Hartcliffe Nursery School and Children's Centre

Hartcliffe Early Years Centre

Unique Reference Number: 108906 Inspection Number: 188602

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Hartcliffe Early Years Centre

Reporting inspector: Mrs Lorna Brackstone

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Hartcliffe Early Years Centre

Dates of inspection: 22 nd – 24 th November 1999

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Hartcliffe Early Years Centre

Inspection carried out under Section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school.

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Hartcliffe Early Years Centre

Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the appropriate authority must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. Every registered parent of a registered pupil at the school should receive a free copy of the summary of the report within ten working days of receipt of the summary by the appropriate authority. The appropriate authority may make a charge not exceeding the cost of supply for any other copies of the report and/or its summary provided to any person who asks for one. The appropriate authority should make a copy of the report and the summary available for inspection by members of the public at such times and at such a place as may be reasonable Any enquiries about this legislation should be addressed to the OFSTED Compliance Helpline Tel. 0171421 6567 Hartcliffe Early Years Centre - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE CENTRE

School address: Hareclive Road Hartcliffe Bristol BS13 0JW

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE CENTRE

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE CENTRE

Name of chair of governors: Debbie Jones

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE CENTRE

Date of previous inspection: July 1996 Hartcliffe Early Years Centre - 2

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Team members Areas of learning Aspect responsibilities

Lorna Brackstone, RgI Personal and social development Knowledge and understanding Attainment and progress Attitudes, behaviour and personal development Teaching Leadership and management Tony Comer, Lay Inspector Attendance Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare Partnership with parents and the community Denise Franklin Language and literacy Physical development Special educational needs Equality of opportunity Curriculum and assessment

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Team members Areas of learning Aspect responsibilities

Ian Hancock Mathematics Creative development Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Staffing, accommodation and learning resources Efficiency of the centre

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Team members Areas of learning Aspect responsibilities

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with the inspection contractor. Complaints which are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with OFSTED by writing to:

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Team members Areas of learning Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Hartcliffe Early Years Centre - 3

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MAIN FINDINGS

What the school does well Where the school has weaknesses How the school has improved since the last inspection Standards in subjects Quality of teaching Other aspects of the school The parents’ views of the school

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INTRODUCTION

Characteristics of the centre 1 - 5 Key indicators 6

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Educational standards achieved by pupils at the school

Attainment and progress 7 - 12 Attitudes, behaviour and personal development 13 - 16 Attendance 17

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Quality of education provided

Teaching 18 - 23 The curriculum and assessment 24 - 29 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 30 - 34 Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare 35 - 39 Partnership with parents and the community 40 - 44

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The management and efficiency of the school

Leadership and management 45 - 50 Staffing, accommodation and learning resources 51 - 55 The efficiency of the school 56 - 58 Hartcliffe Early Years Centre - 4

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What the centre does well

• . Personal development is excellent and relationships throughout the centre are outstanding. • . The provision for children with special educational needs is excellent. • . The centre’s ethos is outstanding and the aims, values and policies have been implemented in an excellent manner. • . The headteacher’s leadership and management skills are excellent. • . The provision for social development is excellent and moral development is very good. • . There are very good procedures for monitoring progress, personal development and for promoting discipline and good behaviour. Procedures for child protection and for promoting the children’s wellbeing and safety are also very good. • . The quality of information for parents, their involvement in their children’s learning and links with the community are very good. • . Both accommodation and learning resources are used very well. • . The quality of teaching is consistently good and children make good and, sometimes, very good,

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What the centre does well

I. The attainment of children in the areas of language and literacy, mathematics and knowledge and understanding are below nationally agreed levels. II. The accommodation is in an unsatisfactory state of repair and is not adequate for the demands of the centre. III. There are insufficient numbers of computers to support the needs of the children. IV. There is only a small number of staff that has any information and communication technology expertise.

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out how the weaknesses identified during the inspection are to be tackled. The plan will be sent to

all parents or guardians of children at the centre.

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out how the weaknesses identified during the inspection are to be tackled. The plan will be sent to

· How the centre has improved since the last inspection

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out how the weaknesses identified during the inspection are to be tackled. The plan will be sent to

The centre has improved significantly since it was previously inspected as Hartcliffe Nursery school when it catered only for children aged three and over. In 1998, the nursery amalgamated with the neighbouring day nursery to create an early years centre. Despite major changes in management, budget allocations, staffing and entirely different accommodation needs, the headteacher, staff and managers have rigorously addressed the issues identified in the previous report.

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out how the weaknesses identified during the inspection are to be tackled. The plan will be sent to

All the safety hazards that were identified have been resolved.

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out how the weaknesses identified during the inspection are to be tackled. The plan will be sent to

A system for monitoring and evaluating the delivery of the curriculum has been carefully planned. This includes learning objectives and planned learning outcomes. There has been an appropriate change of emphasis from a topic-based approach to one that is planned specifically to meet the needs of the children. There is consistency in all the activities and experiences. These are planned in detail Hartcliffe Early Years Centre - 6 following the results of initial baseline assessments on the children.

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out how the weaknesses identified during the inspection are to be tackled. The plan will be sent to

Many children enter the centre with very poorly developed speaking skills and although the majority do not attain the levels agreed nationally by the time that they are five, they make very good progress. Excellent opportunities are now provided for role-play. Language skills are promoted well through the very good interaction of both teachers and carers. The library has also become an area that is accessible to all children. Literacy skills are encouraged through group reading sessions when big books are shared and by children’s individual reading of quality books.

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out how the weaknesses identified during the inspection are to be tackled. The plan will be sent to

Currently, there is only one computer in the centre for the children to use to develop their skills and, because of the limited expertise of the staff, there is insufficient use of the correct terminology. This area remains a weakness and needs to be urgently addressed in the new action plan.

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out how the weaknesses identified during the inspection are to be tackled. The plan will be sent to

The clear vision of the headteacher, coupled with the good quality of staff and the commitment of the managers, indicates that this centre has a very good capacity for improvement in the future.

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out how the weaknesses identified during the inspection are to be tackled. The plan will be sent to

· Standards · · There are recommended national standards for children entering compulsory schooling at the start of the term following their fifth birthday. The majority of children enter the centre with very poorly developed skills but by the time they are about to transfer to reception classes, they are just about in line with personal and social development, creative development and outdoor aspects of physical education. Standards in language and literacy, mathematics, and knowledge and understanding of the world are still below nationally agreed levels. All children within the centre make consistently good progress. Children with special educational needs make very good progress · · Quality of teaching

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out how the weaknesses identified during the inspection are to be tackled. The plan will be sent to

· Teaching in areas of learning Personal and social Very good

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out how the weaknesses identified during the inspection are to be tackled. The plan will be sent to

Language and literacy Very good Mathematics Good Knowledge and understanding of the world Good Physical development Good Creative development Good

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out how the weaknesses identified during the inspection are to be tackled. The plan will be sent to

The quality of teaching is good overall and has improved since the last inspection. Teachers and carers carry out teaching equally and judgements are based on observations of all these staff. Over eight out of ten lessons were good or better and nearly three out of ten were very good or better. No unsatisfactory teaching was observed.

