Woodlands Park Nursery School and Childrens Centre

Woodlands is an Early Excellence Centre and its 2002 report is below

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Woodlands Park Nursery Centre

A report from the Office of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools 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. College inspection reports are available on the OFSTED website (www.ofsted.gov.uk).

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Dates of Inspection: 4–5 February 2002

This pilot inspection was carried out at the request of the Department for Education and Skills as part of its evaluation of the first Early Excellence Centres. Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools (HMCI) elects that the inspection is deemed a Section 10 short inspection and that the report shall be published.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE CENTRE

Address: Woodlands Park Road, Tottenham, London N15 3SD

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE CENTRE

Chair of governing body: Charlotte Brown

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE CENTRE

Date of previous inspection: Section 10: 21–24 November 1994

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ABOUT THE INSPECTION

The purpose of the inspection is to assure government, parents and the public that the nursery education is of an acceptable quality and that the registered premises and people are suitable to provide childcare for children under eight years of age in accordance with the fourteen National Standards (see Annex 2). Inspection also identifies strengths and weaknesses so that the Centre can improve the quality of care and education provision, and help children to achieve the early learning goals by the end of the Foundation Stage. The Foundation Stage covers the period from age three to the end of the reception year. A copy of this inspection report and its summary must be made available free of charge to all parents.

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ABOUT THE INSPECTION

If the nursery education 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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Team members

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with OFSTED by writing to:

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7

HOW THE CENTRE HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION 8

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7

STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY CHILDREN 8 Progress towards early learning goals 8 The attitudes of children and adults towards the Centre 8

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7

THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION, LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT 9 Teaching and learning 9 Other aspects of the Centre 9 How well the Centre is led and managed 11 Parents’, carers’ and users’ views of the Centre 11

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PART B: COMMENTARY 12

WHAT THE CENTRE SHOULD DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER 16

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE INSPECTION REPORT

The Centre was inspected by a team of five inspectors, led by Marjorie Roberts AI. This is a summary of the inspection report, which is available from the Centre.

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FEATURES OF THE CENTRE

Woodlands Park Nursery Centre became part of the Haringey Early Excellence Network in 1998. The last inspection of the Centre took place in 1994 and since then the range of services provided by the Centre has expanded and the number of children receiving full day care has grown substantially. These include: education and day care for children aged 7 months to 2 years; nursery education and extended day care for children aged 2 to 4 years; after school care for primary school children aged 4 to 7 years; and a recently introduced Sure Start programme for parents and young children. The Centre also disseminates information about its work by offering training, receiving visitors, and managing a website. In the last year, the Centre hosted approximately 80 visitors from within the local authority, further afield and abroad. The Woodlands Park website has been visited over 1200 times since June 2001. Other services offered, are: a toddler opportunity and parent support group

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FEATURES OF THE CENTRE

(TOPS) which includes children with special needs; holiday play schemes; and a family literacy project. These services were not inspected. The Centre provides 80 full-time education and day care places, including 10 for children with special needs. Some of the places are allocated on a part-time basis. 106 children attend at the moment, and of these 36 attend full-time. 13 children have special educational needs (SEN) and 12 of them receive support from external specialists.

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FEATURES OF THE CENTRE

The Centre is in an area of social disadvantage where there is high unemployment and poor accommodation. The children and their families come from a diverse range of ethnic backgrounds. There are a small number of refugee and traveller families. Of the 36 children learning English as an additional language, 24 are at the early stages.

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FEATURES OF THE CENTRE

There have been significant staff changes and difficulties in filling posts during the last year. At the time of the inspection the head of Centre, deputy head of Centre, and one of the teacher co-ordinators held acting posts.

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HOW GOOD THE CENTRE IS

Woodlands Park is an effective Centre and its services are very well used. Children attain high standards in their personal, social and emotional development, and sound standards in the other areas of learning. They make good progress in their learning because teaching by all staff is good. Staff ensure that children with complex special needs are successfully integrated into everyday work, and they give excellent support to their parents. Both adults and children enjoy being at the Centre and are enthusiastic about what it offers. The acting head leads and manages the Centre effectively and has created a good team spirit. On the evidence available, the Centre provides sound value for money.

