Inspection Number: 1117508
| Name of setting: | Ridgewood Pre-school |
| Setting number: | 523787 |
| Address: | Ridgewood Village Hall |
| New Road | |
| Ridgewood | |
| Uckfield | |
| East Sussex | |
| Postcode: | TN22 5TE |
| Person responsible for the day-to-day management of the setting: | Lynette Hadland |
| Position: | Supervisor |
| Name of Inspector: | Jill Page |
| RgNI's Registration number: | 24437 |
| Date(s) of inspection: | 11 & 12 February 1999 |
| Inspection number: | 1117508 |
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.
Ridgewood Pre-school opened in 1992. It is situated in a village on the outskirts of the country town of Uckfield. The pre-school meets on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9:15 am until 12:15 pm for 38 weeks of the year. Some children stay on to a lunch club until 1.00 pm. The setting is managed by an elected committee of parents and is a member of the Pre-school Learning Alliance. It is registered by East Sussex County Council to accept 24 children aged between two-and-a-half and five years. Twenty children are on roll, two of whom are funded four-year-olds. No funded four-year-old has an identified special educational need or speaks English as an additional language. Four staff work with the children, with occasional assistance from parent helpers. Since the last inspection in January 1998, a new supervisor and new staff have been appointed and the membership of the committee has changed.
The strengths and weaknesses of the educational provision provided
Staff at Ridgewood Pre-school provide many stimulating activities in a secure and happy environment. Children are likely to achieve the desirable learning outcomes by the time they are five years old. Provision for personal and social development, language and literacy, and physical and creative development is good. Mathematics, and knowledge and understanding of the world are promoted well.In order to improve the quality and standards of the educational provision, the setting should:
enhance the programmes for language and literacy and knowledge and understanding of the world by increasing access to i) poetry books, ii) early scientific equipment such as bug boxes, magnifiers and magnets, and iii) technology such as a tape-recorder or programmable toys which children can operate themselves.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 |
| 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
Personal and social skills are developed very well. The pre-school has a policy on discipline and behaviour which is discussed with parents. If a child has difficulty in behaving well staff talk to parents and agree a shared approach. Children arrive eagerly at the pre-school, select from a wide range of resources and settle happily to their chosen activities. They are developing confidence and are friendly towards visitors. Usually, the children behave well. Staff encourage them to join in with group activities and to behave appropriately. For example, staff talked patiently to a child who was reluctant to wash her hands before sitting to eat her snack. She quickly did as she was asked and sat down with the other children. Children show that they are aware of staff expectations about how they should behave. For instance, they line up quietly for story and know they are expected to share equipment and take turns using it. Tidy-up time is a complicated process because the furniture and equipment has to be stored away under the hall. Children help well in the initial stages and work successfully together to roll up the carpets. They look quietly at books with a member of staff, while other staff and parents continue with the task of clearing up. Good opportunities are given to develop sensitivity to others and to respond to cultural and religious events. For example, children performed a Christmas nativity play for parents, made deva lamps during Diwali, and ate rice, noodles and prawn crackers with chopsticks at Chinese New Year. The pre-school has a satisfactory range of books and resources which reflect the cultural diversity of our society. Children are encouraged successfully to express a wide range of feelings. Evidence of this was seen as a timid child was persuaded to join in a musical activity, and when children expressed delight as they stamped in puddles. They concentrate very well in small group tasks and when completing activities they have chosen for themselves, but concentrate less well in some activities organised for the whole group. For example, during snack time some children became restless while waiting for others to finish eating. Staff prepare a satisfying programme of activities each day. Good opportunities are given to develop initiative for a large part of each session as children make choices about which activities to engage in. They work well independently at activities such as playing in the weather station and at the water tray. Children are successfully encouraged to develop personal independence. For instance, they learn to put on their own shoes and socks, and collect their coats from their pegs. Staff escort children to the toilet because of the siting of the cloakroom, which has a limiting effect on the development of this aspect of personal independence. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered appropriately.The strengths and weaknesses of language and literacy
