standards, quality and improvement plan for fox covert

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Standards, Quality and Improvement Plan for

Fox Covert Early Years Centre

Standards and Quality Report for session: 2018-2019

Improvement Plan for session: 2019-2020

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Context of the Setting

Include the following: Statement of setting’s vision, value and aims; local contextual issues; factors affecting children’s achievements

(e.g. staffing changes/issues)

Locality: North West Cluster: Craigmount

Level of teacher input: 0.8

Total number of children 3-5: 116

Total number of children 0-3: 23

No. of Eligible 2’s: 13

Fox Covert EYC opened in August 2015, with a capacity to provide ELC for 70:70 3-5 year olds and 15:15 2 year olds. We are part of Fox Covert Primary

School, over seen by our Head Teacher, Lorraine Budge and share the campus with St. Andrew’s Fox Covert R.C. Primary School. Our Centre is open 52 weeks

per year and offers flexible Early Learning and Childcare. Janie Jones, Head of Centre, has responsibility for the day-to-day running of the Centre and is

supported by two, temporary Senior Early Years Officers, each of whom has a proportion of non-contact, management time for each week. In addition, we

have one Early Years Officer, one Class Teacher and eight Early Years Practitioners who are complemented by four Early Years Assistants, one Early Years

Domestic and one Secretary.

Settings Vision, Values and Aims:

At Fox Covert EYC, Our Vision is-

• To provide high quality Early Learning and Childcare experiences in natural, nurturing environment, that values and respects everyone,

ensuring our children are co-creators of their own learning journey.

Our Values are –

• To build and sustain partnerships with families, recognising individual views, relationships, experience and need.

• To value each family without discrimination, based on race, culture, religion, gender, sexuality, age, disability or contribution to society.

• To work successfully in partnership with statutory, voluntary and private sector agencies, to share and enhance outcomes through

collaborative practise.

Our Aims for all children are –

• To become individuals who care and share.

• To feel happy and secure in our environments, each developing an enquiring mind and a spirit of curiosity.

• To grow in confidence and build resilience, towards increasing independence.

• To respect one another and celebrate our uniqueness.

• To develop a positive Growth Mindset for all.

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Significant factors specifically affecting achievement in 2018-19:

This year, a key member of staff (SEYO) has been on maternity leave since Dec 18 and our other SEYO has been on long term sick leave.

Though we have now recruited temporary staff members into these posts, this did not happen immediately and neither had any experience of

working at this level. This has impacted on the volume of work achieved and the distribution of tasks within the team.

We have two other staff members (EYP and EYA) who are currently on maternity leave, one of whom has not been replaced as yet.

Delays in the recruitment of staff has impacted negatively on our team. However, we have managed to maintain ratios with the help of

consistent supply staff. Although this has support the day-to-day running of the Centre it has been challenging maintianing a consistent

approach to all families.

We have been part of a Pilot for the new patterns of attendance, This has had an impact on the management of routines within the Centre. For

example, the provision of hot lunches and extended days. The future planning for the expansion of hours has had an impact on our Centre, in

terms of managing staffing, communication with families and proposed patterns of attendance.

Senior staff members have worked well together to regularly review the ASL needs within the Centre, supporting new and exisiting families to

put protective and supportive factors in place.

Our class teacher has been leading our Literacy Priority with the support of the SQIP Task Group and devised a monthly Author Challenge,

that has been running throughout the year. Feedback from families and staff demonstrates a positive impact upon children’s engagement with

stories and literacy experiences both at home and within the Centre.

Two members of staff have achieved their City and Guilds Certification, enabling them to deliver PeeP sessions within the Centre.

Since the appointment of the our new temporary SEYO in the 2’s provision (Squirrels), we have managed to develop a more inclusive

environment across the Centre, providing more opportunities for collegiate staff working, transitions and shared learning experiences.

