Wattisham Airfield Childcare Centre

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 24/05/2004 Inspector Name Deborah Kerry

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care, Full Day Care Setting Name Wattisham Airfield Childcare Centre Setting Address 2 Valley Road Wattisham Airfield Ipswich Suffolk IP7 7RE

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of Wattisham Airfield Childcare Centre

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Wattisham Airfield Childcare Centre Address 2 Valley Road Wattisham Airfield Ipswich Suffolk IP7 7RE

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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

Wattisham Airfield Child Care Centre is run by a voluntary committee and has been established since 1993. It is based in a porta-cabin and in a room in the community centre which are located close to Wattisham Airfield in a rural part of Suffolk. The centre is mainly for military families, however, there are places available for civilian families as well. Playbox is based in the porta-cabin and is open from 09:00-11:45 on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and from 09:00-11:45 and 12:45-15:25 on Tuesday and Thursday; this is for children aged two to five years. Children who stay all day are requested to bring a packed lunch. The crèche is for children aged three months to two years and is based in a room in the community centre. The crèche is open every morning and for one afternoon each week. There is a secure enclosed outside play area with fixed low level play structures which children from both groups can use.

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Information about the setting

All staff have attended some training and half of the team hold childcare qualifications.

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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 provision for nursery education at Wattisham Airfield child centre is generally good it enables children to make very good progress toward the early learning goals in personal social and emotional development and mathematics and generally good progress in all other areas of learning. The quality of teaching is generally good. The staff are excellent role models for the children and encourage them to conform to the group's rules, so children know what is expected of them. Planning covers the six areas of learning and is clearly linked to the early learning goals. Activities provided enables children to progress in their development and regular assessments allow staff to know where children are in their learning so this can be used when planning children's next steps. All staff have in-put in to the planning of the curriculum and staff have good questioning techniques which are adapted to the ages of children attending, which helps them to

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How effective is the nursery education?

develop their thinking and vocabulary. Leadership and management is generally good. The staff work well as a team and have regular meetings to discuss children's progress and planning. They are supported by a committee and have clear aims for children's learning, however the adult focused activity is not always evaluated and used when planning children's next step. Partnership with parents is generally good. Parents are given good information on the daily routine and activities of each session. They are invited in to share their skills with the children and children's progress records are available to view at any time.

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What is being done well?

• Staff use mathematical and positional language that enable all children to learn about "longer and shorter, behind, in front and next to" with a fun practical demonstration. • Children are developing their imagination in their role play as they act out familiar scenarios in the home corner using the variety of resources that are provided. • Children learn about being healthy and keeping fit as they go through warm up exercises before practising events for sports day. • The staff chat and talk with the children throughout the session which develops their language and communication skills and increases their vocabulary.

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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?

• more free craft opportunities • the writing area • evaluation of the adult focused activity.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

At the last inspection the group were asked to improve their knowledge of Special Educational Needs to enable them to support a child with SEN. Staff have undergone training in SEN and the supervisor has undergone training in a co-ordinators role and how to adapt equipment to meet children's individual needs.

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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 Staff are good role models for the children and good manners is encouraged. The children have good relationships with others they know how to take turns, share and play well together. Children know the rules of the group and are given clear guidelines from staff, which helps them to behave well. Children all help to tidy up before snack time and their independence is encouraged. Children are given time to complete an activity that they are interested in and enjoy.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children can recognise their names on arrival and at snack time. Staff use phonics when sounding out and saying the letters in children's names and the more able child is encouraged to write their own names on their work. Children enjoy books for reference and stories in English and German (their home language) and understand that print is read from left to write. Children are encouraged to access resources for mark making for themselves from a variety available.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children learn mathematical and positional language through practical everyday activities which are adapted to their level of understanding. They learn how to compare two groups, add them together and subtract at circle time. Children recreate simple patterns using peg boards, they learn about shapes, colours and can count to 10 and beyond and recognise numerals when recalling the date and days of the week.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good The play group have good links within the local community, children walk to the local post office to buy stamps for the postcards they have made and post them home. Children investigate objects and living things when going on a nature walk and through the topic on mini beasts. Children learn how to use technology through using the computer and select their own resources to build. Through a variety of themes children learn to value peoples differences.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children learn balance, to climb up and over, through physical play outside or in the centre and are developing their hand eye co-ordination using a variety of large equipment. Tools are used when using play dough, painting, drawing and in sand and water play. Children do warm up exercises before practising events for sports day which helps them to stay 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: Generally Good Children learn about colours when mixing paint for printing and when using chalks. Their imagination is developed when acting out scenarios in the home corner using the dressing up clothes and other resources provided and when they recreate their own gardens. They enjoy singing songs and clapping out the beat of the music and listen to familiar sounds they may hear when using the garden in the summer.

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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 more opportunities for children to have access to free craft play. • Evaluate the adult focused activity sheets to ensure practise is adapted as necessary and how this is included in the planning.

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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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