Olive Tree Montessori

Olive Tree Montessori Manor Park Young People's Centre, Villiers Road, Slough, SL2 1NP

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 05/12/2012 18/05/2012

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 2 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 Staff act as good role models to children in the calm and consistent way they manage children's behaviour.  Children make good progress in communication and language skills through well- planned activities.  Children are developing many useful skills for school since they show independence and a strong motivation to learn.  Staff receive effective guidance and support in their work and many seek to extend their professional development.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Although the outdoor play space supports physical development well, it does not provide a wide range of stimulating activities to cover all areas of learning.  Staff sometimes do not present resources well to support imaginative play.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections of registered early years provision are scheduled:  at least once in every inspection cycle. The current cycle ends on 31 July 2016  more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged as inadequate  brought forward in the inspection cycle where Ofsted has received information that suggests the provision may not be meeting the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage; or where assessment of the provision identifies a need for early inspection  prioritised for inspection where we have received information that the provision is not meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and which suggests children may not be safe  at the completion of an investigation into failure to comply with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in all the indoor rooms and the garden.  The inspector took into account the views of parents spoken to on the day.  The inspector looked at a wide range of documentation including children's records.  The inspector held a meeting with one of the directors of the nursery.  The inspector spoke with staff and children during the day.

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Information about the setting

The Olive Tree Montessori registered in 2011 and is a privately owned nursery. It operates from rooms within the Manor Park Young People's Centre in Slough, Berkshire. Children have access to an enclosed outdoor play area. The intake of children is mainly from the local community.

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Information about the setting

The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register. There are currently 39 children aged from two years to the end of the early years age group on roll. The nursery is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged three and four years. Staff support children learning English as an additional language. The nursery opens during school term times, on weekdays from 8.30am to 3pm. The nursery employs five staff who all hold appropriate early years qualifications. Staff promote the Montessori educational philosophy with an Islamic cultural ethos.

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To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 develop the outdoor play space by providing children with a wider range of activities that support all areas of learning.

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To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 extend imaginative role-play by providing children with a wider and more stimulating range of props to develop their own stories and ideas.

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who attend

Children are developing good attitudes to learning in a caring environment. They demonstrate high levels of confidence as they select activities and make decisions. When children hear a song that reminds them it is time to tidy away toys they are keen to co- operate. They are learning some valuable skills for school about caring for their environment and keeping safe. Children behave well at nursery due to the calm and consistent guidance from the staff. Children are familiar with messages about how to behave towards each other and they readily recall simple house rules. During group times, the children listen attentively and staff help support younger ones to stay engaged in activities. Children make good progress with their communication, in both English and Arabic. They are learning to recognise the shapes and sounds of letters in both languages.

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who attend

Staff provide effective support to children's learning. They collect a good range of helpful information from parents about children's starting points. The on-going daily discussions also support this effective partnership working that helps children progress. A successful open day helped staff share valuable information about how the nursery promotes children's learning through play activities. This contributes to encouraging parents to involve themselves in their child's development. Staff regularly collect information through observations and they use this successfully in planning activities. This means that children receive tailored support to help them make good progress. Staff cross-reference progress against developmental bands so they can work to narrow any gaps in achievement. They are also developing their summary assessments for the two-year-olds in their care to meet latest regulatory requirements.

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who attend

Children enjoy their learning through play. They explore sensory materials, such as foam, water or sand. They use a wide range of techniques to make pictures and many of these are on display for all to value and enjoy. Staff set up appropriate scenarios for children to develop their imagination and role-play. However, on some occasions the selection of props to stimulate this type of play lacks variety. Children are keen to visit the book corner where they receive good support to help them share stories. The daily singing times and access to a good range of musical instruments means children are using sounds and songs in enjoyable ways. Children show encouraging progress in their understanding of mathematics. Some of the youngest children attending demonstrate good number recognition and are able to sequence bricks by shape and size. Staff are good at bringing mathematical words into play situations, for example, when children build towers or make

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who attend

long and short snakes from dough. Children concentrate well at chosen activities, demonstrating care and control as they pour water from a jug or fasten buckles. They progress well with pencil control that underpin skills they need for school. Staff draw children into activities since they are enthusiastic. An eager crowd gathers around a member of staff who appears with a fresh floor puzzle about countries of the world. When children see the inspector's laptop, they are keen to switch the nursery equipment on and show their skills at using technology. Staff actively promote a sense of community to help children become aware of their surroundings. They arrange, for example, for children to make trips to local shops and parks. Photographs recall children sharing time with elderly people at a day centre. Children are developing positive attitudes and respect towards the needs of others.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Staff are attentive to the needs of the children in their care. Their gentle approach helps children develop confidence, whilst stretching their understanding. For example, children concentrate and listen attentively when staff provide them with short explanations of how to use Montessori equipment. A key person system operates in the nursery and staff are able to talk knowledgeably about their children in their group. Staff are good role models to children in the way that they show respect to parents and to each other. Children develop positive attitudes to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. They are familiar with routines for keeping healthy and safe when staff accompany them to the bathroom. Staff maintain good standards of cleanliness throughout the day. They ensure, for example, that they provide clean areas for children to eat and they wear suitable protective clothing when handling food. Children take an active role in chopping fruit for snack time and staff

