Julia's Montessori Nursery

Julia's Montessori Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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Julia's Montessori Nursery

EY243018 Unique Reference Number 02 February 2007 Inspection date Jean Williams Inspector

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Julia's Montessori Nursery

St Mary's Church Hall, Church Street, Hampton, Middlesex, TW12 2EB Setting Address

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Julia's Montessori Nursery

020 8641 3234 Telephone number sscottjulia@aol.com E-mail Julia Moody Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care Type of care

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Julia's Montessori Nursery

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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ABOUT THIS INSPECTION

The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public of the quality of childcare and, if applicable, of nursery education. The inspection was carried out under Part XA Children Act 1989 as introduced by the Care Standards Act 2000 and, where nursery education is provided, under Schedule 26 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcomes for children set out in the Children Act 2004; the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding; and, where nursery education is provided, the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage. The report includes information on any complaints about the childcare provision which Ofsted has received since the last inspection or registration or 1 April 2004 whichever is the later.

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

For more information about early years inspections, please see the booklet Are you ready for your inspection? which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Julia's Montessori Nursery opened in 2002.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

It operates from one main room of a Church hall, in Hampton in the London Borough of Richmond.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery is registered to care for 24 children between the ages of two to six years. The nursery is open five days a week during term time. Sessions are from 9:00 to 12 noon and 12 noon to 15:00 children may attend full or part time sessions.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 30 children from two to five years on roll, this includes 22 children who receive funding for nursery education. The nursery supports children with special needs and with English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 Four full and two part time staff work with the children, four have Early Years qualifications and one member of staff is currently working towards the Montessori Diploma.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The group follow the Montessori principles of learning as well as working towards the Foundation Stage of learning with the children.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children's health and welfare is mostly maintained through the clear methods of recording, although some records are incomplete. A high ratio of staff members hold current first aid certificates which means that they have the knowledge to respond to a medical emergency. The children are learning good personal hygiene routines through the examples set by the staff and the explanations given to them. Children understand that they need to start the cooking activity with clean hands. Staff have a high standard of good hygiene practices, the premises are well maintained and clean, which all adds to protecting the children's good health.

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Helping children to be healthy

The children enjoy healthy snacks of fresh fruit and raw vegetables, such as carrot sticks which are served cafeteria style. Children help themselves when they are ready, this arrangement works well and enables the nursery activities to operate without interruptions. Fresh drinking water is available to children throughout the day. Some children attend the nursery for a full day, they bring a packed lunch from home. Parents work in partnership with the nursery to ensure children eat healthily. Lunch times are sociable, the children sit in small groups with their friends at the table, accompanied by a member of staff to offer help and support. Staff have a good knowledge of children's individual dietary needs.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children benefit from a range of physical activities which contributes to their skills and development. They play outside most days when the weather is dry. Staff work hard to provide an interesting outside play area, however this needs more attention. Children are able to practise their balancing skills on the equipment and are able to pedal and steer on the wheeled toys. In the summer children enjoy picnics in the church grounds.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children have many opportunities to develop their fine hand motor skills and co ordination they are proficient when using glue spreaders, pencils, scissors and implements such as spoons when cooking.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are welcomed into the setting by the staff. The nursery room is spacious and bright, resources are easily accessible and are immediately available to the children. There is plenty of space for children to move around and undertake their chosen activity on the floor using a mat as is the Montessori practice or to carry out an activity at a table.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 There is a wide range of equipment and resources that are clean, well maintained and interesting to the children. The resources and equipment available provide variety and balance for the children in their learning.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The staff carry out daily risk assessments to ensure the premises are safe for the children, their findings are recorded and acted upon if necessary.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's arrival and departure at the nursery is handled well and ensures there is a safe handover at both times. Parents sign their children in and out of the setting and inform the staff if someone different is collecting their child. All visitors to the setting sign in and out.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's welfare is safeguarded by the staff's clear knowledge of child protection matters. They understand the signs and symptoms of possible child abuse and are familiar with the reporting procedure to follow if they are concerned about a child.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children in the nursery are very happy and confident. The children and staff enjoy very positive interaction with one another. Staff provide good care and support for the children, this helps them to separate confidently from their parents and carers. Staff are very interested in the children and know them well. They provide a varied and exciting curriculum for the children who arrive into the setting and are soon involved in an activity of their choice such as collage or painting. Children are becoming confident, independent learners as they choose from a wide range of interesting resources that are well organised and easily accessible. Staff are always nearby to offer support and guidance when needed. Activities are interesting, challenging, age appropriate and contribute to extend the children's learning such as the cooking activity, when the children made chocolate cookies.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children benefit from using the Montessori method of learning and it being supplemented by activities that are planned within the framework of the Foundation Stage and the early learning goals. Staff are well informed of the Foundation Stage of learning and provide an interesting, well planned curriculum that covers all the six area of learning. There are good methods of assessment and evaluation in place which are used to influence the planning to ensure that children's learning needs are met. Staff observe the children and record their progress on their individual profiles, these are shared with parents on a regular basis. Staff use the camera to record the children's progress with photographs.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff engage in conversation with the children and are skilled at using questions to help them to think and encourage their language development and extend their vocabularies.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are confident, happy and interested to participate in the activities. They are independent in their choice and use of resources and are able to express their needs confidently. Children are engaged in the activities for long periods of time, they show persistence and good concentration skills especially when making models or when involved in making the windmill