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WHAT THE CENTRE DOES WELL

• Teaches children consistently well. • Enables children of all ages to achieve high standards in their personal, social and emotional development. • Effectively integrates children with special needs in the Centre’s activities so that they make very good progress. • Fully involves parents in contributing to their children’s learning.

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WHAT THE CENTRE COULD IMPROVE

• Monitoring of the progress of different groups of children. • The range of the curriculum so that it covers all aspects of the six areas of learning. • The role and functions of the governing body, currently limited by a lack of delegated powers. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governing body’s action plan.

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HOW THE CENTRE HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Woodlands Park Nursery Centre was last inspected in 1994. Since then the Centre has maintained high standards of teaching and has strengthened its partnership with parents. Parents are now involved in sharing information about their children’s interests and learning. This helps staff to plan what children need to know next.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY CHILDREN

When children enter the classes for 3 and 4 year-olds, the majority has not yet reached the expected levels in the six areas of learning, for children at this age and stage of development. They make good progress, and most do as well as children of the same age by the time they move to primary school.

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Area of learning Comment

Personal, social, and emotional development Children are likely to exceed the early learning goals in this area by the time they reach the end of the reception year in primary school. The majority of children are very interested and enthusiastic learners who often concentrate for long periods. Communication, language and literacy They make good progress overall in this area and are doing particularly well in their ability to talk and listen to others. Children are likely to meet the goals by the end of the reception year. However, more capable children could do better in reading and writing. Mathematical development Most children make good progress, but would achieve more if the next stages in learning were more clearly identified, particularly in calculation. Children are likely to meet the goals by the end of the reception year. Knowledge and understanding of the World Children are likely to meet the goals by the end of the

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Area of learning Comment

reception year. They make good progress and do especially well in the aspects of exploration and investigation. Physical development Children have access to stimulating outdoor facilities and make good progress. They are likely to meet the goals by the end of the reception year. Creative development Children are likely to meet the goals by the end of the reception year. They make good progress overall, especially in using their imagination.

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The attitudes of children and adults towards the Centre

Staff respect and understand the needs of both children and their families, and give very good support to parents. As a result, children and parents are relaxed and comfortable in the Centre. Relationships between children and adults are supportive and strong. Children are enthusiastic about the experiences provided, maintain their concentration well, and are keen to learn.

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Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching by both teachers and nursery officers is consistently good. Staff are skilled at intervening at the right moment so that children concentrate and complete tasks. Questioning and explanations are good and help children to reflect and to express their ideas. In the best teaching, staff know what children are to learn next and set well-focused challenges, which extend their thinking.

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Teaching and learning

Staff have very good knowledge about individual children and their development. They have a sound understanding of the curriculum guidance for the Foundation Stage. Staff work particularly well as key workers and establish excellent communication with a small group of children and their families. All adults that work with children are adept at managing children’s behaviour. They encourage children to talk about their feelings, and discuss with them the reasons for setting boundaries for behaviour. Staff form an effective team, have well defined roles and offer a very good range of well-resourced activities which catch children’s interest.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The nursery curriculum is sound. There is a good balance of child-directed activities, small group work, and visits, for instance to the local café and museum. Staff have developed the curriculum in personal, social and emotional development and the use of language for communication. However, they have yet to review the aspects of literacy and the other four areas of learning in order to have a better structure for planning these aspects in the longer term. How well the Centre cares for its children The Centre provides good care because it successfully responds to each child’s individual needs and interests. The key-worker system enables staff to build special relationships with parents and carers, and leads to good and frequent communication. The Centre’s Child Protection procedures are very good and are understood by staff. Good systems are in place for monitoring

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Aspect Comment

and improving lateness and attendance, although attendance does fluctuate. Provision for children with special educational needs This is a strength of the Centre. The curriculum is well planned for children with SEN. Children with complex, physical and educational needs are fully integrated into the life and activities of the Centre. As a result they make very good progress. Provision for children learning English as an additional language The majority of children learning English as an additional language make good progress because staff find ways to include them in all the activities. There are frequent opportunities for them to use familiar phrases, count, and listen to stories in their home languages. Staffing difficulties have meant that there is no teacher in post to provide a full range of on-going support for children at the early stages of learning English. The Centre and Local Education Authority (LEA) have already taken steps to

