Nursery Education Inspection Report
LITTLE CHICKS NURSERY
Inspection Number: 1100502
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INSPECTION OF NURSERY EDUCATION
INSPECTION REPORT
| Name of setting: |
Little Chicks Nursery |
| Setting number: |
515476 |
| Address: |
Little Chicks Nursery |
| |
Isfield Road |
| |
Isfield |
| |
Uckfield |
| |
East Sussex |
| Postcode: |
TN22 5UB |
| Person responsible for the day-to-day management of the
setting: |
Alison J. Weaver |
| Position: |
Supervisor |
| Name of Inspector: |
Mrs Lynn Jordan |
| RgNI's Registration number: |
28365 |
| Date(s) of inspection: |
4/3/98 |
| Inspection number: |
1100502 |
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.
NURSERY EDUCATION INSPECTION REPORT
ABOUT THE INSPECTION
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
Little Chicks Nursery opened two-and-a-half years ago as a privately owned
nursery with a non-teaching proprietor. The group has access to a large,
spacious room as well as a smaller room for quieter activities and an enclosed
cloakroom with child-sized facilities, including easily accessible hanging
space. A separate staff room leads to a kitchen with cooking facilities. There
is a large outside paved and grassed area with access to an enclosed pond that
attracts local wildlife.
The full-time supervisor has been responsible for the day-to-day management of
the nursery since it opened, working alongside two other permanent members of
staff and two regular relief assistants. Three out of the five staff have
relevant childcare qualifications and one holds qualified teacher status.
There are twenty-three two to five-year-old children on roll with four children
receiving government funding and one other four-year-old. A maximum of eighteen
children can attend in any one session.
The nursery is open from 8.00 am to 6.00 pm each weekday, for fifty weeks of the
year, and largely attracts children from the local rural environment whose
parents work, although some children do attend on a sessional basis.
At present there are no children for whom English is a second language, or who
have any specific special educational needs.
The strengths and weaknesses of the educational provision provided.
Little Chicks Nursery provides a welcoming, secure and happy environment
offering many well-planned, worthwhile and stimulating activities for the
children in its care. The children are likely to achieve the Desirable Learning
Outcomes in five out of the six areas of learning by the time that they are five
years old, with a minor weakness to be addressed in the area of physical
development. Overall, the planning, balance and monitoring of the programme is
good.
High priority is given to personal and social development, both in planned
activities and in daily routine, and this is an area of strength in the nursery,
with no significant weaknesses noted. The children are generally very
well-behaved and are secure in the knowledge of what is expected of them. The
children display confidence, independence and initiative and show respect for
themselves and each other.
They work well in groups and on their own. Response to cultural and religious
events is evident in planning, resources and in photographs of children's work.
The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the children is
fostered appropriately.
Good opportunities are presented to the children within language and literacy.
There are many, varied activities offered to promote the development of speaking
and listening skills, through role-play, group discussion, story-telling, rhymes
and thoughtful use of questioning to evoke a response. Recognition of children's
names and simple everyday words is encouraged through carefully planned
activities and clearly-labelled displays. Correct letter formation and pencil
control is regarded as paramount. Use of letter sounds is encouraged. The
children do have varied opportunities to use and enjoy books but there is
insufficient attention given to promoting understanding that words have meaning
within text and that text reads from left to right.
Mathematics is a strength of the nursery, with no significant weaknesses noted.
An abundance of opportunities is given for the children to use and understand
mathematical language, to sort objects and recreate mathematical patterns and to
use and recognise numbers to ten in a variety of practical situations as well as
in written form. Varied opportunities are also presented to allow children to
solve simple mathematical problems.
A wealth of experiences is given to promote most aspects of knowledge and
understanding of the world. Full use is made of the rich, rural environment
within which the nursery is situated and to examine the purpose of its features.
Varied opportunities are presented to enable the children to question how things
happen and why things work. Full use is made of the newly acquired information
technology resources. Imaginative ways have been created for the children to
record their observations, although is not as yet sufficiently extended.
Opportunities for the children to recall events from the past are also lacking.
The area of physical development has minor weaknesses. There are various planned
activities to help develop manipulative skills, control of their bodies and
awareness of space. Plans show a steady progression for developing balancing and
climbing skills on large apparatus and for developing small ball skills such as
throwing and catching. However, the nursery does not yet incorporate physical
activity into the programme of work on a daily basis.