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out how the weaknesses identified during the inspection are to be tackled. The plan will be sent to

Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that strengths outweigh any weaknesses Hartcliffe Early Years Centre - 7 · Other aspects of the centre

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour Good. Children behave well, in and around the centre. They are friendly, polite and play alongside each other sensibly. Attendance Satisfactory. There is little unauthorised absence. Ethos* Excellent. The centre provides an excellent climate for learning. It is stimulating and creative, children’s attitudes to work and behaviour are good, relationships are outstanding and staff are committed to helping children progress. Leadership and management The headteacher provides excellent leadership and has clear educational vision which is strongly supported by the managers of the school, staff and parents. The deputy headteacher in charge of pastoral issues gives very good support to children, staff and parents. Development planning, monitoring and evaluation are very good. Curriculum Very good, broad and very well balanced. The curriculum deputy headteacher manages very well the planning and provision of

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Aspect Comment

activities. These ensure that all areas of learning are covered comprehensively. Very good procedures help staff to plan effectively the next stages of learning. Teachers keep comprehensive records of individual children. Pupils with special educational needs Provision for these children is excellent and they make very good progress. Children’s individual education plans are well written and reviewed and parents are suitably informed and involved. Spiritual, moral, social & cultural development Provision for social development is outstanding. Moral development is very good and the provision for both spiritual development and cultural development is good. Staffing, resources and accommodation The number, qualifications and experience of teaching and non- teaching staff is very good. Arrangements for professional development of all staff is very good. Resource provision for all areas of learning is good, but there are insufficient numbers of computers to

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Aspect Comment

meet the children’s needs. The building is in an unsatisfactory state of repair and is not adequate for the demands of the centre. Value for money The centre provides very good value for money. *Ethos is the climate for learning: attitudes to work, relationships and the commitment to high standards.

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centre

V. Their children enjoy coming to the centre. VI. The staff are approachable when they have problems. VII. The centre promotes positive values and attitudes. VIII. Good behaviour is promoted throughout the nursery. IX. The children are encouraged to be involved in more than just daily lessons. X. Parents feel encouraged to play an active part in the life of the centre. of paren what the

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centre

Inspection findings support the parents’ positive views. Parents are given very good information about Hartcliffe Early Years Centre - 8 their children’s education through newsletters, reports and workshops.

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

Building on the very good work of this early years centre, the headteacher, staff and managers should:

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

XII.continue to raise attainment in the areas of language and literacy, mathematics and knowledge and understanding of the world (paragraph 10);

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

XIII.ensure that a new centre building is provided as soon as possible (paragraph 54);

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

XIV.provide equipment for both staff and children to carry out information technology control activities (paragraph 83); and

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

XV.organise training for staff to raise their level of expertise to teach the skills required for these activities (paragraph 83). Hartcliffe Early Years Centre - 9

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Characteristics of the centre

1. Hartcliffe is a large council estate on the southern edge of Bristol. It was built in the 1950’s and early 1960’s. It is one of the most concentrated areas of council housing in the south-west of England. Many council houses have now been sold for private home-ownership and the remaining accommodation consists of flats and maisonettes, mainly housing families with young children. Recently there has been significant investment in the refurbishment and replacement of some of the high-rise accommodation. Some families live within an extended family network, but others are isolated. The neighbourhood is one of high deprivation and need and, although the population is equivalent to that of a small town, the area has few local resources. Hartcliffe is remote from areas of growth; the traditional industry was tobacco and heavy industry, but, after this closed, no replacement for employment occurred. Recently, there has been increasing collaboration with

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Characteristics of the centre

agencies, organisations and residents to redevelop the area. For example, the promise of Sure Start and SRB5 has encouraged residents to secure funding for regeneration.

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Characteristics of the centre

2. Hartcliffe Early Years Centre was opened in September 1998 and is a pilot scheme within the Bristol area. It was created through the merging of a Nursery School and Day Nursery, which was based on the same site, but administered and managed separately by the Education and Social Services Directorates. The two years before the opening of this new early years centre were uncertain for all staff and there was much concern about job prospects. The staffing structure of the Early Years centre consists of a Head of Centre who has a teaching background and two deputies. One of these has an educational background and other has a social services background. The nursery day is from 8.00-5.30 each day and it is open 50 weeks of the year. There are two units within the centre; there is both provision for children who are two and for those who are over three. The focus of the inspection was the children who were three and over.

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Characteristics of the centre

3. The demand for places outstrips the number of places available and allocation is by discussion at multi-disciplinary meetings. As a result, because of the high numbers of children with special educational needs, the centre does not have the balance of children normally seen in other nurseries. There are 68 boys and 69 girls on the roll, the majority of children attending on a full- time basis. Thirty children are registered on the special educational needs register and 80% are eligible for free school meals.

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Characteristics of the centre

4. The provision is fully inclusive with both core educational entitlement and care that is provided at both ends of the extended day. It is highly involved with parent support and considers itself as part of a triangle with the Nursery centre, home and community all learning together.

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Characteristics of the centre

• .to provide quality education and care for the children and families in the centre; • .to provide a welcoming environment which is happy, safe and supportive for everyone; • .to ensure equality in care, education and opportunities for all; • to provide a service which is flexible and cohesive with a variety of provisions to meet the needs of our children and families; • to foster a positive partnership between home, the centre and local community to benefit all; • .to work in close liaison with the support agencies and schools in Hartcliffe; • .to become a focus for the under 8’s provision; and Hartcliffe Early Years Centre - 10 • .to believe in and support lifelong learning for everyone. · 6. Key indicators

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Characteristics of the centre

Percentage of teaching observed which is: % Very good or better 28 Satisfactory or better 100 Less than satisfactory 0 6. 6. Hartcliffe Early Years Centre - 11

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EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS AT THE SCHOOL

1. The centre admits two groups of children; children who are identified with very special needs are admitted at two. Those who start from three years of age generally come from the Hartcliffe area. Children have a wide range of skills and expertise when they enter the centre, but as a group, their attainment is well below that expected. This is especially noticeable in language and literacy. Speaking skills are not well developed.

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EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS AT THE SCHOOL

2. Children settle happily and gain confidence. They become increasingly independent and readily make choices about what they are going to do. They learn to share, take turns and work as part of a group, especially in the role-play area. They enjoy looking at books and start to handle them with care. Children listen and respond to stories well. They begin to understand that print carries meaning and some of the higher-attaining pupils are developing an appropriate understanding of the different purposes of writing. A small number of children recognise their own names and have started to form recognisable symbols. In mathematics, they are developing awareness of vocabulary, such as “long and short, full and empty”. They sort by colour and most count orally to five. The higher-attaining children are beginning to use numbers in their everyday lives, such as counting the milk and checking that there are enough cartons for everyone. Children also begin

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EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS AT THE SCHOOL

to recognise simple, two-dimensional shapes such as circles, squares, triangles and rectangles.

