Sheen Montessori Nursery

Sheen Montessori Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY428119 Inspection date 19/06/2012 Inspector Marilyn Joy

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Setting address Palewell Cottage, Palewell Common Drive, LONDON, SW14 8RE Telephone number 02088785746 Email fiona@sheenmontessorinursery.co.uk Type of setting Childcare - Non-Domestic 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.

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You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as 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

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

Sheen Montessori Nursery registered in 2011 and is privately owned. The nursery operates from a converted house in East Sheen in the London Borough of Richmond. All children share access to a secure outdoor play area. The nursery provides a service for children from the local and wider community. It is open each weekday from 9am to 12.15pm, term-time only, and on Wednesdays it is open from 9am until 3pm. Additional afternoons will be offered as demand requires. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register. A maximum of 52 children, from two years to the end of the early years age range, may attend at any on time. Children may attend for a variety of sessions and there are currently 43 children on roll. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early education to children aged two, three and four years. There are eight staff working with the children and, of these, one holds Qualified Teacher Status and two more hold

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Description of the setting

relevant Montessori qualifications. The nursery follows the Montessori approach, which they incorporate into the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework.

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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

Children make good progress in an exciting and challenging environment where they receive effective support overall. Most management systems are robust and thoroughly implemented which positively contributes towards ensuring children are safe and protected from harm. The nursery forges exemplary partnerships with parents, which helps ensure that children's individuality is valued. The quality of the provision is effectively monitored and evaluated. Management respond positively to feedback and demonstrate a strong capacity to maintain continuous improvement.

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further?

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

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further?

 strengthen systems to offer tailored support to ensure children are consistently engaged in activities  strengthen induction training to make sure it is fully understood by staff and includes practical experience of procedures, such as the fire drill This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

The nursery offers a safe and secure environment for children. They can move around freely because staff are vigilant in supervising them and thorough risk assessments have resulted in potential hazards being identified and removed. Management have developed a comprehensive range of policies and procedures that underpin the smooth operation of the nursery. This includes clear recruitment and employment procedures with processes for checking the suitability of new staff and completion of induction training. However, there is no clear system to ensure that all parts of the induction process are fully understood or that staff have had the opportunity to put procedures, such as the fire drill, into practice. Staff have a thorough understanding of child protection issues and know what to do if they have concerns about a child in their care. Children benefit from knowledgeable staff who are committed to keeping them safe and protected them

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the early years provision

Management and staff have high expectations for the nursery and work hard to improve their practice. Thorough and varied self-evaluation processes engage the views of parents and staff and include feedback from local authority advisors. Effective action plans for the future development of the nursery are in place and continuously worked on. Following feedback from the local authority the outdoor area is developing extremely well to offer a very exciting area to explore. The nursery has also introduced a lunch club and afternoon session following a request from parents. As a result of improvements made, outcomes for children are continuously improving and their learning enhanced.

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the early years provision

The nursery embraces equality and diversity well. There is an excellent variety of resources which include many that help raise children's awareness of diversity and value individuality. Staff work closely with parents regarding special educational needs and children's home language to help make sure they offer the support they need. Records clearly reflect the individual support that children receive and the progress they are making. Staff know children well and have a secure knowledge of their backgrounds and individual requirements.

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the early years provision

Management and staff create highly effective partnerships with parents. Parents receive an excellent range of information about the nursery and their child. They can speak to their child's key person on a daily basis and regularly view their progress records. They receive clear information through newsletters, the notice board and discussions with staff about how they can support learning at home, weekly planning and termly topics. Parents are extremely satisfied with the nursery. They refer to the excellent progress their children are making, the activities they experience and how much they enjoy attending. Effective arrangements are in place for working with other providers and supporting a successful transition into school. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

Children arrive enthusiastically and most are familiar with the daily routines. They find their name and complete the self-registration board. They hang up their coats and place their belongings in their own named tray before hurrying off to greet their friends. Children are very busy and quickly become involved in activities of their choosing. Some select a tray from the Montessori units and independently complete tasks. They carefully pick up conkers with tongs and transfer them from one dish to another or build a tower from the pink blocks. Staff are ready to help younger children manage these tasks for themselves. They extend the degree of difficulty when children are ready and able to achieve success with a little practice. Older children graduate to linking sounds and letters. Interesting objects are matched to letters in the alphabet and when able children begin to create words. Children's language and communication skills are effectively encouraged through

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and outcomes for children

relaxed conversations and activities which they enjoy. Some chatter to each other about the picture they are creating, while others develop an involved storyline while creating a space ship for dinosaurs. Staff introduce mathematical concepts through planned activities using Montessori equipment and children put them into practice as they play. They solve problems, such as how are they going to build their space ship or balance a rectangular block on a cylinder. Many count confidently and some identify and work with numbers higher than 10. Children become well equipped with the skills they need for future learning.

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and outcomes for children

Children enjoy a broad range of exciting activities and learn about the world around them through practical experiences. For example, they become familiar with the life-cycle of a butterfly when observing them in the nursery; they join in with a dragon dance for Chinese New Year and experiment with ice. Staff successfully use themes to broaden children's understanding, such as 'Growing.' Children draw around themselves on the playground, use handprints to measure themselves and create charts for a display. They move around activities freely. They are encouraged to persevere and many become involved in creating a large papier-mch spider or looking at books in the play tent. Children explore many different media and materials. They excitedly investigate shaving foam and use their hands to create different designs; they paint, explore sand and make shapes with dough. Staff recognise that younger and less confident children sometimes

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and outcomes for children

find it more difficult to manage in a large group and so they spend some time in smaller groups, either upstairs or at then end of the day. Generally, staff are extremely supportive. Occasionally, however, there are times when individual children miss out because they are at the edge of the group or staff do not notice when they are not joining in. Mostly children are enthusiastic and motivated learners who benefit from the positive environment they are in. Staff create colourful records of children's experiences and the progress they are making. They identify what they can do and plan activities to help them move forward.

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and outcomes for children

Children receive extremely effective encouragement to adopt a healthy lifestyle. A cafe-style snack means they can help themselves whenever they are thirsty or hungry. They pour their own drinks, enjoy a variety of fruits and clear up This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 afterwards. Children know they need to wash their hands beforehand and require little prompting. They engage in an excellent range of physical activities and enjoy plenty of fresh air because they can move freely between indoors and outdoors. Children enjoy balancing along beams and are often expert at manoeuvring the wheeled toys along the path. Hand-eye coordination is developing extremely well and supports the introduction of later writing skills. Children learn about keeping themselves safe because staff provide them with clear guidance and explanation. Consistent boundaries and well-organised routines are particularly successful in

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and outcomes for children

helping children understand expectations. Children build extremely positive relationships with staff. They display excellent levels of confidence and self-esteem and work exceptionally well independently and with their friends. 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 1 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 1 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 1 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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