Creative development is generally sound. There are many and varied opportunities
to explore creative art in both two and three-dimensional form and for the
children to respond in a variety of ways to their senses. The children are
encouraged to use their imagination particularly through art, music-making and
imaginative play. There are, however, insufficient opportunities for dance and
movement to music.
The planning of the educational programme is detailed and comprehensive and
incorporates the ideas of the team of staff. Weekly plans give necessary
priority to personal and social development, language and literacy and
mathematics and offer a balanced curriculum, but are also flexible in order to
meet the needs and individual requirements of the children. Staff are secure in
their knowledge of the six Desirable Learning Outcomes and give the children
clear directives. It is clear what the children should learn from the set
activities. Staff are deployed effectively and use suitable teaching methods,
clearly explaining new concepts and encouraging the children to think for
themselves through effective questioning techniques. The children are grouped
with due consideration given to their individual needs and abilities. The
overall programme of work is assessed and evaluated on a weekly basis to enhance
future planning and the individual needs of each child are assessed in the form
of clear, manageable and evaluative records. Staff readily undertake relevant
training and share their new-found knowledge with the rest of the team.
Equality of access and opportunity is afforded to all and the staff work towards
meeting the individual needs and requirements of each child. A member of staff
is appointed as special educational needs co-ordinator. Clear policies and
procedures are outlined in both staff and parent handbooks. Staff make good use
of resources to promote the Desirable Learning Outcomes and have expanded upon
cultural and religious artefacts and new information technology equipment since
the last inspection.
The partnership with parents and carers is a strength of the nursery. Parents
feel that they are given helpful information about the educational provision as
well as their child's educational progress and social well being. They feel that
they are encouraged to participate in nursery activities and that their
contributions and observations are valued and worthwhile. Parents noted changes
within the nursery to accommodate responding to cultural and religious events
and use of information technology, highlighted as areas for attention during the
last inspection.
The nursery has made good progress in implementing its action plans, resulting
from the three key issues highlighted in the last inspection. One minor issue
for improvement in the area of recording observations and experiments remains
outstanding.
There are no significant weaknesses to report, but the following points
for development should be considered in the action plan:
The setting should expand upon opportunities for music and movement, dance and
energetic physical activities so that the place of physical development is
considered daily.
The setting should also expand upon opportunities for the children to be
involved in making books so that they experience chances to recall past events
in their lives, record their own observations and experiments, and have
opportunities to follow the direction of words in simple, repetitive text (Key
Issue 1, outstanding from the last inspection).
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.
A. QUALITY OF EDUCATIONAL PROVISION
| Personal and social development |
Promotes the desirable outcomes |
| Language and literacy |
Promotes the desirable outcomes |
| Mathematics |
Promotes the desirable outcomes |
| Knowledge and understanding of the world |
Promotes the desirable outcomes |
| Physical development |
Promotes the desirable outcomes: has minor weaknesses |
| Creative development |
Promotes the desirable outcomes |
B. CHILDREN'S SPIRITUAL, MORAL, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT IS
FOSTERED APPROPRIATELY.
C. PROGRESS IN IMPLEMENTING THE ACTION PLAN IS GOOD
D. OUTCOME AND RECOMMENDATION OF THE INSPECTION
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 strength and weaknesses of
personal and social development
Personal and social development is a strength of the nursery, taking high
priority both in planned activities and in general daily routine. Clear policies
and procedures are laid out in both the staff's and parents' brochures. The
children are very secure in the knowledge of what is expected of them. Good
behaviour is expected and encouraged and the children generally respond very
well within the framework. Good use of praise and encouragement serves to
motivate the children. They work well independently and will concentrate and
persevere until a task is completed. The children also interact well as a group,
showing sensitivity and respect for one another, and sharing and taking turns.
This is evident in rhyme building activities; for example, 'I went to visit the
farm one day...', and children take turns to choose an animal and the sound it
makes. Children who do not readily join in are encouraged to do so through
direct questioning, for example, 'Which animal would you like to choose?' The
children are encouraged to take initiative, thinking for themselves when
selecting suitable equipment for the task in hand, or when choosing an activity;
and in personal independence when hand washing or taking care of personal
possessions, such as hanging up their towels.
The children are able to show joy, wonder, care and concern for living creatures
around them, for example, when looking after the pet guinea pigs and providing
for the abundance of birds that visit the bird tables and feeders that the
children have made.
Posters depict people of different cultures and those with disabilities. Plenty
of photographic evidence depicts responses to, amongst other festivals, Hanukkah
and Chinese New Year. The children dressed up in costume, experienced food
tasting and created music to accompany a Chinese lantern dance.