Provision for language and literacy is good. The pre-school has three boxes of books, each containing a selection of story, information, multi-cultural and rhyming books. Staff put out a different set each week, so that children's interest is encouraged. The books are displayed on racks in a comfortable area with a carpet, a small table and chairs. Children use the area well and develop their enjoyment of books. For instance, they look at them with staff and listen carefully to the stories they have chosen. Before snack time they all sit down to enjoy the books. Children handle them well and show they know how they work. Every week children choose a book to take home and read with their parents. The local librarian visits the setting each half-term to read new stories to the children. The children listen responsively to some of the stories she tells and are eager to answer her questions and talk about their own experiences. For instance, one child talked about making a tent from a sheet hanging on a washing line, and having a picnic inside it. Children also listened carefully to a helicopter overhead, and the sound of rain on the roof. However, at times, story and discussion last for longer than some of the children are able to concentrate.The strengths and weaknesses of mathematics
Mathematical skills are promoted well. Staff use mathematical language effectively during many activities. For instance, one child was able to say that a cat in a picture was looking in the 'opposite direction' to another cat. Children identified shapes such as 'circles' and 'squares' and were able to say others were 'diamonds' and 'heart-shaped'. Staff provide good opportunities for children to make patterns, count, match, sort, compare and sequence. For example, children sort and count plastic cars, boats and aeroplanes by type and colour, match cards in games such as lotto, discuss how the cards are 'the same' and how they are 'different', and thread beads to make patterns. Children are familiar with number games like dominoes and sing number rhymes like 'Five Currant Buns'. Appropriate activities like sorting magnetic numbers and identifying numbers on cards help children learn to recognise numbers to ten. Staff provide many suitable activities to help children begin to solve problems. They support the children very well by giving them time and encouragement to find a solution for themselves. Evidence of this was seen as children made 'rainmakers' from cardboard tubes filled with lentils, and made ends that fitted the tubes and tried to fasten them securely. They have made snowflakes by folding paper, cutting, and then opening it to reveal a pattern, and they have measured liquids in different sized containers. Children have recorded the growth of beans on a chart, and have compared the difference between the height of a child and an adult. They have appropriate opportunities to develop an awareness of number operations such as subtraction and addition. For instance, as they played picture lotto children were able to say how many cards they had left.The strengths and weaknesses of knowledge and understanding of the world
The programme for knowledge and understanding of the world is promoted effectively. During registration, children tell the rest of the group about their families and things that have happened at home. A planned topic on 'families' gives more good opportunities for the children to talk about their experiences. A topic on 'weather' enabled children to discuss 'fog', 'rain' and 'frost'. They completed a weather chart, went outside to splash in puddles and carried out many activities which successfully developed their understanding of weather conditions. For example, children watched how ice changes as it melts, observed ice floating, talked about ripples in puddles, and discussed how and why puddles form when it rains. Staff provide good opportunities for considering how things such as rain gauges work. They plan appropriate activities like making rain drums and rain shakers so children can select materials to build. Many other opportunities are regularly provided for children to develop skills in designing and building three-dimensional structures. They satisfactorily explore features of living things during 'pet week' and when a topic on 'mini beasts' is under way. The pre-school is unable to use the kitchen for practical cookery, but staff have provided successful activities which do not involve cooking, so that children can talk about how things change. For instance, they made green jelly and grew parsley, cress and mung beans during 'green week'. Sometimes, children draw pictures of what they see. For example, they painted pictures of carrots during 'orange week'. Further excellent opportunities are provided to question why things happen as children experiment in the water tray by blowing through straws to make boats move, and talk about the draught they create as they wave fans. Staff bring in some early scientific equipment from their homes, but the pre-school has too few resources such as magnets and magnifiers of its own. Children use a computer keyboard and telephones in role-play, but have too little access to working technology, such as a tape-recorder or programmable toys, to support their learning.The strengths and weaknesses of physical development