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Aspect Comment

address this. Provision for children’s personal development, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Children’s spiritual, moral and social development is very well provided for. They are helped to understand both special and troubling events in their lives. They make good relationships and learn to co-operate and how to behave. Cultural development is good. Children develop respect for their own and other cultures and customs. Day care for children aged under three There is a good range of interesting activities provided for babies and toddlers. These contribute to their development and learning. Staff interact warmly with children and their families and cultivate secure relationships and good behaviour in children. Children are encouraged to be independent from an early age, and learn to care for each other well. Consequently, older children are very gentle with younger ones. Routines are

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Aspect Comment

managed well but facilities for toileting and changing soiled nappies are poor. The nappy changing area is too small and is in a draughty position. Family support services: Sure Start The recently appointed Sure Start outreach worker and other Centre staff have quickly established strong links with parents and carers in the local community. Parents have opportunities to socialise with other parents in sessions which are stimulating for their children, such as the new ‘Early Start’ groups. Careful planning and good co-ordination between work with parents and children are giving staff opportunities to discuss how ideas from the sessions might be developed at home. Staff sensitively encourage children to join in with activities and successfully include all families, for example those parents that have a disability or speak another language. extended day The extended day provision for nursery children is good. Staff

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Aspect Comment

ensure that there is a calm and caring start to the day for children who come for breakfast. They are sensitive when children are anxious about leaving their parents, and offer warm support. This is helping children to feel safe and valued and gives them a good introduction to the day. Nursery aged children are also well occupied at the end of the day. Their participation in a range of suitable activities is well supported, so that they are not intimidated when older children join the group.

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Aspect Comment

after school care After school care for older children is satisfactory. Planning is adequate and there are some well-organised small group activities such as yoga. However, the nursery accommodation and some of the activities are not well matched to the needs of children over five. Provision for these children is not stimulating enough.

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Aspect Comment

Contribution to the development of good early years practice beyond the Centre The Centre has formed a number of links through which it is effectively beginning to share its practice, for example with the University of North London and a project with a local primary school. In order to further its links, the Centre is planning a joint project with a group of pre-schools in Stockholm to study extended day care. The acting head of Centre has written and published a number of reflective articles about the Foundation Stage, Early Excellence Centres and information communication technology.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the head of Centre and other key staff. The Centre is well led by the acting head of Centre, who has thoughtfully considered how the Centre needs to develop. Almost all the Centre’s aims are reflected in the work of the staff, because they work towards common goals. Following a challenging period of staff changes the acting head has established a good management structure through which he is delegating new responsibilities. Even though they have not held their posts for long, senior managers have begun to make an effective contribution to the development of the Centre. Informal systems are in place for monitoring teaching but performance management and appraisal have not yet begun. However, opportunities for training and professional development are very good and contribute significantly to the consistently effective teaching of all staff. The senior management team do not take sufficient steps to monitor the

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Aspect Comment

progress of different groups of children in the six areas of learning.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governing body fulfils its role in the Centre's evaluation of its performance Governors are committed to supporting the Centre and the acting head. The governing body does not have a delegated budget or procedures to gather information about how well the Centre is doing. As a result, it is not sufficiently aware of the Centre’s effectiveness and has limited involvement in important decision making.

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like to see improved

• The children are happy and relate well to each other and staff. • They receive good information about the children’s progress. • They feel involved because their views are taken into account and they work together with staff. • The children are taught the difference between right and wrong. • Home visits are very helpful. • Staff help children with complex and profound special needs to join in all activities and routines. • Information about the charging policy for nursery education and extended day care.

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like to see improved

The inspectors agree with the views expressed by parents and carers. They agree that the charging policy needs to be clarified. The LEA is taking steps to address this.

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WHAT THE CENTRE DOES WELL

1. Almost all teaching is good or very good. All staff are very alert to each child’s needs and build well on children’s initiations to extend their experience and learning. For example, extended talk about rescues resulted from an adult questioning two and three- year old children about what would happen to the pilots of their pretend aeroplanes after a crash. Observations and assessments of individual children are at the centre of planning and teaching and staff know children very well. Teachers and nursery officers work well together as a team and have a shared and clear view about how young children learn and develop. This shared sense of endeavour, combined with knowledge of individuals, gives both consistency and focus to teaching.