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EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS AT THE SCHOOL

3. Children are curious about the world around them and they use the many and varied experiences which they are given to extend their knowledge well. They become confident when using tape recorders, but their knowledge of computers is limited by a lack of resources and expertise amongst the staff. They explore materials and the natural world around them. For example, they use the nature area to explore for minibeasts and grow vegetables in their garden. Children extend their physical skills well. They develop skills in using scissors, paint, glue and malleable materials such as play dough and clay. Outside they use the extensive range of climbing apparatus and the pedal toys with confidence and this extends their co-ordination skills very well. Children develop their creative skills well through the wide range of activities on offer, such as painting, role-play and music.

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EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS AT THE SCHOOL

4. By the age of five most children are likely to attain the Desirable Learning Outcomes in personal and social education, creative development and outdoor physical activities. The majority of children will not achieve the nationally recommended levels in the skills of language and literacy, mathematics and knowledge and understanding of the world.

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EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS AT THE SCHOOL

5. Children make very good progress in the development of their personal and social skills. This is the result of good quality teaching, the excellent relationships that all staff develop with the children and the wide range of very appropriate activities provided. For example, children are actively encouraged to move independently around the stimulating learning areas within the nursery. Most children make good progress in gaining knowledge of the world around them, but limited progress is made in the development of information technology skills. They also make good progress in their physical and creative development. In mathematics, many children make good progress and very good opportunities to develop numeracy across all areas of the curriculum are fully utilised. Children make good progress in the development of their listening, speaking, early reading and writing skills. Hartcliffe Early Years Centre - 12

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EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS AT THE SCHOOL

6. There are currently two children who have statements for special educational needs. A further 28 have been placed on the special needs register. Children with special educational needs are very well supported and this helps them gain confidence and extends their learning. They often receive individual attention and make very good progress in relation to their prior attainment. 12.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

7. Children have very good attitudes to many of the opportunities provided. Most are settled and content in their surroundings and respond well to the activities on offer. A few children experience difficulties settling into routines, but this is mainly because of special educational needs problems. These children receive excellent support. Children work with a very good level of independence and they concentrate well on activities they have been involved in choosing. They generally persevere with their tasks until they have completed them to their own satisfaction. When completing a directed activity their concentration is satisfactory. They use their initiative well and often show great enthusiasm for what they are doing when they follow their own interests in the individual choice sessions. Children show a good level of interest in books. They are learning to handle them correctly and treat them with respect.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

8. Behaviour is good. Children are aware of the right and wrong way to behave and they live up to the centre’s high expectations of behaviour. Most express their feelings in an acceptable way, although some have problems because of language difficulties. Children learn how to share with one another and how to take turns appropriately. They are encouraged to let each other have their say and generally treat one another with consideration. Resources are handled with care.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

9. Children establish excellent relationships with a range of adults. They confidently turn to adults when they need help and most readily do what adults ask them to do. They work happily alongside other children and most interact with one another well, especially in the outdoor area and in role-play activities. The school is a harmonious community.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

10. The children’s response to personal development is excellent and they are fully involved in the life of the centre. Most learn to look after themselves very effectively, showing a high degree of independence, for example, in going to the toilet and putting on their aprons for painting and water play. They choose resources confidently and willingly help to tidy up at the end of the session. Many children show a great deal of curiosity about the world around them and react very positively to new experiences.

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Attendance

11. The children’s attendance record is satisfactory. Registers are completed effectively and the school has been monitoring attendance more closely since the previous inspection. This ensures that families on the waiting lists are given the earliest opportunity of a place that is not being taken advantage of by others. Parents recognise the importance of regular attendance and reasons for prompt notification of non-attendance. The school deals sensitively with all situations that arise.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

17. Teaching Hartcliffe Early Years Centre - 13 12. The quality of teaching is good, overall, and has improved since the last inspection. Teachers and carers carry out teaching equally and judgements are based on observations of all these staff. Over eight out of ten lessons were good or better and nearly three out of ten were very good or better. No unsatisfactory teaching was observed. Whilst the percentage of good teaching was similar for both teachers and carers, due to the large number of carers, they taught nearly double the percentage of good lessons. The quality of teaching is reflected in the good progress made by the children and parents recognise and appreciate the quality of the staff’s work.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

13. In the very good and good teaching observed, staff show a very good knowledge and understanding of the educational needs of children under five. They have clear and realistic expectations of the children’s abilities, they plan carefully and activities are well structured and prepared. Introductions are clear and learning points carefully highlighted during the sessions, enabling the children to understand the adult’s explanations. The level of adult intervention is very good and opportunities to reinforce main teaching points and consolidate and extend learning are thoroughly enforced. For example, this was observed during a small group session when children were encouraged to identify the top, bottom and middle in a stack of cups. All staff listen carefully to children’s comments and patiently prompt them to help them explain their thoughts and ideas.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

14. Teachers have high expectations of children’s behaviour, which is handled in a caring and sensitive manner. As a result, children want to take an active part in the work and are being helped to become independent learners. All members of staff establish calm and happy learning areas and have excellent relationships with children. Both teachers and carers show an awareness of the importance of ensuring that children have equal opportunities in access to the curriculum. Resources are carefully provided to meet the needs of all children. For example, they provide suitable activities for younger children as well as providing sensitive support for those children who experience difficulties. All staff have relaxed and pleasant manners and use both praise and encouragement to develop the children’s confidence. This has a beneficial effect on the standards attained by the children.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

15. The use of time and resources allocated to the areas of learning is good. Staff employ a wide range of strategies so that there is a satisfactory balance of large and small group and individual work. They ensure that there are regular times when children work with adults on structured activities. This enables the children to acquire new skills and knowledge on a regular and systematic basis. An example of this is when supportive arrangements are made to give children regular chances to practise their reading, writing and number activities.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

16. Overall, the quality and use of teachers’ day-to-day assessment is very good. All staff share the enjoyment of children’s successes and show delight at each child’s achievements. They use assessment as part of their normal daily work and the knowledge gained from these assessments is discussed regularly. They also discuss their observations of selected children in terms of their individual attainments and response. As a result of close observation, targets for individual children are set and used to inform the next steps of planning. For example, children take home library books to share with their families. The school has decided that this is an area of further development and intends to start home-school activity packs to help parents to become more fully involved.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

17. Teaching for special educational needs is very good. All members of the support staff play a significant role in helping to raise standards of attainment and progress. Staff make careful efforts to ensure that the work planned for children is well matched to their individual needs. The co-ordinator and her team carefully write individual educational plans to match children’s needs. They regularly review these and share them with parents. All staff work together well with Hartcliffe Early Years Centre - 14 children with special educational needs to help them achieve their specific targets. Staff have high expectations and excellent relationships which encourage children to try hard to succeed. For some children on early stages of the school’s special needs register, staff prepare and work carefully to action plans to ensure progress where the needs are identified. Care assistants give high quality support and make a very positive contribution to the very good progress children are

