11 October 2004

URN EY291348
DfES Number: 511973

INSPECTION DETAILS
Inspection Date 11/10/2004
Inspector Name Julie Steeples

SETTING DETAILS
Day Care Type
Setting Name Junior Kings School
Setting Address Milner Court
Sturry
Canterbury
Kent
CT2 0AY

ABOUT THE INSPECTION

The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public that the nursery education for funded three and four year old children is of an acceptable quality. Inspection of nursery education also identifies strengths and weaknesses so that providers can improve the quality of educational provision and help children to achieve the early learning goals (elgs) by the end of the Foundation Stage. This inspection report must be made available to all parents.

If the setting has been inspected previously, an action plan will have been drawn up to tackle issues identified. This inspection, therefore, must also assess what progress has been made in the implementation of this plan.

Information about the setting
Junior King's School Pre-preparatory Department was set up in 1986 to accommodate the youngest children at Junior King's School. It is an independent co-educational school set in extensive grounds in a village near Canterbury in Kent. It serves children from the local area and surrounding towns.

The Pre-preparatory Department is situated in a Kentish Oast House to one side of the Junior School campus. There are 7 classrooms, a library, reception hall and toilets. It has sole use of a large, enclosed play area with an adventure playground and grassed spaces. In addition the children have access to the school's extensive grounds.

At present there are 104 children on roll. This includes 46 children who are in receipt of funded nursery education. The three year old children attend for a variety of session per week. All the four year old children attend full time. The school is open from 08.30 until 15.30 (15.00 on Wednesday).

There are 7 staff working with the children in the Foundation Stage. In addition there are specialist teachers for music and dance. All members of staff are qualified. At present the school supports children who have special educational needs. There are no children who have English as an additional language

INSPECTION OF THE NURSERY EDUCATION PROVISION FOR FUNDED THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLDS

How effective is the nursery education?
The Junior King's School provides high quality nursery education, which enables children to make very good progress towards the early learning goals.

The quality of teaching is very good. Staff have a clear understanding of how children learn. Detailed plans are well used in practice and staff provide an exciting range of activities which extend children's learning. They consistently use open ended questions to support children's play and develop their language and thinking skills. Staff use very good strategies to encourage children to solve problems and express their own ideas. Staff are enthusiastic, sensitive to the children's needs, and are good role models for the children. They work well together as a team. They respect children's ideas and value their work, but little warning is given of tidy up time. Group work is well organised and staff make sure that activities and resources can be adapted according to children's development.

The system of assessment and record keeping is thorough, enabling staff to monitor children's learning closely. Staff manage the children's behaviour extremely well, and use reward stickers to promote good conduct. Staff are effectively working with children with special needs, liaising with other agencies and with parents.

Leadership and management is very good. The setting fulfils its vision to provide high quality care and education for all children. Staff appraisals are carried out regularly, but, at present, members of the appraisal panel might not necessarily have recent knowledge of the reorganisation and the requirements of the specialist learning in the Foundation Stage.

Partnership with parents and carers is very good. It contributes significantly to children's progress. Parents receive clear and detailed information about the provision. They are well briefed about their children's achievements and progress through daily 'contact' books, regular consultations and written reports.

What is being done well?
• Staff have a good understanding of the Foundation Stage and how young children learn. Through well planned, challenging activities children are encouraged to acquire new skills and be independent thinkers.
• Children benefit from the explanations of the wide variety of activities available to them. Staff value the children's individual choices and give them good support.
• Staff have high expectations of children and encourage good conduct. They consistently use positive behaviour strategies and provide good role models which the children reflect. As a result children co-operate well with the staff and are courteous to each other.
• Children are confident and motivated to learn. They work well together and can share and take turns. A dynamic, enthusiastic staff team ensures that learning is exciting for all the children.

