Ravenscroft Infant School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 08/11/2004 Inspector Name Julie Steeples

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Little Angels Playgroup Setting Address Pentecostal Church East Street Sittingbourne Kent ME10 4RT

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Little Angels Address 62 Longridge Sittingbourne Kent ME10 4LN

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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

Little Angels Playgroup opened in 1984. The playgroup serves the local and surrounding areas. It operates from one large purpose-built, multi-functional hall above a church in the centre of Sittingbourne in Kent. There are currently 41 children from 2 years 6 months to 5 years on roll. This includes 23 funded 3-year-olds and nine funded 4-year-olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The playgroup currently supports children with special needs and who speaks English as an additional language. The playgroup opens five days a week during school term times. Sessions are from 09.30 to 12.00, and on Wednesday and Thursday from 12.30 to 15.00. There are seven staff who work with the children. Six members of staff have early years qualifications. One member of staff is currently working towards a recognised early years qualification. The playgroup receives support from a teacher from the local Early Years

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Information about the setting

Development and Childcare Partnership (EYDCP). It is a member of the Pre-School Learning Alliance (PLA).

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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 Little Angels Playgroup is acceptable but has some significant areas for improvement. Children's progress towards the early learning goals is limited by some significant weaknesses. The quality of teaching has significant weaknesses. Staff provide many worthwhile activities and offer caring support for the children. Children are not sufficiently challenged as staff lack a secure understanding of the early learning goals and how to implement them. Staff are not deploy effectively, resulting in children displaying unacceptable behaviour, which hinders learning. Staff organise resources to encourage children's choice and independence, but sometimes teaching methods fail to engage all children and this hampers their progress. A new system of planning is in place and plans now link to the stepping stones. Staff plan a range of activities. They carried out regular observations to record children's progress, but they are not

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How effective is the nursery education?

used to plan what children need to learn next. As a result, differentiation to challenge more able children and build on what they already know is not always evident. There are effective systems to support children with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language. Leadership and management have significant weaknesses. The supervisor works hard to identify and deal with areas for improvement, but the immediate weaknesses in teaching have not been addressed. All staff have regular opportunities to access training, this is encouraged by the supervisor. Procedures to monitor, evaluate and review the effectiveness of the playgroup practice are not fully developed. Partnership with parents is generally good. Staff provide parents with information about the setting and have daily informal discussions about progress. Parents value the friendly, caring staff, and contribute to the children's learning through visits to the

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How effective is the nursery education?

playgroup where they explain their roles in the community.

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What is being done well?

• Children independently access resources and try new activities confidently. • Staff provide a secure, friendly, and caring setting which builds children's confidence. Children arrive happily and settle well. • Staff work in partnership with parents. They share information on a daily basis and parents are invited to share their expertise to enhance the children's learning. • There is good provision and support for children with special educational needs. A trained Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator works with the parents and used individual educational plans to support children's inclusion and progress.

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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?

• staff's knowledge and understanding of the stepping stones of the early learning goals of the Foundation Stage curriculum, so that the organisation of the day ensure that all children, including those who are more able, are provided with suitable challenges. • strategies for managing unwanted behaviour so children understand the effects of their conduct on others and become self disciplined • the effective use of observations and assessments to identify children's next steps of learning • staff deployment to enable staff to be more directly involved in children's learning in free time • systems for the management of the setting to regularly monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching.

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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 Children arrive confidently and are eager to begin activities. They have good opportunities to select resources themselves from the wide range available. They are developing good personal independence, selecting and replacing art aprons and taking off shoes before using the trampoline. The lack of a planned structure to activities and poor staff deployment sometimes results in children becoming disruptive.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Significant Weaknesses Children speak clearly and confidently to adults and each other at snack time and in group discussions. They enjoy listening to stories and attempt to write for a purpose, 'writing' lists and labels in the gift shop. They are beginning to recognise their names, but have limited opportunities to write their names and link sounds and letters through planned practical activities.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children receive opportunities to count during the session, for example, at registration. They learn an awareness of shape and size through topic work and practical activities, such as building with wooden bricks. They are beginning to develop an understanding of simple addition and subtraction through number songs. But many spontaneous and every day opportunities to demonstrate the meaning of numbers, or use mathematical language, are missed.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children build and construct with a wide range of resources. They confidently wrap gifts from their 'shop' in crepe paper, securing them with tape and ribbon. Visits from the postman help children to become aware of the role of different people in the community. They have opportunities to use information technology. But there are limited opportunities to explore and investigate why things happen and how things work.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Significant Weaknesses Children's fine motor skills are well developed as part of the daily programme. They show good control when cutting and threading and using nuts and bolts to assemble plastic vehicles. They are developing good balancing skills and move confidently on wheeled vehicles. They move freely in the large space, but without sufficient control, spatial awareness and regard for safety. This often results in collisions.

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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: Significant Weaknesses Children enthusiastically enjoy the daily singing sessions and have a wide repertoire of songs. They are able to explore colour, mixing their own paints, and enjoy cutting and sticking activities. Staff provide good opportunities for children to use their imaginations as they act out stories, but activities are sometimes frustrated by inappropriate behaviour.

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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

• improve staff's knowledge and understanding of the early learning goals of the Foundation Stage Curriculum and how to implement them so that the organisation of the day provides suitable challenges for all children • develop strategies for managing unwanted behaviour so children understand the effects of their conduct on others and become self disciplined • use observations and assessments to identify children's next steps of learning • improve staff deployment to enable staff to be more directly involved in children's learning in free time • monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching to ensure it is consistently effective.

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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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