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WHAT THE CENTRE DOES WELL

2. Staff have clear responsibilities both as key workers and as managers of specific activities. This ensures that children receive the support they need in the busy nursery environment. Teaching is best when staff have very good understanding of what is to be learned next and set pertinent challenges. This happens most frequently in the areas of personal, social and emotional development, and in aspects of communication, language and literacy and knowledge and understanding of the world. Teachers are keeping the next steps in learning to the fore through regular team evaluations; possibilities for development are identified in relation to the relevant elements of the six areas of learning. This process is helping to make sure that all staff are well prepared to support every child on a daily basis. However, the lack of a review of longer term planning does not ensure full attention to all aspects of learning in some areas of the Foundation Stage.

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WHAT THE CENTRE DOES WELL

3. Staff often intervene in children’s play at the right time, to build on what they are doing, to support their participation, and develop their learning. For instance, when an adult assumed the role of a customer in the café and talked about the different choices of meal she and children might order, she skilfully stimulated discussion of likes, dislikes and quantities. She asked if they would have a whole pizza or a piece of one.

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WHAT THE CENTRE DOES WELL

4. Language is consistently well developed through the good use of open questions. These lead children to consider possibilities and to search for meanings. For example, when children were asked about the meaning of the label ‘FRAGILE’ during the reading of the story Dear Zoo , a child’s response "You have to be very careful" was picked up later in the story when the label ‘WITH CARE’ appeared. Interest is equally well captured and mysteries explored through good communication with children with special educational needs. For example, a child who was absorbed by the size and shapes of some beautiful boxes shook one of them to indicate that there was something inside and then repeated the words which the adult used to describe them.

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The Centre enables children of all ages to achieve high standards in their personal,

5. Staff are strongly committed to developing the area of personal, social and emotional development so that children are secure and confident enough to take full advantage of the learning opportunities that the Centre offers. They are very successful in this. Children enter the nursery cheerfully, most leave their parents confidently, and approach activities with enthusiasm. Any who appear uncertain are quickly and skilfully reassured and supported. Most are very eager to learn and settle very well to new activities. They often engage in sustained play and persevere when faced with challenges, like fixing a bow onto a box when the sticky tape does not seem to stick! Many are using their own initiative and do not wait to be told what to do.

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The Centre enables children of all ages to achieve high standards in their personal,

6. Children’s relationships with adults and other children are excellent and this is having a very positive effect on their social development. Staff are sensitive to children’s concerns, understand their social and emotional needs and take good care to respond to each child. This creates an atmosphere of trust in which children readily show affection. They have a warm relationship with adults in the Centre, especially their key worker, and are learning from them how to look after each other. There is a strong sense of mutual respect. Older children show care for those who are younger or who have special needs. Respect is also central to children’s cultural development. They benefit from the richness of cultural experiences which they and their families bring to the Centre. Their appreciation of different ways of life is being effectively reinforced and extended through such things as sharing stories and seeing letters written in different languages.

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The Centre enables children of all ages to achieve high standards in their personal,

7. All staff implement the Centre’s behaviour policy consistently well. The same phrases are used to reinforce key messages, for example "We do talking, not hurting", and "I need you to play well". Parents comment that their children say to them "Can we have a meeting?" when they disagree with something. Children know the boundaries and reasons for them and they are encouraged to recognise, talk about and manage their feelings. Staff give reassurance that difficult feelings such as anger or frustration are to be expected when problems occur. A young child in the class of two to three year olds was encouraged to remember and talk about how he worked through his anger the previous day when another child had something he wanted. There is some challenging behaviour but staff channel this effectively by consistently maintaining a firm, fair and reasoned response and taking time to discuss what has happened and why actions

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The Centre enables children of all ages to achieve high standards in their personal,

which are hurtful are unacceptable. They are skilled in sustaining and extending play while at the same time maintaining expected codes of behaviour. Children are learning to appreciate the effects of their feelings on others and to use skills of negotiation to help them to gain co-operation or ‘a turn’.

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The Centre enables children of all ages to achieve high standards in their personal,

8. The good example which adults set by consistently saying "Please", and "Thank you", encourages children to be polite. At the start of ‘island time’ children greet each other, ask "How are you?" and incorporate signing into the greeting. They are also learning which codes of behaviour fit particular situations; for example, "In the café you sit at the table, wait to be served and may use a napkin". Similarly, they respond well to encouragement to take care of their environment. Staff involve children in clearing away and keeping things tidy through such requests as "Let’s go and see if our ‘island’ needs tidying", and by engaging help in clearing up after lunch and wiping the tables.

