Lilliput Montessori Day Nursery Glenfield

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 10/06/2004 Inspector Name Kate Bryan

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Lilliput Montessori Day Nursery (Glenfield) Setting Address 29 Stamford Street Glenfield Leicestershire LE3 8DL

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name Lilliput Day Nurseries Limited 2894803

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Lilliput Day Nurseries Limited Address Railway House Hotel Street Coalville Leicestershire LE67 3EQ

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and 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 of the quality and standard of day care in accordance with the National Standards for Under Eights Day Care and Childminding; and 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

Lilliput Montessori Day Nursery was established in 1998. It operates from three rooms and associated facilities in a converted premises in Glenfield. It serves the local area. There are currently 74 children from birth to 8 years on roll. This includes 20 funded 3-year-olds and 19 funded 4-year-olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The setting has supported a number of children with special educational needs and can offer a service to children who speak English as an additional language. The nursery opens five days a week all through the year. Sessions are from 7.30 until 18:00. There are seven staff who work with the children. Over half have early years qualifications to NVQ level two or three and two staff are currently working towards a recognised early years qualification. The setting receives support from the Leicestershire Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership. The nursery

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Information about the setting

offers the Montessori method of teaching.

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How good is the Day Care?

Lilliput Montessori Day Nursery provides good quality care for children. The group uses available space appropriately and this allows children the opportunity to engage in a range of activities on the floor and at tables. Policies and procedures are generally very comprehensive. The nursery has an 'Investor in People' award and staff have undertaken a range of training. Arrangements for health and safety are good. Priority is given to maintaining children's safety, staff are aware of child protection procedures and can implement these. Procedures are in place for fire evacuations and risk assessments which contribute to the effective safety measures at the group. Trained first aiders are available and the group has a policy regarding the administration of any medication. A sick children policy is in place which promotes the well-being of children, parents

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How good is the Day Care?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 are made aware of this and will be contacted to collect their child if this becomes necessary. A weekly menu is provided with a vegetarian option daily, break times are used to experience foods with different tastes to increase children's experiences. The group has a very good range of resources for all children which are easily accessible. Choice and independence are promoted and children interact well with staff in a calm environment. Effective planning is in place which covers all areas of learning, regular assessments clearly show what children have achieved. The nursery provides a good service to children with special needs which promotes inclusion and awareness for all. The group works very well in partnership with parents and carers who receive a

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How good is the Day Care?

good range of information about children and the provision. Staff are available to be spoken with daily and younger children have a daily diary. Parents may contribute to their child's learning by active participation at the group and home activities such as reading packs.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

At the last inspection the provider agreed to provide the telephone number and address of the regulator to the complaints procedure and improve the quality of the carpeting. Both have been actioned which has improved the service offered to children and parents.

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What is being done well?

• The nursery has comprehensive policies and procedures of which all staff are aware. Development plans ensure that all areas of the nursery are reviewed with improvements put into place as appropriate. Training is supported and there is a commitment to staff development and support. • Planning is effective in delivering teaching to children and assessments indicate what children have achieved. The nursery promotes a calm, happy atmosphere in which children can make choices and develop independence. Learning is supported by a good range of resources which children can easily access. • A good service is provided to children with special needs. Inclusion is promoted and children treated as individuals, for example, all children use Makaton to say 'Good morning' to a child. Staff have undertaken training in this area to ensure an appropriate service is provided. • A good range of information is provided to parents and feedback is

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What is being done well?

encouraged by the use of twice yearly assessments. Parent's Evenings are held twice a year and parents are encouraged to be involved in their child's learning by the use of an Activity Library.

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What needs to be improved?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 • the behaviour management statement to include procedures regarding bullying • the child protection statement to include procedures to be followed in the event of an allegation being made against a member of staff or volunteer.

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CONDITIONS OF REGISTRATION

All registered persons must comply with all conditions of registration included on his/her certificate of registration. As a result of this inspection conditions of registration have been imposed / varied / removed and a new certificate of registration will be issued.

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by the time of the next inspection

Std Recommendation 11 Ensure the behaviour management statement includes bullying. 13 Ensure the child protection statement contains procedures to be followed in the event of an allegation being made against a member of staff or volunteer.

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by the time of the next 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; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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How effective is the nursery education?

The provision for nursery education at Lilliput Montessori Day Nursery is of a high quality. Therefore, overall, children are making very good progress towards the early learning goals. An area for improvement has been identified in their physical development. The quality of teaching is very good. There are some very effective practices in place; staff are aware of children's needs and the teaching challenges all children to extend their learning. Consequently, the children's interest is sustained and they are engaged in the well-planned activities. Relationships with staff are relaxed so children feel confident and they behave very well. The resources are used very well and planning and the assessment of the children's progress relates to the early learning goals. Staff are very aware of the need to move the children to the next step in their learning and they provide a very good range of activities to support children's

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How effective is the nursery education?

independence very well. Children with special educational needs are well supported and staff use outside agencies to provide help, if needed. The leadership and management are very good. There is very good support in place to help improve the quality of the provision because staff are constantly being trained and monitored informally. Staff attend regular meetings to discuss their practice and appraisals are held each year. They attend training courses to develop their own knowledge of good practice and liaise regularly with the local education authority. The partnership with parents and carers is very good. Parents are given useful information about the nursery before their children start. They receive good information about their children's progress related to the early learning goals at open evenings. They can also talk to staff informally to discuss their children. The staff are developing packs for parents to work with their children at home, such as story

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What is being done well?