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

promote healthy eating to parents who provide packed lunches. Outdoor play in the fresh air is a regular option for children who are keen to play with small equipment like bats and balls. Staff also organise trips to the adjacent public park where children access a more challenging range of equipment to support their physical development.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Staff have worked particularly hard recently to set out resources in a new set of rooms within the community building. They ensure that children have good opportunities to select activities for themselves, as part of preparing them for school. The range of resources is good overall with many examples of how staff use them effectively to support children's learning. An attractive book corner, for example, with soft drapes creates a cosy atmosphere that encourages children to explore. The effective use of the range of rooms available means that children spend time in different areas and engage in stimulating activities. The outdoor area that the nursery uses has also recently changed. Although, this is in use as a space for energetic play it does not provide a wide range of activities across different areas of learning.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

There are currently no children attending other settings or requiring support from outside agencies. However, during discussion, staff show good awareness of how to work in partnership with others to support children. They liaise with local schools when the need arises to ensure that children receive continuity in their care and learning.

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provision

Staff demonstrate a competent awareness of the safeguarding and welfare requirements. They implement the nursery policies effectively and work well as a team. The staff receive strong guidance from those in senior positions and this helps them feel well supported in their work. Staff are familiar with the safeguarding procedures and know how to act if they have child protection concerns. A robust recruitment procedure is in place and staff awaiting clearance of checks do not work in unsupervised contact with children. Staff conduct competent risk assessments of the nursery environment to help keep children safe and secure. They carefully monitor who is present each session and supervise closely all areas where children play. Staff work effectively with parents to share information about children's health. They develop individual health care plans when there is a need to take into account allergies or parental preferences.

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provision

Since registration last year, the staff are able to demonstrate a good record of improvement and use of reflective practice. They demonstrate a strong positive attitude in how they are adapting and developing the learning environment. Staff use a number of avenues of self-evaluation and they work effectively with outside consultants. They are forming close links with the local children's centre. This helps them to take advantage of initiatives to support specific areas of learning, such as language development. Staff receive a great deal of encouragement to pursue training to support their professional development. The directors of the nursery play an active role in contributing to the daily running of the nursery and providing up-to-date training. Senior staff effectively monitor the educational curriculum, though all staff receive encouragement to contribute ideas to planning meetings. Staff also value the input from parents, for example, during

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provision

discussions at open days or during daily feedback. Parents access a good range of printed information in the form of newsletters and displays. They also receive text messages if this is their preferred method of communication. Parents speak well of the nursery and the keenness of the children to attend. Parents note specific developments in their children, for example, in their social skills, which they attribute to the effective input from the staff.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding Outstanding provision is highly effective in meeting the needs of all children exceptionally well. This ensures that children are very well prepared for the next stage of their learning. Grade 2 Good Good provision is effective in delivering provision that meets the needs of all children well. This ensures children are ready for the next stage of their learning. Grade 3 Satisfactory Satisfactory provision is performing less well than expectations in one or more of the key areas. It requires improvement in order to be good. Grade 4 Inadequate Provision that is inadequate requires significant improvement and/or enforcement. The provision is failing to give children an acceptable standard of early years education and/or is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be inspected again within 12 months of the date of this inspection.

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Grade Judgement Description

Met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not Met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider does not meet the requirements for registration.

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Inspection

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under Sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and care, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY440121 Local authority Slough Inspection number 894377

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 5 Total number of places 40 Number of children on roll 39 Name of provider Olive Tree Montessori Limited Date of previous inspection 18/05/2012 Telephone number 07746074073

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Type of provision

set out in the guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

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Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

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Type of provision

Full-time provision is that which operates for more than three hours. These are usually known as nurseries, nursery schools and pre-schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the higher fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Sessional provision operates for more than two hours but does not exceed three hours in any one day. These are usually known as pre-schools, kindergartens or nursery schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the lower fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Childminders care for one or more children where individual children attend for a period of more than two hours in any one day. They operate from domestic premises that are usually their own home. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Type of provision

Out of school provision may be sessional or full-time provision and is delivered before or after school and/or in the summer holidays. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. Where children receive their Early Years Foundation Stage in school these providers do not have to deliver the learning and development requirements in full but should complement the experiences children receive in school. 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,

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Type of provision

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. 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. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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