Report on the Inspection of Laghey Pre-School Centre, Dungannon, Co Tyrone, 17 April 2002

Introduction

1.Little Acorns Pre-school Centre is a pre-school centre under voluntary management. At the time of the inspection, a total of 12 children attended the centre; nine were in their pre-school year.

2.The inspection is part of a programme to ensure that appropriate standards of education are provided in centres receiving funding as part of the Government’s expansion of pre-school education. All of the centre’s pre-school places are funded through the expansion programme.

3.The inspection provided opportunities for the parents to express their views about the centre. All of those who responded were satisfied or very satisfied with all aspects of the centre’s provision. A number of parents included written comments praising the work of the centre.

THE QUALITY OF THE EDUCATIONAL PROVISION

4.The centre’s positive ethos contributes effectively to the children’s development. The staff consider the social and emotional needs of individual children and provide appropriate encouragement and support. There is a warm, caring atmosphere; relationships between the children and the staff are very good. The staff work very hard to use all the available space in the centre in order

to provide an inviting and stimulating learning environment. Very good use is made of the children’s art work, photographs and posters to enhance the playroom. The children are generally well behaved and settle quickly to play.

5.A high priority is placed on developing effective links with the parents. The parents are welcomed into the playroom and the staff encourage them to appreciate their children’s efforts. A comprehensive booklet, informative monthly newsletter, parents’ notice board and an open evening are all designed to inform the parents about the educational programme and to encourage them to play a full role in the education of their children. In addition to the daily informal meetings, the parents are invited into the centre twice during the year to discuss their children’s progress with the staff.

6.The centre has a suitable policy on child protection. The staff implement appropriate procedures to safeguard the welfare of the children. The parents are given information about the centre’s policy and procedures.

7.The staff work hard to compile detailed written planning. The planning outlines a broad and balanced programme for the children designed to foster their all-round development. Many facets of learning inherent in the play are identified. The staff review and evaluate the programme regularly to ensure progression and to provide for individual needs.

8.The daily timetable provides a suitable period of uninterrupted play which ensures that the children have adequate time to explore the range of activities and to develop their play. The children’s snack and other necessary routines are organised informally and operate efficiently. During the latter part of the session, the children benefit from the opportunities to participate in group activities involving stories, music and songs.

9.The staff spend sustained periods with groups and individuals, promoting the children’s language and thinking, and participating skilfully in the play. The children’s efforts are valued, and they are given much praise and encouragement by the sensitive and supportive staff.

10.The centre’s programme promotes very effectively the children’s all-round development. The range of activities provides good opportunities for learning in all areas of the pre-school curriculum. The points which follow illustrate specific aspects of the programme.

• The children’s personal, social and emotional development is promoted sensitively and effectively. The children appear happy and settled and they are encouraged to show respect for their environment and for one another. The children have ready access to resources and materials which they explore with confidence.

• There are many good opportunities for the children to develop fine manipulative skills using a variety of small equipment and tools. Within the limited space in the playroom, the staff provide daily opportunities for the children to develop some physical skills through more energetic play. In the future, the use of the newly approved outdoor area, and the school hall, will provide opportunities for the staff to implement their physical play programme more effectively.

• The wide range of children’s art work on display demonstrates the children’s abilities to express their ideas creatively. They are provided with a variety of art materials which they are encouraged to explore freely. There are frequent opportunities for informal singing and music making. The use of percussion instruments is promoting early ideas of rhythm.

• The stimulating environment within the playroom provides rich opportunities for the development of the children’s language. Throughout the day, the staff promote effectively the children’s oral language through skilful talk and discussion, and the introduction of a rich vocabulary. The children show an interest in books which are incorporated within areas of play, and they participate enthusiastically during the story and rhyme session. The ‘writing area’ provides informal opportunities for experimenting with early marking and writing.

• There is effective promotion of early mathematical ideas through various aspects of play; for example, the children make informal comparisons of weight using stones in the water tray, they sort and match toy bears, and they make patterns of different colours with threading beads. Songs and rhymes are used effectively as starting points for learning about number.

• The thoughtful arrangement of activities provides good opportunities for the children to explore materials, observe changes and form ideas about how things work. Good use is made of seasonal and environmental topics to extend the children’s knowledge of, and interest in, the world around them. During the inspection, the mini-beasts on display promoted a lot of valuable observation and discussion from the children. There are good opportunities for the children to learn about living things by growing seeds and caring for their goldfish. The children’s experiences are extended usefully by members of the local community who visit the centre and by visits to places of interest.

11.The staff know the children well and have developed useful strategies to monitor and evaluate the children’s responses to play. Written observations are used purposefully by the staff to guide their work with the children. The staff should continue to extend the individual profiles of the children’s all-round development. Close links are maintained with the parents, and information on the children’s progress and needs is shared with them through written reports and individual meetings. Each child has an individual folder in which examples of their art work are retained.

12.Valuable, supportive links have been made with the adjoining primary school. There is good co-operation between the school and the centre to ensure the children make a smooth transition to year 1.

13.The staff make good efforts to identify and address the children’s learning difficulties and to maintain effective liaison with the parents and other professionals.

14.Within a short period of time, the newly appointed acting leader and her assistant have developed an effective team approach. They are both hard-working and support each other throughout the session. Regular staff meetings provide opportunities to review and develop the programme. The leader is enthusiastic about her work and the future developments planned for the centre. The staff are committed to the welfare of all the children. Much work has been accomplished in recent months. The staff report that they benefit from the good support provided by the centre’s management committee.

15.The playgroup operates in a mobile classroom which is sited in the grounds of Laghey Primary School. The quality of the accommodation is satisfactory. The staff work hard to make the best use of all available space. There is an enclosed outdoor play area and the centre has the use of the primary school hall for physical play. The centre has an adequate supply of equipment and materials to support the implementation of a broad programme of play. Good use is made of all the resources available.

17.The strengths of the centre include:

• the friendly, caring atmosphere and the attractive learning environment;

• the good relationships at all levels;

• the effective interaction and involvement of the staff in the children’s play;

• the wide range of interesting activities and experiences, and the good opportunities to learn in all areas of the curriculum;

• the detailed and comprehensive planning, and the account taken of the children’s differing needs;

• the development of effective communication with the parents and the wider community;

• the effective leadership and the hard-working and committed staff.

16.Overall, the quality of the educational provision in this pre-school centre is good; the needs of the children are being well met.

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Copies of this report may be obtained from the Inspection Services Branch, Department of Education, Rathgael House, 43 Balloo Road, Bangor, Co Down BT19 7PR. A copy is also available on the DE website: www.deni.gov.uk