Tiny Gems Nursery

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 20/11/2002 Inspector Name Fiona Stephenson

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SETTING DETAILS

Setting Name Tiny Gems Nursery II Setting Address 2 Ambassador Road Leicester Leicestershire

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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

Tiny Gems 11 is a private nursery, registered to provide full day care for 24 children under 8 years of age. It has been registered since 1994 and is situated on the outskirts of the City. The nursery is open; Monday to Friday from 8.00am to 5.30pm. The nursery has 3 care rooms which are organised to cater for children of differing age ranges. All children aged three years and over, including children in receipt of funded nursery education, are cared for in the 'Disney room'. There are currently five funded children; three funded three year olds, and two funded four year olds. Three of the funded children have English as an additional language. There are currently no children attending the nursery who have special educational needs. The nursery receives teaching support from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership who are working closely with staff to develop their understanding of the

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How effective is the nursery education?

Overall progress made towards the early learning goals is generally good, however, there are significant weakness in two areas of learning. Quality of teaching is generally good. Staff are enthusiastic and have a growing awareness of the Early Learning Goals. They are keen to progress in their development. There are good structures in place to plan the curriculum, observe and evaluate children's progress. However, curriculm plans do not clearly identify the aim of the activity in relation to the early learning goals, thereby limiting the effectiveness of any evaluation of children's progress. Staff are at times overly directive with children. Leadership and managment is generally good. The managers are working with staff to support their learning of the early learning goals through training programmes and support from the foundation stage teachers. Partnership with parents is generally good. Good information systems are in place for staff to feedback to parents on the work children

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How effective is the nursery education?

are undertaking towards the Early Learning Goals.

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What is being done well?

Children's personal,social and emotional development is good. Children are confident, interested and motivated to learn. Their behaviour is excellent. Children's physical development is good. They learn to move confidently with control and co-ordination; and use a wide range of equipment, tools, and materials. Children's communication, language and literacy is good. Staff are working well in extending children's vocabulary by introducing new words with new topics. Children's moral, spiritual and cultural development is being fostered well. Partnership between the setting and parents is good. Children's awareness of cultures and beliefs of others is good.

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What needs to be improved?

Learning opportunities to extend children's creativity and imagination. Learning opportunities to extend learning in comparison of shape, size, quantity and position; and in mathematical problem solving.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Children are provided with more opportunities to write for a purpose by providing mark making materials, books and other literature in play situations. Staff are continuing to develop skills in language and literacy using books to teach an association of sounds with words, letters and rhymes. Children's learning in some areas continues to be limited due staff being overly directive.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children's progress in this area is generally good. Children are confident in themselves, are able to voice opinions and are motivated to learn. Children form good relationships with their peers and adults. Staff are overly directive in some activities and miss opportunities to extend children's learning by limiting self exploration and expression.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children's progress in communication, language and literacy is generally good. Children are making good progress with speech, listening, pre-reading and writing skills. Children have limited opportunities during routine activities such as breaks to develop language for thinking.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Significant Weaknesses Children's progress in mathematical development has significant weaknesses. Children count and recognise numerals. They have a growing awareness of shape and can use language to describe shape. There are insufficient opportunities to develop mathematical methods to solve practical problems or to develop mathematical ideas. There are limited opportunities for children to learn to compare shape, position, size and quantity.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children's progress in knowledge and understanding of the world is generally good. Children make good use of the computer to support learning. Children are beginning to understand about culture and belief through the celebration of a variety of festivals.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children's progress in physical development is generally good. Children are able to move confidently and in safety. They move with control and co-ordination and are able to show awareness of space, of themselves and others. They handle tools and materials with increasing control. Children do not have sufficient opportunities to move imaginatively. Children have limited opportunities to extend health and bodily awareness.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Significant Weaknesses Children's progress in Creative Development has significant weaknesses. Children participate in activities to explore texture, shape, form and space in two or three dimensions. They are confident in activities involving singing simple songs from memory. Children have limited opportunity to develop their own creativity and use their imagination. Children are not given sufficient opportunity to respond to experiences and express and communicate ideas.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

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

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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

Key Issues: 1. Further develop curriculum planning to ensure staff are clear about learning objectives, and individual assessment of children is used to inform the plans. 2.Promote creative development so that children are encouraged to express ideas and use their imagination. 3. Increase children's understanding of mathematics giving special attention to calculation, space, shape and measure, and problem solving. 4.Improve teaching methods to ensure there is an appropriate balance between adult led and child initiated activities.

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