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Standards and Quality Report

Leadership and Management Quality Indicators: 1.1 Self-evaluation for self-improvement 1.2 Leadership of learning

1.3 Leadership of change 1.4 Leadership and management of staff 1.5 Management of resources to promote equity

Other related HGIOELC QI’s/Themes:

2.7 Partnerships

3.1 Ensuring wellbeing, equity and inclusion

CI Theme 1 Quality of Care and Support

Care Inspectorate Quality Themes:

• Quality of Care & Support

• Quality of Environment

• Quality of Staffing

• Quality of management and leadership

National Improvement Framework (NIF) Priorities:

1. Improvement in attainment, particularly in literacy and numeracy.

2. Closing the attainment gap between the most and least disadvantaged children and young people.

3. Improvement in children and young people’s health and wellbeing.

4. Improvement in employability skills and sustained, positive school leaver destinations for all young people

How good is our leadership and approach to improvement? Developing a shared Vision, Values and Aims relevant to our ELC setting and community

• This year, our staff team worked together during an In-service Day training, to create our own Curriculum Rationale for the Centre, incorporating our own existing Vision, Values and Aims. This enabled all staff to reflect upon our ethos and develop some ownership for the direction our Centre considering individual perspectives around pedagogy and practise.

• Individual staff members have developed leadership roles within the Centre, supporting other staff and families. For example, mentoring students, developing parental engagement through PeeP, Magic of Music and self-initiating and leading within task groups.

• As part of our good communication links with our school, we have worked collaboratively with school staff members, to enhance transition experiences for all learners moving to P1 within FCPS, including those with ASL.

Strategic planning for continuous improvement

• Families who are part of the Pilot expansion of hours were consulted at the beginning of the year, gathering their views and sharing information regarding lunches etc. and reviewed mid-year, as part of feedback and reflective evaluation process. The SQIP has been available in Big Book form in the foyer for families who are invited to read and contribute throughout the year. Staff have regularly reviewed and reflected upon the new daily routine and consulted, to explore resources we need, e.g. lunch menus, face cloths, extra tables and chairs, placemats, cutlery, food disposal.

• In order to support the delivery of new hours, Senior Leadership Team within the Centre has enabled staff to develop new skills and knowledge through attendance at relevant CPD, in line with individual targets with opportunities to reflect upon learning, sharing good practise and embedding new initiatives within our Centre, e.g., Forest Kindergarten training, Playbox training and Sign-a-long.

Implementing Improvement and Change

• We ensure protected time to enable staff at all levels to engage and contribute towards new initiatives, planning, monitoring and assessing experiences and learning across the setting.

• Individual staff were provided with opportunities to meet with Head of Centre to discuss their views, concerns, ideas and work capacity for the next steps towards 1140 hours. All of these factors were taken into consideration, as part of the wider consultation, through regular communication.

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Next Steps: (to inform the Improvement Plan for 2019-20)

• Incorporate new developmental trackers, into all aspects of daily nursery life, e.g., applying numeracy/literacy opportunities and HWB to develop skills for life and learning.

• Developing staff knowledge and understanding of relevant documentation and training, e.g., Setting the Table, Food Hygiene, to create a nurturing environment, with a balance of routines and positive experiences across the extended day.

• Review physical environments, in terms of the creation of breakout spaces to meet the needs of children throughout the extended day.

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Learning Provision Quality Indicators: 2.1 Safeguarding and child protection 2.2 Curriculum

2.3 Learning, teaching and assessment 2.4 Personalised support 2.5 Family learning 2.6 Transitions 2.7 Partnerships Other related HGIOELC QI’s/Themes 3.3 Developing creativity and skills for life and learning CI Theme 2 – Quality of Environment

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How good is the quality of care and learning we offer? Learning and Engagement

• Two staff members attended Block Play training and thereafter, consulted with children and staff regarding combining two smaller Block Play areas into one. During the August staff In-service day, these Practitioners made a PowerPoint Presentation to share their learning with the wider team. This enabled staff to gain an understanding of the significance of the resources and types of play and learning that occur within this area. In order to share this learning with families, the Practitioners organised a Block Play, Stay, Play and Learn, to share with our families. Staff were able to identify schemas within the Block Play area and recognise connections across interdisciplinary learning.

• With a focus around skills for life and learning, we developed a Sewing Table and a Tinker Station within the 3-5’s playrooms. These areas were tasks contained

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within our Priority focus around STEM learning. With the help of parents, carers and volunteers, we further defined our outdoor areas, to mirror indoor/outdoor learning environment and play experiences for all learners. These included, further resourcing and relocating our Mud Kitchen, Loose Parts and water play.

