Ofsted - Hordle Walhampton 1270_08_ey

Hordle Walhampton Pre-Prep Inspection report for early years provision Unique Reference Number

EY291447

Inspection date

19 May 2008

Inspector

Clare Moore

Setting Address

Hordle Walhampton School, Walhampton, Lymington, Hampshire, SO41 5ZG

Telephone number

01590679112

E-mail

[email protected]

Registered person

Elizabeth Morris

Type of inspection

Nursery Education

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

ABOUT THIS INSPECTION The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public of the quality of childcare and, if applicable, of nursery education. The inspection was carried out under Part XA Children Act 1989 as introduced by the Care Standards Act 2000 and, where nursery education is provided, under Schedule 26 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcomes for children set out in the Children Act 2004; the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding; and, where nursery education is provided, the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage. The report includes information on any complaints about the childcare provision which Ofsted has received since the last inspection or registration or 1 April 2004 whichever is the later. The key inspection judgements and what they mean Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough For more information about early years inspections, please see the booklet Are you ready for your inspection? which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE NURSERY EDUCATION On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection: The quality and standards of the nursery education are outstanding. WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT? Hordle Walhampton School is an independent preparatory school for boys and girls, which opened in 1997 when Hordle House and Walhampton School merged. The school is located on the outskirts of Lymington in Hampshire. Three and four-year-olds attend the Pre-Prep Department which is housed in its own purpose-built building within the school grounds. Children also have access to an outside play area and benefit from the use of the Prep Department indoor and outdoor facilities. There are 13 members of staff who regularly work with children in receipt of nursery education funding. Of these three of the staff members are qualified teachers, 10 hold appropriate early years qualifications and one member of staff is working towards a qualification. There are three other members of staff who provide specialist support for music, physical education and children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The setting is open from 08.15 to 15.30 on weekdays for 34 weeks each year. At present, there is a total of 82 children, aged between two and five years on roll. Of these 58 receive nursery education funding. The children are accommodated in two nursery classes, two kindergarten and two reception classes. The school welcomes children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, and also children who speak English as an additional language.

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROVISION Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do The provision is outstanding. The quality of the teaching and learning is outstanding. Staff are dynamic and strongly motivated. They demonstrate their expertise through their knowledge of individual children and the learning experiences they provide. For example in a magnetic fishing activity they incorporate multiple learning outcomes together with tailoring the challenges to meet the needs of all the children. They enthuse the children by praising them warmly for their achievements. Children's ideas are valued and they are involved in finding solutions to problems such as where to post up the names when a desk is turned round so that the cards are no longer displayed. Children are given time to finish their activities so that they are prepared for the whole group discussion times or meal times which helps them to focus. Staff regularly complete observations to monitor children's progress and use the information to plan the next steps of learning. Children enjoy the time they spend in the setting. They are fascinated by the growing beans and show great pride in their achievement and skill when they set out an imaginary picnic or construct brightly coloured cars using a variety of materials. They demonstrate enthusiasm for learning and a thirst for knowledge. They are confident to ask questions and develop strong relationships with each other and the staff. They show a sense of belonging as they use their personal drawers for their belongings and take turns to set the mats out, take the register to the office and open the door. Children develop very good language skills through sharing information and experiences at circle time, singing songs and listening to stories. They share books containing factual information, for example finding out about starfish in the themes about the sea and sea-shore. They are absorbed as they explore language using the telephone in the role play area, and become aware of other languages when they are joined by children who have knowledge of the spoken word from other countries. They expand their vocabulary as they handle the reptiles or the starfish and describe how they feel, for example rough, smooth, cold and knobbly. They start to recognise letters and the sounds they make as they link these together and spot letters that make the same or similar sounds. All the children are encouraged to make marks and label their own work and many of the older children are able to write their names clearly. Children show exceptional mathematical knowledge as they make geometric shapes, naming the results. Many are able to construct complicated three dimensional shapes such as a pyramid and a cuboid. They explore length and height as they see how tall a sunflower is compared to the children and how many children are equivalent in length when it is cut down. They consider number throughout daily routines counting the children present and calculating how many there would be if there was one more child. They use number rhymes and cooking activities to further underpin their knowledge of number, weight and problem solving. Children are fascinated as they find out about the life cycles of frogs and quails. They take part in monitoring the incubator and are captivated as they hear and see the chicks hatch. They experience at first hand and handle a variety of reptiles when a visitor brings a collection to the school, many of them overcoming their hesitation and developing confidence. Children use computers demonstrating their skill with the mouse and the headphones in the listening centre which helps to underpin their learning in other areas. They also have opportunities to use the