Physical development is good. In fine weather the pre-school fences off a section of the adjacent recreation area for outdoor activities. Staff use a removable fence to define the area and create a safe play space. In the summer a sports day is arranged which parents attend. Children move confidently and imaginatively and are developing control and co-ordination. For instance, they play traditional games like 'Here we go round the Mulberry Bush' and 'The Grand Old Duke of York', join in enthusiastically with activity songs like 'sleeping bunnies', and weave skilfully around the hall on sit-and-ride toys. Each term the group borrows a parachute from the Pre-school Learning Alliance so children, with help from parents, can increase their skills in shared co-operative play. Staff plan other activities indoors so children can practise throwing and catching well. A climbing frame and slide are placed on safety mats in the main hall as part of the weekly programme. Staff supervise the activity well for safety and help children climb and balance effectively. Sometimes, the climbing frame is incorporated into imaginative play, for example by pretending it is a lighthouse. In good weather the pre-school uses the nearby public playground which has a larger climbing frame and offers opportunities to climb higher. Appropriate activities are organised for children to develop hand and finger control. They use a variety of tools and manufactured construction materials. For example, they thread beads, and use scissors, glue sticks, paintbrushes, pencils, and rollers and cutters when handling play-dough.The strengths and weaknesses of creative development
Good provision is made for creative development. Stimulating activities are provided to help children explore sound. For instance, children have made their own musical instruments, listened to sounds in the environment, had a musical interest table, and have regular access to the pre-school's collection of instruments. Children use a range of instruments, including those they have made themselves, as they sing and march around the room. Sometimes, staff play taped music such as Vaughan Williams' Sinfonia Antarctica so children can paint pictures to capture the 'mood' created. Children successfully explore colour, texture and shape in two and three dimensions through activities such as building a train out of boxes and then painting it, experimenting with shadow puppets and mixing light and dark paints together. The water tray and sand tray provide regular effective opportunities for children to respond to texture. They handle 'gloop' and sometimes the sand tray is filled with earth. Activities are organised every session to develop children's imaginations. For instance, they play imaginatively in the role-play area, paint freely, and have opportunities to dance. Children are developing a suitable range of painting techniques such as printing with corks, toothbrushes and cotton reels, drawing around themselves, and rolling wheels through paint onto paper to make tracks.The strengths and weaknesses of the overall planning of the educational programme
Planning of the educational programme is effective and promotes the achievement of the desirable learning outcomes well. Staff meet every month to make plans for an interesting range of topics which includes 'Myself', 'Numbers', 'Music', 'My Mum', and 'Journeys'. Topic plans relate to the six areas of learning and are planned on a bi-annual rotation, so that children attending the pre-school for two years will not be presented with the same themes twice. Medium-term plans relate the six learning areas to the topic. A weekly overview gives more particular information about the activities to be provided, and is displayed for parents to see. A sessional plan is also made to show which additional resources will be available to the children as well as those relating directly to topic work. In addition, staff complete activity plans which show how specific activities will be organised and what children will learn by completing them. For example, one activity plan states that children will 'measure liquids and learn how rain gauges work'. The adult role is made clear on activity plans. For instance, the plan for rain makers says staff will 'help fix grease-proof paper with elastic bands if necessary'. Staff write evaluations for those activities for which they have been responsible. The evaluations include comments such as 'the children enjoyed experimenting with the different painting effects. Some children mixed and overlapped the prints'. Staff make suggestions about how the activities could be improved.The strengths and weaknesses of teaching and assessment
Overall, the quality of teaching and assessment is good. Staff co-operate well together as a hard-working, responsible and friendly team. They are given effective leadership by the supervisor. It was clear from written plans, assessments, evaluations and discussions that staff have an appropriate understanding of the desirable learning outcomes. Plans show which member of staff will supervise each activity. Staff are clear about their responsibilities throughout the session. These responsibilities start long before the session begins as one member of staff and her family arrive to set out the resources needed for the day. For the main part of the session children choose from a wide range of activities. Some of these, such as printing with cotton reels and sprinkling water from a watering can, are organised by staff. Others, such as role-play and playing on the climbing frame, are chosen and led by children. Very good support is given to the children during this part of the programme. Evidence of this was seen as staff interacted well with the children, spoke politely, extended their conversations, helped them focus on their chosen activities and joined in with role-play. The small-group work that is provided for older children is also very effective. 'Rising Fives' go into a small room with a member of staff to complete mathematical and language and literacy activities such as 'spot the difference' lotto. During these sessions staff question the children in ways designed to make them think for themselves. For example, as children compared pictures they were asked, 'How are they different?'. Later in the morning, in an outdoor activity, staff asked 'Why does the water go brown when you stamp in it?'. Staff give clear explanations during activities such as looking at books and painting with toothbrushes. For most of the session, particularly when they can choose activities for themselves, children behave well. However, the organisation of activities for the whole group is not always so successful. Staff do not always pitch shared activities, such as story and music, so that the youngest as well as the oldest children remain interested throughout. Staff question the children less effectively during these sessions.The strengths and weaknesses of equality of access and opportunity
