Integrated Inspection by the Care Commission and HM Inspectorate of Education of George Heriot’s School Nursery Class Edinburgh

18 February 2004

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:

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

Copies of this report have been sent to the headmaster, staff, the director of education and the board of governors and. 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 or make a complaint about any aspect of the inspection or about this report you should write either to the Care Commission or to HM Inspectorate of Education at the address below. If you are still dissatisfied with our services, you can contact your member of the Scottish Parliament (or, if you prefer, any other MSP). You can also contact the Scottish Parliamentary Ombudsman. The Ombudsman is fully independent and has powers to investigate complaints about Government departments and Agencies.

Care Commission
HM Inspectorate of Education

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Integrated Inspection by the Care Commission and HM Inspectorate of Education of George Heriot’s School Nursery Class Edinburgh

Introduction

George Heriot’s School Nursery Class was inspected in September 2003 as part of the integrated inspection programme by the Care Commission and HM Inspectorate of Education. The nursery catered for children in their pre-school year. At the time of the inspection the roll was 40.

The environment

The nursery class was situated in a single storey building in the grounds of George Heriot’s School. Accommodation was bright, welcoming and well suited for the purpose. Play equipment was clean and well maintained. The playroom provided appropriate opportunities for children to work independently and take part in group play. The outdoor play area and extensive grounds were well used.

Quality of children’s experience

Staff had established very good relationships with children and interacted positively with them to build confidence and encourage self-esteem. Staff intervention was well judged to extend children’s learning and take account of individual needs. Very good planning and monitoring procedures and regular staff meetings ensured that the broad and balanced curriculum was successfully adapted and delivered.

A range of stimulating and challenging learning opportunities encouraged children to make choices and take initiative. Staff regularly observed and assessed children’s development and learning, and shared the information with parents and other staff.

• The programme for emotional, personal and social development was very good. Children who had very recently joined the nursery were confident and happy in learning about the routines of their new surroundings. Children were encouraged to share and co-operate with one another and to become independent in brushing their teeth and dressing themselves.
• The programme for communication and language was very good. Staff provided a wide range of very good opportunities to develop children’s listening and talking skills. Many children expressed themselves confidently and listened attentively to stories and instructions. Early writing was incorporated into play activities and children were beginning to understand the layout of books and newspapers.
• The programme for knowledge and understanding of the world was very good. Children had been learning about the seasons and were encouraged to investigate items on a display. They were learning about their school community and enjoyed regular visits from very supportive senior pupils. Staff encouraged children to count and recognise numbers and colours. They were developing children’s early interest in maps.
• Staff provided a very good programme for expressive and aesthetic development. Children investigated and used a variety of materials and painting techniques to create their own pictures and models. Children listened and danced spontaneously to taped music. Sessions led by a specialist from the school’s music department encouraged children’s appreciation of music, movement and sound.
• The programme for physical development and movement was very good. Regular opportunities for energetic movement outdoors allowed children to develop skills in climbing and balancing. Children made imaginative and safe use of the climbing frame. A wide range of materials was available to encourage and develop good hand and finger control. Some children were able to use the computer mouse skilfully.

Support for children and families

Staff had established very good relationships with parents and were responsive to the support needs of children. In the pre-inspection questionnaires many new parents reported that their early experience of the nursery was very positive and that they were very satisfied with all aspects of the provision. They had daily opportunities to talk informally with staff who responded positively to any concerns raised. A recent workshop explaining the nursery programme to parents had been very well attended.

The school had very good procedures for exchange of information between nursery and primary staff. Yearly exchanges of staff between nursery and primary classes assisted continuity and progression for children at their transition stage within the school.

Management

The overall management team worked very well together and aimed to ensure a smooth transfer of children from the nursery to junior school. Within the nursery class, the principal teacher of nursery provided effective leadership. She had a clear vision for the development of the nursery and promoted effective teamwork. She communicated effectively and was enthusiastic in her approach to management. Her relationships with staff, children and parents were very good. Appropriate policies and procedures were implemented by staff.

Staff were recruited in line with local authority guidance. All were appropriately trained and had access to a range of staff development courses. Arrangements for staff review were in place.

Key strengths

• The very good quality of children’s experiences.
• The consistently high quality of nursery programmes.
• The enthusiastic and committed staff team.
• The commitment to continuity and progression between nursery and primary.
• The very committed and cohesive management team.

Recommendations for improvement

• Staff should maintain the very high standard of experience provided and implement their plans for further improvement.

Care Commission Officers and HM Inspectors have asked the school and Board of Governors to prepare an action plan indicating how they will maintain the very high standards. The plan will be available to parents and carers. .