The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the children is
fostered appropriately.
There are no significant weaknesses in this area.
The strength and weaknesses of
language and literacy
The approach to language and literacy is good. The children are presented with
an abundance of opportunities to listen to stories and rhymes. They were
absorbed in the story of 'Elmer the Elephant', discussing colours as well as
trying to predict what was going to happen. The children are encouraged to talk
about their experiences and are invited to bring items from home, connected to
the weekly theme, to place on the interest table. Good use of questioning
techniques, requiring a response from the children, also encourages them to use
increasing vocabulary to express their thoughts and explore meanings. This is
particularly apparent during teacher-initiated role-play situations, for
example, making a lift and discussing what can be found at each floor. A
well-equipped 'home corner' allows for child-initiated play as well as creating
imaginary situations such as a travel agents' shop, evident in the planning. The
children are given varied opportunities to recognise their own names as well as
some familiar words, for example place allocation at snack time, or for
directing them to a specific activity. Familiar words including colours and
shape names are clearly displayed at child's eye level. The children regularly
write their own names and due attention is paid to correct letter formation and
the appropriate use of upper and lower-case letters. The children also use
pictures, words and letters to communicate meaning; for example, to record a
sunflower seed planting exercise. This is carefully pitched at each child's
level of understanding and ability.
An alphabet line is displayed and referred to, and a commercially produced
scheme helps with the teaching of letters by shape and sound. Children are
encouraged to listen for letter sounds within familiar words and their own
names.
The children are familiar with a wealth of rhymes including those which allow
them to associate sounds with patterns in rhymes, featuring rhythm and
repetition, for example, 'Walking through the jungle, what did I see?'
There is a wide variety of appropriate and accessible books in the nursery and
children are encouraged to borrow books to share, use and enjoy at home.
There are insufficient opportunities for children to follow the direction of the
text in books and to understand that individual words within text have meaning;
for example by making 'big books' to share as a group.
The strength and weaknesses of
mathematics
Mathematics is a strength of the nursery, with an abundance of opportunities
provided for the children to use and understand mathematical language. The
properties of two and three-dimensional shapes are explored in detail, including
the recognition of the flat shape components of three-dimensional objects during
a printing activity, and through exploring the properties of shapes on an easily
accessible display. Use of colours and positional words are evident in
sequencing, matching and threading activities, where the children are also able
to recognise and recreate mathematical patterns. Reinforcement opportunities are
offered with a matching shapes program on the computer. The children are offered
chances to solve mathematical problems, such as creating a square from triangle
shapes.
The children are familiar with a wealth of counting and number action rhymes,
such as 'Five little ducks', which provide practical mathematical situations for
promoting understanding of counting, adding on and taking away.
A number line is clearly displayed and referred to both incidentally and in
planned activities, to promote recognition and use of numbers to ten. Block
graphs are used for recording counting activities, and for matching exercises or
comparing numbers: for example, a chart used to compare how many birds of
varying species visit the bird table.
There are no significant weaknesses noted in this area.
The strength and weaknesses of
knowledge and understanding of the world
Within knowledge and understanding of the world, a wealth of experiences is
offered to the children, promoting most aspects of this area to the fullest.
The nursery takes full advantage of its rich rural setting to enable the
children to examine the purpose of its features and the features of living
things. Children observe wildlife, visiting the enclosed pond and studying the
variety of birds visiting the bird feeders that they have prepared. The children
make observations of changes in the weather, updating a 'weather board' on a
daily basis.
The children are given varied opportunities to explore the features of natural
objects through, for example, sand and water play as well as nurturing and
growing plants. Opportunities to explore made objects are also offered; for
example, through examining a collection of three-dimensional shapes.
The concept of permanent change can be discovered in the various cookery
activities that are offered; for example, making biscuits. The children are
encouraged to question why things happen and how things work through practical
experiments, whereby the children find answers for themselves; for example,
discovering which shapes will roll and which shapes will slide down a tube.
There are many, varied opportunities for the children to use construction
materials, such as building bricks, train set layouts, and linking shapes.
Skills such as sticking, folding, joining and cutting are evident in, for
example, the creation of a three-dimensional dragon made for Chinese New Year.
Careful consideration has been given to the use of information technology within
the nursery. New resources include a programmable toy and a computer with
carefully chosen, appropriate software, used to enhance various areas of the
curriculum such as word and number recognition as well as promoting manual
dexterity; for example control of the mouse.
