Nursery Education Inspection Report

The Mews Nursery

Inspection Number: 1131292

© Crown Copyright 2000
OFSTED reports may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

 

 


INSPECTION OF NURSERY EDUCATION
INSPECTION REPORT

Name of setting: The Mews Nursery
Setting number: 518281
Address: The Mews Nursery
  Carfax Gardens
  Henrietta Mews
  Bath
   
Postcode: BA2 6LR
Person responsible for the day-to-day management of the setting: Sally Evans
Position: Nursery Co-ordinator
Name of Inspector: Janet Powell
RgNI's Registration number: 24907
Date(s) of inspection: 17/6/99
Inspection number: 1131292

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

The Mews Nursery has been open for nine years. It is a private day nursery, with charitable status, owned by the Salvation Army and run by a management committee. It is located in the basement of an hotel in the City of Bath. The accommodation has been adapted for use as a children's nursery. It is light and spacious and there is a garden at the rear.

The nursery serves the local community and the children come from private and local authority housing in the area, or they travel in with their parents who work locally. The nursery provides day care facilities for the children of parents who work in the hotel, and an after school club and holiday scheme also operate in the premises. The nursery is open from 8.00 am to 6.00 pm, every weekday, for 52 weeks of the year.

There are sixty children, aged from a few months to five years, on the register at the moment. Fourteen of the children are over four, and twelve of them are funded. None of them has English as an additional language, or is identified as having special educational needs. The younger children are accommodated in one side of the premises, and the pre-school children meet in their own classrooms in the morning. In the afternoons, children of a wider age range are grouped together.

Ten staff work with the children throughout the nursery day, and they are suitably experienced and qualified.

1.MAIN FINDINGS OF THE INSPECTION

The strengths and weaknesses of the educational provision provided

The Mews Nursery provides a stimulating and secure setting in which the children can learn. They are likely to achieve appropriately, in relation to all six areas of learning, by the time they are five years old.

The programme for personal and social development is good. The children behave well, and the staff have a consistent approach to teaching them to understand right and wrong. The children are confident, and they relate closely to the staff who know them well. Good opportunities are provided for the children to gain personal independence, and they are able to choose their activities from a suitable range of resources. They are learning to show care and consideration for others.

The programme for language and literacy is strong, and the children are offered many good opportunities to listen, to talk and to use writing materials. They enjoy listening to stories, they know how to use books correctly and they are encouraged to use them for reference. The children are learning effectively to recognise letters and their own name, as well as some simple words.

The programme for mathematics is good. The children have access to many, suitable resources, and the staff provide good opportunities to use mathematical language and to explore ideas. The children recognise and use numerals. They have some opportunities to begin to solve problems, and to take part in simple addition and subtraction, as they play with construction toys and count everyday items.

The programme for knowledge and understanding of the world is strong. The children are offered good chances to talk about their families, and photographs remind them of previous events and visits. They help to look after living things such as plants, and they are now able to record their findings as they observe the seasons and the weather. They now have good access to technology to support their learning.

The programme for physical development is strong, and the staff now maximise the use of the accommodation, indoors and out, to enable the children to develop skills of co-ordination. The children have good opportunities to develop their large and small muscles as they play with suitable equipment and apparatus. Plans show that the children have effective opportunities to practise hand to eye co-ordination and manipulative skills.

The programme for creative development is strong, and the children have good chances to use their senses and their imaginations as they respond to a range of activities. They create effective work in two and three dimensions, and this is well displayed. The children also enjoy taking part in music and drama, and they are encouraged effectively to use implements and materials to express their ideas.

Planning of the educational programme is effective and it is likely to promote the desirable learning outcomes in all areas. The staff work together to produce plans around a theme and the plans, in the form of a topic web, show how all the six areas will be addressed. The programme is well balanced, and good priority is now given to personal and social development, language and literacy and mathematics. The children also are effectively grouped, and the staff are well deployed.

The quality of teaching and assessment is good overall, and some examples of very good teaching were observed during the inspection. The staff work well together as a team, and they are well informed about all aspects of the six areas of learning and the desirable outcomes for children's learning. The staff are very enthusiastic in their work with the children and they interact positively with them during all activities. The records of the children's attainment and progress are manageable and generally effective. A keyworker system is in operation and this means that each child belongs to a small group overseen by a named member of staff. This works well, and the staff are now aware of the needs of the children. However, the records sometimes lack detail, and this is mentioned as a point to be borne in mind when the staff write their next action plan. The needs of all children are likely to be met in the nursery, and the staff make effective use of the resources and accommodation. Effective methods of monitoring and improving teaching are in place.