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

information technology suite in small groups with each child having a computer of their own to work from. Children explore their surroundings and the natural world on nature walks observing the change in the seasons and collecting materials to make collage pictures. They take part in cooking activities which allows them to observe change as, for example the bread proves then bakes in the oven. Children are intrigued as they carry out experiments, for example seeing what will happen if they grow beans in the dark. They find out about diversity as they celebrate festivals such as Chinese New Year and Diwali. They explore construction with a variety of equipment such as a wooden train track and large blocks. Children are exuberant as they energetically pedal and push wheeled toys such as three wheeled scooters, tricycles and cars. They skilfully steer to avoid other children or bikes that are in their path. They also use the gym each week where they develop ball skills, use hoops and play a variety of games including parachute games. They become knowledgeable about how their bodies work as they listen to their heart rate after exercise and consider the benefits of healthy eating. They learn about self care as they find out how to protect themselves from the sun, practise good personal hygiene and keep a safe distance from the candle on the red mat. They show fine dexterity and hand-eye co-ordination as they perform tasks that require fine manipulative skills. For example they deftly peg the dolls clothes on the line, wind a handle on a small crane, thread beads and cotton reels, use scissors and glue spreaders. In the garden they dig with a spade, trowels and a fork. Children have many excellent opportunities to express themselves through a variety of media. They paint using their hands, brushes or a roller. They make collage and designs of their own choosing using different artefacts such as feathers, glitter, a variety of papers and cartons. They explore colour as they use different coloured play dough, paint, and are fascinated as they put white flowers in coloured water and observe the petals taking on a different hue. They stick these together or join them using glue, sticky pens and different sorts of sticky tape. They explore rhythm and music as they use percussion instruments and sound bells. They also take part in specialist weekly music sessions singing songs, moving to the music and having fun playing games, for example stopping when the music stops. Helping children make a positive contribution The provision is outstanding. Children's behaviour is exemplary. They are courteous to each other and take turns when using popular resources such as the computer, or in games such as magnetic fishing. They are very well supported by staff who are calm and act as good role models picking up potential problems and diffusing them skilfully ensuing that no child loses self esteem. Children respond eagerly to a positive recognition system that acknowledges and praises being helpful and kind. Every day they take part in a blessing and give thanks for the world they live in and also consider their peers who have hurt themselves or have been upset. They use a poster displayed on the wall to discuss emotions and feelings and freely talk about what makes them happy or sad. They help on a rota system to carry out tasks at circle and snack times. They find out about the wider world through exploring different cultures and religions such as Judaism. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. The partnership with parents is outstanding. Parents are welcomed in as the setting has adopted an open door system. They are invited in for a parents evening every term to share their children's records and frequently chat informally with an information exchange at drop-off and

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

collection times. Information about the curriculum and activities is posted up outside classrooms so parents can see at a glance what is planned so that this can be complimented at home. Many parents are involved sharing the progress that younger siblings made from before birth. They become actively involved in the soft toy that goes home spending time with the family which helps to re-enforce links between the setting and home, and also stimulate language development. Parents also actively help in fund raising to provide further facilities such as a new fence which helps to keep children safe and secure. Parents are very confident about the education and care their children receive. They value the friendliness and helpful approach from the management and the staff. Organisation The organisation is outstanding. The leadership and management is outstanding. The setting works closely together with a number of outside agencies, for example the Pre-School Learning Alliance, speech therapists, cluster groups and the Early Years Advisory Teacher. Aspects of outstanding practice have been disseminated through this route to other settings. Practice is constantly evaluated and all the staff are involved in the planning and observations. The Head Teacher works tirelessly to explore initiatives such as the 'Forest School' and also forges links with other settings which gives children in other areas the opportunities to share the grounds and exchange good practice ideas. The staff have excellent relationships and work closely together sharing knowledge and cascading training that they have found beneficial. Staff are supported very well through the appraisal system and work together to develop their skills and knowledge. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom they provide. Improvements since the last inspection At the last inspection the setting was asked to consider using departmental training days to share skills and knowledge from external training. The setting now cascades training with colleagues sharing the benefits across the classes and the children. Complaints since the last inspection Not applicable THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE NURSERY EDUCATION On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection: The quality and standards of the nursery education are outstanding.

WHAT MUST BE DONE TO SECURE FUTURE IMPROVEMENT? The quality and standards of the nursery education No recommendations for improvement are made because the quality and standards of nursery education are outstanding.

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

Any complaints about the inspection or the report should be made following the procedures set out in the leaflet Complaints about Ofsted Early Years: concerns or complaints about Ofsted's role in regulating and inspecting childcare and early education (HMI ref no 2599) which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000