Oxley School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 06/10/2003 Inspector Name Susan Jennifer Scott

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Moniques Montessori Day Nursery Setting Address 41 Chipstead Lane Sevenoaks Kent TN13 2AJ

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REGISTERED PROVIDER 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

Monique's Montessori School and Day Nursery has only been at the present address for one year but has been operating previously for twelve years. It is situated in a converted shop in a quiet residential area. Children have access to the whole building which is on three floors. The Nursery School is a privately owned group operating from 8.00am to 6.15pm, five days per week, closing for one week at Christmas. Children are admitted from three months to eight years. Out of school care is offered to children aged up to eleven years. The basis of the teaching is the Montessori method adapted to take account of the age of the children. The nursery is approved for funding for three and four year olds. There are 61 children on the register at present, 19 of whom have funded places. They are not currently caring for children with special needs, though there are children with English as a second language attending the Nursery.

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How good is the Day Care?

Monique's Montessori Day Nursery provides good quality care for children. All aspects of the provision are well organised and effective use is made of the staff, space and resources to ensure that all children are well cared for. Staff are guided by an agreed set of policies and procedures and work closely as a team to ensure they deliver a programme of care that meets the needs of all the children attending. High priority is given to ensuring children's safety and enabling their independence both in the centre and on outings. Children with special needs are supported and included in activities in order to develop their full potential. In the baby and toddler room, the staff have good relationships with the babies and toddlers and their parents, although there is no key worker system. Children benefit from consistent routines for sleeping, playing and eating. In the pre-school group,

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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 staff work well as a team to plan, deliver and assess a stimulating a range of practical activities which encourage children to make choices and to learn effectively. The out-of-school club offers children a relaxed environment in which to pursue a variety of activities that capture their interest. The children have free access to several spacious play areas including a garden and the green public play area offering varied opportunities for more boisterous physical activities or a chance to observe the natural world. There is a good partnership with parents and carers. They know what progress children are making in the nursery through reports and regular informal contact with staff. The daily diary in the nursery records information from parents about children's

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How good is the Day Care?

particular needs and important information that needs to be communicated. Parents are welcomed into the nursery to observe or discuss their children or their records with staff.

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What is being done well?

• The environment is safe and secure, both inside and out, with a good variety of equipment and facilities available to all ages and staff. The nursery is spacious and has enough rooms to be able to offer children a variety of space to suit their individual needs. • There is an interesting and varied range of play equipment which children are able to access freely and use independently. • There is good liaison between the nursery and the Health protection unit, information is communicated and disseminated and staff are aware of current issues. • The nursery and staff recognise the importance of encouraging the development of self esteem and encourage all children to fulfil their potential.

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What needs to be improved?

• the safety of children using a real travel iron, taped up to prevent the dial being turned to a hot setting; • the documentation, so that a signature records parental acknowledgment of the medication administered and there is a record of checks on sleeping babies; • the reference material for Child Protection as there are no copies of local Area Child Protection Committee procedures or copies of up to date information.

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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

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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 6 ensure that the temperature of the travel iron is restricted so as not to cause a burn hazard to the children 6 ensure that regular checks on sleeping babies are recorded 11 ensure that there is a named staff member who is responsible for behaviour management issues 13 ensure that the child protection procedure for the nursery complies with local Area Child Protection Committee (ACPC) procedures

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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 Monique's Montessori Day Nursery is good. It enables children to make very good progress towards the early learning goals in their personal, social and emotional development and their mathematical development and generally good progress in all other areas of learning. The quality of teaching is generally good. Staff plan varied practical activities, both in and out of doors, and understand what children learn from them. Resources are good and well organised to increase children's independence and self esteem. Staff are skilled at developing children's language. They discuss and ask questions to encourage them to find things out and talk about what they are doing. Activities for the funded children are presented in an enthusiastic and carefully structured manner, but do not always provide sufficient challenge for the more able children, particularly in aspects of literacy and mathematics.

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How effective is the nursery education?

