NURSERY INSPECTION REPORT

URN EY291207

DfES Number: 515154
INSPECTION DETAILS
Inspection Date 07/02/2005
Inspector Name Anne Munro

SETTING DETAILS
Day Care Type:
Exempt - Independent School
Setting Name: Durlston Court School Pre-prep
Setting Address: Durlston Court School
52 Becton Lane, Barton on Sea   New Milton
Hampshire BH25 7AQ

ABOUT THE INSPECTION

The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public that the nursery education for funded three and four year old children is of an acceptable quality. Inspection of nursery education also identifies strengths and weaknesses so that providers can improve the quality of educational provision and help children to achieve the early learning goals (elgs) by the end of the Foundation Stage. This 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

Durlston Court Pre-Preparatory School opened in 1968 as an independent school for boys and girls aged two to seven years. Most children will move on to the main school until the age of thirteen. The school is set in large grounds in a mainly rural area. The kindergarten and pre-preparatory classes share recently extended premises, with classrooms, office, kitchen and toilet facilities and secure outside play areas. The early years department also has the use of main school facilities.

The school provides nursery education on weekdays from 08:30 to 15:15 during term time. There are currently 63 children on roll in the kindergarten and reception classes, including 41 in receipt of nursery funding. The school supports a small number of children with special educational needs and some with English as an additional language. Children travel from Bournemouth, Lymington and New Milton as well as from village communities within the New Forest. A school minibus service is available.

Thirteen members of staff work with the children, eight of them with relevant early years qualifications. The school receives support from the Hampshire Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership.

INSPECTION OF THE NURSERY EDUCATION PROVISION FOR FUNDED THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLDS.

How effective is the nursery education?

The provision of nursery education at Durlston Court School is acceptable and of high quality. Children are making very good progress towards the early learning goals.

The quality of teaching is very good. Class teachers have sound knowledge of the early learning goals and use the skills of classroom assistants effectively to provide a stimulating curriculum that promotes children's development in all areas. They maintain comprehensive records of children's progress and have very good knowledge of individual capabilities. They identify the next steps for children's development and plan activities to ensure that individual needs are addressed. Any special needs are identified and monitored and staff are able to seek outside advice when necessary. They make good use of space and resources to enable children to make choices and develop independence. High staffing ratios and small class groups ensure that children receive good levels of supervision and plenty of individual attention. Staff use praise and encouragement to promote children's good behaviour.

Leadership and management is very good. A clear management structure underpins the running of the setting. A formal system of staff appraisal is in place and staff are supported in accessing on- going training to update their skills and knowledge. The head of the pre-preparatory department carries out regular classroom observations to evaluate provision. Ideas for improvement and development are discussed in regular staff meetings. Premises have recently been extended and plans are in place to further develop the outside area.

Partnership with parents is very good. Parents receive good information about the school and it's activities and are encouraged to be involved in their children's learning. They are able to discuss their children's progress with staff and receive regular written reports. They provide good support to social and fundraising events, assisting with the ongoing development of the setting

What is being done well?

• The development of children's literacy skills is very good. Children learn to recognise their written names from an early age. Clear labelling on resources, signs in their role-play areas and captions to their work teach them that writing has meaning. Three and four year olds are introduced to the links between sounds and letters, and quickly learn to sound out words for themselves. They learn to write their names on their work and use emergent writing skills in role-play situations. Older children can write words using phonetics, copying words scribed for them by staff or formed with magnetic letters or other practical resources. Some are able to use the computer keyboard and print out their work.
• Children's use of information technology is very good. All children have regular access to computers and develop good skills with both mouse and keyboard. They use a variety of programmes to support their learning, for example programmes for sorting and matching, printing menus and adding up bills in their restaurant, drawing and printing pictures, learning songs and using the mouse to turn pages in reading books.
• Staff have very good knowledge of the needs and abilities of individual children. They carry out regular observations and maintain accurate records of children's progress. They use their knowledge of children's needs as the basis for planning activities, ensuring that all children make good progress towards the early learning goals.
• Good working relationships are developed between staff and parents, based on ongoing communication. Staff offer verbal feedback daily and parents know that they can talk to them at any time. Staff write regular written reports and invite parents in to discuss their children's progress. They send home information about activities, so that parents can contribute resources and expertise. Children take reading and writing books home to practise, and parents contribute their notes on progress.

