The Bristol Montessori School

Stoke Bishop Montessori Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY310081 Inspection date 25/03/2010 Inspector Angela Cole

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Setting address 70 Parrys Lane, Stoke Bishop, Bristol, BS9 1AQ

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Telephone number 01179 686 960 Email stokebishopmontessori@hotmail.com Type of setting Childcare on non-domestic premises to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It rates council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as

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you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. Royal Exchange Buildings St Ann's Square Manchester M2 7LA

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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under Sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of the registered early years provision. ‘Early years provision’ refers to provision regulated by Ofsted for children from birth to 31 August following their fifth birthday (the early years age group). The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and welfare, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Introduction

The provider must provide a copy of this report to all parents with children at the setting where reasonably practicable. The provider must provide a copy of the report to any other person who asks for one, but may charge a fee for this service (The Childcare (Inspection) Regulations 2008 regulations 9 and 10).

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Introduction

The setting also makes provision for children older than the early years age group which is registered on the voluntary and/or compulsory part(s) of the Childcare Register. This report does not include an evaluation of that provision, but a comment about compliance with the requirements of the Childcare Register is included in Annex B.

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Introduction

Please see our website for more information about each childcare provider. We publish inspection reports, conditions of registration and details of complaints we receive where we or the provider take action to meet the requirements of registration. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Description of the setting

Stoke Bishop Montessori opened in 2003 and was re-registered under the current management in 2005 as a division of Montessori Services Ltd. The nursery is situated in the residential area of Stoke Bishop, Bristol and operates from both floors of a converted property. The enclosed outdoor space includes a paved area and two gardens for children's outside play. The nursery is open each weekday from 8am to 6pm for 49 weeks of the year, excluding bank holidays.

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Description of the setting

The nursery is registered by Ofsted on the Early Years Register and on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. A maximum of 40 children in the early years age range may attend the nursery at any one time. There are currently 64 children aged from two years to under five years on roll, some in part-time places. The nursery currently supports a number of children learning English as an additional language.

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Description of the setting

There are six full-time staff and five part-time staff, all of whom hold appropriate teaching and/or early years qualifications. Of these, seven hold Level 4 Montessori Early Childhood Diplomas and two are working towards this qualification. There are three members of staff who have achieved Early Years Professional Status; two staff have Qualified Teacher Status and one has a Masters in Education. The nursery operates according to the Montessori ethos and provides funded early education for three- and four-year-olds.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is outstanding.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

The nursery offers a fully inclusive environment where children settle to be secure and extremely happy. Highly developed knowledge of children’s individual needs ensures that the caring, enthusiastic staff successfully promote all children’s welfare and learning. As a result, every child makes excellent progress, given their age, ability and starting points. From a young age, children gain an excellent understanding about the importance of a healthy lifestyle and how to keep themselves safe. Partnerships with parents are highly developed, and meaningful links with agencies and other providers with whom children have contact are significant in ensuring their individual needs are consistently met. Excellent reflection and frequent self-evaluation ensure that plans for the future are fully focused to bring about further improvement to the provision and outcomes for children.

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further?

To further improve the high quality early years provision the registered person should consider:

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further?

 maximise opportunities for children to make links and create new This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 connections through combining materials.

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the early years provision

High levels of organisation, drive and motivation of staff ensure that children are happy, and have positive experiences. They are well cared for in a secure environment where their health and safety is of the highest standard. The staff are all vetted and are abundantly aware of their responsibilities for the safeguarding of the children in their care. They regularly update their knowledge with regard to child protection to have a secure understanding of current legislation. The children are fully taught to keep themselves safe, for example, when moving around the nursery environment. Indoor and outdoor spaces, furniture, equipment and toys are entirely suitable and safe, while continuous risk assessment is highly effective in minimising hazards and includes the children's comments. Detailed policies are frequently updated and all records are highly maintained to support the excellent care offered to children and their families.

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the early years provision

The staff are meticulous in constantly improving partnerships with parents. There are clear systems to actively work with other providers delivering the Early Years Foundation Stage for continuity of care and sharing of relevant information to benefit children. These approaches enable them to respond swiftly to any identified learning and development needs. Parents' ideas and suggestions are all listened to and responded to in a very sensitive and efficient manner. Parents have excellent opportunities to contribute to their children’s learning; they share beautifully presented learning journals and offer comments and suggestions to key persons so they fully cooperate in the children's care and education. The families have high confidence in the staff who continually strive to provide children with a wealth of high quality, challenging resources in rich and varied, learning environments. Staff place the promotion of equality of opportunity at the heart of

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the early years provision

all of their work. As a result, every child receives the maximum levels of support from an early stage, including those learning English as an additional language. The nursery is highly inclusive because of the staff's in-depth knowledge and clear understanding of each child's background and needs.