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 of colour. Children are developing very good relationships with one another, they show consideration to others and are learning to share and take turns when playing games.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have good vocabularies and are able to speak confidently both in a group and in one to one situations. They sit and listen to stories and at circle time are able to follow simple instructions. The nursery is encouraging the children to enjoy books and have introduced a book review scheme, where children choose a book to take home and read with their parents. They return it with a comment written by their parent of how they have enjoyed their choice of story. Children benefit from being able to use a wide range of writing materials to practise their early writing skills. They have opportunities to make lists such as when playing in the office, so they learn that writing is used for different purposes. Whilst the nursery has limited space to display examples of the children's work, there are some missed opportunities to provide examples of the written word and numerals, as well as missed opportunities to display examples

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

of the children's own attempts to write.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

There are very good opportunities for children to use numbers through many practical everyday activities such as cooking and playing with water and sand. They enjoy matching the correct number of shiny beads to the numerals and match and sequence the small bears. Children are able to count confidently to 10 and are learning to recognise numbers. The Montessori rods and grading bars help the children to understand order.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enjoyed weighing flour and cocoa for the cookies as well as the sugar for the waffles they also made.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have good opportunities to learn about growing and nurturing things through planting seeds and bulbs. They are learning about their world through the current topic of looking at the places in the world where their Mothers come from. They have learned about lace from Brussels and making waffles. Children enjoy learning to use the computer and are developing good mouse skills as they play the games and discover the different noises that the animals make on the computer program.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children really enjoy arts and crafts when they paint and explore different colours and textures whilst gluing and making collages and models. The children are learning about the different ways to join materials together when they make junk models and show their creative abilities. Whilst children sing and are able to listen to music as they work there are some limited opportunities for them to make their own music with instruments.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have good opportunities to work creatively with malleable materials such as play dough and are demonstrating good creative skills during their regular cooking activities which they all enjoy.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. The children are well supported in the nursery, as a result their behaviour is very good. Staff set boundaries and are teaching the children to share and take turns. They are also teaching the children to respect one another and the resources. Children play well together and know

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Helping children make a positive contribution

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 what is expected of them. Children learn about themselves and the wider world through planned activities and topics such as the countries of the world that their mothers come from, and the cultures of that country. Resources and visual displays within the nursery such as posters and the small world people reflect positive images of diversity. This approach fosters children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The nursery supports children who have learning difficulties. There is a designated special needs coordinator and a clear policy on inclusion. Children who speak English as an additional language are well supported because some staff speak different languages and are able to assist children when needed. Staff members also use sign language with the children.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents is very good. Staff have established good lines of communications with parents both verbally and written. Parents are welcomed into the setting any time and are able to discuss their child's progress with the key worker. Information about the planning for the curriculum is readily available on the notice board with a weekly sheet posted on the door to enable parents to be really involved in their child's learning. Regular newsletters are published to ensure that parents are kept fully informed about the setting and the curriculum. Parents are invited into the nursery to help and share their expertise and knowledge with the children.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The provision is managed well. It is very well organised and resourced. Clear and comprehensive written information is available to staff who sign to acknowledge they have read it. Most required documentation is in place. Clear recruitment procedures are in place to ensure new staff are appropriately vetted.

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Organisation

The leadership and management is good. The owner has a clear commitment to the professional developmental needs of the staff and actively encourages further training. The manager and staff of the setting have a very good knowledge of the Foundation Stage curriculum and ensure that it is implemented across the nursery. Staff work well together as a team, they are committed to the children and are well motivated and organised. Regular staff meetings ensure that every one working in the setting remains fully informed. The appraisal programme means that staff's professional development continues to be extended. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the setting was asked to:

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Improvements since the last inspection

Ensure that the storage of chairs is safe and does not pose a hazard to children, this has been achieved. There are no chairs stored in the room that the children use and as a result they are able to play safely without any risk of injury.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The nursery was also asked to extend some policy documentation, this has been completed and there are procedures in place to ensure children are safeguarded at the setting. There are

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Improvements since the last inspection

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 also correct procedures in place to deal with uncollected children. This means that the policy documentation influences the practice in the nursery to ensure children's safety is fully maintained

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Improvements since the last inspection

The nursery was asked to provide evidence of risk assessments carried out on the premises and equipment. This has been achieved. Regular risk assessments are carried out and are recorded. This has improved the safety measures within the nursery so the children are protected from the risks of potential hazards.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since the last inspection there have been no complaints made to Ofsted that required the provider or Ofsted to take any action in order to meet the National Standards.

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Complaints since the last inspection

The provider is required to keep a record of complaints made by parents, which they can see on request. The complaints record may contain complaints other than those made to Ofsted.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

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The quality and standards of the care

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • ensure that all records are properly completed, signed by parents where required and make sure that children's confidentiality is protected • improve the out side play activities offered to the children

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

To improve the quality and standards of nursery education further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • increase the examples of the written word and numerals displayed around the setting and include the children's own efforts • ensure that the children have regular opportunities to use musical instruments to make their own music

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 set out in the leaflet Complaints about Ofsted Early Years: concerns or complaints about Ofsted's role in regulating and inspecting childcare and early education (HMI ref no 2599) which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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