14 October 2014
Dear Parent/Carer
ABC Nursery Ecclefechan
Lockerbie
In March 2014, HM Inspectors published a letter on your child’s centre. Recently, as
you may know, we visited the centre again. During our visit, we talked to children
and worked closely with the head of centre and staff. We heard from the head of
centre and other staff how the centre has continued to improve. We looked at
particular areas that had been identified in January 2014 and at aspects of the
centre’s work, as proposed by the head of centre. As a result, we were able to find
out how well children are now learning and achieving and how the centre is
continuing to support them to do their best. This letter sets out what we found.
How well do children learn and achieve?
Since the original inspection, staff have worked hard to bring about improvements.
They appreciate the support they have received from the education authority and
from parents. Children are now being encouraged to take more responsibility around
the playrooms, for example by helping to serve and prepare snack and by taking
responsibility for looking after the plants and books. Staff have changed the layout
of activities in the playrooms so that children can access resources more easily.
This is helping to encourage children to make more decisions about their play and
the activities which they take part in. Staff have made a good start in improving
personal learning planning with children. They have begun to record individual
progress in early mathematics and literacy and understand the need to refine this
further so that children make better progress. Developments are in the very early
stages and consequently have not yet had time to have an impact. Children’s health
and wellbeing is developed well through many of the daily routines but high-quality
learning experiences in areas such as science and religious and moral education
have yet to be introduced. However, as staff develop their own confidence in using
the new ideas which are being put in place, they will be in a better position to see
how they can continue to bring about further necessary improvements.
Education Scotland
Denholm House
Almondvale Business Park
Almondvale Way
Livingston
EH54 6GA
T
01506 600 308
F
01506 600 313
E eyfp@educationscotland.gsi.gov.uk
Textphone 01506 600236
This is a service for deaf users. Please do not
use this number for voice calls as this will not
connect.
www.educationscotland.gov.uk
Transforming lives through learning
How well does the centre support children to develop and learn?
Staff now meet more regularly to engage in professional dialogue about the way they
plan, observe and record children’s progress. They have begun to work on
gathering more accurate information about what children already know and can do.
They have a better understanding of how to link their observations of children’s play
to the needs of individuals. These early improvements will take time to become
embedded in regular practice. Staff continue to use questioning well to check
children’s understanding and to extend their thinking. They have given thought to
how they can make activities more stimulating but this still needs further work. As
they become better at identifying the next steps in learning for individual children,
staff will become clearer about how they can provide activities which provide the
right amount of support and challenge for all children. Staff have undertaken training
and professional development to help them deliver Curriculum for Excellence more
effectively. This has increased their confidence and strengthened their capacity to
further improve the curriculum. There is still much work to be done and nursery staff
should continue to support each other and to access help from the education
authority to support further improvements.
How well does the centre improve the quality of its work?
Following the original inspection, the owner and manager drew up a helpful action
plan. They have worked closely with early years staff from the education authority to
bring about immediate improvements to aspects of the nursery. For example, all
staff have undertaken visits to other early years centres and have enjoyed sharing
their learning with each other and implementing some of the ideas they saw working
well. The owner and manager have made some well-judged decisions about
prioritising areas for improvement. They need more time to establish rigorous ways
to evaluate the quality of the nursery on an ongoing basis so that early
improvements continue and become embedded. They still need to find ways to
gather the views of parents, staff and children more systematically so that everyone
can influence future improvements. They understand the need to also implement
more robust ways to monitor children’s learning in the playrooms so they can ensure
all children’s learning is at the right level and they make strong progress.
What happens next?
Since the original inspection, staff have received strong support from the education
authority and have worked hard to bring about improvements. These improvements
are still in the very early stages and need more time to have an impact on children’s
learning and progress. Staff should continue to work with the education authority to
strengthen their capacity to bring about further improvements. Education Scotland
will continue to engage with the centre and return within 12 months for a further visit
and to report on progress for parents.
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The Care Inspectorate was also involved in this inspection. At the last inspection on
27 January 2014 that was conducted by the Care Inspectorate, there were
three recommendations and one requirement. Two recommendations and the
requirement have since been addressed. Outstanding issues relating to procedures
for self-evaluation and monitoring of all areas of the service are carried forward in
this letter.
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/inspectionandreview/reports/school/eyc/ABCNu
rseryLockerbieDumfriesandGalloway.asp.
http://www.careinspectorate.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=articl
e&id=7644&Itemid=489&bereNextPageId=ServiceDetails_action.php&action=di
splayService&CaseNumber=CS2003011677
Elaine Merrilees
HM Inspector
Allison Tyson
Care Inspector
If you would like to receive this report in a different format, for example, in a
translation please contact the administration team on the above telephone number.
If you want to give us feedback or make a complaint about our work, please contact
us by telephone on 0141 282 5000, or e-mail:
complaints@educationscotland.gsi.gov.uk or write to us addressing your letter to the
Complaints Manager, Denholm House, Almondvale Business Park, Livingston
EH54 6GA.
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