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

making. Close contacts are made with parents and with health and speech therapists. A range of very good strategies is used to ensure that the children are able to participate fully in all activities, including physical play, such as using bikes and scooters outside. The work of all these children is regularly assessed and the information gained is targeted to support their learning needs.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

18. The very good curriculum provided is broad, balanced and covers all areas of learning, except for elements of information technology. There has been an appropriate change of emphasis from the topic-based approach to a curriculum that is planned specifically to meet the needs of the children. It is carefully planned and is based on the outcomes of the baseline assessment at the start of the year. The particular needs of the children are highlighted. The emphasis during the inspection was allowing the children, in small groups, to experience the wide range of activities available in each area, with a particular focus on language, literacy and personal and social development. The opportunities for children to work in small groups has a very positive impact on their progress, particularly in the areas of language development and personal and social development.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

19. Children are given opportunities to develop their skills and knowledge through a good balance of adult-directed activities and activities of their own choice. Key workers target individual children, during planning time and through observations, to ensure that they have appropriate experiences of all areas of learning. In the main area of the nursery, activities are clearly organised to develop language, mathematical, creative and role-play skills. Knowledge and understanding of the world, large construction and sand play, take place in the conservatory area and there is a large area outside for physical development. There is also a library where some children meet for small group language activities and where they can also browse through a good range of books when doing activities of their own choice. Since the previous inspection, the staff have ensured that the morning and afternoon sessions are of a similar structure and that children work in small groups.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

The reorganisation of the times of duties and the high level of staffing have made this possible. The children are very well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

20. There are comprehensive policies for each area of learning. These are linked to the long-term planning document, which outlines the daily routines and the three levels of learning aimed at meeting the needs of children with different levels of attainment. Medium-term plans set out effectively what is to be taught for a month and are clearly displayed in each area of the nursery. They indicate the curriculum area, the key idea to be taught, the learning intentions on three levels of ability, the activity, adult intervention, suggested language to be used and the resources needed. The short-term planning for small group sessions appropriately expands the medium-term planning into more detail. There are also plans that indicate which member of staff is taking the lead during the work session. The staff successfully plan together in teams consisting of teachers, key workers and carers. Overall, planning has improved since the previous inspection and now

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

clearly provides detail about learning objectives and learning outcomes.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

21. The curriculum is also appropriately enhanced by visits to local places of interest including a farm, a garden centre, parks and the airport.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

22. The early years centre places importance on equal opportunity and is very successful in achieving Hartcliffe Early Years Centre - 15 this. There is a comprehensive policy to support this. There is excellent provision for children with special educational needs in both nursery units. The children have appropriate individual education plans and short-term targets. All staff are aware of each child’s needs and the targets which have been set. The children are supported excellently by extremely caring and hardworking staff. The targets are carefully monitored by the carers and key workers and are reviewed regularly. Parents are fully involved at all stages and the links with outside agencies and all involved with the child are excellent.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

23. Assessment procedures are very good. On entry into the centre, children are carefully assessed for their personal and social development, play behaviour and language and communication skills through close observations by their key worker. This information is very effectively used to plan the curriculum for the month, to group children for the “small group-time” and to highlight any concerns. Where there are concerns there is a second stage of individual observations and analysis and a nursery language check. These assessments can appropriately be used to identify children with special educational needs. The centre has recently introduced an individual profile for each child, which is very clearly tracking his/her academic progress while in the centre. The profile contains samples of activities, very detailed observation sheets for each area of learning, written evidence by the key worker of the child’s planning and recall and information from the parent. The

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

staff very effectively use all this information to plan a very good curriculum for the children.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

29. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

24. The centre makes very good provision for children’s moral, social and cultural development. Provision for spiritual development is good. This aspect remains one of its strengths, as it was at the time of the previous inspection.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

25. The provision for children’s spiritual development is good. The school successfully provides good opportunities to develop children’s sense of awe and wonder. This happens through the provision of numerous opportunities for children to watch and nurture different plants growing in the garden area. During the inspection, children were spiritually uplifted when picking out objects from a large ice block. At Christmas time, children are taken to the Cathedral to listen to carols on College Green. Planning also includes the celebration of a variety of different religious festivals. However, although staff often review the events of each day, this time does not always include quiet reflection or thanks to further enhance spiritual development.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

26. Provision for moral development is very good. The centre is an orderly community where children feel secure. There is an excellent ethos and the rules for behaviour in the classrooms and at lunchtime are understood and supported by managers and parents. Children are encouraged to be polite, friendly, show consideration to others and distinguish between right and wrong. Excellent relationships exist between staff and children and the teaching and support staff provide children with very good role models on how to behave in a responsible way. Circle times are organised each day to give good opportunities to reflect on moral issues.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

27. Excellent provision is made for children’s social development, which is very effectively enhanced in every day interactions between children and adults. Children are encouraged to work well together in class groups and play amicably in free playtimes. They learn to share, sit and wait, take turns and listen to others during circle times. At breakfast, lunch and tea times, staff and children regularly sit together for a social event. Children are given every opportunity to take responsibilities. At meal times they find their own cutlery and return plates; they water and look after plants and organise and clear up after creative activities. The very effective family support programme greatly enhances children’s social development together with events organised by the Hartcliffe Early Years Centre - 16 Parents Support Group.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

28. Provision for children’s cultural development is good. The centre arranges numerous visits to local places of interest including Court Farm, Blaise Castle, Clevedon, Bath Park, Ashton Court and the local airport. Regular visitors, such as pupils from Withywood Comprehensive School performing their pantomime, maypole dancers, puppet players, police, sea cadets, firemen and representatives from the guide dogs association effectively help to promote children’s cultural awareness. Multi-cultural issues are appropriately promoted through studying world culture festivals, such as Divali where children participate in drama, food tasting and listen to Indian music. The centre has a good range of multi-cultural books in the library, ethnic equipment and clothes in the home corner which effectively help children develop their understanding of the rich diversity of cultures to be found in the global community.

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34. Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

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29. The support and guidance which children receive, both formal and informal, is very good and remains a strength of the school. Parents believe that the standards of support and care provided by staff are very high.

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30. Procedures for monitoring children’s progress and personal development are very good and are exemplified by the system of children’s profiles which is used for the over-2s and which it is planned to extend throughout the school. Procedures for monitoring and promoting discipline and good behaviour are also very good; procedures for monitoring and promoting good attendance are good.

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31. Children with special educational needs are extremely well supported through excellent links with outside agencies, including the speech therapist, educational psychologist and social services, who are fully involved in the organisation and management of the early years centre. Many children with special needs are referred to the centre for support and very good additional identification systems are in place. Key workers and carers monitor the targets, which are set to ensure that the children’s individual needs are met.

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32. The provision of breakfast, lunch and tea and the wide range of family support activities, which include pre-school home visits and an extended induction programme, are examples of much good practice. Procedures for moving on to the next phase of the children’s education are good, with close liaison with local primary schools.

