Inspection Number: 1017393
| Name of setting: | Gemini Pre-School |
| Setting number: | 580563 |
| Address: | Church Centre |
| Belmont Road | |
| Uckfield | |
| East Sussex | |
| Postcode: | TN22 1BP |
| Person responsible for the day-to-day management of the setting: | Mrs J Primrose |
| Position: | Chairperson |
| Name of Inspector: | Rashida Akhtar Baig |
| RgNI's Registration number: | 025368 |
| Date(s) of inspection: | 12/02/1998 & 13/02/1998 |
| Inspection number: | 1017393 |
The inspection took place as part of a national programme of inspection of the educational provision for four year olds. It was commissioned by the Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED), a department of central government.
The purpose of the inspection is to identify strengths and weaknesses so that providers can improve the quality of educational provision and help children to achieve the Desirable Outcomes for children's learning on entering compulsory education, (ie by the age of five). It is also to ensure parents and the public that nursery education funded by the state is of an acceptable quality. The inspection report must be made available to all parents.
If the setting has been inspected previously, an action plan will have been drawn up to tackle issues identified. This inspection, therefore, must also assess what progress has been made in the implementation of this plan.
Information about the Setting
Gemini Playgroup has been established in the local community since 1969. The setting has the sole use of a classroom sized hall which is part of the original school building for Uckfield. The setting has access to a safe enclosed outside playground.The strengths and weaknesses of the educational provision.
The setting provides a balanced programme of educational activities, and most children are likely to achieve the desirable outcomes, by the time they are five years old. Personal and social development is given high priority in the educational programme. Children are highly confident and self possessed. Staff set clear ground rules which results in the children behaving well at all times. There are insufficient opportunities for children to show a range of feelings such as wonder and joy.In order to improve the quality and standards of the educational provision, the setting should:
Provide opportunities for children to write their names in upper and lower case letters, and to recognize letters of the alphabet by shape, and associate sounds with patterns in rhymes, syllables, letters and words.The provider must draw up an action plan within 40 working days of receipt of this report showing how the key issues or points for development detailed above will be addressed. The action plan must be made available to all parents, and to the Local Education Authority if required. An evaluation of the action taken will form part of the next inspection.
| Personal and social development | Promotes the desirable outcomes |
| Language and literacy | Promotes the desirable outcomes: has minor weaknesses |
| Mathematics | Promotes the desirable outcomes |
| Knowledge and understanding of the world | Promotes the desirable outcomes |
| Physical development | Promotes the desirable outcomes |
| Creative development | Promotes the desirable outcomes |
Taken overall, the quality and standards of the educational provision are acceptable in promoting the desirable outcomes for children's learning. The action plan should show how the provider will address the key issues or points for development within 12 months of the inspection.
It is recommended that the next inspection occurs within two to four years.
The strengths and weaknesses of personal and social development.
High priority is given to personal and social development within the educational programme. Children are highly confident and self possessed, for example, one child insisted he wanted to sing his own version of a nursery rhyme to the class, this was encouraged and supported by the staff. Staff set clear ground rules which are reinforced consistently, this directly results in good behaviour at all times. Children are encouraged to think and talk about right and wrong through stories. Staff provide many opportunities for children to engage in cooperative play, take turns and learn to share fairly, for example waiting to take turns patiently for a popular toy or activity. Children are encouraged to be gentle with animals, and have plants to care for. Good relationships are encouraged at all levels including those from different cultures, older and younger people and those of differing abilities by providing positive, non-stereotypical images in books and other resources. Children respond to a range of relevant religious and cultural events such as Christmas, Easter, mothers day and birthdays. Children are able to show initiative and choose an activity, they show concentration and perseverance with the more challenging activities and work well independently. Children are becoming independent in their personal hygiene and dressing, for example they are encouraged to put on and take off aprons and coats. There are insufficient regular opportunities for children to show a range of feelings, in particular joy and wonder.The strengths and weaknesses of language and literacy.