Staff observe and note children's learning in six Montessori areas which equate with the areas of the Foundation Curriculum. However, their assessments are not always evaluated against the stepping stones and early learning goals. As a result, they do not consistently cover all areas of the curriculum and plan for every aspect of the children's learning. The leadership and management of the day nursery is generally good. The owner has been particularly effective in developing a committed staff team who have a collaborative approach to all aspects of their work. There is an informal system to monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching. The partnership with parents and carers is generally good. Parents spend time talking to staff about their children and are well informed about forthcoming topics for learning. Parents are encouraged to support their children's learning at home by providing items of relevance and interest but there are no structured events to

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How effective is the nursery education?

ensure that all parents have sufficient opportunities for consultation.

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What is being done well?

• Children's personal, social and emotional development is very good. Teaching encourages children's self esteem and gives them responsibility for their behaviour, which is excellent. Staff skilfully use questioning and suggestion to encourage children to behave appropriately. • Children's progress in mathematical development is very good; they use a variety of mathematical apparatus with confidence and independence and are able to solve practical problems well. • Several aspects of children's creative development are good. They can use a good range of materials and particularly enjoy using musical instruments and

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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 responding to music, which they do with confidence.

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What needs to be improved?

• the opportunities for all parents to discuss children's progress: not all parents can access discussion during the nursery hours. • the children's understanding of health and bodily awareness so that they recognise the importance of staying healthy and the changes in their bodies caused by activity. • the children's knowledge and understanding of the world so that a range and diversity of culture, languages and festivals is experienced.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The group have promoted writing for a purpose and introduced a number of practices to achieve this. They now discuss letters and sounds during circle time and provision is made for each child to use writing during each session if they choose. The children do not use these provisions very much. There now is a Policy statement on Special Educational Needs which encourages parents to visit and discuss child's individual needs and to facilitate integration. It outlines the stages of Code of Practice and there is support from the deputy who is the Special Educational Needs Coordinator.

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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 make very good progress in personal, social and emotional development. Their confidence and self-esteem are encouraged by strategies that encourage them to be independent and to persist with difficult tasks. They choose between activities, select resources for themselves, and learn to take care of their personal needs, such as dressing, washing their hands and brushing their teeth. Children behave very well. They learn to share, take turns, to be self reliant and considerate.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children make generally good progress in communication, language and literacy. They listen to stories, enjoy sharing information with staff and enthusiastically share books with their peers. However, more able children are not always encouraged to use a wide variety of books. Children recognise their names and are beginning to write these correctly. Staff take opportunities to encourage them to develop speaking and listening skills by providing good opportunities to share information.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children make very good progress in mathematical development. They benefit from good individual support and carefully structured activities to recognise shapes, colours and sizes. Their understanding of numbers is reinforced as they take part in routine tasks such as working out the date, or laying the table for lunch. They learn about weights, sizes, comparisons and simple problem solving. There is an excellent range of materials and activities for children to access in a methodical manner.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children make generally good progress in knowledge and understanding of the world. The outdoor area and nearby park are used to stimulate their interest in the natural world and features of the locality. They collect leaves, observe the weather and talk about familiar sights. Planned activities help them observe changes that occur: when cooking and when looking at life cycles of frogs or butterflies which they have seen develop. Children can construct models and use materials to explore.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children make generally good progress in physical development. Outdoors children are able to manoeuvre bicycles around obstacles, skip, run, and play bat and ball games. Staff are on hand to give support and encourage new skills such as helping children to ride bicycles safely. Children use pegs threading activities, pick up lentils and other objects with tongs and tweezers, handle scissors, pencils and varied paint brushes competently. Plans are made to offer opportunities for climbing soon.

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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: Generally Good Children make generally good progress in creative development. Children participate enthusiastically in music sessions, using their imagination to walk like bears and ducks to Peter and the Wolf. They use instruments to distinguish between different rhythms and sounds. Children draw and paint freely and apply paint in different ways with varied brushes. Role play activities are available with small world toys. Children enjoy using clay to model caterpillars and colour blocks.

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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 good quality overall. Children are making generally 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: THE KEY ISSUES

• provide opportunities for all parents to discuss the progress of their children; • extend children's understanding of physical development so that they understand about health and their bodies; • extend the children's experience of diversity so that they have a range of experiences about other cultures, languages and festivals.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT: THE KEY ISSUES

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: THE KEY ISSUES

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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