Integrated Inspection by the Care Commission and HM Inspectorate of Education of Croy Primary School Nursery Class The Highland Council

25 January 2006

Croy Primary School Nursery Class
Croy
Inverness
IV2 5PG

The Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act, 2001, requires that the Care Commission inspect all care services covered by the Act every year to monitor the quality of care provided. In accordance with the Act, the Care Commission and HM Inspectorate of Education carry out integrated inspections of the quality of care and education. In doing this, inspection teams take account of National Care Standards, Early Education and Childcare up to the age of 16, and The Child at the Centre. The following standards and related quality indicators were used in the recent inspection.

Evaluations made using HMIE quality indicators use the following scale, and these words are used in the report to describe the team’s judgements:
Very good : major strengths
Good : strengths outweigh weaknesses
Fair : some important weaknesses
Unsatisfactory : major weaknesses

Reports contain Recommendations which are intended to support improvements in the quality of service.

Any Requirements refer to actions which must be taken by service providers to ensure that regulations are met and there is compliance with relevant legislation. In these cases the regulation(s) to which requirements refer will be noted clearly and timescales given.

HOW TO CONTACT US

If you would like an additional copy of this report
Copies of this report have been sent to the headteacher, staff and the education authority. Copies are also available on the Care Commission website: www.carecommission.com and HMIE website: www.hmie.gov.uk .

If you wish to comment about integrated pre-school inspections
Should you wish to comment on any aspect of integrated pre-school inspections, you should write in the first instance to Kenneth Muir, HMCI, at HM Inspectorate of Education, Denholm House, Almondvale Business Park, Almondvale Way, Livingston EH54 6GA.

Our complaints procedure
If you have a concern about this report, you should write in the first instance to either:

If you are not satisfied with the action we have taken at the end of our complaints procedure, you can raise your complaint with the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman. The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman is fully independent and has powers to investigate complaints about Government departments and agencies. You can write to The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman, 4-6 Melville Street, Edinburgh EH3 7NS. You can also telephone 0870 011 5378 or e-mail enquiries@scottishombudsman.org.uk. More information about the Ombudsman’s office can be obtained from the website: www.scottishombudsman.org.uk.

A copy of the HMIE complaints procedure is available from the HMIE website at www.hmie.gov.uk or by telephoning 01506 600 258.

Crown Copyright 2006
Care Commission
HM Inspectorate of Education

This report may be reproduced in whole or in part, except for commercial purposes or in connection with a prospectus or advertisement, provided that the source and date thereof are stated.

Integrated Inspection by the Care Commission and HM Inspectorate of Education of Croy Primary School Nursery Class The Highland Council

Introduction

Croy Primary School Nursery Class was inspected in October 2005 as part of the integrated inspection programme by the Care Commission and HM Inspectorate of Education. HMIE carried out this inspection on behalf of both organisations and consulted the Care Commission about its findings. The nursery catered for pre-school children aged three to five years. It was registered for 21 children attending at any one session. At the time of the inspection the total roll was 13.

The environment
Standard 2

The nursery class was located in the main building of the primary school. Children were cared for in a bright, pleasant and colourful environment. Staff had attractively displayed children’s work in the play room and had organised table displays for children to investigate. Useful information for parents and carers was displayed in the cloakroom, including weekly news and planning. Appropriate security measures were in place to ensure children’s safety.

Staff used the space effectively and had developed an environment which was stimulating. Children were able to choose from an extensive range of play resources. They were able to play independently or in groups. A dedicated, secure outdoor play area was accessible from the main play room. Children enjoyed using the climbing frames and picnic benches. Staff made very good use of the bright and airy school gym hall, which provided daily opportunities for indoor physical play.

Resources were well maintained and measures were in place to control the spread of infection. Staff formally risk assessed the nursery and outdoor play area.

Quality of children’s experience
Standard 4 & 5

Staff worked cooperatively as a team and had very good relationships with children. They interacted very well with them to extend and support their learning. Children’s contributions were valued and they were given good opportunities to make choices. Play activities were stimulating and carefully chosen to meet the needs of the children.

Staff implemented effective procedures for planning and assessing children’s learning. They regularly discussed children’s progress and identified support needs and next steps. Good use was made of digital photography to record children’s progress.

Features of the programmes for children included the following.