What needs to be improved?
• There are no significant weaknesses to report, but consideration should be given to improving the following:-
• systems to give the children prior warning of tidy up time.
• opportunities for staff appraisals to be carried out by practitioners who have an understanding of the special requirements of Foundation Stage learning.

What has improved since the last inspection?
Very Good progress has been made since the last inspection.

There were no key issues arising from the last inspection, but the setting was asked to consider the use of observations carried out across all activities.

Very good progress has been made in this area. A new system of planning and observations has been introduced. This enables staff to clearly identify the progress children are making in each area of learning. The observations are then used to inform future planning and differentiate activities so all children are effectively challenged.

The other point for consideration focussed on creating an awareness among the children to consider the needs of living things.

Very good progress has been made in this area. 'Slimy', a giant African land snail has been introduced as the school's pet. The children elect to care for him during school holidays. As part of 'Animal Awareness Week' fund raising activities were held to provide for Slimy's needs and accommodation. The children show great enthusiasm and inquisitiveness in observing him.

SUMMARY OF JUDGEMENTS

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Judgement: Very Good
Children are happy, confident, and show high levels of concentration and perseverance in their activities. They are able to make their own choices, and take turns and share equipment amicably. Children show a good understanding of what is right and wrong, and behaviour is very good. They have valuable opportunities to develop their independence and self help skills when changing for gym sessions and pouring their own drinks at snack time.

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY
Judgement: Very Good
Children speak clearly and listen well as they communicate their thoughts and feelings with each other and staff. Writing is developed well through play, for example, in the 'farm shop' where children write lists, and the 'doctor's surgery' where they make appointments. Children recognise that print carries meaning through creating their class newspaper. Effective strategies are used to help children recognise letter shapes and sounds. Many children write their own names and build simple words.

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT
Judgement: Very Good
Children count confidently and learn to recognise numbers and shapes through daily routines, such as registration and 'Shapes' topic work. They are developing mathematical ideas of comparing and sorting, and simple addition and subtraction by buying and weighing vegetables in their 'farm shop'. Children are developing their problem solving skills and mathematical language by comparing the size of footprints and designing a bar chart of favourite fruits.

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD
Judgement: Very Good
Children develop excellent design skills by choosing materials for construction projects, and working out which items are most appropriate for the task. A group activity, building a large cardboard 'Sukkah Harvest Hut' showed children collaborating, using masking tape and upright poles to reinforce the structure. Children are encouraged to make predictions and question why things happen in experiments testing the effects of sweet drinks on egg shell, and making bread. They use computers well.

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
Judgement: Very Good
Children climb confidently on the large climbing frames, crawl through the apparatus, and balance well on stepping stones. They recognise the effects of exercise on their bodies and understand the importance of staying healthy through discussion and topic work. Fine motor skills are developed well as they use cutters, shapers, peg boards, hammers and tacks in safety and with increasing dexterity.

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT
Judgement: Very Good
Children clearly enjoy the good opportunities provided in role play as they express and communicate their ideas in the 'farm shop' and 'doctor's surgery'. Staff provide good opportunities and support to enable children to explore and experiment using their own imaginations in art activities, expressing their ideas in two and three dimensions. Children enjoy singing and have build up an extensive repertoire of songs which they perform enthusiastically.

Children's spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development is fostered appropriately.

OUTCOME OF THE INSPECTION
The provision is acceptable and is of high quality. Children are making very good progress towards the early learning goals. The next inspection will take place in three to four years time.

WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT
There are no significant weaknesses to report, but considerations should be given to improving the following:
• There are no significant weaknesses to report, but consideration should be given to improving the following: -
• systems to give the children prior warning of tidy up time.
• opportunities for staff appraisals to be carried out by practitioners who have an understanding of the special requirements of the Foundation Stage in learning.

The provider must draw up an action plan within 40 working days of receipt of this report showing how the key issues detailed above will be addressed. The action plan must be made available to all parents and to the Local Authority if required. An evaluation of the action taken will form part of the next inspection of funded nursery education.