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The Centre effectively includes children with special needs so that they make very

9. This is a strength of the Centre. Staff take pains to understand children’s particular needs so that they can successfully include them in the Centre’s activities. They very successfully promote the integration of children with complex, physical and educational needs, and fully involve them in the life and activities of the Centre, including meal times. Staff make sure that other children help those with SEN when they work together, for example, at the computer, where one child controlled the mouse and helped a child in a wheelchair to respond to the pictures on the screen.

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The Centre effectively includes children with special needs so that they make very

10. Once children are confident, staff encourage them to be independent. They make sure that children have easy access to well located and accessible equipment so that they can be fully involved in a wide range of activities. Adults give just the right level of support to enable the children to be independent so that they can to take pride in doing things for themselves, for example by placing a sock the right way round so that a child could put it on by himself.

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The Centre effectively includes children with special needs so that they make very

11. Children with SEN make very good progress because staff and external specialists carefully evaluate their learning needs, and in consultation with parents and carers, set appropriate targets for their development. Parents are invited to contribute important information about what their children have learned to do at home, and are involved well, in the regular review of their progress in the nursery. Parents of children with SEN recognise that staff have high expectations for their children, and are receptive to their ideas. They commented that all the carefully planned opportunities mean that children with, and without, complex needs benefit.

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The Centre effectively includes children with special needs so that they make very

The Centre fully involves parents in contributing to their children’s learning .

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The Centre effectively includes children with special needs so that they make very

12. Staff create a very positive, secure and welcoming environment for parents who are clearly ‘at home’ in the Centre. There is a lot of interaction between staff and parents which is both social and purposefully focused on what children are doing and learning in the nursery and at home. Such easiness is a result of the trust and respect which begins to develop before each child’s admission. Key workers are responsible for linking with a group of families from the point of an introductory home visit. They liaise effectively with parents to manage the process of settling in so that parents are reassured that children can follow their interests, know that someone special is caring for them and helping them to learn.

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The Centre effectively includes children with special needs so that they make very

13. The quality of parents’ contribution to their child’s learning at the Centre is enhanced by the efforts which staff take to share their practice. Parents are knowledgeable about what goes on because they receive full information about what and how things are done. Very good use is made of displays, photographs and leaflets to show how children are learning; for example a booklet produced by the Centre explains clearly how features of children’s learning are being identified. This knowledge enables parents to share their observations of what children do at home in the same terms.

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The Centre effectively includes children with special needs so that they make very

14. Staff are equally keen to listen to parents and engage well with all of them about their child’s learning. Good organisation in each of the classes allows activities to be managed while time is taken to talk informally each day and also, more formally, every six to eight weeks. During the more formal discussions, staff consult parents individually about their perspectives on children’s progress and share their observations about how they have been getting on in the nursery. Possible lines of development for their child’s learning are identified. The lines of development are used to plan for the child’s learning. This gives a shared and clear focus for subsequent discussions.

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The Centre effectively includes children with special needs so that they make very

15. The Centre gives a variety of other good opportunities for communication and interaction between staff and parents. For example, communication folders are used for children who stay for the extended day and who may not see their key worker very often; and several parents who speak several languages share storytelling with staff. All parents can borrow from a very well chosen variety of books and tapes which includes collections in different languages and some very attractive story telling aids, such as toys of characters in the stories. Parents are also involved in evaluation of the work of the Centre. All these various measures give a rich range of opportunities for parents to be involved and to contribute to their children’s learning.

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Monitoring of the progress of different groups of children

16. Staff have a number of systems for gathering information about children’s learning, their interests and needs. From the onset of the home visit they share information with each other and use it for planning further activities and experiences for individual children. However, monitoring of the effectiveness of teaching and learning for different groups of children, such as those who are attaining highly or who are learning English as an additional language, is limited because knowledge of how well different groups of children are learning is not collated, analysed, or evaluated. As a result, it is difficult for them to judge how well groups of children are doing. The absence of this information means that senior managers and the governing body do not have enough evidence about how well different groups of children achieve, where the teaching is most effective, and where it needs to improve.