Provision for equality of access and opportunity is good. The pre-school has a brief equal opportunities policy which refers to staff's intention to have 'respect for any child's uniqueness'. Assessments are made of all the children and these are used to plan activities to suit their particular needs. Staff plan mathematical and language and literacy activities for individual children, including those who learn more quickly or more slowly. The sessional plan is used to ensure that all boys and girls have good and equal access to a full range of activities, even if they only attend once weekly. The pre-school has adopted the Pre-school Learning Alliance policy on special educational needs. Staff have good understanding of the 1994 Code of Practice and good knowledge of the five stage process towards statementing. One member of staff is due to attend a course for special educational needs co-ordinators. Staff liaise well with parents. For instance, they have carried out and extended a programme suggested by one child's speech therapist. Another child has had a play plan written in order to help him learn to grip a pencil correctly. The play plans outline the areas of learning, achievements, what the child should aim for next, the views of parents and children, and evaluate the success of the plan. No children who speak English as an additional language attend the nursery at present. If they were to do so, staff would talk to parents, consult the Pre-school Learning Alliance development officer and buy additional resources in order to make appropriate provision.The strengths and weaknesses of the learning resources and accommodation
The pre-school meets in a large village hall and also has the use of a kitchen, cloakroom and two smaller rooms. In fine weather staff and children make good use of the adjacent recreation ground for physical activities. The hall is used by other local groups so all furniture and equipment has to be stacked away underneath the hall floor at the ends of sessions. This involves a great deal of time and effort by staff and parent helpers. A resource loan scheme organised by the Pre-school Learning Alliance enables staff to supplement the group's own resources. Resources for all learning areas are satisfactory with the exceptions of poetry books, resources to promote early scientific discovery such as magnets and magnifiers, and technology such as programmable toys or a tape-recorder which children can operate themselves. The resources are accessible to the children once staff have put them out to be used, and are suitable for all children. The resources and accommodation are used well to contribute to the children's achievement of the desirable learning outcomes.The strengths and weaknesses of the partnership with parents and carers
The partnership with parents is very good. Parents are given helpful information about the educational provision in a handbook, newsletters and on a notice board. Named photographs of staff and members of the committee are displayed on the notice board as well as information about the current theme and minutes of committee meetings. The parents' handbook contains information about how they can be involved with pre-school activities, how they can help their children settle in, how their children will be grouped and the sorts of activities they will undertake. Parents are very well informed about their children's progress. For instance, they have access to their children's assessment folders and can talk to staff easily at the beginnings and ends of sessions. The pre-school encourages parents to join in with activities in a number of ways. For example, they can attend committee meetings, help at sessions, accompany their children on outings, and support events like sports day and the Christmas nativity play. The pre-school has a parental involvement policy which states that staying to help at sessions gives parents 'good opportunities to get to know the pre-school staff and other children'. Members of the committee arrive early each morning to help staff set out the equipment for the day and return before the ends of the sessions to help store it under the hall floor. This makes a substantial contribution to the organisation of the day's activities. Parents contribute to assessments through discussion with staff. They comment that they value the friendly atmosphere created by staff and that their children are treated as individuals. The partnership between parents, the committee and staff makes an effective contribution to the children's achievement of the desirable learning outcomes.Implementation of action plan
Good progress has been made in implementing the action plan written as a result of the previous inspection in January 1998. Five key issues were identified. These concerned planning, the quality of teaching, and provision for mathematics and physical and creative development. There has been good progress in addressing all five key issues. These are no longer causes for concern. One new key issue was identified during this inspection.