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33. Centre policies and procedures ensure that the health, safety and protection of children is very well provided for. All health and safety issues raised during the previous inspection have been satisfactorily addressed. The effective links with social services and the health visitor, together with the high level of support from both teachers and the four teams of carers, ensure that children and their families are well cared for. This has a beneficial effect on children’s attainment and progress, particularly those with special educational needs.

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39. Partnership with parents and the community

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34. The centre’s partnership with parents and the community is very good and remains a major strength. Hartcliffe Early Years Centre - 17 35. Despite the misgivings of a very small number of parents, there is effective communication between the school and parents. Information is provided to parents through newsletters, noticeboards, parents’ meetings and annual reports. Children’s reports are provided twice each year and are supplemented by reviews and action plans in which both parents and support agencies are fully involved. The school also plans a programme of ‘open surgeries’ to increase the opportunity for dialogue with parents.

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36. The centre successfully encourages parental involvement in all aspects of school life, including classroom support, fundraising and a wide range of family support activities. These include adult literacy sessions, parenting skills courses and a ‘well women’ group. This activity, together with the provision of activity packs, the loan of books and the ‘play and stay’ sessions, contributes to the improved participation of parents in their children’s education.

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37. For children with special educational needs, many families are fully involved from the earliest stages. Children first receive home visits from carers and attend the nursery for a period with their child while he/she settles in. This is followed by a review to identify needs and to set appropriate targets. Parents are then invited to each review meeting and are very well supported by the staff in the centre.

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38. There are very good links with the wider community. Links with outside agencies, which support the health and welfare of the children, are extremely beneficial. There is a good range of visits to places of interest such as the international airport and to the Cadbury Garden Centre, as well as visitors to the school, such as the police, fire service and Withywood School. All of this activity enriches the curriculum and contributes to the children’s attainment and personal development.

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THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

39. The headteacher provides excellent leadership and has a clear educational vision that is supported by centre managers, staff and parents. The day-to-day management of the centre is efficient, friendly and effective. All staff are familiar with school routines and work hard to create a very orderly, caring atmosphere. There is excellent teamwork and teachers and care assistants work effectively, providing a stimulating learning environment for the children. The two deputy headteachers very successfully provide the team with both curricular and pastoral support.

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40. The managers are supportive of the centre and act as a critical friend when appropriate. They meet regularly and keep appropriate minutes. The managers’ powers are shared with the local education authority. Consequently, they are not responsible for financial or personnel issues, although the headteacher keeps them informed about spending issues. The chair and vice-chair of managers are regular visitors in school and have an appropriate overview of the work of the centre. However, the monitoring role of the managers has not been formalised.

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THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

41. The headteacher monitors both teaching and curriculum on a regular basis and has a very clear view of teaching and learning in the centre. This is a significant improvement since the last inspection. All staff have areas of curriculum responsibility and many have additional responsibilities for aspects of the school’s work such as the extended day sessions, home-school links or parent groups. These are carried out very well and parents praise the staff’s work and commitment. Staff belong to several teams which have different responsibilities. The collaboration and co-operation between staff are very good and provide an effective, stimulating Hartcliffe Early Years Centre - 18 and harmonious environment in which children can learn and develop. Staff meetings take place on a regular basis. They cover different aspects, including special educational needs, children’s progress and the curriculum. This results in all staff, including the headteacher, being fully

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THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

involved in developments, the day to day running of the centre and in sharing information about children.

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THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

42. Special educational needs is extremely well managed by the two co-ordinators. The curriculum deputy headteacher has given very good support to the other co-ordinator in the younger section of the centre. They ensure that all the necessary paperwork is in place and that staff are fully aware of each child’s needs. They work extremely well with carers to set targets, to lead sessions with individuals and small groups and to monitor progress. This contributes very well to the excellent provision for children with special educational needs. Regular reports are made to the governors and there is a named governor for special needs who gives good support to the centre.

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THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

43. Development planning is very good and has been a significant factor in the centre’s improvement since the previous inspection. The written management plan clearly reflects the headteacher’s vision of how the centre will develop. Appropriate structures and systems are in place to ensure that the centre is a progressive and professional establishment in which children learn and progress. The brochure for the centre is informative and the handbook helpful and gives all staff a full picture of practices.

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44. The ethos of the centre is excellent and fully reflects its aims and values. There are excellent relationships and positive attitudes at all levels. The centre is an effective learning environment, in which children are happy and make good progress.

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THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

50. Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

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THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

45. The centre has a very generous number of teaching staff who are appropriately qualified and experienced to teach nursery children. Since the last inspection the managers and headteacher have successfully introduced a new staffing system which provides more continuity and allows teachers to share their expertise. The large number of support staff, including those involved with special educational needs, are highly valued and work in a very effective partnership to provide an education of good quality for all children. Administrative staff are approachable and efficient in their work and contribute to the smooth running of the centre. The cleaner in charge ensures that the centre is well maintained, tidy and clean. Mealtime support staff have received appropriate training and with other staff help to make lunchtimes a rewarding experience.

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THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

46. Great emphasis is placed on the regular training and professional development of teachers and support staff, which is closely linked to individual needs and to priorities identified in the school development plan. Each month the centre is closed for a training day, which gives good opportunities for all staff to meet together and set appropriate targets to improve provision. The procedures for induction of new staff have been appropriately identified as an area to develop in the school development plan. The deputy headteacher in charge of curriculum offers good support to new members of staff. An induction policy is currently being written, but has yet to be agreed and ratified by staff and managers. Each member of staff has a detailed job description that clearly defines their role. This is an improvement since the previous inspection. However, no staff appraisals have taken place during the last year. The headteacher intends to set up a

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programme for staff appraisals in this academic year.

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THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

47. Both co-ordinators for special educational needs are well qualified and one is at present taking a module at university to gain additional qualifications in special needs. There is a very good Hartcliffe Early Years Centre - 19 balance of support staff to meet the needs of the children.

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THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

48. The accommodation is unsatisfactory in those areas where the fabric of the building is in poor condition and coming to the end of its useful life. The centre has received funds to improve the inside of the building including the community room, family room, confidential room and decorating the hall. This has been done successfully and the good quality displays by children and staff help to make the building more attractive. The centre has also been successful in its bid to be a Trailblazer in the Sure Start Project and hope to have a soft play and sensory room to support special educational needs children in the future. Since the last inspection, the managers have successfully utilised the verandah area, improved outdoor play facilities and removed all safety hazards.

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THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

49. The centre is well resourced in all areas of the curriculum, which provides good support for teaching and learning. However, there is currently only one computer available for children’s use in the centre and this limits the children’s opportunities to develop computer skills. Outside the building, the wide range of wheeled vehicles, climbing and balancing apparatus is a significant factor in promoting high levels of physical, personal and social development. Inside, the library is well resourced and attractive. This greatly supports children’s learning, especially in language and literacy. Resources are readily accessible and children are encouraged to choose, clear up and put away resources after use. Resources for children with special educational needs are also good and meet their needs well.