What needs to be improved?

• Opportunities to use calculation and problem solving in daily routines.

What has, improved since the last inspection?

Improvement since the last inspection is very good.

The school was asked to “provide more resources for children to use in their play such as cooking utensils, dressing up clothes and other equipment relating to other cultures”. Resources are in use including dolls and dressing up clothes, play food and kitchen equipment, and children learn about other cultures in planned topics.

They were also asked to “provide writing materials to encourage children's own emergent writing skills appropriately”. More resources have been purchased to promote writing skills including white boards, chalkboards and easels, as well as a variety of papers, pens and crayons. All are easily accessible for children to use in role-play and in free choice sessions.

SUMMARY OF JUDGEMENTS PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Judgement: Very Good

Children sit quietly to listen when appropriate and can concentrate for long periods at activities. They are familiar with daily routines and most follow instructions promptly. They relate confidently to adults and play well alongside other children, learning to take turns and share. Children show increasing levels of independence, both in their personal care and in making choices. Staff use praise and encouragement to promote children's self- esteem and to reinforce their good behaviour.

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY
Judgement: Very Good

Children enjoy looking at books and listening to stories. Three year olds can recognise their written names and are introduced to other written words as staff write captions to their work. Older children are able to write their names and other words as they begin to learn the links between sounds and letters. Children are all confident speakers and take turns to speak and listen to others in group discussion. Staff encourage conversation, developing children's language skills and vocabulary.

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT
Judgement: Very Good

Children count very confidently to ten and beyond, but have less opportunity to use simple calculation in daily routines. They use a range of games and puzzles to learn to recognise numerals, and older children are able to write and use numerals in their work. Children sort and match with a good range of resources. They learn the names of shapes and enjoy walking round the school looking for shapes in the environment. Staff introduce the language of size and position throughout activities.

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD
Judgement: Very Good

Children study the natural environment on walks in the grounds and older children enjoy outings further a field. They learn about their community from visitors, talk about events in their lives and learn about their own and other cultures. They note the changes that occur as they mix ingredients for cooking or plant and watch things grow. They design and build imaginatively with construction toys and with recycled materials. They use computers and other technology to support their learning.

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
Judgement: Very Good

Children develop spatial awareness steering ride-on toys round pathways, and in parachute games and movement sessions indoors. They practise races for sports day and some enjoy ballet with older children. Four and five year olds use large apparatus in the sports hall to develop control and co-ordination and younger children use equipment such as slide and tunnel in the classroom. They explore small apparatus such as balls and hoops and use a wide range of tools to develop manipulative skills.

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT
Judgement: Very Good

Children learn about colour, texture and shape using a good variety of techniques and media, including paint, collage, crayons and clay, and are able to express their own ideas in art work. They use percussion instruments to learn about sound and rhythm, move to music and join in songs and rhymes with accuracy and enthusiasm. They use imagination in small world play and with puppets, and act out their experiences in planned role play situations

Children's spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development is Yes fostered appropriately:

OUTCOME OF THE INSPECTION

The provision is acceptable and is of high quality. Children are making very good progress towards the early learning goals. The next inspection will take place in three to four years time.

WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT

(Key issues or points for consideration for improvement in nursery education)

There are no significant weaknesses to report, but consideration should be given to improving the following:

• the use of opportunities arising in daily routines for children to use simple calculation and solve practical problems

The registered person must draw up an action p/an within 40 working days of receipt of this report showing how the key issues detailed above will be addressed. The action plan must be made available to all parents, and to the Local Authority if required. An evaluation of the action taken will form part of the next combined inspection.