The programme for language and literacy has minor weaknesses. Some excellent activities are provided to encourage children to develop listening skills, in particular games which require a high level of attention. There are many opportunities for children to talk about their experiences and extend vocabulary. This is reflected in the interesting words used by children in their conversations, for example, one child referred to a tower as being "gigantic". Children engage in role play through dressing up, playing in the home corner and the post office making up their own stories. Children use and enjoy books and understand that English text flows from left to right and that words and pictures carry meaning. There are planned opportunities for children to recognize their own names by finding place mats at drink time and labelled coat pegs. By providing variety in environmental print and labelling of resources staff encourage recognition of familiar words. Children are emerging as writers making marks and representations for different purposes. There are insufficient opportunities for children to write their names with appropriate use of upper and lower case letters, to recognize letters by shape, associate sounds, with letters, patterns in rhymes, syllables and words.The strengths and weaknesses of mathematics.
Many worthwhile activities are provided to develop mathematical thinking. Children are beginning to use mathematical language to describe shapes like diamonds and circles. Children differentiate between different sized cutters and classify according to named attributes. They understand full and empty, more and less, and use scales for weighing different things. Children compare, sort, match and order using everyday objects like buttons, blocks and worksheets. Opportunities are provided for children to recognize and recreate mathematical patterns with beads, cotton reels and copying patterns on cards. They are familiar with a range of games to encourage counting and using dice like number dominoes and snakes and ladders. Children confidently recite number rhymes like "5 currant buns" and "10 green bottles". There is some use of numbers with stories like the "very hungry caterpillar". Through practical activities children are beginning to understand number operations such as how many altogether, how many are left. There are insufficient opportunities for children to recognize, use and record numbers on a regular basis.The strengths and weaknesses of knowledge and understanding of the world
The programme for knowledge and understanding of the world has many strengths. Children are provided with opportunities to talk about their families and experiences through stories and in the context of imaginative play. They are provided with excellent opportunities to talk about their environment, for example the whole group contributed to a map of the local area and then visited places on it like the local supermarket and the library. Children explore features of living things by growing carrot tops and beans, they are encouraged to think about conditions for growth, similarities and differences, by comparing those that were kept in the light with those that were kept in the dark. Children are beginning to understand change by observing what happens to powders when mixed with liquids, and predict what the final colour will be after mixing different colours. There are opportunities for children to record their observations in different ways. Children select materials well and use them safely. They are able to use a range of fixatives and fastenings such as sellotape, glue and staplers. They are imaginative when making models, for example using a transparent box for an oven light, and making knobs from chocolate boxes. Many children are beginning to show representational skills, by placing features in the appropriate places. There are insufficient opportunities for children to explore past events in their lives and become aware of simple and relevant time lines, and to make appropriate use of technology to support learning.The strengths and weaknesses of physical development.
The programme for physical development is strong with no elements of weakness noted. Children move confidently and imaginatively with increasing control and awareness of space and others. Staff provide opportunities for whole body movement, like skipping, jumping, wiggling, climbing, skipping and marching. They are beginning to understand spacial relations like under and over, inside and outside, left and right through physical movement. Children have a range of wheeled equipment to pull, push, sit, ride, and pedal, like tractors, bikes, cars and tricycles. Opportunities to practice balancing and climbing skills are provided by using a climbing frame, balancing beams, and by balancing bean bags on the head. Staff provide further elements of challenge and adventure by providing an obstacle course for the children in the outside area. Children handle a range of appropriate tools like scissors, cutters and bread knives safely. Children construct with a range of different resources like stickle bricks, duplo, connectors and popoids with increasing control.The strengths and weaknesses of creative development
Many worthwhile activities are used to foster creative development, this is a strong area with no elements of weakness noted. Children make shakers with different materials and rhythm sticks out of wooden dowels to explore the sounds they make. They tap syllables of names to understand rhythm. Children use musical instruments like bells, triangles and castanets to create their own music. All children know a range of familiar songs. Children are beginning to work confidently with different media in both two and three dimensions. There are many practical tasks in which children explore different textures, for example when cooking. Children mix colours and use a variety of painting techniques to create dramatic effects, such as stencilling, marble painting, exploding circles of colour and bubble painting. Many opportunities are provided for children to respond to their senses, they smell and taste different fruits, experience hot and cold and talk about their observations. Children are provided with many opportunities to engage in imaginative play and make up their own stories. In music and movement sessions they use their imagination, for example, to become a growing plant, and think about how they will move quickly or slowly. Children have access to a widening range of materials, suitable tools and other resources to express ideas and communicate feeling.The strengths and weaknesses of the overall planning for the six areas of learning.