Quality of Interactions

• As a result of developing responsive planning as a Priority from last year, in conjunction with the new Practitioner observation sheets from CEC planning document, all areas within the learning environment are regularly observed, assessed and updated in line with children’s play and interests.

• Staff have developed an improved understanding of the significance of Child’s Voice when creating a welcoming and inclusive learning environments. This is evidenced through scribed pictures and Mind Maps, ‘Big Book’ learning and e-Learning Journals.

Effective use of assessment

• In our setting, Practitioners embrace the needs of children and families as Keyworkers, ensuring a welcoming start to Early Learning and Childcare at Fox Covert EYC. For example, we examined transitions within the Centre and now recognise that it is vital to include our families and Keyworkers in partnership with effective communication, to ensure successful transitions for all.

• Observations of children’s learning are recorded by all Practitioners, using e-Learning Journals, responsive planning sheets, Literacy and Numeracy tracker and KWL sheets. This data is shared with our families, to celebrate successes and achievements and inform next steps for learning at home and within the Nursery environment.

Planning, tracking and monitoring

• Additional Support Needs (ASL) within the Centre have been regularly tracked and reviewed, using relevant documentation e.g. GIRFEC, Up, Up and Away and Teach and Talk Profiles. All stakeholder’s views are valued as part of this process, to inform individual care plans.

• All staff actively contribute to the planning and implementation, for opportunities and experiences across within the playrooms and at home, e.g. STEM Challenge Sheets shared with parents and carers, to make connections between home and school learning outcomes. All staff meet termly with our Class Teacher, to review individual trackers and inform next steps for learning.


• Further develop collegiate working with Early Level staff within Fox Covert Primary School to share good practise, resources and reflect upon learning environments and learning within STEM.

• Develop the use of ICT to improve communications and share learning with families through the application of SWAY. Within STEM and across the curriculum, we will investigate new Apps and ways of engaging learners and their families through Technologies.

• Identify specific STEM CPD opportunities for staff, to upskill and gain further knowledge and understanding.

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Success and Achievements Quality Indicators:

3.1 Ensuring wellbeing, equality and inclusion 3.2 Securing children’s progress 3.3 Creativity and skills for life Other related HGIOELC QI’s/Themes: 1.1 – self-evaluation for self-improvement 1.5 – Management of resources to promote equity 2.3 - Learning, teaching and assessment 2.5 – Family learning CI theme 3 – Quality of Staffing











What has improved as a result? Progress in communication, early language, mathematics and HWB

• Keyworkers effectively communicate and engage learners in these experiences. Story Bags, washing lines and props provide opportunities for child-initiated exploration and stimulate early language skills. Increased opportunities to share stories indoors, outdoors and as part of snack, have increased learner engagement in story times, but furthermore, the associated linked skills, have provided children with confidence to communicate their ideas, vocally and creatively, making connections with their own experiences and lives.

• To celebrate children’s achievements, we have successfully embedded a Growth Mindset approach, encouraging families to recognise the importance of skills, such as trying something new and not giving up, for example.

Children’s progress over time

• Staff acknowledge individual needs of children and families within the setting and provide opportunities for parental/carer engagement, for e.g., PeeP Early Writing workshops, supporting families to access Author Challenge and Bedtime Stories and access to local amenities, such as the local Library Hub. These initiatives are supporting parental/carer engagement within the Centre, changing perceptions around Early Literacy skills and resources to engage families and learners in laying foundations for lifelong learning.

• We work very well with Partner Services, such as SALT and ASL team to develop appropriate targets, to ensure all learners make the best progress they can, gaining appropriate resources to share with learners and families to support success and achievement over time.

Overall quality of children’s achievement

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• Within the Author Challenge families this year have been invited to share their children’s learning from home via their Learning Journal and School Twitter. These achievements were shared within our Centre, through our monthly Author Challenge display and celebrated within the playrooms, using stickers to share individual successes.

