The Collegiate Montessori Nursery LTD

The Collegiate Montessori Nursery LTD Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY358276 Inspection date 26/04/2011 Inspector Tracey Outram

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Setting address 6 Brincliffe Crescent, SHEFFIELD, S11 9AW

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Telephone number 01142 580035 Email collegiate.montessori@btconnect.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 assesses 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.

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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

Collegiate Montessori Nursery School is a private nursery which opened in 1980 and was re-registered with new owners in 2007. It is accommodated in a single storey building in the grounds of a large Victorian property in the Brincliffe area of Sheffield. The nursery offers childcare to children from the local and wider community and outside the city boundaries. There are five classrooms, a self- contained baby unit, large indoor playroom and dedicated Montessori area, plus toilets, kitchen/staff room, office, reception area and storage space. The nursery has a secure outdoor play area including an outdoor classroom, with access to the extensive grounds for supervised walks and outdoor activities.

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Description of the setting

A maximum of 94 children aged three months to eight years may attend the nursery at any one time; of these, not more than 24 may be under two years. The nursery is open Monday to Friday, for 49 weeks of the year, from 8am to 6pm and children attend for a variety of sessions. There is a holiday club which operates for the same hours and sessions during school holidays. There are currently 186 children on roll; of these, 81 receive funding for early education. The setting offers care to children with learning difficulties and disabilities and to children for whom English is an additional language.

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Description of the setting

The nursery employs 27 staff to work with the children on a full and part time basis; 21 staff hold a recognised early years qualification and three are working towards level three qualifications. They also employ three ancillary and support staff. The nursery employs three specialist staff for additional activities. The nursery school receives support from the local authority community teacher, the Pathways to Quality team, the Early Years Inclusion team and the National Day Nurseries Association. Collegiate Montessori Nursery School has achieved Sheffield Quality Assurance status and is currently being reaccredited under the Pathways to Quality Scheme. The nursery follows the Montessori teaching philosophy.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is good.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

The enthusiastic and committed staff team take positive steps to meet the unique care and development needs of the children. Consequently, the children enjoy their time in the group and make secure progress in their learning. They develop positive relationships, are happy and demonstrate extremely good behaviour. Most of the relevant documentation is in place and the staff team work together to identify and plan future improvements. The nursery has good capacity to maintain continuous improvement.

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further?

To meet the specific requirements of the EYFS, the registered person must: This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006  keep a daily record of the children's hours of attendance. (Documentation) 20/05/2011

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further?

To further improve the early years provision the registered person should:

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further?

 enhance partnerships with other providers of the Early Years Foundation Stage who share the care of the children  develop ways of analysing children's progress and increase opportunities for parents to contribute to the cycle of observation and planning.

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the early years provision

The nursery is well managed, safe and conducive to learning. Members of staff are vigilant and they have attended safeguarding training, which has successfully increased their knowledge and understanding of the indicators of child abuse and neglect. This ensures that any worries about the children's welfare are prioritised and reported, without delay, to the relevant local child protection agencies. In addition, recruitment and vetting procedures are appropriate and ensure that all staff are suitable to work with children. Policies and procedures are implemented effectively and most documentation is well maintained. For example, good risk assessments of the premises and frequent audits of accidents help to maximise children's safety and reduce hazards. However, there is a breach of the specific legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. This is because the systems for recording children's hours of attendance are not consistently applied

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the early years provision

Resources are used effectively and stored accessibly, which enables the industrious children to make choices. Likewise, they benefit greatly from the use of the attractive and well maintained outdoor play areas. All children benefit from personalised learning plans which take into account a range of individual requirements, such as, learning English as an additional language, special educational needs and/or disability. In addition, the children gain knowledge and understanding of the wider community through planned activities and projects. Communication takes place between professionals to promote inclusive practice, and partnerships with local schools to ensure that children are prepared for the transition when the time comes to leave the nursery. Conversely, systems to liaise with other providers of the Early Years Foundation Stage who share the care of the children are not sufficiently developed. This does not provide consistency and

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the early years provision

continuity for the children as they move between settings.

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the early years provision

The setting's self-evaluation is accurate and secure plans are in place to drive forward improvements. The nursery manager is highly motivated to improve outcomes for children. She has recently set in motion new initiatives designed to improve parental engagement by listening and responding to their views. In addition, parents receive clear information about the nursery and they are frequently invited to meet with staff in order to discuss their child's achievements, well-being and development. However, the systems used to analyse children's This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 progress and involve parents in the process of observation and planning is less rigorous.

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and outcomes for children

The nursery is an enabling environment, which links the principles of Montessori approach to education with those of the Early Years Foundation Stage. The children are helped to develop independence and self-awareness because staff work hard to ensure that their physical and emotional needs are successfully addressed. This also has a positive effect on children's confidence and ability to take full advantage of the play and learning opportunities that are on offer. However, on occasion the children's play and concentration is interrupted because they do not receive sufficient prior warning events, such as snacks or group times.

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and outcomes for children

The children achieve and enjoy their learning because staff create a sensory environment in order to capture children's interests, sustain motivation and reinforce learning in different ways. For example, the children enjoy daily opportunities to experience making marks in sand, gloop, compost or paint. In addition, the children develop good skills for the future. For example, staff actively foster communication, language and literacy skills. Younger children enjoy books, singing activities and gain the confidence to use new words and initiate conversations with others. Babies are actively involved in social interactions, as staff talk with them and respond to the sounds they make with their voices. Older children are confident and socialise with each other, they make up stories during their play and confidently question why things happen. The children handle books with care and link sounds to letters as they prepare for their transition to school.

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and outcomes for children

Problem solving and numeracy is actively addressed as the children benefit from the use of jigsaws and programmable toys. In addition, they count, sort, order and make predictions, such as how many bricks are left when one or two are taken away. Aware of the importance of helping children to build and design, the staff encourage the use of construction equipment. They also help children to use tools, such as a ruler, which introduces children to measure and helps them develop the skill necessary to draw straight lines as they replicate the union flag. The children are perceived as active learners who are encouraged to take a lead role in their learning and follow their own interests. For example, while playing outdoors in the adventure play area, the children delight in dancing and trying to catch the falling cherry blossom. Afterwards, some children decide that they would like to make a picture using the fallen flower heads. Members of staff use this interest to talk to

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and outcomes for children

the children about the seasons and they provide the children with paper, pencils and glue to support their artistic ideas.

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and outcomes for children

The children are happy and enjoy learning in a safe and caring environment. Highly respectful relationships are in evidence between children and adults and the children's behaviour is extremely good. They show good self-discipline as they take turns and consider the consequences of their actions on both themselves and others. The children manage their own personal hygiene and they appreciate the importance of maintaining healthy lifestyles. For example, they learn about the positive effects of exercise and eating a balanced diet. During outings and walks in This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 the nursery grounds the children learn about their environment and become increasing independent as they learn how to manage risks. Overall, the children are provided with high levels of care. They make good progress in their learning and develop good social skills and regard for others as they listen to each other,

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and outcomes for children

share resources and work together harmoniously. 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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Early Years Foundation Stage

The effectiveness of leadership and management in embedding ambition and driving improvement The effectiveness with which the setting deploys resources 2 The effectiveness with which the setting promotes equality and diversity The effectiveness of safeguarding 2 The effectiveness of the setting’s self-evaluation, including the steps taken to promote improvement The effectiveness of partnerships 2 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 2

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 2 The extent to which children feel safe 2 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 2 The extent to which children develop skills for the future 2

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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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