Taken overall the planning of the educational programme is effective and promotes the desirable outcomes. Apart from some aspects of language and literacy all six areas are covered in the plans. Staff meet once a term where topics and focus activities are decided. Learning intentions are agreed upon and members of staff responsible for individual activities are identified. Daily plans are then drawn up by the supervisors based on these discussions. These meetings are also used to draw up action plans for the immediate future and include resource allocation and staff development needs. Due priority is given to personal and social development and mathematics. Many activities are planned to ensure children engage in cooperative play, learn to take turns, share fairly and have consideration for others. In mathematics planning covers shape, space and comparison of measures however, there is insufficient planning for number recognition and recording of numbers. Plans indicate clearly what children should learn from activities and how staff will be deployed. There is insufficient information in plans on how children will be grouped, any extension activities for quick learners and how activities will be modified for those who learn less quickly. Insufficient priority is given to aspects of language and literacy, in particular reading.The strengths and weaknesses of teaching and assessment.
The quality of teaching and assessment is effective in that it promotes the desirable outcomes and is generally good. Staff have secure knowledge of the desirable outcomes apart from some aspects of language and literacy. They are clear on areas of responsibility and work well as a team. Staff deployment is effective. Appropriate teaching methods are used and staff interact well with the children, set clear ground rules which are enforced consistently. Children are given clear explanations, questioned effectively and encouraged to think. Learning is consolidated by repetition and encouraging children to recall where they came across concepts for the first time. Teaching is organised effectively to develop children's knowledge, understanding and skills. Children experience small group, whole group and one-to-one teaching with adults. There is a good balance of activities between those that are directed by the teachers and those which are initiated by the children themselves. One member of staff is responsible for a small group of children, helping them to settle and getting to know their learning needs. They are also responsible for any observations and record keeping for these children. Staff do ten minute observations every fortnight and also keep manageable daily records of anything significant a child may have done for the first time. There is insufficient use of assessment and records for future planning. Teaching is monitored and reviewed informally. Planning is reviewed at weekly meetings where activities are evaluated, and ways of adapting activities which have not worked are looked at. Staff undertake regular training and development.The strengths and weaknesses of equality of access and opportunity.
Teaching in language and literacy and mathematics meets the needs of both boys and girls. Staff are aware when children gravitate towards certain activities and respond by encouraging them to do things they do not show an interest in. The setting has regard to the Code of Practice for children with special educational needs and liaise with outside agencies where necessary. There is some understanding of the needs of children whose first language is not English, however with current levels of awareness the needs of such children would only be partly met.The strengths and weaknesses of the learning resources and accommodation.
Staff make good use of resources to promote learning in all areas apart from some aspects of language and literacy. The resources are well organised, accessible, and suitable for any children with special educational needs. The environment is enhanced by displays of the children's work. Good labelling of resources, posters and number and alphabet friezes provide variety in environmental print. A writing area with a range of tools, sand and water trays, imaginative play area, everyday objects to sort and count, a range of creative media, musical instruments and a range of well designed equipment to develop physical skills are provided. Children also have access to a comfortable area to sit with a range of well illustrated books. There are insufficient resources for children for whom English is not their first language.The strengths and weaknesses of the partnership with parents and carers.
Partnerships with parents and carers is good, this is an area of many strengths. The setting provides clear and helpful information about the educational provision both prior to the children coming and when they join the group. Parents are provided with information on weekly activities, how they can help their children and what the child can bring from home. They are well informed about their child's progress through regular assessment and record keeping, these are kept in folders which parents have access to at any time. Records folders are given to parents and carers when their child leaves the setting. Parents and carers are encouraged to join in with activities in different ways, for example, parents can be on the management committee. Parents are made welcome in the group if they wish to help, and are encouraged to join in for trips. They are also asked to contribute by providing ideas for improvement in a suggestion box. For children with special educational needs a notebook operates between home and school where both parents and carers, and staff share how a child is doing. There are insufficient opportunities for all other parents and carers to contribute to assessments by sharing observations of their child's learning at home.