Kirkham St Michael's Church of England Primary School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 08/03/2005 Inspector Name Judith Harris

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Bethnal Green Montessori School Setting Address 68 Warner Place London E2 7DA

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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

Bethnal Green Montessori School has been registered since 1999. It is a privately owned school run on a main site and an annex. A maximum of 56 children may attend the school at any one time from 08.45 to 15:00 during school term times and throughout the summer hoilday period. All children share access to secure enclosed outdoor play areas. The school offers places to children in receipt of funding for nursery education. The school is able to support children with special educational needs, and children who speak English as an additional language. Staff hold appropriate early years qualifications with a majority holding Montessori teaching qualifications.

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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?

Bethnal Green Montessori school supports children to make very good progress towards the early learning goals (elg). The nursery uses Montessori teaching methods which they link clearly to the Early Years Curriculum. Children have direct access to the Montessori resources which are used to plan and provide an effective range of activities and experiences that cover all six elg. The children are clearly supported by very good levels of interaction and support allowing them to make free choices about what activities they will work with. Daily observations provide adults with in-depth knowledge of the children and allow them to plan and provide challenges that meet individual needs. Planning is used to ensure that children are making progress through the Montessori tasks and to show how these link to the elg. The nursery is able to support children with English an additional language and children with special needs. The children are

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How effective is the nursery education?

well behaved and adults are good role models supporting children to develop good levels of independence and self control. The nursery has a provider, a head teacher and a number of staff who are Montessori practitioners. The staff work together to provide an environment where children's learning is nurtured and there is a system of ongoing evaluation of the effectiveness of the education. The staff have team meetings where they discuss and assess planning and activities to support individual children's learning. The nursery makes positive use of all support to help them improve the care and education of the children. Parents are provided with good quality information when their child starts and then ongoing information about their children's progress. There are individual parnet conferences. The staff provide parents with a range of information about the Montessori method including talks, demonstrations and newsletters.

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What is being done well?

• The Montessori method clearly supports the children to develop very good levels of personal independence, to be kind to each other, to share and take turns. The older children are encouraged to help and support the younger and less able children. • Children use a very wide range of spoken language; they are able to clearly describe what they are doing and the process of a task. The children freely access the Montessori equipment to support them to develop handwriting skills. •• The children are developing very good mathematical and problem solving skills which are clearly supported by the Montessori method.

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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 • Each table in the nursery had a daffodil in a vase which the children watch blossom over the week. The children care for the nursery animals, they have chickens that lay eggs which the children help to collect. • The children have access to a purely creative art area where they can explore design and create using a range of different materials with different textures and form. • The teaching methods clearly support children to be independent and to learn at their own pace with an emphasis on free choice and developing good levels of concentration.

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What needs to be improved?

• a wider range of opportunities for children to develop an awareness of how their bodies work.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The older children are provided with appropriate challenges and daily observations allow staff to help them to progress. All children have a range of experiences that allow them to explore and investigate, to be creative and use their imagination.

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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 calm, confident and motivated learners who have positive relationships with both adults and peers. The children work well both alone and in small groups; they are developing an understanding of sharing and taking turns with a sensitivity for the feelings of others. The Montessori methods positively nurture and develop very good levels of personal independence and skills for self-control. The children are well behaved with good levels of concentration and a sense of community

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children use a very wide range of language for expression and to organise and describe what they are doing. Children can access a range of Montessori resources and equipment which support the development of writing skills, allow them to practise handwriting and become familiar with the alphabet. They take part in a range of tasks that develop skills for linking sounds and letters. The children have access to books for both information and enjoyment and take part in re-telling the story.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are developing very good maths skills and the Montessori resources support the children to become familiar with numbers, to recognise numerals and shapes. They freely access a range of equipment that develops their sense of space, shape and measure. The children use a wide range of mathematical language; they are developing tessellation skills and an understanding of calculation. Children are given lots of time and space to develop good problem solving skills.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good The children explore and investigate through a wide range of resources and experiences and a variety of living and growing things. This includes caring for the nursery's animals. The children use everyday technology and have tools and a range of materials for design. The children talk about their experiences, past events in their lives and the people they live with. They take part in a wide range of activities that help develop their understanding of cultures and beliefs and the wider world.

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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 In the garden children are able to move imaginatively and develop co-ordination. They have access to bikes and large play equipment. The children are able to move with control and co-ordination showing an awareness of space and each other. The Montessori equipment provides children with a range of tools and materials which clearly supports them to develop control and co-ordination. There are less opportunities for children to develop awareness of their own bodies.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children have free access to painting and art and craft materials that allow them to explore colour, texture, shape and form. They can use the bells to explore sound and sound patterns and they sing familiar songs with actions. The children take part in telling a story with props and puppets and use their imagination at small world play. The children use role-play at a range of tasks and activities using the Montessori equipment and resources.

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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: • No key issues were identified at this inspection. The following is a point for consideration: • Provide a wider range of opportunities for children to develop an awareness of how their bodies work.

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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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