Integrated Inspection by the Care Commission and HM Inspectorate of Education of Kelvinside Academy Junior Start Glasgow

21 January 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 Rector, staff, education authority and the Board of Governors. 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 Kelvinside Academy Junior Start Glasgow

Introduction

Kelvinside Academy Junior Start was inspected in October 2003 as part of the integrated inspection programme by the Care Commission and HM Inspectorate of Education. The nursery catered for children from age two years nine months to five years. At the time of the inspection the roll was 32.

The environment

The nursery was located in a residential building adjacent to Kelvinside Academy. It provided a bright, safe and welcoming environment. A security entry system was in place and there were plans to install an easy access ramp for service users. Staff made effective use of the space in the four playrooms to ensure that children could play and work independently or in small or large groups. A comfortable book area provided children with opportunities for rest and relaxation.

Children had daily access to an attractive outdoor garden which had interesting play areas and a wide range of physical play equipment. Children also had access to the school gym hall for physical activities.

Throughout the nursery, equipment and resources were well maintained. Staff had good procedures in place for risk assessment. Good hygiene practices were implemented to control the spread of infection.

Quality of children’s experience

Staff were very caring and patient with children. They made effective use of praise and encouragement to reinforce good behaviour and to acknowledge achievement. Staff interacted very well with children. They made good use of open-ended questions to extend and support learning. Arrangements for planning, assessment and recording were good. However staff should make more effective use of written assessment information to plan next steps in children’s learning. Parents received regular detailed reports on their child’s progress.

Staff provided a good range of stimulating and challenging activities where children could be independent and exercise choice. However some of the resources did not fully support the needs of some children under three.

There was a good balance between activities which the children chose themselves, and those which were directed by adults.

• The programme for emotional, personal and social development was very good. Staff had created a welcoming and attractive environment for children. They displayed samples of children’s work to promote their self-esteem. Children were confident, happy and motivated. They moved purposefully around the playroom sharing toys and playing co-operatively with each other.
• The programme for communication and language was very good. Children spoke confidently to each other and to other adults. They listened attentively to stories and were able to recall and predict parts of a story. During role-play they used language appropriate to their theme on building. Staff provided frequent opportunities for children to experience activities in early reading and writing. A "signing in" book provided children with daily opportunities to develop skills in early writing. Children made good use of computer programmes to help them to recognise words.
• The programme for knowledge and understanding of the world was very good. Staff provided a varied and very interesting programme of activities. Children were learning how to build walls and enjoyed working out how to move a load of bricks to the top of scaffolding. They took part in sorting and classifying, counting and matching a range of materials. Children took part in planting and they were learning about the festival of Diwali.
• The programme for expressive and aesthetic development was very good. Children had regular opportunities to paint, draw, and build models. They experimented with a range of art and craft materials. Staff responded to children’s interest by creating a building site in the role-play area. The quality of imaginative play was very good. Children sang and moved rhythmically to music using untuned percussion instruments.
• The programme for physical development and movement was very good. Children moved confidently about the garden area on wheeled toys and on large play equipment. They could throw and catch, run, balance and climb. Staff provided additional opportunities for children to take part in physical activity within the playroom and in the school gym hall. Children were developing good control of their fingers and hands using construction toys, jigsaws hammers and saws.

Support for children and families

Staff had established very good relationships with children and their families. They responded to their individual circumstances sensitively and provided a good level of support. In consultation with parents, staff prepared individual learning plans for a few children who required additional support. The nursery had identified the need to provide additional training for staff to improve their knowledge and understanding of children with specific needs and those under the age of three. The nursery should continue, as planned, to develop further links with a range of support agencies.

Parents were invited to take an active part in the nursery and their children’s learning. Parents who responded to the questionnaire were very satisfied with almost all aspects of the work of the nursery.

Management

The manager was enthusiastic and highly committed to the development of the nursery. She demonstrated a high level of professional competence, and very effective communication skills. She worked closely with staff in the playrooms and was a very good role model. She had established very good relationships with children, parents and staff.

The headteacher from the junior school supported the manager in her leadership role. They met regularly and worked together to foster very effective teamwork.

A comprehensive range of policies and procedures provided useful guidance to staff and was available to service users.

All staff held appropriate childcare qualifications and had regular access to training. Adult-child ratios were in line with national standards. Staff were well deployed and well motivated. A professional development review system was in place. All staff were involved in systematic evaluation and discussion of the work of the nursery.

Key strengths

• The high quality interactions between staff and children.
• The very good quality of the programmes for each of the key aspects of children’s development and learning.
• The effective use made by the nursery of the outdoor garden grounds.
• The very good quality of relationships and interaction between staff and children.
• The commitment and enthusiasm of the whole staff team.
• The very good leadership of the manager and the teamwork of staff.

Recommendations for improvement

• Staff should make more effective use of assessment information to plan the next steps in learning for some children.
• The management should provide training opportunities for staff on children with specific needs and those under three years.
• The nursery should continue, as planned, to further develop links with a range of support agencies.

Care Commission Officers and HM Inspectors have asked the pre-school centre and Board of Governors 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 Board of Governors, Care Commission Officers and HM Inspectors will monitor progress to ensure improvements are in line with the main findings of the report.