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50. Funding for the centre is shared jointly between the educational and social services departments. There is no fully delegated budget for the centre, although the headteacher and managers have control of the funding allocated for educational resources. This funding is spent sensibly to ensure that there is a good quantity of high quality equipment and materials to support the planned curriculum. In addition, the centre also receives donations from the Parent Support Group which carries out its numerous fund raising activities and provides equipment and resources to support children’s learning. In the last financial year, there was a large under spend, which has been appropriately spent to upgrade furniture in rooms and provide new home corner furniture and equipment for the centre.

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THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

51. Routine financial procedures are sound. The secretary keeps appropriate manual records of expenditure and has begun to use a new computerised system. She is receiving support and training from the authority. The managers have recently established a finance working party to monitor how the budget is spent. However, they have no clear terms of reference and their monitoring role is currently underdeveloped. The school development plan sets appropriate priorities for spending. It has come up with some costings but no success criteria are identified.

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THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

52. Grants for training staff are spent wisely to ensure that both teachers and support staff receive up to date training. This has a positive impact on the children’s academic development. Teaching and support staff are very well deployed. There is excellent support for children with special educational needs. Very good use is made of the centre which is open from 8am to 5.30pm each school day for 50 weeks in the year and the managers hope to introduce a weekend crèche next year. Teachers and support staff make very good use of the accommodation available, including the different areas for learning and resources to support children’s development. Taking all these things into consideration, it is clear that the centre provides very good value for money. Hartcliffe Early Years Centre - 20

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53. The personal and social development of the children is given a very high priority. Many start nursery with few skills and have very limited experience in working, playing and considering each other. However, the majority of children make very good progress and are on line to meet nationally agreed levels by the time they are five. A minority of children do not achieve at expected levels. These children tend to be those who have entered the centre with significant special educational needs. Nevertheless, these children make very good progress due to the high quality support. Children are also on line to attain satisfactory standards in both social and personal development, which is a direct result of the excellent provision. This makes a significant contribution to children’s learning and progress across the curriculum.

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54. Children work very well together, either in small groups, such as when they experiment with dough, or when in a much larger group for story or music. Collaborative work develops well, for example, when children play counting and matching games where all wait patiently to take a turn. Children enjoy social activities in the classrooms and chat to their friends when drinking their milk. Outside, many enjoy sharing the pushing apparatus, climbing and riding on bikes. Occasional grabbing and snatching does occur, but staff are vigilant and intervene when any problems occur.

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55. Children quickly learn to be independent. They put on aprons and help to tidy up and even the very youngest replace equipment in the right place on request. They are responsible for their own coats and belongings and very well established routines ensure that few need help with the toilet or to wash and dry their hands. Children do not rely on adults, even those with special educational needs. This is a measure of the satisfactory levels of personal development that they are achieving. However, children do enjoy the attention of staff and other adults and approach them easily to ask for help or to share an idea or a piece of work. Good organisation of resources promotes children’s independence very well. Very helpful labels help children to know where equipment is stored and this promotes their literacy skills as well as encouraging responsibility and order.

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56. Children make very good progress in personal development. Relationships with each other are very good. Children enjoy each other’s company and happily move over to make room for friends to join in activities such as building complex constructions with large wooden bricks or experimenting with water in the trough. Children with special educational needs make good progress in forming relationships with other children.

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57. Most children arrive at the centre lacking in confidence. However, they quickly respond to the practical and positive approach of staff and become keen to try out new activities. They are enthusiastic learners. Once settled, children are happy to leave their parents and guardians. They show initiative in choosing and maintaining an activity, concentrate well and are generally very good at completing a given or chosen task. Many persevere even when tasks are difficult or take a great deal of effort, for example, when working with clay.

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58. The quality of teaching is very good. All staff place a strong emphasis on the development of social skills, expectations of good behaviour are high and activities are appropriate to the ages and Hartcliffe Early Years Centre - 21 needs of all children. Teachers and carers encourage children to be independent and make their own decisions, for example during “planing time”. They provide many activities that contain an element of surprise to motivate children and add new items each day. Adults manage the children very well and this is reflected in their good behaviour. Staff are adept in promoting personal and social development in all that they do.

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59. Assessment of children’s skills is very good. It specifically relates to expected outcomes and particular challenges are set for individuals. Summative records give a clear indication of their abilities at given points and anecdotal evidence confirms that all staff involved know the children well. There is a very helpful policy on personal and social education that helps to ensure a consistent approach.

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60. The school’s resources are used very well to promote children’s personal and social development. They include books, pictures and staff’s ingenuity. Collections of items have been gathered to support particular topics.

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61. Attainment on entry is often well below that expected for children of their age. Children make good progress while in the centre, although attainment when they leave is below the nationally agreed levels. Many children develop listening skills well and attainment in this area is satisfactory. Since the previous inspection, the centre has ensured that there are many opportunities for children to develop speech and communication skills in a range of situations. For example, children develop these skills during small group work time with staff and during activities where they make their own choices, but with adults still present within the area. Adults act as very good role models for the children and this has a very positive impact on the development of language.

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62. Children listen well and enjoy stories, particularly in small group sessions. However many respond to questioning in single words or short phrases. For example, during a session for tasting different types of fruit they were unable to describe the taste and feel of the fruit, including apples. Although some children have appropriate social language, many do not have the range of vocabulary to express themselves in these situations. A few children can talk about the pictures using a sentence and know some of the nursery rhymes illustrated in books. These children can also recall parts of "The Three Little Pigs", and "Goldilocks and the Three Bears". Children are beginning to act out roles in the home corner, but many need the support of an adult to guide them to play imaginatively and to encourage conversation. Some children have started to involve others in their activities. Listening skills are also developed well during short focused sessions. For

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example, they listen carefully to noises made by percussion instruments and decide which instrument is making the sound. They can also decide if a shaker is making a loud noise or a quiet sound. Children with special educational needs also develop good listening skills.

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63. Children are beginning to express an interest in books. Following the good examples set by adults, they turn pages and handle books with care. A minority of children point to pictures and talk about them in short phrases, others use single words or are happy to point. Some children can predict what the story is about from the front cover. Good opportunities are provided for children to browse at books, which is an improvement since the last inspection and children often choose to go into the library to look at books. However, when looking independently at books some younger children and those with special educational needs, find it difficult to know the right way up for the book. Many are beginning to recognise their name through the good strategies provided. Their name and photograph are at their place when they arrive each day for registration with their key Hartcliffe Early Years Centre - 22

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worker and at their own setting for their meals.

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64. There are good opportunities for children to develop their writing skills, although attainment is below the nationally agreed levels. Some children are using emergent writing effectively to convey meaning, while others are at the earlier stage of mark making. Higher attaining children can write their name with support and can write initial letters to label their drawing, for example, “p” for “pig”. Some children use emergent writing techniques and are developing an understanding that marks on paper give messages to people when they ask adults whether they would like a dinner and record their information using a clip-board.

