2 April 2008
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.
National Care Standard |
Child at the Centre Quality Indicator |
Standard 4 – Engaging With Children |
Staff/child interaction |
Standard 5 – Quality of Experience |
Structure of the curriculum |
Standard 6 – Support and Development |
Meeting children’s needs and care routines |
Standard 14 – Well-managed Service |
Leadership and Self-evaluation |
Evaluations made using HMIE quality indicators use the following scale, and these words are used in the report to describe the team’s judgements:
excellent |
outstanding, sector leading |
very good |
major strengths |
good |
important strengths, some areas for improvement |
adequate |
strengths just outweigh weaknesses |
weak |
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.
Introduction
Denny Nursery was inspected in December 2007 as part of the integrated inspection programme by the Care Commission and HM Inspectorate of Education. The nursery catered for pre-school children aged two to five years. It was registered for 96 children attending at any one session. At the time of the inspection the total roll was 125.
Key strengths
How good is the quality of children’s experience?
Standard 4 & 5
Children aged two to three were very well cared for and were engaged in their learning. Staff planned a broad range of play experiences for children that developed their natural curiosity and provided very good opportunities for them to learn using all their senses. Children were happy, motivated and enjoyed taking part in a range of activities indoors and outside. Staff provided opportunities for children to make choices and they were becoming independent and confident in the very purposeful and stimulating learning environment.
The curriculum for children aged three to five provided very good balance and breadth across the five key aspects of learning. Staff interactions with children were good. They made effective use of questioning to extend children’s thinking. Staff established a purposeful and stimulating environment for children to learn through good-quality play experiences. Children were encouraged by staff to make choices and were developing independence in their learning. Children were highly motivated, cheerful and enthusiastic. Staff celebrated children’s achievements appropriately and used praise well to develop their self esteem. In emotional, personal and social development, children were making very good progress. They were developing their independence and responded well to undertaking tasks around the nursery. All children were very well behaved and were able to work together and share resources and take turns. Children had developed particular friendships and enjoyed one another’s company. Children were making very good progress in knowledge and understanding of the world. They enjoyed the outdoor area and explored and investigated the natural world. Children were aware of the changing seasons and were learning about recycling. The nursery was working towards a green flag for Eco school status. Children used the smart board and simple programs on the computers independently and with confidence. In expressive and aesthetic development, most children were making good progress. A few children experimented with different colours and textures of paint to make pictures. They independently selected art and craft resources to create collage. A few children were developing their understanding of rhythm and beat when using musical instruments. In physical development and movement, children were making very good progress. They used the large play equipment in the outdoor area and the wheeled toys safely and with confidence. All children were gaining very good control of their hands and fingers using a range of tools and equipment. The nursery had received accreditation for being a health-promoting school.
Children were making good progress in communication and language. Most children talked confidently to one another and adults during play activities. They enjoyed listening to stories. A few children scribbled and made marks and were beginning to write their name. Opportunities should be further developed during play activities to develop their use of spoken and written language. Children were making good progress in mathematics and enjoyed number and counting games. They were able to sort and match objects by shape and colour and used simple mathematical program on the computer. Staff did not provide enough opportunities for children to solve simple problems and practise their knowledge of mathematical concepts all around the playroom.
How well are children supported?
Standard 6
Meeting children’s needs within the nursery was very good. Staff involved children in planning and used assessment information effectively to identify next steps in learning for individual children. They were responsive to children’s individual needs. A few children needed more challenge to ensure continued progression in their learning. Staff implemented very good care routines that were respectful and protected all children’s privacy and dignity. All staff followed child protection guidelines appropriately and were aware of their responsibilities in keeping children safe. Equality and fairness within the nursery was very good. Staff treated all children equally and with equal concern. Appropriate intervention and documentation was in place to support children with additional support needs. Staff from a range of agencies worked effectively together to provide children with very good support. Staff had very good relationships with parents and families and the nursery had established a parent / staff association. Staff kept parents informed about the life of the nursery through the handbook, regular newsletters and an informative notice board. Good contacts were established between nursery and receiving primary schools. At transitions within nursery and into P1 useful information was exchanged.
Leading and improving the centre
Standard 14
The headteacher and manager had joint responsibility for the nursery. They had clear roles and remits and worked very hard to ensure the smooth amalgamation of the nursery school and day nursery services. Together, they provided very good leadership and management of the nursery. They were ably supported by the depute and two senior workers. The management team led the learning within the nursery effectively to ensure quality experiences for children. They had established very positive, respectful and supportive relationships with staff, parents and children. All staff were enthusiastic about the nursery and had a clear commitment to continuing to develop the very good practice.
An effective system of staff development and review identified and addressed staff training needs. The headteacher and manager encouraged staff to attend training and further develop their knowledge and expertise and to keep up-to-date with new developments. Staff shared information and used their learning to develop the nursery. The headteacher, manager and staff were familiar with the Scottish Social Services Council Codes of Practice and their implications.
The headteacher, manager and staff had established good procedures for evaluating the work of the service. Staff had carried out an audit and identified areas for improvement that were being taken forward. The headteacher and manager were continuing to develop effective systems for monitoring and evaluating practice within the playrooms and the quality of children’s experiences.
Issues from previous inspections
Response to recommendations or to requirements or enforcement action made at previous inspection.
At the last Care Commission singleton inspection there were four recommendations and one requirement that had been actioned.
Recommendations for improvement
As a result of the high performance, the strong record of improvement and the very effective leadership of this centre, HM Inspectors will make no further reports in connection with this inspection. The centre and the education authority have been asked to prepare an action plan indicating how they will address the main findings of the report, and to share that plan with parents. Within two years of the publication of this report the education authority, working with the centre, will provide a progress report to parents.
Hilary Long |
Joyce Maitland |
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.
Should you wish to comment on any aspect of 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.
If you have a concern about this report, you should write in the first instance to either:
Complaints Coordinator |
Complaints Manager |
You can also e-mail HMIEComplaints@hmie.gsi.gov.uk. A copy of our complaints procedure is available from this office, by telephoning 01506 600200 or from our website at www.hmie.gov.uk.
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 (SPSO). The SPSO is fully independent and has powers to investigate complaints about Government departments and agencies. You should write to the SPSO, Freepost EH641, Edinburgh EH3 0BR. You can also telephone 0800 377 7330 (fax 0800 377 7331) or e-mail: ask@spso.org.uk. More information about the Ombudsman’s office can be obtained from the website: www.spso.org.uk.
Crown Copyright 2008
HM Inspectorate of Education
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