The partnership with parents and carers is strong, and this promotes the desirable outcomes for children's learning. They now receive helpful information about the provision and are encouraged to become partners in their children's learning.

As a result of the previous inspection, five key issues were raised and the staff produced an action plan to address these. The issue relating to planning has been fully addressed, the outdoor area is effectively used by all the children, details of the curriculum are made known to the parents and more time is allocated, in the programme, to knowledge and understanding of the world. The issue relating to the assessment of children's progress has been addressed satisfactorily, although part of it remains as a point for consideration in the next action plan. Overall, the implementation of the action plan is good.

2.KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

There are no significant weaknesses to report, but the following points for development should be considered in the action plan:

Continue to develop the records of children's attainment in more detail so that the records provide clearer evidence of each child's development, in relation to the desirable learning outcomes, in each of the six areas.

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.


3.SUMMARY OF JUDGEMENTS

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
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.


4.CONTENT OF THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMME

The strengths and weaknesses of personal and social development

The programme for personal and social development is good, and the children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered appropriately. The children behave well, and the staff have a consistent approach to teaching them the difference between right and wrong. The children are confident and secure in the setting; they are well known to the staff who greet them all by name as they come in at the start of the session. The children are encouraged to show care for others, and to share fairly; for example, they are asked to let others join in as they put together a rail track. The staff give a reasoned explanation about why others should be allowed to join in. Staff show the children how to behave fairly; for example, saying 'You've been waiting, it's your turn now'. The children are encouraged to look after their toys carefully, and they show concern for others as well as for flowers growing in the garden. Several resources depict people from a range of cultures, and the children are learning effectively to understand something about various cultures; for example, through such topics as 'the types of houses that people from other lands may live in'. Their work is displayed to promote further discussion and learning. Festivals from the Christian calendar are celebrated, and the children have some opportunities to learn about other events, such as the Chinese New Year. The staff recognise that this aspect receives less emphasis, and have planned to extend the opportunities for the children to learn about a wider range of festivals. The children have good chances to express their feelings, and to empathise with others, as they discuss the feelings of 'anger', 'surprise' and 'sorrow' that might have been felt by 'Goldilocks and the Three Bears'. The children showed their delight as they joined in to celebrate a child's birthday tea. Many good opportunities are seen in the plans for the children to concentrate and persevere, for appropriate lengths of time; for example, as they sit in small groups with an adult to make book marks. They are also able to take the initiative as they set up games in the 'home corner', and they work well on their own as they experiment with construction toys. A good range of resources is put out by the staff, which are rotated regularly to maintain interest and the children have a suitable selection of activities from which to choose. The very good facilities, and the secure routine, encourage the children to become personally independent.

The strengths and weaknesses of language and literacy

The programme for language and literacy is strong. The children are offered many good opportunities to talk, discuss and listen. They talk with the staff during all activities, and in whole group sessions the children are encouraged to listen to each other carefully; for example, as they talk about their holidays. They listen attentively to stories and concentrate as they take part in singing. The staff encourage the children effectively to explore their ideas, and to develop their vocabularies, as they prompt them with suitable questions to express exactly what they mean. Many good chances arise in the programme for the children to make up stories and take part in role-play. They have appropriate adult support as they make up games in the 'home corner', listen to stories which are accompanied by finger puppets and play with 'small world' toys such as a garage and dolls' house. Books are used effectively for stories and for reference. The staff demonstrate the correct use of books, showing the children how the pages turn and the direction in which print runs. Photographs show the children visiting the local library and the children talk enthusiastically about this. The books are displayed at child height, and children select them freely; for example, a child was sitting on the floor 'reading', with complete concentration, to the doll on her knee. The children are learning to recognise their names as they select their own name card on the table at drinks time. They are familiar with words written up on the wall displays, and the children's own work is carefully labelled by the staff so that they link pictures with words and meaning. Many good opportunities are provided for the children to learn the letters of the alphabet as well as the sounds they make. The staff use a reading scheme, with familiar characters, to promote effective learning. The children sing the alphabet together as they refer to displays of 'letter lines'. They concentrate on learning one letter each week, bringing in items which begin with that letter. This work is carried out with enthusiasm, and the children regard it as play. As the staff read to the children, they emphasise rhymes and encourage the children to appreciate patterns in syllables and letters. Good opportunities are provided for the children to draw and write, and the children are beginning to communicate meaning through their work; for example, a child was drawing a toy she had brought to nursery with her, and a member of staff encouraged her by asking, 'Are you drawing your dog?' They 'take down messages' as they play with toy telephones. The children are learning to write their names, using large and small letters correctly.