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The range of the curriculum so that it covers all aspects of the six areas of learning

17. There are variations in the curriculum coverage of the aspects of the six areas of learning at the Foundation Stage. Despite the lack of permanent senior staff, the curriculum has been developed for personal, social and emotional development and the use of language for communication. Staff have had recent training in the areas of communication and behaviour management and they have a clear understanding of how children develop and learn in these aspects. However, planning for the other areas of learning has been largely without review and while there is suitable guidance for some aspects, such as exploration and investigation in knowledge and understanding of the world, other aspects are not so well developed. This is particularly so for mathematical development, and the historical aspect of knowledge and understanding of the world. These strengths and weaknesses in curriculum planning are reflected in teaching. The best teaching is in

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The range of the curriculum so that it covers all aspects of the six areas of learning

personal, social and emotional development and in communication. While other teaching is good, it could be improved with better planning; for example, the calculation aspect of mathematical development.

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The range of the curriculum so that it covers all aspects of the six areas of learning

18. Staff make regular observations about children’s interests, and their responses to the activities and experiences provided. These are used successfully to build on what children already know and to plan the next steps in learning for children with special needs. However, observations are not always evaluated in relation to the stages in children’s learning. This makes it difficult to see precisely where children are learning well, where they could do better and what they need to learn next. This is especially so for children who are learning English as an additional language.

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powers

19. The governing body meets each term and is fully committed to supporting the work of the Centre. However, it does not have a committee structure or a clearly defined role. Consequently, it receives information from the acting head of Centre but has no mechanism for focusing discussions about the quality of the nursery provision and other services offered. This means that governors do not have a clear view of the effectiveness of the Centre, where it is particularly successful, offers good value for money and where it needs to be stronger or improved.

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powers

20. The role of governors is being strengthened through their involvement in allocating places to children and by using the skills which some governors have in admission and recruitment. However, their lack of knowledge about the Centre’s strengths and weaknesses, coupled with the lack of delegated powers limits their involvement in strategic planning and the development of an approach to best value principles. The LEA has plans to delegate local management to the governing body from April 2002.

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WHAT THE CENTRE SHOULD DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER

21. The acting head of centre together with the senior managers should:

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WHAT THE CENTRE SHOULD DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER

• develop the curriculum across all aspects of the six areas of learning; • monitor and evaluate the progress of different groups of children in relation to the stepping stones - when they enter the class for 3–4 year old children; - at key points during the year; and - at the point of transfer to primary school.

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The LEA with the acting head of Centre should:

• agree the role and functions of the governing body and find ways for it to monitor and evaluate the work of the Centre.

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consider the following minor issue for improvement:

• improve toilet facilities throughout the Centre, particularly for children under the age of three.

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consider the following minor issue for improvement:

The Centre is responsible for drawing 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.

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OTHER AREAS OF LEARNING INSPECTED

22. In the following areas of learning children are making good progress and are likely to meet the early learning goals by the end of the reception year because teaching is good.

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Communication, language and literacy

23. Opportunities for learning in this area are maximised by staff consistently talking to children. These opportunities are often initiated by the children, and staff successfully encourage them to question, predict and use their imaginations. Many children converse well, raise their own questions and can describe and explain what they are doing or observing. Listening is highlighted through instances such as reminding children that a visiting story-teller has a soft voice so they have to listen very well. They enjoy sharing stories and are becoming aware of how language works by hearing stories told in English and other languages such as Turkish and Somali. Children with special needs are learning well how to communicate by using movement, eye contact, facial expression and signs.

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Communication, language and literacy

24. Most children are making sound progress in early reading and writing. They enjoy making, sharing and using books as a source of information and also experiment readily with writing in role-play. However, children who can write their own names and recognise letters in other words are not being challenged enough to develop their early literacy, because ways of supporting writing development through use of such things as small collections of favourite or special words are not well enough established.