• Child’s Voice has been more prominent within Learning Journals and parents and carers have supported this, through their reflective accounts of successful challenges experienced at home and in other places out with our setting. Our Learning Wall and displays throughout our Centre incorporate Child’s Voice and reflections of learning, through photographs, annotated mark-making and expressive arts work.

• The Adventure Teddies have provided learners with opportunities to share experiences from home, promoting questioning and interactions with peers during group discussion.

Ensuring equity for all children

• To enable all families to access our Author of the Month, we have provided paper and electronic copies of tasks and resources, promoting use of local library services, alongside our own Bedtime Story lending library. We did this to ensure that there was no implication of financial burden and to allow the diverse needs of our families to engage and access these resources.

• Within our Centre, we offer an Open-Door Policy. Our Parent/Carer network, created through our evolving Foxy Friends informal group, has been establishing supports for families throughout the year, e.g. transition meetings run by parents and carers, utilising parent/carer skills within our setting, through volunteering with art work and gardening, for example, to support family to family connections and offer an inclusive ethos within our Centre. We are also beginning to identify Nursery representatives to join the school Parent Council.


• Reflecting upon the barriers and successes of this year’s Author Challenge, create new literacy experiences for families which provide more depth in

learning including the use of Bloom’s Taxonomy.

• Develop further strategies to work in partnership with all parents and carers, to explore learning at home in the child’s home language. We will use this knowledge to inform appropriate next steps in learning.

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Self-Evaluation 2018 – 2019

Quality Indicator

What is our capacity for continuous improvement?

Centre Self – Evaluation 2018 – 19

(Using the six-point scale)

HMIe Inspection Date and Evaluations

Follow through (if applicable)

1.3 Leadership Of Change 5

2.3 Learning, Teaching And Assessment 4

3.1 Ensuring Wellbeing, Equity And Inclusion 4

3.2 Securing Children’s Progress 4

Care Inspectorate Evaluations

Date Inspected Themes inspected Evaluations

03.05.18

Quality of Care & Support

6

Quality of Environment

Not assessed

03.05.18

Quality of Staffing

6

Quality of Management and Leadership

Not assessed

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2016 – 2020 Centre Self-Evaluation Working Plan for QI Engagement - Key Areas for Centre Improvement

Improvement Plan

QI 2016 - 2017

2017 – 2018

2018 – 2019

2019 – 2020

Comments

Quality of Management and Leadership

1.1 Self-Evaluation for Self-Improvement √ √ √

1.2 Leadership of Learning √

1.3 Leadership of Change √ √ √ √

1.4 Leadership and Management of Practitioners √ √

1.5 Management of Resources To Promote Equity √ √ √

Learning Provision Overall

2.1 Safeguarding and Child Protection

2.2 Curriculum √ √

2.3 Learning, Teaching and Assessment √ √ √ √

2.4 Personalised Support

2.5 Family Learning √

2.6 Transitions √ √

2.7 Partnerships √

Successes and Achievements

3.1 Ensuring Wellbeing, Equality and Inclusion √ √ √ √

3.2 Securing Children’s Progress √ √ √ √

3.3 Developing Creativity and Skills for Life and Learning √ √ √

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Leadership and Management How good is our leadership and approach to improvement?

Quality Indicators: 1.1 Self-evaluation for self-improvement 1.2 Leadership of learning 1.3 Leadership of change 1.4 Leadership and management of staff 1.5 Management of resources to promote equity Other related HGIOELC QI’s/Themes: 2.7 Partnerships 3.1 Ensuring wellbeing, equality and inclusion CI Theme 4 – Quality of management and leadership






National Improvement Framework (NIF) Priorities 1. Improvement in attainment, particularly in literacy and

numeracy. 2. Closing the attainment gap between the most and least

disadvantaged children and young people. 3. Improvement in children and young people’s health and

wellbeing. 4. Improvement in employability skills and sustained,

positive school leaver destinations for all young people

Priority: 1140hrs = Parent and Carer Engagement

Overall Responsibility:

J. Jones, L. Budge Outcome and impact on learners: Families will feel appropriately supported to manage a healthy work: life balance. Children will continue to enjoy high quality experiences within a welcoming and nurturing Nursery environment, with a balance of Early Learning and Childcare. We will continue to develop effective partnerships with parents/carers to promote cohesive learning experiences.