• The programme for emotional, personal and social development was very good. Staff welcomed children at the start of the session and made effective use of praise to encourage children to be patient and to take turns. Children were encouraged to be mannerly. They were happy and familiar with rules and routines. They cooperated well with one another and were making friends. Staff supported children to be independent in personal hygiene and at snack. Children helped to tidy up and dressed themselves. They were delighted to be chosen as star of the week for showing consideration for others or for persevering at an activity.
• The programme for communication and language was very good. Children had fun with stories, rhymes and music. They enjoyed re-telling the story of the blue balloon. Staff talked to children about the author of the story and the interesting words which were used. There was a large comfortable reading area with very good resources, which children accessed independently throughout the session. Staff read to children individually and in small groups. They had good opportunities to develop their skills in early writing.
• In knowledge and understanding of the world, the programme was good. Staff planned an interesting range of outings to places of interest in the community. A good range of visitors helped the children to learn about safety and people who help us. The nurse had shown the children how to make plaster casts. Children were having fun experimenting with blowing up balloons to link into the story. They had opportunities to learn about technology using programmable toys. However, they needed more opportunities to use the computer. Staff provided appropriate activities for children to learn about colour, shapes and sizes.
• The programme for expressive and aesthetic development was very good. Commendably, staff provided exciting opportunities for children to develop their musical skills through a structured programme of action rhymes, playing musical instruments and singing. Children were encouraged to express their own ideas through a wide range of art and craft activities including painting, printing and collage. Children participated enthusiastically in rhythm and movement work and dancing with ribbons. Staff effectively supported role-play in the ‘music shop’ and the very well-resourced home corner.
• In physical development and movement, the programme was very good. Children were able to choose to play outdoors on the climbing frames and slide at the beginning and end of the morning session. The nursery class was able to access the school gym hall every day. Children enjoyed choosing from a variety of interesting equipment to develop their physical skills in running, jumping on the trampoline and using hoops and bats and balls. Staff provided good opportunities for children to develop their hand control using construction equipment and a range of tools at the play dough and drawing table.

Support for children and families
Standard 6

Staff were very responsive and flexible in meeting the needs of children and families. They had established very good liaison with parents and carers in the community. Parents who completed the pre-inspection questionnaire, and those who were interviewed, expressed their satisfaction with all aspects of the service. They were kept informed about the work of the nursery through informal daily discussions, regular newsletters and meetings. Staff provided helpful annual, next steps reports for parents. Children transferring into P1 were given very good opportunities to visit classes, meet teachers and join in at playtimes.

Very good links had been established with other agencies and pre-school centres to support children’s development and learning. A teacher from the hearing impairment unit visited the nursery weekly. Staff now needed to implement, in consultation with parents, individualised educational programmes (IEPs) for those children who required additional support in their learning. Staff appropriately supported children whose first language was not English.

Management
Standard 14

The headteacher provided very good management. She demonstrated effective leadership qualities and communication skills. Although she worked part-time in class, she gave very good support to the hard-working and able staff team. She held regular meetings with the nursery coordinator teacher and nursery staff. The nursery was fully involved in the life of the school.

A good start had been made to the process of self-evaluation, and the headteacher had started visiting the nursery to formally monitor and evaluate the quality of the provision. The nursery was included in the school development plan. Working with the whole school, priorities for development were being successfully implemented.

Staff had attended a number of relevant training courses and were continuing to extend their professional qualifications. They showed good understanding of the procedures for child protection and their responsibilities in relation to implementing child protection policy. The headteacher was presently undertaking the Scottish Qualification for Headship. Staff had good opportunities to discuss their work at staff reviews.

The nursery had an appropriate range of policies and procedures in place which provided useful guidance for staff and parents. The headteacher and staff were aware of the Scottish Social Services Council Codes of Practice and the registration process.

Key strengths

• The stimulating and purposeful learning environment.
• The very effective staff-child interaction and support for children and families.
• The very good programmes in emotional, personal and social development, communication and language, expressive and aesthetic development and physical development and movement.
• The committed and hard-working headteacher and staff team.
• The very good relationships with parents and the community.

Recommendations for improvement

• Staff should further develop the programme in information and communications technology.
• The headteacher and staff should implement, in consultation with parents, IEPs for those children who required additional support in their learning.

Care Commission Officers and HM Inspectors have asked the pre-school centre and education authority to prepare an action plan indicating how they will address the main findings of the report. Where requirements are made, the action plan should include timescales to deal with these. The plan will be available to parents and carers. In liaison with the pre-school centre and education authority, Care Commission Officers and HM Inspectors will monitor progress to ensure improvements are in line with the main findings of the report.

Moira Lawson
HM Inspectorate of Education