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Mathematical development

25. Frequent use of mathematical language by adults is leading to children’s spontaneous and accurate use of mathematical terms to describe numbers, positions, size and quantity; for example children spoke about such things as ‘nearly empty’ and ‘too heavy to carry’ as they helped to empty a water tray. Children are good at counting and they know the names of simple shapes. A well organised collection of mathematical resources and good integration of aspects of mathematical development into a wide range of play experiences are enabling children to learn about such things as how money is used and to experiment with quantities by using their hands, spoons and different sizes of container. They are beginning to solve problems by estimating and observing, for instance, which of a number of different sized bowls will fill most quickly in the rain. They are not so good at using numbers to calculate and the most capable children could

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Mathematical development

achieve more if their next stages in learning were clearly identified.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

26. Staff questioning and imaginative use of resources frequently prompt enquiry and stimulate sustained exploration and investigation of both natural and made things. Children examine objects keenly, and observe such things as what happens when liquid is poured along horizontal guttering and diagonal slopes. They use the computer keyboard and mouse competently and know how to choose their own materials to build and make different things. They learn well about features of the nursery environment and familiar journeys, and gain a satisfactory sense of time through reference to the pattern of the nursery day, recent events and things which happened long ago. They are learning to respect similarities and differences in people.

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Physical development

27. Outdoor facilities are very well designed and managed. Children are well supported and supervised in using large equipment. Consequently, most children are well co-ordinated and make skilful use of the space both inside and out. They use equipment confidently and persevere to refine and develop techniques in balancing, climbing and travelling. Easy access to a wide variety of small equipment and good guidance in using such things as a garlic press with dough are helping them to manipulate materials and use tools with good control.

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Creative development

28. Role-play and sensory experiences are well planned and children make especially good progress in using their imagination. Staff encourage them to speculate on ‘what might happen next’ and this is leading to some well developed role-play scenarios. For example café play was sustained through the processes of ordering, eating, paying a bill of fifty pounds and going to the cash machine for some more money! They make pictures and constructions using a variety of materials and are learning well how to apply and use colour and create textures. They enjoy singing and know a number of songs. However, other musical experiences are not regular enough, or planned sufficiently well, to enable children to learn as much as they could about creating and responding to sounds and rhythm.

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RESULTS OF THE SURVEY OF PARENTS AND CARERS ANNEX 1

Number of questionnaires sent out to nursery parents and carers 61

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Percentage of responses in each category

Nursery parents Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know N/A

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child likes being at the Centre. 90 10 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I feel my child is benefiting and making good progress. 86 14 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The Centre has appropriate expectations of my child’s behaviour. 70 18 2 0 10

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Percentage of responses in each category

The education and care provided by the Centre staff is of high quality. 78 22 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 66 24 8 2 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the nursery staff with questions or a problem. 78 18 0 0 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

The Centre has high expectations of my child’s development and learning. 68 14 6 0 12

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Percentage of responses in each category

The Centre welcomes each parent and carer and works closely with each one and values what they have to say about their child. 76 24 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The Centre is well led and managed. 58 28 8 0 6

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Percentage of responses in each category

The Centre is helping my child to be self- confident and to develop friendships. 84 16 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The Centre team provide a wide range of experiences which encourage my child to learn. 82 16 0 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The Centre gives good support to children with special educational needs. 66 12 0 0 22

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THE NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR UNDER EIGHTS DAY CARE AND CHILDMINDING

Woodlands Park Nursery Centre’s provision for children under 3, the extended day and out of school care was inspected against the 14 National Standards for Under Eights Day Care and Childminding. The National Standards are a set of outcomes that providers should aim to achieve and are attached to this report as Annex 2. The Centre is recommended to apply for registration under the Children Act 1989 Part XA.

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THE NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR UNDER EIGHTS DAY CARE AND CHILDMINDING

Standard 1 Suitable Person: Adults providing day care, looking after children or having unsupervised access to them are suitable to do so. Standard 2 Organisation: The registered person meets the required adult: child ratios, ensures that training and qualification requirements are met and organises space and resources to meet the children's needs effectively. Standard 3 Care, Learning and Play: The registered persons meet children's individual needs and promote their welfare. They plan and provide activities and play opportunities to develop children's emotional, physical, social and intellectual capabilities. Standard 4 Physical Environment: The premises are safe, secure and suitable for their purpose. They provide adequate space in an appropriate location, are welcoming to children and offer access to the necessary facilities for a range of activities which promote their development. Standard 5 Equipment: Furniture, equipment and toys are provided which are appropriate for