The strengths and weaknesses of mathematics

The programme for mathematics is good, and the children have many good chances to use mathematical language and ideas. The current theme of 'The Three Bears' is carried across many activities, and the children talk about shapes as they make a 'bear' bookmark, they arrange bears in order by size and they discuss whether bears are 'in front of' or 'behind' each other. Good opportunities are provided for the children to recognise and recreate patterns; for example, they copy patterns of plastic bears, beads or cotton reels previously set out by a member of staff. They are learning effectively to count, such as in counting how many of them are in a line and counting cards in a game to see 'who's got the most'. Suitable resources are provided to enable the children to compare and sort everyday items, such as beads, buttons and reels. They are encouraged to match the same size bears to pictures, sequence bears by size and to order them by colour. Number games and rhymes are used effectively to teach the children about mathematical ideas and to begin to understand simple number operations; for example, the children recognise the numbers of dots on the dice and on dominoes. They are beginning to understand subtraction as they actively take part in the 'Five Currant Buns' rhyme, and they are familiar with many other rhymes that enable them to understand numbers through play. The children have many good chances to recognise numerals; for example in a game where they had to place a certain number of items on numbered paper plates. They are able to recognise numerals, and to write them as they fill in suitable worksheets. They are also learning to represent numbers in different ways, such as in a bar chart to represent their favourite fruits. The resources are available for the children to begin to solve problems; for example, a child experimented with a construction toy until he found pieces of the correct size to enable all the wheels to touch the ground. The staff encourage the children to think as they say, 'We've got too many. How many do we need to take away to make three?' However, more emphasis to encouraging the children regularly to solve problems through practical activities is an area for further development. The resources for mathematics are very good.

The strengths and weaknesses of knowledge and understanding of the world

The programme for knowledge and understanding of the world is strong, and the children have many good opportunities to explore made and natural objects. This area has improved significantly since the last inspection; more time is given to it and all criteria are fully addressed. Photographs encourage the children to talk enthusiastically about previous events, and they have good chances to talk about their homes, families and experiences as they talk together at registration. They are aware of the local environment through walks and visits to the park. Good road and rail layouts lead to discussion about transport and trains, and they look closely at a map of Bath to see if they can find where they live. The children have good opportunities to examine living things as they plant things and watch them growing in the garden. Plans show that they have examined insects, and a collage records their observations. The children looked closely at the differences between the insects, observe life cycles and as they note the pattern of the seasons and changes in the weather. As well as making effective observations, the children are offered good opportunities to record their findings on worksheets and on simple charts; for example, they keep their own copy of a 'garden calendar' which is displayed on the wall. The staff now ensure that the children question why things happen and how things work; for example, as they go on walks to the nearby historical bridge or to the library. This spirit of enquiry is promoted further as they use 'bug boxes' to look at insects, and magnets and magnifying glasses to carry out simple investigations. Many materials are made available for the children to create models and collages, such as paper, card, tissue and recycled packaging, and the staff encourage the children to use such equipment as scissors and glue sticks safely and correctly. Technology is now used well to support the children's learning, and there are also plans to set up a computer for the children's use in the near future. At the moment, they use a tape recorder effectively, and they are using a camera to record scenes of Bath that they are going to make into a children's brochure. The resources and teaching are particularly strong in this area of work.

The strengths and weaknesses of physical development

The programme for physical development is strong, and the children have good opportunities to develop their large and small muscles. They move confidently, in and out of doors, and the staff encourage them to show care for others. When they are unable to go out of doors because of bad weather, the children have opportunities to move to music and join in with an exercise tape, so that their co-ordination skills are developed. The use of the garden is now carefully organised so that it is made available to small groups of children, and the staff also take groups to the nearby park where they can run about as well as taking part in organised races and games. The children play with hoops, balls and beanbags to develop hand to eye co-ordination, and they develop manipulative skills through the use of construction toys and puzzles. They have good, small equipment to use in malleable materials such as sand, water and playdough. In the garden, the children have good chances to use large equipment, such as a trampoline, climbing frame and slide, to develop balancing and climbing skills. The staff note the children's developing skills, and encourage each individual child to progress.