At present, there are insufficient opportunities for the children to recall
events from the past. Although the nursery has addressed most of the previous
key issues requiring the children to record their observations, opportunities
have been lost to create books using photographs and children's illustrations,
with simple, clearly labelled, repetitive text, to enable the children to recall
these valuable group activities.
The strength and weaknesses of
physical development
The programme for promoting physical development is generally sound. There are
varied opportunities for the children to develop small muscle skills through
scissor control, emphasis on correct pencil control, and activities including
placing decorations onto biscuits.
The children are encouraged to be aware of space and of others; for example when
playing a 'Jack in the box' game. Ride-on toys are provided to promote
co-ordination skills. A variety of large equipment including a climbing frame
and tunnel is available, as well as small apparatus such as balls and beanbags.
Plans reveal structured activities designed to develop specific skills, such as
throwing and catching.
However, the nursery must consider the place of physical development, using
large apparatus and other methods of promoting physical exertion, within the
programme of activities offered each day.
The strength and weaknesses of
creative development
The programme to promote creative development within the nursery is generally
good.
There are many, varied opportunities provided to explore creative art in
two-dimensional form; for example, bubble printing and 'frosty' pictures.
Three-dimensional work included a large 'junk' modelled dragon. The children are
able to use a wide range of art materials to express their ideas; for example,
paints, textured papers, crayons and dough.
The children have many opportunities to explore the senses; for example 'blind
tasting' of food and 'rice krispie' play. The children explore sound and express
ideas through music and rhythm, with clapping games and the use of percussion
instruments to emphasise notions of fast, slow, loud and quiet.
Various role-play opportunities are provided to enhance imaginative play
situations; for example, creating a 'hospital' for the children to nurse a sick
doll.
There are insufficient opportunities in the overall plan of work to allow the
children to express themselves imaginatively through dance and movement to
music.
The strength and weaknesses of the overall planning of the educational
programme
The planning of the educational programme is thorough and comprehensive,
covering all six areas of the Desirable Learning Outcomes in weekly, themed
topics, and supplementing these with activities to cover areas that do not so
readily lend themselves to a topic-based approach. These plans incorporate the
ideas of the team of staff. They are discussed at a weekly planning meeting and
allow for flexibility to enable the group to follow-up an area of interest that
may arise, or to extend a particular activity if it proves successful. The
weekly plans clearly outline activities to promote certain areas of development,
and give necessary priority to personal and social development, language and
literacy and mathematics.
The children are given clear directives and the expected outcome of the set
activity is apparent.
Plans cater for groups of children, but also allow for the individual needs and
abilities of each child.
The nursery has an effective system for helping to plan for, as well as
evaluate, the individual child's needs. One member of staff is responsible for a
small group of children; getting to know about their individual interests, needs
and ways of learning, and is responsible for their achievement records and
catering for these within future programmes of work.
Further attention is required when planning physical development, dance and
movement to music, so that physical activity is considered daily.
The strength and weaknesses of
teaching and assessment
Staff have a secure knowledge and understanding of the six Desirable Learning
Outcomes and they are deployed effectively with manageable groups of children,
directed to a specific set activity. They observe the children, noting responses
and specific achievements as well as difficulties that they may have and keep
manageable, regularly updated records. They use this information to evaluate
each child's progress as well as using it as a base for future planning.
The staff have a secure relationship with the children. They expect and obtain
good behaviour. The children are grouped appropriately and staff use suitable
teaching methods. They display particularly good methods of interaction when
furthering imaginary story-creating situations, and in their use of questioning
techniques to further a response.
The children are offered a balance of activities, some of which are
teacher-directed and others initiated by the children themselves. The staff
direct children to tasks that they wish them to complete. They carefully observe
how the children approach the task and then guide them to choose from selected
follow-on activities, in order to extend and reinforce their learning; for
example, drawing around the flat faces of three-dimensional shapes and then
choosing from a shapes activity on the programmable toy.
Staff attend relevant training courses, for example regarding child protection,
and share their new-found information with the rest of the staff.
Staff need to ensure that work kept in the individual child profiles is dated,
to give an indication as to the child's progression over a period of time.
The strength and weaknesses of
equality of access and opportunity
Equality of access and opportunity is afforded to all, regardless of gender, and
the staff make provision for the individual needs of each child, for example,
through the provision of left-handed scissors. Children who have not readily
joined in with an activity are further encouraged to do so. All the children
have their work displayed, as staff recognise the importance of each child
feeling that their contributions are valued and worthwhile.