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the early years provision

Excellent management of the highly qualified staff ensures their ongoing suitability and continuing professional development. Adults are thoughtfully deployed so that children benefit highly from their inclusive and skilful practice. All staff are well enabled to monitor their input and their views are listened to closely. Recommendations arising from previous inspection are fully implemented to improve the planning for children's learning and their health care. A range of quality assurance schemes are used to generate perceptive suggestions for improved practice so that children make as much progress as they can. The setting is highly competent in its identification of strengths and further areas for development in short- and long-term plans. The management has a clear vision for the future and is confident and capable to make continuous improvement, for example, through focused and advanced qualification training. Evaluative reflection

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the early years provision

takes full account of parents' and children's views to identify the nursery’s many This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 strengths and staff are highly competent in accomplishing the goals they set for future development.

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and outcomes for children

Children make outstanding progress in relation to their capabilities and starting points. This is because teaching is rooted in expert knowledge of the learning and development requirements and a full understanding of how young children achieve. Exceptional organisation of the educational programmes reflects rich, varied and imaginative experiences that fully meet all children's needs. For example, children learn about complex concepts, such as the earth’s development, and celebrate their birthdays by enacting the earth’s orbit round the sun for each year of their lives. Assessment through high quality observations is rigorous and the information gained is used very effectively to guide planning that is tailored to each child's needs and abilities. Highly effective monitoring systems ensure that children continue to make maximum progress in each area of learning. Staff interact and teach most effectively so children have fun and are fully challenged to

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and outcomes for children

develop. They fully respond to children's comments and queries through discussion and challenging questions about their interests, including 'What do you think? Can you tell me?' Children are active learners, choosing from the wealth of accessible, interesting equipment and concentrating for long periods at each activity. Their learning is sometimes supported by combining resources, such as toy animals placed in a hat as the chosen container. They are fully encouraged to persevere by staff's calm focus that enables them to have space and time to work things out for themselves. From a young age, children are highly motivated to be creative and to think critically. Their interest in music is enthusiastically fostered through action songs and dance. They explore exciting materials in ongoing projects, such as designing a knight's armour, and tell complex stories in imaginative play with small world toys. Excellent use is made of routines, such as those for self-service snacks,

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and outcomes for children

and of spontaneous opportunities. For example, children help to care for nursery pets and factually discuss a guinea pig's death and its replacement with a baby. They notice minute details, including how spring bulbs grow and are fascinated to feel the roots.

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and outcomes for children

The children gain an excellent understanding of how to lead a healthy lifestyle. They know the reasons for adopting hygiene practices and talk about why it is important to take care of their bodies, for example, in colder weather. Children are very active and gain a very good understanding of the benefits of physical activity. They gain confidence to use different play equipment, wearing safety helmets to play on scooters and bicycles brought from home. All year round, they have free access to the garden with space to hone their climbing and balancing skills and areas for digging and growing. Children enjoy cooking pizzas for lunch and help to gather and prepare food, such as vegetables, to include in their meals. They make healthy choices about what they eat and drink, and discuss foods that are good for them. Children are very settled and quickly become completely absorbed in their play. They feel safe at the nursery and gain an excellent understanding of issues

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and outcomes for children

relating to safety. They behave in ways that are safe for themselves and others, confidently moving around the house and discussing the positive rules. They This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 responsibly take risks in controlled circumstances when using real tools, such as scissors, table knives and a hole punch. They frequently practise how to react in emergency situations and help to make items, such as a zebra crossing, for role play to learn about road safety.

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and outcomes for children

Children have outstanding opportunities to develop awareness of their responsibilities and play a part in the nursery. They immensely enjoy their learning and show a strong desire to participate and make choices. The staff are highly skilled and sensitive in their management of children and their behaviour. As a result, children behave very well as they respect and cooperate with others and negotiate over shared resources. Staff are excellent role models so children develop high levels of self-esteem and respond to be kind, polite and considerate. The nursery is highly successful in enabling children to develop skills that will support them in the future. Children gain excellent early language to communicate their ideas and to solve problems as these arise in their play. They learn new vocabulary, such as 'kneading' and 'invertebrate', read simple words and delight in sharing books and stories. Children's awareness of numeracy and spatial learning

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and outcomes for children

are heightened through challenges to notice details, such as three-dimensional shapes and the relative numbers and sizes of equipment. They become very familiar with technology using torches and operating the computer and camera. Throughout their time at the nursery, children are effectively enabled to work independently and to develop self-care skills so they are ready and confident to move on to the next stage. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Annex A: record of inspection judgements

The key inspection judgements and what they mean

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Annex A: record of inspection judgements

Grade 1 is Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Grade 2 is Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Grade 3 is Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Grade 4 is Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough

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children in the Early Years Foundation Stage?

The capacity of the provision to maintain continuous improvement

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and managed?

The effectiveness of leadership and management in embedding ambition and driving improvement The effectiveness with which the setting deploys resources 1 The effectiveness with which the setting promotes equality and diversity The effectiveness of safeguarding 1 The effectiveness of the setting’s self-evaluation, including the steps taken to promote improvement The effectiveness of partnerships 1 The effectiveness of the setting’s engagement with parents and carers

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Stage

The quality of the provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 1

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 1 The extent to which children feel safe 1 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 1 The extent to which children develop skills for the future 1

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Stage

procedures set out in the guidance available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are: Met

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are: Met

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