The strengths and weaknesses of creative development

The programme for creative development is strong and the children use all their senses as they respond imaginatively in a variety of situations. They listen to music for movement, and they explore 'loud and soft' noises and 'fast and slow' rhythms. The children are intrigued as they record their own voices and play them back. They have good opportunities to express themselves imaginatively as they explore paint, and displays show vivid evidence of previous work. They also make three-dimensional collages and models, using a good variety of materials. Plans show that the children have good chances to use their powers of observation to respond imaginatively; for example to Van Gough's 'Sunflowers', and they have produced their own versions of this painting. They explore and discuss smells associated with cooking, and they are able to explore the scents of plants in the 'Blind Garden' in the local park. Role-play, as they act out stories, gives the children good opportunities to express themselves through drama and dressing-up. Musical instruments are available and the children use them regularly to express themselves through music. The children have good access to a wide range of materials, and the parents comment on the imaginative quality of the craft work they produce.

5.PLANNING OF THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMME

The strengths and weaknesses of the overall planning of the educational programme

Planning is now a strong feature of the nursery's work, and it promotes the desirable outcomes for the children's learning. The plans have been revised since the last inspection and are now completed in greater detail. All six areas of learning are included in plans which are produced in the form of a 'topic web'. The plans are creatively produced, around a central theme or topic, and all the staff are able to contribute their ideas. Personal and social development is given good priority through the well-organised daily routine which encourages choice and personal independence. The resources and activities are organised to allow the children to show care and consideration to others and for their surroundings, and to encourage them to concentrate and persevere. Good priority is given to language and literacy, and the plans show that the children have many good opportunities, at every session, to talk, listen, to write and to enjoy using books. Mathematics is also given appropriate priority in the plans. The resources and activities are effective in promoting mathematical ideas although there appears to be less emphasis on problem-solving at present. The plans indicate a balanced programme and they show what the children are expected to learn. The learning outcomes are clearly stated, and the staff are all clear about the purpose of the activities. The daily routine, and the plans, indicate how the children will be grouped and how the staff will be deployed. Sometimes the children meet together for activities as a whole group, and at other times they move around according to a free choice of activities. This works well in practice and the needs of all the children are likely to be met in this environment.

6.QUALITY OF TEACHING AND ASSESSMENT

The strengths and weaknesses of teaching and assessment

The quality of teaching and assessment is good overall. The staff work together as a well-led and cohesive team. They are all well informed about the desirable outcomes for the children's learning, in all six areas of learning. They meet regularly to plan how the outcomes will be promoted. The staff are effectively deployed, in the mornings, between the three rooms in the pre-school. In the afternoons, suitable numbers of staff are provided to respond to the needs of a wider age group in the nursery; for example, several of the older children were taken to the park for physical activities while the younger ones rested or were involved in quiet activities. The staff are well organised and deployment works well. Examples of very good teaching were seen in all six areas of learning; for example, in language and literacy, the staff constantly prompt the children to explore their ideas and develop their vocabularies. They are enthusiastic and interact well with the children, encouraging them to question and to think in the whole range of activities, including play in sand and playdough. The staff explain the activities, such as making a book-mark, carefully, so that the children understand what is expected of them and what they should do. They also support the children appropriately in activities, such as play in the 'home corner' or with 'small world' toys, which they have initiated themselves. Organisation, within this purpose-designed nursery, is very good and a balanced programme is provided. The rooms are used effectively for 'quiet' and 'messy' play, and the daily timetable provides a balance of teacher-directed and child-initiated activity. The staff use the resources effectively, rotating them throughout the week.

The assessment records are manageable and effective, and the keyworker system works well as the staff understand the needs of each individual child. Progress in this area has been satisfactory since the last inspection. There is a point for consideration in the next action plan, because the records do not always record enough detail to reflect the child's progress in all six areas. Overall, the needs of all the children are likely to be met, and the quality of teaching and assessment promotes the desirable learning outcomes effectively. Children who work more quickly are offered work to extend their learning. Effective methods of monitoring and improving teaching are in place. The staff meet regularly to discuss the success of activities and to make plans. The two nursery supervisors oversee the day-to-day work of the team, and the overall manager reviews performance and ensures that training needs are met.

