities and sing songs such as ‘Five Speckled Frogs’. Older children play number games, looking carefully at the number of bees and teddies on their cards. Opportunities for calculation through addition and subtraction are missed, for example at snack time. The staff's reliance upon teaching through informal activities means that children's progress is not always consistent.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children explore and investigate through looking carefully at the leaves they collect during walks. They use hand lenses and talk about similarities, patterns and change. They use their senses when making make bread. They smell, feel and taste their bread before toasting it and discuss the differences. They become aware of their own and other cultures through learning about Diwali and Christmas. Children do not regularly use everyday technology to support their learning.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Through using the large climbing frame, large wheeled toys and the trampoline they are able to move imaginatively and in safety. The children enjoy using the large, soft equipment to crawl through tunnels and jump into the ball pool. They become aware of the importance of their own health by eating fruit at snack time and wrapping up warmly before going outside. They use large and small games and puzzles and build with differently sized construction blocks.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

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

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Through activities such as making pictures using rice, fabric, straw, cotton wool and card the children are encouraged to explore texture in two and three dimensions. They mix paint to explore colour and make pictures using their hands and fruit for printing. They dance with scarves, sometimes accompanying themselves on musical instruments such as drums, shakers and tambourines. At present there are too few planned opportunities for children to investigate how sounds can be repeated and changed.

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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

• improve the use of time and resources so that there is a balance between activities directed by the staff and those chosen by the children, ensuring that they are taught all the early learning goals in appropriately-sized groups • ensure that the present comprehensive system of assessment includes information gathered from parents, informs the planning for teaching the next steps of children's learning and guides the organisation of group size according to children’s individual needs, skills and experience • ensure that all staff are confident and secure in their knowledge and understanding of the early learning goals.

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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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