STATISTICAL INFORMATION

Name of pre-school centre: / Garvagh Pre-School Playgroup
Address: / 1 Coleraine Road
Garvagh
COLERAINE
Co Londonderry
BT51 5HP
Management Type: / Voluntary
Date of inspection: / 9 May 2006
Date of previous inspection: / 30 November 2000

1.Details of Children

Total number of children: / am session / pm session
  • attending the pre-school centre
/ 28 / -
  • in their immediate pre-school year
/ 28 / -
  • funded by Department of Education
/ 28 / -
  • qualifying under DE admission criteria 1 & 2
/ 1 / -
  • with a statement of SEN*
/ 1 / -
  • without a statement but receiving therapy or support from other professionals for SEN
/ 0 / -
  • with English as an additional language
/ 0 / -
  • who left in previous school year to attend reception provision within a primary school
/ 0 / -
Attendance:
  • percentage attendance** of funded children for the previous school year
/ 75% / -

*Special Educational Needs

**Calculated from the date when the intake was complete

2.Details of Staff

Number of: /

Full-time

/ Part-time
Staff, including leader / 4 / 1
Staff holding recognised childcare qualifications / 4 / 1
New appointments within previous 12 months / 1 / 0
Number of: ***
Students / 2
Trainees / 0

*** Total placements since September of current year

3.Details of Sessions

Duration of morning session / Duration of afternoon session / Number of days open in previous year
2½ hours / - / 189

4.Parental Questionnaires

Number issued to parents:

/ 28
Percentage returned: / 57%
Number of written comments: / 4

Garvagh Pre-school PLAYGROUp, CO LONDONDERRY, BT51 5HP

(3BB-0266)

1.The centre is situated in Garvagh Primary School in Garvagh, County Londonderry. The children attending come from the town and the surrounding rural area.

2.The parents, staff and management committee were given opportunities to express their views about the centre through the inspection questionnaires. Almost 57% of parents returned the questionnaires and four of these added written comments. All the members of staff and three members of the management committee completed a questionnaire. The returns on all the questionnaires indicated a very high level of satisfaction with the centre.

3.The centre implements appropriate procedures for child protection which fulfil the requirements of Department of Education Circulars 1999/10 and 2003/13.

4.The main strengths within the pre-school’s educational and pastoral provision are as follows.

  • The children are settled in the centre. During the inspection, many examples of sustained and purposeful play were observed.
  • The staff employ effective strategies to promote very good behaviour.
  • The adults know the children very well and create a caring supportive atmosphere where the children are relaxed and happy. The staff have appropriately high expectations of what the children can achieve.
  • The parents are welcomed into the centre. The staff make good efforts to communicate effectively with the parents and involve them in the children’s education.
  • There are good opportunities in nearly all aspects of the pre-school curriculum. The staff have identified appropriate areas for further development. The world around us, personal, social and emotional development and the creative area are particular strengths of the curriculum.
  • The centre has developed an appropriate programme for the use of the computer which is supported effectively by a member of staff.
  • The development of the children’s language is a significant feature of the centre. The staff use skilful questioning techniques, which encourage the children to think, provide extended responses and to explain what they are doing.
  • The daily routines promote effectively the children’s independence and provide good opportunities for them to complete simple tasks.
  • All the staff contribute to the planning for play. They identify appropriate themes and use the evaluations of the children’s reaction to the activities effectively to influence future planning.
  • The staff assess effectively the children’s reaction to the activities and maintain good records of the children’s progress and development needs.
  • The children with special educational needs are integrated fully into the play sessions.
  • The centre uses the accommodation well, very good efforts have been made to make the centre bright and inviting; attractive and stimulating interest areas stimulate the children’s curiosity. The staff make good use of the limited outdoor space and resources available.
  • The head of the centre provides effective leadership and has a vision for the future of the centre. She is very ably supported by the assistants. The staff work closely as a team and display commitment to the children. Relationships at all levels are excellent.

5.There are major strengths in nearly all aspects of the educational and pastoral provision in this pre-school centre. The needs of the children are being met effectively.

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