• The excellent relationships between staff and children provide a very good environment for the children to learn. • A well-planned range of mathematical activities combined with structured teaching ensures that the children receive a very good grounding in mathematics. • Challenging teaching methods are used to provide children with a very good foundation in communication, language and literacy. • Staff are meeting the needs of individual children effectively, the older and more able children are challenged and the children with special educational needs are supported very well.

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What is being done well?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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What needs to be improved?

• the provision for physical development to provide regular challenges to develop the children's skills to climb and move in different directions.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The improvement since the last inspection has been very good. The staff now use the early learning goals to plan the curriculum and record children's progress towards the goals. They assess children, including those children with special educational needs so that they plan the next step in children's learning. They provide activities which develop the children's imagination effectively. Children now use construction materials and technology well. Parents are aware of the early learning goals through the open evenings.

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What has improved 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; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children form very good relationships in the nursery which forms the basis of the excellent provision in this area. The children are very well behaved. They sit quietly and listen when appropriate and they are confident to make their own decisions. Children's self-esteem is high and they are kind towards each other, learning that they have to share at times. They are developing a good awareness of other's needs. During activities they are involved, interested and occupied in their learning.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good The children's interaction between staff and other children is very good. Children speak confidently in a group, are happy to tell their news and develop their vocabulary. They are confidently learning the sounds that letters make by discussing their news and they are learning about print, the direction that it takes and that it carries meaning. Through careful teaching the children are learning to write their names.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good The children's development in this area is very strong and they have many opportunities to develop their skills. They practise counting and recognising numbers, which some of the children are learning to do very accurately. Children work at their own pace so when they are ready they learn to calculate correctly. They learn about shape, space and measurements accurately and very effectively. They use the computer to create patterns, for example using triangles.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children are learning to investigate freely through using Montessori equipment. They discover how pipettes and magnifiers work through careful teaching and consolidating their learning independently. The children speak enthusiastically about their lives and families. They use the computer competently and are familiar with a range of programmes to enhance their learning. They learn about a range of other countries, their customs and traditions.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are learning to develop their manipulative skills very well. They use Montessori equipment competently which increases their ability to handle small objects such as picking up pasta with tongs. Children experience a range of opportunities to develop movement and control during the sessions but the programme is not planned for the children to receive regular practice to develop all of their skills for climbing and directional movement.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children use their senses very well and respond well to sensory activities. They explore texture in making pictures, playing with sawdust and feeling 'woolly' books. They are developing their imagination appropriately in role play situations such as the 'travel agents'. Children are able to express their ideas, thoughts and feelings effectively through the resources available. They listen to the sounds of shakers and enjoy hearing their own voices using a microphone.

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

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and 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 are no significant weaknesses to report, but consideration should be given to improving the following: • provide regular challenges to develop the children's skills to climb and move in different directions.

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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 Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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STANDARD 1 - SUITABLE PERSON

Adults providing day care, looking after children or having unsupervised access to them are suitable to do so.

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STANDARD 2 - ORGANISATION

The registered person meets required adult: child ratios, ensures that training and qualifications requirements are met and organises space and resources to meet the children's needs effectively.

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STANDARD 3 - CARE, LEARNING AND PLAY

The registered person meets children's individual needs and promotes their welfare. They plan and provide activities and play opportunities to develop children's emotional, physical, social and intellectual capabilities.

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STANDARD 4 - PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

The premises are safe, secure and suitable for their purpose. They provide adequate space in an appropriate location, are welcoming to children and offer access to the necessary facilities for a range of activities which promote their development.

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STANDARD 5 - EQUIPMENT

Furniture, equipment and toys are provided which are appropriate for their purpose and help to create an accessible and stimulating environment. They are of suitable design and condition, well maintained and conform to safety standards.

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STANDARD 6 - SAFETY

The registered person takes positive steps to promote safety within the setting and on outings and ensures proper precautions are taken to prevent accidents.

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STANDARD 7 - HEALTH

The registered person promotes the good health of children and takes positive steps to prevent the spread of infection and appropriate measures when they are ill.

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STANDARD 8 - FOOD AND DRINK

Children are provided with regular drinks and food in adequate quantities for their needs. Food and drink is properly prepared, nutritious and complies with dietary and religious requirements.

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STANDARD 9 - EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

The registered person and staff actively promote equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice for all children.

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NEEDS AND DISABILITIES)

The registered person is aware that some children may have special needs and is

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NEEDS AND DISABILITIES)

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 proactive in ensuring that appropriate action can be taken when such a child is identified or admitted to the provision. Steps are taken to promote the welfare and development of the child within the setting in partnership with the parents and other relevant parties.

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STANDARD 11 - BEHAVIOUR

Adults caring for children in the provision are able to manage a wide range of children's behaviour in a way which promotes their welfare and development.

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STANDARD 12 - WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS AND CARERS

The registered person and staff work in partnership with parents and to meet the needs of the children, both individually and as a group. Information is shared.

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STANDARD 13 - CHILD PROTECTION

The registered person complies with local child protection procedures approved by the Area Child Protection Committee and ensures that all adults working and looking after children in the provision are able to put the procedures into practice.

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STANDARD 14 - DOCUMENTATION

Records, policies and procedures which are required for the efficient and safe management of the provision, or to promote the welfare, care and learning of children are maintained. Records about individual children are shared with the child's parent.

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STANDARD 14 - DOCUMENTATION

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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