Ilford Grammar School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 14/07/2003 Inspector Name Nicola Jayne Pascoe

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Sunny Corner Pre School Setting Address Chynoweth Lane St Hilary Penzance Cornwall TR20 9DR

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of Sunny Corner Pre-school

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Sunny Corner Pre-school Address Chynoweth Lane St. Hilary Penzance Cornwall TR20 9DR

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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

Sunny Corner Pre-School is managed by a committee of parents and opened in 1991. It operates from its own purpose built premises adjacent to St Hilary Primary School. The pre-school has use of two classrooms, a quiet room, kitchen facilities, toilet facilities and an enclosed outdoor play area. The pre-school serves the local area. There are currently 53 children from 2 to 5 years on roll. This includes 23 funded three year olds and 18 funded four year olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The setting supports children who have special needs and children who speak English as an additional language.

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Information about the setting

The group opens five days a week during school term times. Sessions are from 09.00 to 11.30 and 12.45 until 15.15 every day except Wednesday afternoon which is run as a parent and toddler session. Eight part time staff work with the children. Seven have early years qualifications. One member of staff is currently on a training programme. The setting receives support from a teacher/mentor from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership (EYDCP) and is a member of the PLA.

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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?

Sunny Corner pre-school is providing nursery education which is of a good quality overall. Children are making generally good progress towards the early learning goals in personal social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy, mathematical and physical development. In knowledge and understanding of the world and creative development, their progress is very good. The quality of teaching is generally good. Staff have a good understanding of the early learning goals. They are all actively involved in the planning and delivery of the curriculum, offering children a wide range of worthwhile activities. Children have good opportunities to explore their environment and the wider world, they have use of a wide range of materials which are used imaginatively to develop their creativity. In particular, children who have special educational needs (SEN) and English as an additional language (EAL) are supported well. However, children of all ages and

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How effective is the nursery education?

abilities are not sufficiently challenged in order to develop their reading and writing skills, there are few opportunities to explore maths through free play and to develop an understanding of people with disabilities. Children's assessments are not used effectively to plan to meet their individual needs. Staff set good examples and use positive and age appropriate methods to promote high standards of behaviour. The pre-school is led and managed well. The staff and committee work well as a team, they share responsibilities, staff are committed to attending further training. They are working towards accreditation for Quality Standards with the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership (EYDCP). They welcome support from the EYDCP and the Pre-school Learning Alliance (PLA). The partnership with parents is very good. Staff provide good levels of information for parents, in a variety of appropriate ways. They welcome and encourage parents

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How effective is the nursery education?

to take an active role in their child's learning.

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What is being done well?

• Children are making very good progress in knowledge and understanding of the world, they enjoy opportunities to explore their own environment and the wider world. • Children enjoy good opportunities to develop mathematical skills, through an interesting and diverse range of planned activities. • Staff show commitment to providing children with high standards of care and education, they attend regular training are working towards accreditation for quality assurance. • Staff provide good levels of information for parents and actively encourage their involvement in their child's learning.

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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 • Leadership and management is good, the committee are involved and supportive, all share responsibilities and are aware of their particular role. • There are a good range of resources which provide opportunities for children to develop their creativity. • Staff and children have strong and trusting relationships, children are confident, well behaved and show good levels of independence.

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What needs to be improved?

• opportunities for children to develop an awareness of people with disabilities; • support for all children to develop their reading and writing skills; • the use of books for reference and personal enjoyment; • opportunities for children to compare numbers and begin to explore addition and subtraction; • use of children's assessments to plan to meet their differing needs, through future planned activities.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Progress since the last inspection has been very good. The previous inspection identified a weakness in the resources available and the planning, to promote physical development. Staff have improved the outdoor play area, purchased a range of outdoor equipment and have planned a good programme of opportunities for children to enjoy physical activity on a regular basis.

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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: Generally Good Children and staff have developed strong relationships. Children display good levels of behaviour, they are kind and considerate to others. They show good levels of independence, they share and take-turns, they listen attentively and are interested and involved. Children have developed a good understanding of different cultures and beliefs, however, children do not have sufficient opportunities to develop a positive awareness and understanding of people with disabilities.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children are confident to express themselves and participate actively at circle-time and during role-play. They have opportunities to use writing materials and are keen to use these during role-play. They enjoy books during large group story-time, but children do not receive sufficient adult support in order to develop their reading and writing skills. They do not use books freely for their own enjoyment or for reference.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children enjoy good opportunities to develop mathematical skills, through an interesting and diverse range of planned activities. They benefit from the range of resources available both indoors and out, which are well used to support this area of learning. Children do not however, have sufficient opportunities to compare numbers and to begin to relate addition to combining groups or objects. There are few opportunities for children to explore mathematics through free-play.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children enjoy good opportunities to explore their own environment and the wider world. They make good use of their senses to experience an interesting range of objects on the display table. They have grown flowers and vegetables in the pre-school garden.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children enjoy a good range of opportunities to develop gross and fine motor skills, through planned activities, both indoors and out. They benefit from a good range of resources. Children move with confidence and show good levels of coordination. However, staff do not encourage children to access drinking water, there are missed opportunities to develop children's awareness and understanding of their health.

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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 Children are actively involved in a wide range of creative activities. They have good opportunities to use their imagination and are skilful in their use of an interesting and suitable range of tools and materials. All children have opportunities to express their ideas freely and through a variety of interesting ways, both individually and as part of a group.

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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

• provide opportunities for children to develop an awareness of people with disabilities. • offer support for all children to develop their reading and writing skills. • develop the use of books for reference and for personal enjoyment. • plan opportunities for children to compare numbers and begin to explore addition and subtraction. • use children's assessments to plan to meet their differing needs, through future planned activities.

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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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