Tasks By Whom Timescale Resources Progress/Impact of task

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Management of meal times – support pre-school children to attend school dinner hall 11.30-12pm daily. Consider menu choices using ‘Setting the Table’ document (breakfast and high tea) Create break out/quiet/sensory space for children staying all day – visit other settings to explore spaces that work and equipment used. Complete sensory funding application Termly trips using local amenities within the community e.g. Forest Group, Library, walled garden, allotment, care home PeeP groups added to Calendar Plan to embed in Centre through the year. Stay, Play and Learn sessions incorporated into longer blocks, linking to PeeP groups Encourage and sustain parent/carer engagement in literacy experiences at home, through digital story telling experiences, workshops, singing and bedtime stories. Develop voting system to explore key questions for families throughout the year, e.g. “Have you listened to the story of the week?” “Borrowed a bedtime story?” etc. (links to literacy) Reintroduce Literacy Toolkit to centre to ensure continuous team evaluation of learning

SMT – working with all Centre staff, School and Early Years Domestic staff 1140hrs task group, Rosie with support of other relevant professional (SLT) Laura L with support of Danielle, Lucy, Laura L, Paul Carol and Dawn Carol and Dawn (Liaise with Paula Greenhill) Lucy, Dawn, Gordon, Carol Dawn, Aga and Lucy Gordon and new EYO

From August 19 Begin good practice visits from June 19 – implementation by Dec 19 Submitted by Aug 19 Added to Calendar Plan June 19 – planned throughout year Throughout the year Throughout the year Throughout the year From June 19 July 19

Setting the Table document Lunch staffing rota Review cooking resources required e.g. toaster Staff training for Food Hygiene – full day courses and online modules Identify and purchase sensory resources Explore lending options for sensory equipment Establish parent volunteers to support visits Staff rota for trips Peep Network, Peep resources Calendar Plan Pebbles, jars, display boards, post-its Literacy Toolkit, Display board, Up, up and away,

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environment and resources.

Early Level Experiences and Outcomes

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Learning provision How good is the quality of the care and learning we offer?

Quality Indicators: 2.1 Safeguarding and child protection 2.2 Curriculum 2.3 Learning, teaching and assessment 2.4 Personalised support 2.5 Family learning 2.6 Transitions 2.7 Partnerships Other related HGIOELC QI’s/Themes: 1.4 – Leadership and management of practitioners 1.5 – management of resources to promote equity 3.3 – Developing creativity and skills for life and learning CI Theme 2 – Quality of Environment






National Improvement Framework (NIF) Priorities: 1. Improvement in attainment, particularly in literacy and



wellbeing. 4. Improvement in employability skills and sustained, positive

school leaver destinations for all young people

Priority: STEM-Including ICT Maths Opportunities

Overall Responsibility: L. Watson, J. Jones, L. Budge Outcome and impact on learners: Learners will be engaged and appropriately challenged in the STEM learning, developing new skills in technologies to support learning and engagement at home and within the Nursery setting.

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Develop outdoor numeracy across all garden areas, to identify and resource a specific Maths Area, with planned numeracy experiences within our outdoor environments Plan and construct a water wall. Include open pipes and opportunities for measuring/pouring. Consider opportunities to develop our Maths/Numeracy outdoor shed, ensuring experiences linking to this area are planned and resourced adequately and that identified staff members oversee the material supply and usage to check planned outcomes can be achieved Redevelop Tinker station using Busy Boards and Tinker Box Introduce Numicon and dot patterns to other areas across the Nursery to promote Numeracy in all curricular areas Introduce Maths and Numeracy apps to be used on staff and children’s iPads in line with those used in other EY settings and within Fox Covert Primary School

J. Jones, L. Watson, STEM Task Group, supported by all staff J. Jones, L. Watson, STEM Task Group, supported by all staff, parent/carer volunteers J. Jones, L. Watson, STEM Task Group, supported by all staff Paul and Lucy STEM task group Lucy and Paul

Commence Sept 19 and ongoing throughout the year Commence Oct 19 Commence Summer holidays 2019 and ongoing

