Cranham Primary School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 22/03/2004 Inspector Name Anne Jeanette Faithfull

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name The Denning Montessori School Setting Address Fawley Village Hall Fawley Henley on Thames Oxfordshire RG9 6JA

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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ABOUT THE INSPECTION

The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public that the nursery education for funded three and four year old children is of an acceptable quality. Inspection of nursery education also identifies strengths and weaknesses so that providers can improve the quality of educational provision and help children to achieve the early learning goals (elgs) by the end of the Foundation Stage. This inspection report must be made available to all parents. If the setting has been inspected previously, an action plan will have been drawn up to tackle issues identified. This inspection, therefore, must also assess what progress has been made in the implementation of this plan.

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Information about the setting

The Denning Montessori Nursery School opened in 1991. It operates from Fawley Village Hall and is located in village of Fawley. The school serves the communities surrounding Fawley. There are currently 27 children from two to five years on roll. This includes 18 funded three year olds and two funded four year olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The school has systems in place to support children with special needs and English as an additional language. The school is open from 09:00 to 12:00, then 13:00 to 16:00 Monday to Friday term time only. On Wednesday and Thursday the school offers sessions from 09:00 to 15:00. These are for children over three years old. Two full-time staff work with the children. Both staff are qualified, one member of staff has a Montessori Teaching Diploma. The school follows the Montessori teaching method and maintains links with the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership.

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Information about the setting

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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How effective is the nursery education?

The Denning Montessori School is acceptable and is of high quality. Children are making very good progress towards the early learning goals. Teaching is very good, staff use their knowledge of the early learning goals and the Montessori curriculum effectively. The children are confident, enthusiastic, interested and eager to participate in the wide range of experiences and activities offered to them Staff promote and develop the children's learning during planned and free choice activities. Children are encouraged to be independent and to contribute to their own learning. Staff are effective in their use of questioning to encourage children to ask how and why things happen and to increase their thinking and communication skills. The children's behaviour is very good due to the high expectations and sensitive support of staff. A planning, recording and assessment system is in place and is used very well by all

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How effective is the nursery education?

the staff to check and record children's individual progress. Staff participate in planning and evaluate the activities offered to ensure children's continuing development. At present no children attend with special needs or English as an additional language, however, systems are in place to support the children. Leadership and management are very good. The staff work well as a team and are committed to ongoing development of the school. The owner has just introduced an appraisal system, which will help to identify any training needs of the staff, however the staff have not had the opportunity to participate in the system yet. The partnership with parents is very good. They share their observations and concerns about their child with the staff. Parents have the opportunity to attend "family days" and attend the school with their child. Parents receive regular feedback regarding their child's progress and a noticeboard informs the parents of the

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How effective is the nursery education?

activities provided and any other relevant information.

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What is being done well?

• Children's personal, social and emotional development is very good. They are confident, enthusiastic, independent and interested in learning. Good relationships have been formed, the children interact well with staff and each other. The children are well behaved and sensitive to the needs of others. • Children's communication skills are very good. They are confident in their interaction with staff and can express themselves well. Staff extend children's communication skills by the use of open-ended questions in everyday routines and activities. Children have the opportunity in "talk time" to explain items they have bought in and answer questions from other children • Children's knowledge and understanding of the world is very good. Staff

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What is being done well?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 provide a wide range of activities and experiences which enable the children to look at, and identify features of living things. Staff provide good opportunities for the children to question why things happen and how things work. • Staff work well as a team to provide interesting, stimulating activities and experiences for the children to use and participate in, which effectively promote all areas of learning and development. • Good partnerships are in place with parents. They are well informed about their child's progress, any information and concerns are shared. Parents have the opportunity to attend "family day" to see and participate in the daily activities and experiences provided for their children.

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What needs to be improved?

• Staff appraisal system, to highlight any training needs of staff and the on- going development of the school.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Children now have a variety of experiences and activities offered to them daily to increase their knowledge and understanding of the world. A computer is now available for the children to access technology. Children are provided with many opportunities to experience and explore living things. Written plans are now in place which identify what the children are expected to learn and relate to the early learning goals and the Montessori curriculum. A comprehensive assessment system is now in place and used in future planning to ensure all the needs of the children are being met. An appraisal system has just been put into place and will be used to identify any areas of training required by the staff and for the on-going development of the school.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are confident, interested and motivated.They can express themselves well, and are eager to participate in all activities and experiences. Very good relationships have been formed with each other and staff. The children show consideration, sensitivity and support for others. Children negotiate well with each other and are aware of their own feelings. The children appropriately to high expectations for acceptable behaviour and are aware of right from wrong.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children communicate and listen well to each other and staff. Children and staff continually link sounds and letters in everyday routines. Children are given the opportunity in "talk time" to describe items and answer questions from other children. Most children can recognise and begin to write their own name. Activities provided foster language and literacy skills. Staff effectively make good use of open ended questioning to extend children's thinking and communication skills.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Staff use everyday and unusual situations effectively to extend children's counting and number skills for example counting snails and using a number chart to mark off the number of days before the chick hatched. All children can confidently count to nine and beyond. Children are provided with good opportunities to learn about shape measure and size. Children use mathematical language effectively in everyday activities, including talking about more, less and bigger and smaller.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children are given many opportunities to look at, experience and identify many different living things including the chicks in the incubator, snails and caterpillars. Children have the opportunity to question why things happen and how things work. Staff make effective use of group time to draw on children's past and present events in their lives and the lives of others. s happen and how things work. Resources provided both inside and outside encourage the children to investigate and experiment.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Staff encourage children to move like mini-beasts to extend their physical skills in group time and talk about different muscles in animals and themselves. Children have opportunity to take part in regular yoga sessions. Children show an awareness of space and others and have many opportunities to use large and small equipment. Children are confident in their independence skills and show an awareness of personal hygiene.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are able to express their ideas, feelings and to explore their senses through a wide range of activities, including silence time when children say and describe what they can hear and when touching the snails. Children are encouraged to use their imagination, good opportunities are provided for role play. Children use a variety of materials to explore texture, shape and colour and good opportunities are provided to encourage the children's individual creative skills.

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Children's spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development is fostered

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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OUTCOME OF THE INSPECTION

The provision is acceptable and is of high quality. Children are making very good progress towards the early learning goals. The next inspection will take place in three to four years time.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT

There are no significant weaknesses to report, but considerations should be given to improving the following: • There is no significant weakness to report but consideration should be given to improve the following, • continue to develop appraisal system to help highlight any training needs of staff and to promote continuous development of education provided.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT

The provider must draw up an action plan within 40 working days of receipt of this report showing how the key issues detailed above will be addressed. The action plan must be made available to all parents and to the Local Authority if required. An evaluation of the action taken will form part of the next inspection of funded nursery education.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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