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65. Overall, children make good progress in language and literacy during their time in the centre, particularly in listening. By the time they leave the centre, most are developing good listening skills and are using an increasing vocabulary. Many begin to have an awareness of the purpose of writing and are expressing an interest in books. Children with special educational needs are making very good progress in developing their language and communication skills through the very good individual support by adults. Some children are extending their vocabulary from very limited vocabulary to up to ten words, while others are beginning to talk about their activities and to recognise objects in pictures.

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66. The quality of teaching is very good, overall, and this is having a significant effect on the progress of the children. Teaching has improved since the previous inspection. Developing language and literacy skills is properly identified as one of the main priorities within the curriculum this term. Learning objectives are clear and well linked to the medium-term planning. In all activities, staff are continually helping children to develop skills and introduce new vocabulary. Questioning is a particularly good feature of the teaching. Relationships are generally excellent and there are high expectations of behaviour by all adults. Day to day assessment and observations are used very well to meet the needs of the children. Staff are enthusiastic, patient, but firm, and are very focused in what they are trying to develop. They know their children very well and value all contributions.

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67. The area is managed very well and the co-ordinator has a very clear view of the needs of the children. She shares her expertise well in supporting staff to plan activities appropriate to meet the needs of the children. Assessment procedures and record keeping are very good and are used very well to plan the curriculum. Resources are good and the library is used well to encourage children to enjoy books. Good use is also made of visits in the local area to develop language skills. For example, some children have visited a local farm and garden centre.

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68. Attainment in mathematical skills is still below the nationally agreed levels expected when the children move on to reception classes. At the time of the last inspection, children’s attainment was considered just about average for the age group. This fall in attainment reflects the change in the intake of the centre since 1996. The number of children with special educational needs has increased and more children are being admitted from areas of social deprivation. This has an impact on the overall attainment of children in mathematics.

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69. Most children are beginning to count up to five and have started to arrange the numerals in the correct order. Higher achievers make attempts to write numbers correctly. They are beginning to understand positional vocabulary such as down and up. Most children orally subtract to 5 and use real objects to guide them. Lower attaining children try to count to 5 but cannot do so accurately. They recognise simple patterns and can match objects on a one to one basis. Children Hartcliffe Early Years Centre - 23 compare, sort and match every day objects, with many knowing basic colours, including silver and gold. Older children identify and name two-dimensional shapes such as triangle, square, rectangle and circle and are introduced to three-dimensional shapes such as pyramid and cube. Children are encouraged to use simple mathematical vocabulary such as taller, smaller, higher, lower, heavier,

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70. Children make good progress in developing their mathematical skills. They increase their knowledge of number by regular opportunities to count and sing songs such as ‘Five currant buns’ and ‘Ten green bottles’. Listening to stories and poems effectively develops their understanding of number. They are steadily developing knowledge and understanding of early measurement including weighing, capacity, size and shape. This was well demonstrated during the inspection where the children showed that they knew that the scales needed to be level to balance play dough. Children use mathematical language to describe the sizes of the three bears, and are developing their knowledge of the terms ‘full’ and ‘empty’ when working with sand and water. Those children with special educational needs receive extra support individually or in small groups and, as a result, make very good progress.

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71. Children enjoy taking part in mathematical activities. They work well together and learn to take turns, as in a capacity activity involving floating and sinking. They demonstrate good independence in selecting equipment and putting this away at the end of lessons. They are keen to answer questions and often remain interested for long periods of time. Children behave well and have positive attitudes towards their work.

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72. The quality of teaching is good and has improved since the last inspection. This has a positive impact on children’s progress and their responses to mathematics. Teachers and support staff have a good knowledge and understanding of the subject and the needs of young children. They work effectively together to plan appropriate activities for small group sessions and support children well in their learning when they are working independently. Staff plan frequent opportunities for children to use mathematics in the daily life of the centre. They introduce mathematics as part of play in sand and water, in role-play and when children match equipment to the right place or picture on shelves as they tidy away at the end of a session. Members of staff have excellent relationships with children and manage them very effectively. They have high expectations of children’s behaviour and their questioning is often used effectively to develop

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children’s learning. Teachers are good at assessing what children can do and keep detailed notes of their progress. They use this information well to plan the next stage of development for each child.

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78. Knowledge and understanding of the world

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73. Children make steady progress in this area of learning. However, only a minority are on track to meet the nationally agreed levels of an understanding of the natural and human environment.

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74. The children have well-developed powers of observation. During one group session, for example, they showed excitement and interest as they helped an adult to cut open fruit, looking carefully at the skin, seeds and juice and comparing one type of fruit with another. They also gain an understanding about how ingredients change when they are cooked and find out how to set the timer on a microwave cooker. When planting vegetables and seeds in their garden, many show an understanding that plants need water and sunshine in order to grow. Some children are beginning to ask relevant questions to extend their understanding. This occurred during the inspection when the children confidently asked questions about the shininess of glass and quickly understood that this material was fragile. They have good opportunities to explore materials of different kinds, Hartcliffe Early Years Centre - 24 including sand, water and soil.

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75. The children satisfactorily recall and describe events in their past and talk about older and younger members. They have a developing knowledge of their local environment and talk about different types of transport. Their learning is reinforced by visits to local shops, farms and a variety of other interesting places. There are also good opportunities for the children to build large structures such as bridges, using big wooden bricks.

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76. Children’s construction and design skills are developing well and a minority are on line to achieve expected levels by the time they are five. They choose a variety of materials to create two and three-dimensional work. Children make collage pictures appropriate for their age and make sound decisions about what materials to include in their creative work. Most are slowly developing their ability to use glue, but only about half the children can use scissors to cut along outlines. Children use a wide range of commercial construction materials and demonstrate developing use of their imagination. They make small-scale items, using wheels and large-scale “buildings” and items using giant bricks. Children use small world play to construct play situations. They also use rolling pins, spoons, cutters and other implements to cut out and shape items from play dough with some success.

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77. The children’s learning is supported by the use of some technology. For example, they listen to story tapes through headphones. However, they lack experience when using the new computer and struggle to control the mouse.

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78. Children are enthusiastic about all aspects of knowledge and understanding of the world. They enjoy the practical nature of the subject, particularly in construction and are very proud of completed work. Children are careful with delicate items such as fruit and understand safety issues when they are in the food preparation area. They generally concentrate well on what they are doing and their behaviour is good.

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79. Teaching is consistently good in this area of learning. Activities are well taught where staff focus on a clear learning objective with a group of children. Questioning is well targeted and appropriately open-ended. Staff show awareness of proper hygiene and safety procedures in all activities.

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80. The curriculum is well structured and progressively challenges the children through carefully focused targets, developing both their knowledge and skills in this area of learning. Resources are good and well supplemented by staff ingenuity, parents, visits and books.

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81. Overall, attainment in the area of physical development is in line with nationally agreed levels. A minority of children exceed this level in outside activities, particularly on the wheeled toys. Attainment in fine motor skills such as holding pencils and paintbrushes is below nationally agreed levels. However, all children are making good progress.