The strengths and weaknesses of equality of access and opportunity

The children are intended to take part equally in all activities and the teaching is likely to meet the needs of all the children. Boys and girls were observed using all the resources. The staff are well aware of their responsibilities in relation to equality of opportunity and a suitable policy is in place which is made available to all staff, parents and visitors. There are no children on the register at the moment who have special educational needs, or for whom English is an additional language. However, the staff are familiar with the 1994 Code of Practice for the Identification and Assessment of Special Educational Needs, and they are referring to this as they formulate a nursery policy for special educational needs. The facilities, resources and the teaching are likely to meet the needs of all children, particularly in relation to personal and social development, language and literacy and mathematics.

The strengths and weaknesses of the learning resources and accommodation

The accommodation and the resources are very good and staff use them effectively. The resources are sufficient in all areas of the curriculum and the staff make sure that they are rotated to maintain the interest of the children. The resources would meet the needs of all children including those who may have special learning needs or whose first language is not English. Personal and social development is promoted through the effective use of resources for personal independence and the children have plenty of opportunities to make choices. In language and literacy and in mathematics, the children have access to good resources to promote all aspects of the subject areas. In particular, good use is made of books and resources to promote mathematical ideas. Resources for knowledge and understanding of the world promote a positive sense of enquiry. Good resources are provided to promote physical development and to promote imaginative work in creative development. The accommodation, both in and out of doors, is extremely good and used well. Overall, the resources and the accommodation promote the children's attainment and progress in all areas of the curriculum.

7.PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS AND CARERS

The strengths and weaknesses of the partnership with parents and carers

The partnership with parents and carers is very good and it contributes positively to the promotion of the desirable learning outcomes. Progress in this area has been good since the last inspection. All the parents spoken to at the time of this inspection said that they feel their children are being well prepared for school, that they receive individual attention, that they do work suitable for their ability and that they are learning through play. The parents receive useful information about the curriculum and practical matters, in the form of an initial brochure. This also tells them about the keyworker system and records of progress, encouraging their involvement. Subsequently, the parents continue to receive written information about the current topic, and they are asked to become involved by sending in items of interest. The parents are invited to contribute to a booklet in which records are kept of a child's progress, and they also receive completed records and the child's folder of work. The nursery aims to include the parents as partners in the children's learning. Some parents are involved as members of the management committee and they take an active part in decision making. Although it is not appropriate to have a rota of helpers, the parents do stay with their children until they are settled into the nursery. Staff liaise closely with the parents, seeing them often on a daily basis, and inviting them to make an appointment to discuss the children's progress whenever it is necessary. The nursery is an important part of the local community which it serves very well indeed.

8.IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ACTION PLAN

Implementation of action plan

Five key issues were raised as a result of the previous inspection, and the staff produced an action plan to address these.

The plans have been revised. They are based around a topic for each week, and they relate clearly to the six areas of learning. The daily timetable is colour-coded to show how the six areas are to be covered, and it is clear what the children are expected to learn. The staff work well together as a team, and their deployment is well organised. Planning promotes the desirable learning outcomes in all six areas, and the issue has been fully addressed.

In order to ensure the outdoor area is made available to all the children, access to the garden is now timetable so that all the children in the nursery are able to use it regularly. Progress is good.

There is some information about the curriculum in the initial brochure which details what children are learning. The parents regularly see the children's records, which makes them aware of the content of the teaching programme. Regular letters are sent home and the parents are informed about the current topic or theme. Progress is good.

The children's records of progress are kept regularly and they are monitored by the keyworkers who are aware of the each child's strengths. There has been satisfactory progress on this issue, and it is no longer a key issue. However, there is not yet enough detail to provide evidence of each child's development in relation to the desirable learning outcomes for all six areas. This remains a point for consideration in the next action plan.

Knowledge and understanding of the world is now covered well in the plans, and all the criteria are fully addressed. Good teaching ensures that the children are suitably challenged with questions. Simple technology is used to promote learning, and plans are in place to provide the children with access to a computer in the near future. Progress is good.

Overall, progress on the action plan is good, and no key issues remain as a result of this inspection.