Bwlchgwyn C.P. School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 12/10/2004 Inspector Name Jean Evans

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Rigg Farm Montessori Nursery Setting Address Briscoerigg lane Beckwithshaw Harrogate North Yorkshire HG3 1QY

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REGISTERED PROVIDER 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

Rigg Farm Montessori Nursery has been registered since September 1994. It is privately owned and is set in a purpose built, single storey extension of a farm house in the rural village of Beckwithshaw near Harrogate. The setting serves the families within the local community and surrounding villages and towns. Children have use of a large room and there are cloakroom and toileting facilities in an adjoining area. Children have access to a very large outdoor play area with access to farm animals which are in separate pens and gardens which are tended to by the children and a field. The provision is open during term times with the exception of an optional two week morning summer scheme which runs when the need arises. The nursery is open between the hours of 09:15 and 15:30. Children attend on a full and part time basis. The summer scheme is open between the hours of 09:30 and 13:00. The provision cares for children aged two and a half to five years and extends to children

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Information about the setting

up to the age of eight years during the summer scheme. They are currently caring for forty children of which twenty-three 3-year olds are in receipt of nursery education funding. The provision is currently caring for two children with English as an additional language. There are currently no children attending with special needs. There are five members of staff including the provider who is the manager of the nursery. The manager has a Montessori International Diploma, a Level 4 qualification. The majority of the other staff members hold a relevant Level 3 childcare qualification and one staff member is working towards gaining a relevant 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?

Rigg Farm Montessori Nursery is acceptable and is of high quality. Children are making very good progress towards the early learning goals in all six areas of learning. The programme for knowledge and understanding of the world is excellent, and there is strong emphasis on children's personal, social and emotional development. The quality of teaching is very good. Staff ensure that children make progress at their own pace and reach their full potential. They use appropriate methods to meet the needs of all children, including those for whom English is an additional language. They are very enthusiastic and this is reflected in the positive attitudes of the children. They manage children effectively and set high standards for behaviour. They foster good relationships at all levels, and encourage a sense of belonging by valuing all children for their individual contributions.

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How effective is the nursery education?

The leadership and management of the nursery is very good. The leader passes on her enthusiasm for the Montessori approach to both staff and parents and creates good links with the Foundation Stage curriculum. The staff team is close and, under effective leadership, is able to ensure that high quality is maintained. Regular monitoring and evaluation of the educational provision ensures that areas for development are identified and acted upon. All staff are highly committed to improving the care and education of the children who attend. The partnership with parents is very good and strong and this impacts upon the children's learning. Parents are given good information about the Montessori approach and the Foundation Stage curriculum so that they can understand how the two are linked to provide appropriate learning opportunities for their children. They are well-informed about their child's achievements and progress, and are effectively

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How effective is the nursery education?

encouraged to be involved with their child's learning, resulting in good links between home and nursery.

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What is being done well?

• The strong leadership and enthusiastic team approach ensures continued high quality and constant improvement to provision. • Personal, social and emotional development is given high priority resulting in well-behaved, confident, motivated and independent children who respect one another. • The programme for knowledge and understanding of the world is excellent, making effective use of the attractive outdoor area and the Montessori approach to develop children's investigative skills. • Good relationships are fostered at all levels resulting in continuity of care and

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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 education between home and nursery. • Challenges are set for the children as individuals so that they move confidently at their own pace towards their maximum potential.

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What needs to be improved?

• more regular access to a wider range of resources to develop certain aspects of the creative development programme.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

There were two key issues identified following the last inspection and very good progress has been made with both of them, enhancing the quality of provision. There is now an effective system in place to assess children's attainment and progress and this is used to inform future planning of individual needs. Staff now consider planning and assessment as one continuous cycle. The partnership with parents has been further developed by increasing opportunities for them to contribute to their child's assessments by sharing their observation of their learning at home. They are also given more information about both the Montessori approach and the Foundation Stage curriculum, and how these are linked, and about procedures for the identification and assessment of children with special educational 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 High priority is given to this area of learning. Children are interested, excited and motivated by the range of stimulating resources and activities available. They express their feelings with confidence and are aware of their own needs and views. They are forming good relationships. Older children have established friendships and are sensitive towards others, whilst younger children are learning to work as part of a group. Very good access to resources encourages personal independence.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children discuss their experiences logically and in detail. They use language expressively and imaginatively during free play. Older children are beginning to name and sound letters of the alphabet, making effective use of a range of Montessori resources and everyday objects. All children are developing a love of books and stories, and older children understand that print carries meaning. Staff demonstrate enthusiastically how to use books not only for enjoyment, but also to locate information.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children use number names with growing confidence in familiar contexts, and are learning to count and recognise numbers with increasing skill. Staff make effective use of excellent Montessori apparatus and a range of everyday objects to encourage children's practical problem solving skills, and to introduce them to appropriate language to describe and compare shape, position, size and quantity. Children recognise and recreate simple patterns during their explorations.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Provision for this area of learning is excellent. The Montessori approach encourages exploration of the natural world, and the extensive outdoor environment supports this. Children's knowledge of living things and the changing seasons is extended as they eagerly question the similarities, differences, patterns and changes of nature. They learn about the past as they discuss their experiences and explore a 'time line', and become familiar with the wider world through stimulating resourcing.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

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

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children move with good control and coordination as they enjoy the challenging outdoor equipment. They demonstrate growing skill when negotiating the ladder and scrambling net on their way to the house at the top. They handle a wide selection of small and large equipment and show good manual dexterity. An excellent range of Montessori equipment, as well as everyday tools and objects, support children's individual manual skills, with time for self-chosen repetition until skills are perfected.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children explore colour, texture, shape, form and space in two and three dimensions, making individual choices of resources for their chosen tasks. They sing songs with enthusiasm, and enjoy exploring musical instruments and creating their own. They are encouraged to appreciate different music to match their moods. They explore using all of their senses, eagerly commenting upon their likes and dislikes. There are plans to develop more regular access to a wider range of creative resources.

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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 the improving the following: • put into practice plans to extend the children's creative development with the proposed increased access to dressing up experiences, a wider range of art and design resources and greater opportunities to explore sound in the outdoor environment.

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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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