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82. Most children can run around outside, showing a good awareness of space. They move around the playground with good control and exercise confidently on the climbing frames. They begin to balance and jump through the tyres with increasing skill. Many children ride their bikes and scooters confidently and drive skilfully into parking spaces. However, a minority of children with special educational needs find it difficult to ride without bumping into each other and have little Hartcliffe Early Years Centre - 25 spatial awareness. Many children can play imaginatively in the sandpit and use very good control when building bricks on top of each other to make a house. They pretend appropriately within a role-play situation of a boat when using the large construction blocks. They are confidently developing their ability to manipulate and use tools with clay. However, few children can use pencils, scissors or paintbrushes correctly without substantial support from an adult.

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83. Very good progress is made in physical development. Children learn to use space well and many develop a good awareness of each other as they move. They become increasingly confident to use the climbing apparatus, to pedal on the bikes and control the scooters. Children with special needs make good progress through the good support and demonstrations by adults.

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84. The quality of teaching is good. Teachers show good knowledge of children’s needs and demonstrate techniques well. Learning objectives are clear and there are high expectations of behaviour. Social skills of sharing are developed well. Teachers interact, question well and provide appropriate opportunities for independence as well. Resources are good and organised well to encourage progression of skills. However, the lack of a suitable hall for indoor physical activities, for example music and movement sessions and small apparatus work inhibits progress in these areas. Long-term planning includes the use of the Top Start scheme, which provides equipment and lessons for small groups of children in developing skills with small apparatus. The area of learning is well managed by the co-ordinator who gives good support with planning.

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85. Children’s creative attainment is typical of three and four year olds. They make very good progress and are on target to reach the expected levels of creative development by the time they are five. In the previous inspection, attainment was judged to be good in music, adequate in art and below average in role-play and drama.

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86. Children make good progress in expressing their feelings through pictures and music. Provision for artwork has improved since the last inspection. The youngest children are learning to satisfactorily hold paintbrushes, pencils and crayons with varying degrees of success. As they get older, they present their ideas in a variety of media including paint, chalk, pencils, textiles, glitter and modelling materials. They begin to use scissors and glue to make models and pictures and, with the help of adults, have produced well an effective three-dimensional rainbow fish using bright coloured paper. Younger children use printing techniques and have printed simple caterpillars using onions. Older children successfully use sponge-printing techniques to depict the colours of autumn. Children have the opportunity to work with play dough and clay to examine texture. The co-ordinator has identified the need to extend the opportunities for claywork to

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increase children’s experiences. Children respond well to what they see, hear, touch, smell and taste. For example, in one lesson they appreciate the opportunity to touch, smell, and taste different types of fruit. They look closely at what they see before they paint and their pictures of big animals in the jungle are accurate in many details.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

87. Provision for role-play has also improved since the last inspection, due to appropriate adult intervention, although childrens’ speaking skills are very limited. Children take the part of shop keepers, police and firemen, wearing appropriate costumes and headgear, in both inside and outside play areas, which has a positive impact on the development of their social and linguistic skills. In drama, children involve adults in their imaginative play. For example, they re-enacted the story of the three bears effectively by preparing the porridge, taking the part of the characters and narrator and arranging where the furniture and props are positioned. Hartcliffe Early Years Centre - 26 88. There are good opportunities for children to enjoy and make music. They enjoy experimenting with sound and use the wide range of percussion instruments well. Many children can name accurately the percussion instrument used and higher attainers are able to maintain pulse beat in

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

songs, starting and stopping at appropriate times. Children remember many songs and rhymes and have their own favourites such as Christmas songs.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

89. The children’s responses to the variety of experiences they are given are enthusiastic and positive. Most children join in when singing songs and all fully participate in art activities. They show great interest in their work and often concentrate for long periods of time. Children play sensibly together, co-operating well in imaginative play and when working on a piece of group art. They take good care of the resources and tidy away well at the end of a session where all children are given responsibility to help.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

90. The quality of teaching is good. Teachers plan a wide range of activities designed to promote specific skills and give children very good opportunities to experiment with and choose different media. Members of staff use praise well and children are effectively encouraged to express their own ideas. Questioning is often used effectively to encourage children to think about their work. Staff have high expectations of how children will behave when using messy paints or expensive musical instruments and children respond by being careful and sensible. Teachers keep good records of what children have achieved and use this information to decide what needs to be taught next to individual children. The school building is enhanced by some attractive wall displays. However, the co-ordinator has identified the need for more display areas so that children’s work can be kept and valued and receive the public acclaim that it deserves. Resources are good and

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

are accessible to children at all times. Creative development plays an important part in the provision for cultural development and various festivals such as Divali are celebrated with music and art. Hartcliffe Early Years Centre - 27

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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

91. A team of four inspectors, including a lay inspector, spent a total of three days in the centre to undertake the inspection. During this time:

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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

• . 46 sessions in whole or part were observed; • . Registration periods were seen; • . The work of children representing the range of ability in the school was inspected; • . The headteacher, curriculum co-ordinators, teachers and support staff were interviewed; • . There were discussions with governors, parents, children, the school secretary, caretaker and visiting support agency staff; • . The team scrutinised teachers’ plans, policy documents, the school development plan and other documents supplied by the school; • . Attendance registers and records of children’s progress were checked; • . The internal accommodation and the external site were reviewed; • . 29 responses from parents’ questionnaires were analysed along with comments made by nine parents who attended the meeting for parents held prior to the inspection. Hartcliffe Early Years Centre - 28 98. DATA AND INDICATORS

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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

98. Pupil data Number of pupils on roll (full-time equivalent) Number of pupils with statements of SEN Number of pupils on school’s register of SEN Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals Nursery Unit/School 122 2 30 98

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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

98. Qualified teachers (Nursery school, classes or unit)

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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

Total number of qualified teachers (full-time equivalent): 6.5 Number of pupils per qualified teacher: 25 (over three’s)

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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

98. Education support staff (Nursery school, classes or unit)

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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

Total number of education support staff: 20 Total aggregate hours worked each week: 655.5

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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

Average class size: N/A Hartcliffe Early Years Centre - 29

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PARENTAL SURVEY

Number of questionnaires sent out: 135 Number of questionnaires returned: 29

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PARENTAL SURVEY

Responses (percentage of answers in each category):

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PARENTAL SURVEY

Strongly agree Agree Neither Disagree Strongly disagree I feel the school encourages parents to play an active part in the life of the school 48 52 0 0 0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

I would find it easy to approach the school with questions or problems to do with my child(ren) 83 17 0 0 0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school handles complaints from parents well 38 45 14 0 0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school gives me a clear understanding of what is taught 31 45 14 10 0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school keeps me well informed about my child(ren)’s progress 52 34 3 10 0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school enables my child(ren) to achieve a good standard of work 41 41 17 0 0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school encourages children to get involved in more than just their daily lessons 59 34 7 0 0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

I am satisfied with the work that my child(ren) is/are expected to do at home 31 21 38 0 0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school’s values and attitudes have a positive effect on my child(ren) 69 31 0 0 0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school achieves high standards of good behaviour 59 38 3 0 0

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