Although there are no funded children at present with special educational needs,
or for whom English is a second language, a member of staff is appointed as
special needs co-ordinator and clear policies and procedures are outlined in
both staff and parent handbooks to ensure that every effort would be made to
accommodate their needs within the nursery setting.
The strength and weaknesses of
the learning resources and accommodation
Staff make good use of learning resources to promote all the Desirable Learning
Outcomes and, where appropriate, these are boxed, labelled and easily accessible
to the children.
Staff have expanded upon and regularly use cultural and religious artefacts to
further the teaching of religious and cultural events. The children display
confidence when using the new information technology equipment and staff plan to
increase their bank of suitable software as funds permit.
The strength and weaknesses of the partnership with parents and carers
The partnership with parents and carers is a strength of the nursery. Parents
are given a very detailed handbook outlining procedures and practices in the
nursery. A noticeboard displays staff qualifications and letters of information
are given out periodically to notify parents/carers of, for example, diary dates
and organised trips, such as a woodland walk.
There is a 'settling in' procedure detailed for new children, as well as an
information sheet for parents/carers to fill in providing valued information
about their child. An admission form outlines personal details including, for
example, emergency contact numbers.
Generally, parents feel well-informed about their individual child's attainment
and progress and six-monthly reports are available for each funded child.
Parents are encouraged to join in with nursery activities, accompanying the
children on outings or bringing specific skills to the nursery; for example,
leading a Chinese lantern dance music session. Parents have supported
fundraising events, for example purchasing Christmas stock, where the nursery
receives commission.
Parents/carers are encouraged to contribute to assessments made regarding their
child's progress and they are invited to comment upon observations detailed on
record sheets. They are invited to participate with 'home tasks' with their
child; for example, collecting items to add to the weekly interest table.
Children can borrow books for two weeks at a time to share with their parents at
home. Parents had noted increased response to cultural and religious events
within the nursery since the last inspection, and spoke of children's interest
in different festivals, such as, Hanukkah and Chinese New Year. They also noted
an increase in their child's confidence when programming the computer, and use
and control of the mouse.
Implementation of the action plan
Clear action plans have been written to deal with each of the three key issues
raised at the last inspection. The action plans for all three areas have been
realistic, appropriate and achievable; as well as clear and specific, detailing
a realistic timescale in which to achieve the goals. In the main, these have
been put into place satisfactorily ahead of target.
The plans clearly identify appropriate resources, as well as outlining costs and
which member of staff is responsible for implementing specific areas of the
planned action.
Key Issue 1 required the children to be given more opportunity to record their
own observations and experiments.
The staff have been imaginative in creating opportunities for the children to
record their own observations and experiments through pictorial form, block
graphs and photographic evidence for the children to refer to. Insufficient
opportunity has been given for the children to make 'big books' to record group
findings, using both their own illustrations and photographs, not only to record
their own observations and experiments, but also to enhance discussion about
past events in their lives and to promote understanding of the direction of
simple repetitive text and that individual words have meaning in text.
Key Issue 2 required the provision of more information technology to support
children's learning.
The use of information technology has been successfully incorporated into the
overall programme of work. Children are confidently responding to the new
resources, competently using the programmable toy and the appropriate software
on the computer. The children confidently use the mouse and the computer
keyboard, and care is taken to ensure that all children have exposure to these
facilities.
Key Issue 3 required the nursery to include in planning projects for the
children to respond to cultural and religious events, or other experiences of
the world.
Projects for the children to respond to cultural and religious events and other
experiences of the world have also been successfully incorporated into the
curriculum. Parents noted their children's excitement at preparing for Chinese
New Year; for example, collections for the interest table and food tasting
sessions. Detailed plans reveal the staff's increased knowledge and informed use
of the new resources including 'festivals' booklets to aid their teaching in
this area.
The nursery is continuing to monitor and evaluate its success in all three of
the previous inspection's key issues.
What areas should continue to be key issues following this inspection?
Staff have been imaginative in addressing much of key issue one (requiring more
opportunity for the children to record their own observations and experiments).
There are still insufficient opportunities for the children to make their own
books to record their group findings, using, for example, photographs and their
own pictures and a simple, clearly labelled repetitive text. This would also
increase opportunities for the children to recall past events in their lives,
which lack attention at present, as well as furthering their understanding that
words have meaning within text, and that text reads from left to right.