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THE NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR UNDER EIGHTS DAY CARE AND CHILDMINDING

their purpose and help to create an accessible and stimulating environment. They are of suitable design and condition, well maintained and conform to safety standards. Standard 6 Safety: The registered person takes positive steps to promote safety within the setting and on outings and ensures proper precautions are taken to prevent accidents. Standard 7 Health: The registered person promotes the good health of children and takes positive steps to prevent the spread of infection and appropriate measures when they are ill. Standard 8 Food and Drink: Children are provided with regular drinks and food in adequate quantities for their needs. Food and drink is properly prepared, nutritious and complies with dietary and religious requirements. Standard 9 Equal Opportunities: The registered person and staff actively promote equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice for all children (including special

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THE NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR UNDER EIGHTS DAY CARE AND CHILDMINDING

educational needs and disabilities). Standard 10 Special Needs: The registered person is aware that some children may have special needs and is proactive in ensuring that appropriate action can be taken when such a child is identified or admitted to the provision. Steps are taken to promote the welfare and development of the child within the setting in partnership with the parents and other relevant parties. Standard 11 Behaviour: Adults caring for children in the provision are able to manage a wide range of children's behaviour in a way which promotes their welfare and development. Standard 12 Working in Partnership with Parents and Carers: The registered person and staff work in partnership with parents to meet the needs of the children, both individually and as a group. Information is shared. Standard 13 Child Protection: The registered person complies with local child protection procedures approved by the Area Child Protection Committee and ensures that all

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THE NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR UNDER EIGHTS DAY CARE AND CHILDMINDING

adults working and looking after children in the provision are able to put the procedures into practice. Standard 14 Documentation: Records, policies and procedures which are required for the efficient and safe management of the provision, and to promote the welfare, care and learning of children are maintained. Records about individual children are shared with the child's parents.

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FEATURES OF THE NETWORK

The Haringey Early Excellence Network was awarded its early excellence status by the DfES for Woodlands Park and Pembury House in 1998, and for Rowland Hill, in 1999. The Network aims to build on the strengths of these three Centres, making links between them and other providers in the independent, voluntary and maintained sectors. The Centres are located in different parts of Tottenham, and serve areas of high social disadvantage and unemployment. In each Centre, families come from a diverse range of ethnic and linguistic backgrounds, and a higher than usual number of children speak English as an additional language. All three Centres fully integrate a substantial number of children with special needs.

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FEATURES OF THE NETWORK

Each Centre was inspected as part of the inspection of the Network. There is a separate report on each Centre.

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FEATURES OF THE NETWORK

• nursery education and day care; • inclusive education for children with complex special needs; • support for families and carers; • early morning and after school care; and • summer holiday provision.

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FEATURES OF THE NETWORK

In addition each centre has a particular focus.

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FEATURES OF THE NETWORK

• At Pembury House there is an advisory service and training for the Foundation Stage in the non-maintained sector. • Rowland Hill provides an advisory service for inclusive education. • At Woodlands Park, there is a Sure Start Centre and day care for children under three years of age.

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HOW GOOD THE NETWORK IS

The Haringey Early Excellence Network is operating at an unsatisfactory level and is not yet effective. The Network has some strengths but there are significant weaknesses which outweigh the strengths. The weaknesses relate to lack of an agreed vision and the absence of clear structures to lead, manage, monitor, evaluate and support the development of the Network. Strengths lie in the clearly defined work of the three, postholders linked to the advisory services and support for families. Over the last three years the Local Education Authority (LEA) has gone through a turbulent period and this has affected the development of the Network. The LEA and heads of Centre have identified many of the weaknesses and are beginning to devise strategies to address them.

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WHAT THE NETWORK DOES WELL

• It fully includes children with special needs within the three Centres, and the local authority’s under-fives' Centres. • It gives very effective support to families with a wide range of cultures and languages. • It offers good support and training for Foundation Stage providers in the private, voluntary and independent sectors.

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WHAT THE NETWORK COULD IMPROVE

• The understanding of the Network’s remit by all involved parties. • The leadership and management of the Network. • The contribution of the Centres’ governing bodies to the functioning of the Network. • Communication with other agencies and departments of the LEA. • Evaluation of the impact of the Network on children’s attainment and progress. • Dissemination of its good practice to maintained schools and the local communities of the three Centres.

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