From Aug 19

By Oct 19

October 19

Maths resources that can be brought outside and returned indoors at the end of the session and specific outdoor maths resources that can withstand the seasons Guttering/interconnecting parts/pouring resources, including measuring jugs. Math/numeracy Toolkit and Learning Environment self-evaluation tool. Loose Parts natural resources, writing/mark making resources, rotated maths challenges Old noticeboards, electrical equipment, bolts, padlocks etc. Numicon, Number line with spots, domino cards Login details for Education City from Fox Covert PS Gather App recommendations from other Early Years Professionals

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Explore relevant government guidance on STEM within Early Years – Education Scotland STEM self-evaluation and improvement framework. Connection between Fox Covert PS and EYC Teacher network to share resources and good practice linking to STEM

SMT, Lucy and Paul Lucy, P1 teachers, EYC teacher network

Begin August In-service – Review January and June 2020

From Aug 19

https://education.gov.scot/improvement/ learning-resources/stem-self-evaluation

https://education.gov.scot/improvement/%20learning-resources/stem-self-evaluation

https://education.gov.scot/improvement/%20learning-resources/stem-self-evaluation

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Successes and achievements How good are we at ensuring the best possible outcomes for all our children?

Quality Indicators: 3.1 Ensuring wellbeing, equality and inclusion 3.2 Securing children’s progress 3.3 Creativity and skills for life Other related HGIOELC QI’s/Themes: 1.1 – Self-evaluation for self-improvement 1.5- Management of resources to promote equality 2.2 Curriculum 2.3 – Learning Teaching and Assessment CI Theme 4 – Quality of management and leadership






National Improvement Framework (NIF) Priorities: 1. Improvement in attainment, particularly in literacy and



wellbeing. 4. Improvement in employability skills and sustained, positive

school leaver destinations for all young people

Priority: Literacy

Overall Responsibility: L. Watson, J. Jones, L. Budge

Outcome and impact on learners:

Learners will develop a greater understanding of different text types. Learners will share their experiences with others through discussions, mark making and using technologies. A deeper understanding for texts will be explored through a variety of learning experiences linking to Bloom’s Taxonomy.

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Develop signed stories to share with families in the Centre Source Outdoor Literacy resources and redefine outdoor area Develop Story Sacks for traditional Fairy Tales – one made by each member of staff Create Literacy teddy bear to engage learners in story time with Story Bear monitoring sheet Develop questioning tools and resources using Blooms Taxonomy to use during story time and group time work Create inventory of all story prop/sack resources in the Centre

Kerryann Kerryann, Poling, Dawn and Gordon Literacy SQIP group - All staff Linda – to make bags Dawn – supported by all staff Lucy – supported by all Keyworkers Stacey, Ewelina, Gordon

By December 19 From September 19 By December 19 By December 19 From August 2019 During summer holidays

Sign-along resources Outdoor books created, creating permanent station for mark making exploring new surfaces and materials to support Story telling throne and logs Story sacks (Linda), wooden spoons, stones, fairy tale books/props Teddy Bear, Do not disturb signs, Teddy bear stickers to share learning/experiences and tracking/recording sheet Bloom’s Taxonomy Triangle Princesses dragons and helicopter stories Labelled and photographed individual story bags stored on wooden shelf in Flexiroom

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Cluster priority page

Themes


1. Quality of Care & Support 2. Quality of Environment 3. Quality of Staffing 4. Quality of management and leadership

National Improvement Framework (NIF) Priorities: 1. Improvement in attainment, particularly in literacy

and numeracy. 2. Closing the attainment gap between the most and

least disadvantaged children and young people. 3. Improvement in children and young people’s

health and wellbeing. 4. Improvement in employability skills and sustained,

positive school leaver destinations for all young people

Priority: Overall Responsibility: Outcome and impact on learners:

• .

• .


National Improvement Drivers

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The six-point scale Level 6 excellent outstanding or sector leading Level 5 very good major strengths

Level 4 good important strengths with areas for improvement

Level 3 satisfactory strengths just outweigh weaknesses

Level 2 weak important weaknesses

Level 1 unsatisfactory major weaknesses

standards, quality and improvement plan for fox covert

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