Canterbury House Nursery

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 07/09/2004 Inspector Name Margaret, Ann Sandfield

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Canterbury House Setting Address 59-61 Canterbury Road Willesborough Ashford Kent TN24 0BH

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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

Canterbury House Nursery School opened in 2003. It operates from three rooms of a purpose built premises, which includes integral domestic living area in an additional section of the premises for the provider and her family. The nursery mainly serves the local area. There are currently 51 children from 2 to 5 years on roll. This includes 25 funded three-year-olds and four-year-olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The group opens 5 days a week 51 weeks per year. Sessions are from 08:00 to 17:30. Five part time and three full time staff work with the children. Over half the staff have early years qualifications to NVQ level 2 or 3. Two members of staff are currently working towards a recognised early years qualification and one member of staff is enrolled on a NVQ 3 in September. The setting receives support from a teacher/mentor from the Early years Development and Childcare Partnership.

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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?

Provision is acceptable but has some significant areas for improvement, Children's progress towards the Early Learning Goals is limited by some significant weaknesses in the provision. Teaching has weaknesses. Staff do not have an adequate understanding of the early learning goals in all areas or plan and provide a satisfactory standard of education. Suitable challenges to meet all children's needs adequately are not being provided. Staff lack an understanding on how to manage children's behaviour in a positive and consistent way. However most children are interested and involved in free play activities. Leadership and management is poor. There is a lack of effective monitoring and evaluation of the quality of teaching and how it impacts on children's individual needs and abilities. Partnership with parents has weaknesses. Staff do not place a great deal of emphasis on working in partnership with parents. As a result most parents are ill

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How effective is the nursery education?

informed of their children's care, achievements and progress. However parents do receive information of children's achievements when children leave the nursery.

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What is being done well?

• Most children have personal independence and move confidently, in control and co-ordination. • Children sing simple songs and action rhymes from memory with enjoyment and are beginning to sing a few songs in French. • Most children speak confidently responding to questions well during structured activities and have some opportunities to extend their language skills. • Staff develop opportunities for children to explore events in their own lives their families and other people they know, past and present and future events. • Staff provide basic opportunities for children to use their imagination in role play situations. • Staff complete transfer forms for all children.

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What needs to be improved?

• system to monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching

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What needs to be improved?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 • planning that improves use of time and resources and meets individual children's needs • information for parents on their child's daily routine, achievements and progress • staff's knowledge and understanding of how to manage children's behaviour in a consistent and positive way • opportunities for children to develop an understanding of the link between sounds and letters, to practice, explore and use writing for a purpose in everyday situations and understand how print is formed, including opportunities to write their name • opportunities for children to use maths to solve problems and to explore shape, size, quantity, addition and subtraction and provide regular opportunities for children to count familiar objects on a regular basis • access to a variety multi cultural toys and resources or opportunities to

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What needs to be improved?

explore alternative cultures and beliefs or environments on a regular basis • opportunities to use everyday technology and use information and communication technology and programmable toys to support their learning on a regular basis • opportunities to learn how to stay healthy.

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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: Significant Weaknesses Most children appeared interested and involved in outdoor and indoor play activities. However there were missed opportunities to engage children in constructive dialogue and focussed play, as a result they frequently declined to try new activities. The inconsistent management of children's behaviour reflected on some children's enjoyment generally, ability to relate to their peers appropriately and to express themselves freely and confidently.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Staff provide some opportunities to extend children's use of language. This results in most child being confident speakers. However children are not developing an understanding of the link between sounds and letters, given sufficient opportunities to practice, explore and use writing including writing their own name or learn how print is formed. They have opportunities to listen together to stories.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Significant Weaknesses Children are given few opportunities to recognise numbers in everyday activities, to compare size and shape or use maths ideas to solve problems. There are insufficient activities provided for children to develop their understanding of calculation, addition, and subtraction or comparing to two groups of objects. Children are able to count up to ten.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Significant Weaknesses Most staff encourage children's use of their senses to explore and investigate objects and materials, but much of the time this is unfocused, disjointed and without clear ideas of expected learning outcomes. They are encouraged to talk about events in their own lives, but have less opportunities to learn about alternative cultures and environments on a regular basis. Children lack opportunities to use everyday technology or programmable toys.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children successfully use a range of large outdoor equipment and small equipment that helps develop their manipulative skills. Most children show good co-ordination skills and awareness of themselves and others. moving around in control and co-ordination. However children have few opportunities to learn how to stay healthy or practice basic hygiene routines.

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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 Most children confidently and enthusiastically express their ideas and feelings through a range of basic role play activities and during song and action rhyme session in English and for a small group in French. They have regular opportunities to use their imagination in art and design.

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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 but has some significant areas for improvement. Children's progress towards the early learning goals is limited by some significant weaknesses. The next inspection will take place in one to two years time.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT: THE KEY ISSUES

• introduction of a vigorous system to monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching • ensure effective planning is in place and improve use of time and resources • provide parent's with information on their child's daily routine, achievements and progress • develop staff's knowledge and understanding of how to manage children's behaviour in a consistent and positive way • develop staff's knowledge and understanding on how to meet the needs of individual children and provide challenges appropriate for more or less able children • to be consistent in their teaching through planing and the implementation of practice within all six areas of learning.

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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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