The Sir Donald Bailey Academy

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 28/02/2005 Inspector Name Patricia Joan Latham

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Shenley Church End Pre-School Setting Address Burchard Crescent Shenley Church End Milton Keynes Buckinghamshire MK5 6HF

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of Shenley Church End Pre-School 1045109

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Shenley Church End Pre-School Address Burchard Crescent Shenley Church End Milton Keynes Buckinghamshire MK5 6HF

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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

Shenley Church End Pre-School opened in its present location in 1994. It operates from a community hall attached to Shenley Church End Leisure Centre in Milton Keynes. A maximum of 30 children may attend the pre-school at any one time. The group is open each weekday from 09.15 to 11.45 and from 12.15 to 14.45 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. There are currently 60 children aged from 3 to under 5 years on roll. Of these, 59 children receive funding for nursery education. Children come from the local and surrounding areas. The pre-school currently supports a number of children with special educational needs. The pre-school employs eight staff, of whom three have appropriate early years qualifications and two are working towards a qualification.

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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?

Shenley Church End Pre-School provides high quality nursery education overall, which enables children to make very good progress towards the early learning goals The quality of teaching is very good. Staff have a good understanding of the early learning goals and the Foundation Stage stepping stones, and provide activities for all areas and aspects of learning. Interesting themes link activities and stimulate children's learning. Staff plan a balanced range of small and large group activities and use time wisely to maximise children's learning. They deploy themselves effectively to support all children well and challenge children who are more able appropriately. There is good liaison with other professionals to ensure children's individual needs are met. Staff manage children's behaviour calmly and consistently enabling them to make good relationships. Children's attainment is recorded regularly and used to inform planning, but recordings do not clearly indicate ongoing

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How effective is the nursery education?

progress through the stepping stones. The leadership and management of the pre-school are very good. Staff meet regularly to plan the curriculum and follow an agreed operational plan. They set learning intentions for activities and plan well in advance, evaluate focused activities, and make good use of local resources to maximise children's learning. They undertake training and take effective measures to improve the provision. Partnership with parents is very good. They are given good information regarding the educational provision through regular newsletters and the notice board. Open sessions are arranged throughout the year when parents can discuss progress and speak with key workers. Parents can view their children's records at any time and staff are available each session to discuss any concerns. Parents are invited to help at sessions and are encouraged to support children's learning at home.

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What is being done well?

• Planning is effective in ensuring a balanced curriculum is offered covering all areas of learning. Activity plans have clear learning intentions and indicate how these can be adapted for differing learning needs. They are evaluated regularly and the evaluations used to plan and adapt future activities. • Staff manage children's behaviour well. There are clear expectations and group rules are consistently followed. Children are encouraged to sit quietly and listen carefully in group activities. They share resources, taking turns and helping each other when working together on the computer. • Staff use time spent in group activities wisely to re-enforce learning. Whilst lining up to wash hands before lunch children count the number of boys and girls present and calculate which line has more. During snack time children practise recognising their own name and, whilst waiting for everyone to finish,

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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 choose songs to sing. • Staff make good use of community resources to maximise children's learning. Children receive visits from the librarian and police to learn about people who help them, they visit the local school, and the reception class teacher visits the group to meet those entering her class. Each week the children take part in physical education and dance activities organised by staff at the leisure centre next door. • Children are encouraged to learn how to use basic technical resources to support their learning. They have regular use of a computer, use a pencil sharpener and hole punch at the writing table and use headphones when listening to sound tapes.

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What needs to be improved?

• the observational recordings of children's attainment so that ongoing progress through the Foundation stage stepping stones are clearly indicated.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Very good progress has been made overall since last inspection. Staff have further developed the written curriculum planning and the observational recordings of children’s attainment, and have increased the availability of construction resources, which were key issues raised in the previous inspection report. Written plans detail learning objectives for all activities and are evaluated regularly to inform future planning. Construction resources, such as building blocks, Lego and a train track, are regularly available to enable children to develop building and design skills. Staff make observational recordings of children's attainment and monitor progress across all areas of learning. However, recordings do not clearly identify ongoing progress through the Foundation Stage stepping stones.

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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 very eager and enthusiastic to do activities. They are confident when attempting tasks and are developing self-esteem, proudly undertaking responsibility for collecting name cards or singing to the group. Children concentrate and persevere, completing tasks carefully. They are making good relationships, playing well together and understanding group rules. They demonstrate personal independence and show a concern for others.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children use language well to communicate, describing events to each other and expressing ideas. They are confident about linking sound and shapes of letters, listing words beginning with the same letter. They recognise their own name at snack time and enjoy using books and listening to stories. Children practise emergent writing, drawing circles and lines whilst writing the 'restaurant' orders and reservations down. The more able are forming letters correctly.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are confident about counting and recognising numbers. They are beginning to have an understanding of number operation and enjoy doing number songs. Children can recognise and name shapes, sort and match by size colour and number, and recreate pattern. They use mathematical language appropriately and are gaining an understanding of measure, for example, weighing ingredients when doing cooking activities.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children explore and examine features of the world and the environment, observing the weather and discussing the effects of oil slicks on animals. They can operate simple technical equipment and design and construct using differing materials. Children have an understanding of time, discussing past and forthcoming events with each other, and have an interest in their surroundings. Children have an awareness of their own cultural beliefs and those of others.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Through regularly planned activities children are gaining control and co-ordination of their bodies. They can run, jump and balance, and use space around them wisely. Children steer toy bikes during outside play and accurately throw a beanbag onto a number during hopscotch. They use large and small equipment and tools with safety and accuracy, pouring from containers and using scissors. They have awareness of how their bodies grow and keep healthy.

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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 use their imagination in art, dance and music. They explore colour and differing mediums. Children mix paint to make new colours and enjoy feeling corn flour when it is mixed with water. They enjoy singing favourite songs and enthusiastically take part in role play, taking orders, cooking meals and serving food in their Chinese restaurant. They are able to express their emotions and are developing the use of their senses to distinguish and describe things.

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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 high quality. Children are making very 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

There are no significant weaknesses to report, but considerations should be given to improving the following: • There are no significant weaknesses to report, but consideration should be given to improving the following: • how observational recordings of children's attainment can be linked more closely into the Foundation Stage stepping stones so that ongoing progress can be easily identified through all aspects of learning.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT

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

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

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