Arts and Media School Islington

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 28/06/2004 Inspector Name Alison Joan Wadley

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name The Gower School Setting Address 18 North Road London N7 9EY

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name The Gower Schools Limited Address The Gower School 18 North Road London N7 9EY

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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

The Gower School is a privately run organisation that opened in 2000. It operates from a large two storey building, situated near to Caledonian Road tube station in the London Borough of Islington. The school is self contained and has access to eight classrooms, office, kitchen, staff room, laundry room, music room, reception areas, staff and children's toilet facilities; including a disabled toilet and a fully enclosed outside play area. The setting serves the local community and beyond. There are currently 108 children on roll aged from 3 months to 7 years, of whom many attend a variety of sessions each week. This includes 12 funded three year olds and 12 funded four year olds. The school currently has 3 children attending who speak English as an additional language and at present they do not have any children attending with special educational needs. The group opens five days a week during term time for 48 weeks of the year.

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Information about the setting

Sessions are from 08:00 to 18:30 hours. Twenty three full time staff work directly with the children, of whom 11 staff hold recognised childcare qualifications, ranging from Montessori, NNEB's, Midwifery and NVQ level 2 and 3. Five staff are currently training towards the NVQ level 3. The setting receives support from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership. The school uses the Montessori method of teaching combined with traditional early years practices. The setting is midway through the Islington Quality Kitemark, an Investors in Children accreditted quality assurance scheme.

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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?

The education offered at The Gower School is generally good with some very good aspects. The quality of teaching is generally good and staff work well as a team. Staff's aim of integrating the early learning goals with the Montessori curriculum generally works well. They demonstrate a good understanding of the early learning goals and offer a stimulating and challenging environment for the children. The Montessori methods demonstrate a clear progression of learning and the children are encouraged to choose and to learn at their own pace. Written plans and assessments of the children's ability; whilst generally well used, do not consolidate the information from both curriculum objectives and opportunities for learning, for example, through role play or at the sand area are sometimes missed as a result. Staff work well as a team and pool their knowledge and experience to support children's learning. They offer good support for the younger three year olds and

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How effective is the nursery education?

more challenge as the children reach the end of the foundation stage. Systems for supporting children who may be identified as having special educational needs, or for whom English is an additional language are good and are apparent in the children's growing confidence and communication skills. Behaviour is well managed and staff calm and consistent in their expectations. The leadership and management of the school is very good and staff committed to ongoing improvements. Participation in ongoing evaluation schemes and regular training ensures they are able to monitor and build on their strengths and this has a positive impact on children's progress throughout the school. The partnership with parents is very good and parents able to support their children's learning by regular participation in activities both at school and at home. They are well informed of their children's progress and receive helpful support in their child's

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How effective is the nursery education?

transition through and beyond the foundation stage.

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What is being done well?

• The leadership and management of the school is very good and managers committed to the ongoing success of the curriculum in all six areas. • Children's behaviour is well managed and staff calm and consistent in their expectations. • Ongoing improvements to the environment and outside area support children's progress in the foundation stage and in particular children's physical development. • The Montessori curriculum provided at the school supports children's success in learning through the foundation stage.

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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

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What needs to be improved?

• The consolidation of Montessori and Foundation Stage curriculum's to help staff to provide more consistent support when using specialist equipment or mainstream resources. • More integration of learning into children's play, for example, to support more literacy through role play and mathematics when using natural materials.

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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's progress in personal, social and emotional development is very good. Children present as increasingly confident when accessing materials and when interacting with their friends and staff. They respond well to a variety of experiences and are increasingly aware of their own and other's needs. The children are excited by the activities on offer and behave well in response to staff's expectations.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children's progress in communication, language and literacy is good. The children show increasing confidence when communicating verbally to their friends and staff. They are developing their vocabulary well and participating in singing and imaginary stories. They demonstrate a fondness for and increasingly understand books and text. Children demonstrate good progress in pre writing skills but there are less opportunities to explore this new found skill through role play.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children's progress in mathematics is generally good and the children achieving well. They work through the Montessori curriculum well, using specialist and practical equipment to support their understanding. The children regularly count, compare numbers, measure and problem solve using this equipment. There is less opportunity to consolidate their understanding through play situations, for example when using sand and water.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children's progress in knowledge and understanding of the world is very good. Children demonstrate skills in recording their observations. They regularly chat about their experiences and get to know the differences between themselves and those around them. They have good opportunities to explore living and man made objects and to design and construct in response to their experiences. Technology lends good support to children's progress.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children's progress in physical development is very good. They have regular opportunities to move their bodies in an imaginative and controlled way and to extend their ability by climbing, crawling and manoeuvring equipment, particularly around the garden area. The children use a range of large and small tools, successfully to support tasks. They demonstrate an increasing knowledge of how to be healthy and look after their bodies.

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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's progress in creative development is very good and particularly supported through the priority staff give to regular music activities. The children explore their ideas and feelings through a range of media including when using paint and textured resources. They show an increasing ability to use their imagination through role play and particularly enjoy dressing up to support their ideas.

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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

• Consolidate Montessori and Foundation Stage plans to allow more consistent support when using specialist equipment or mainstream resources, in particular to support the integration of learning into children's play.

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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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