Vision Montessori School

OM UK Sudbury Hill Montessori School Sudbury Hill Montessori School, All Hallows Church Hall, Greenford, UB6 0PR

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 26/03/2013 05/11/2008

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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

 The Key person system is successfully embedded. This helps children happily settle and develop positive relationships with the adults who care for them.  Children benefit from the strong parental partnerships fostered by the staff. The regular sharing of information helps to meet the needs of all children.  Effective systems for planning and assessment are in place, thus enabling children's future learning to be targeted to meet their individual needs.  Children benefit from staff who understand how children learn. They successfully balance developing children's independence with meaningful teacher led sessions.  Children behave very well; they respond suitably to the rules and routines set out clearly by staff who are effective role models.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Some opportunities for children to explore and develop their imagination using a wide range of resources are missed because children are not always able to make use of a full range of appropriate toys.  The book corner does not always attract all children's interest to help fully promote their developing reading skills.

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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

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Information about this inspection

 scheduled more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged 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 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  scheduled at the completion of an investigation into failure to comply with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Information about this inspection

The provision is also registered on the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. This report includes a judgment about compliance with the requirements of that register.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in both the indoor and outdoor environments of the school.  The inspector spoke to the Principal and the staff.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took into account the views of parents, who were spoken to on the day.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector examined documentation including a sample of children's development records, planning and assessment documentation and staff suitability records.  The inspector and Principal undertook a joint observation of a teaching activity.

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Information about the setting

OM UK Sudbury Hill Montessori School is privately owned. It was registered in 2007 and operates from a church hall at All Hallows Church in Greenford, in the London Borough of Ealing. The setting operates in line with the Montessori educational philosophy. Children have the use of two rooms on the premises and all children have access to an outdoor play area. The school is open Monday to Friday, from 9am to 3pm, during term time only. There are currently 26 children on roll aged two to seven years. The school currently supports children learning English as an additional language. The school employs five staff, four of whom are Montessori trained. Three of these hold Montessori Diplomas equivalent to a level 4 qualification. One member of staff holds a level 2 qualification, and two members of staff are currently working towards a level 3 qualification. The Principal additionally holds Early Years Professional Status. Specialists teach physical education,

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Information about the setting

dance and French. The school receives funding to provide free early education to some children aged two, as well as those aged three and four years. The provider is also registered on the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.

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

 supplement children's activities by including a greater range of imaginative experiences, such as small world play; and story boxes filled with interesting items

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

 develop the book corner further to create a place that encourages children's interest in a wide range of books and printed material.

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who attend

The school is successful in meeting its aim 'to have happy children gainfully employed'. Children settle quickly into the calm environment and have a good understanding of the routines of the school. They are happy and confident learners, enjoying good relationships with adults and other children in the school. Staff know the children very well, and effectively use Montessori methods to teach them. Children demonstrate a thorough understanding of the work cycle; they confidently self-select and complete activities before tidying away their resources for themselves. They are also keen to take part in adult directed activities, such as on the creative table, where they show enjoyment when making Easter baskets. Staff support children's learning appropriately and demonstrate a good understanding of how children learn; they offer support where needed, explaining new concepts clearly. They ask questions that promote children's thinking and language

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who attend

development. They are aware of when to step away from children's play. Staff take great care to ensure that children learning English as an additional language understand vocabulary, often using pictures, objects and actions to consolidate their knowledge.

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who attend

Staff provide interesting activities that cover the seven areas of learning both indoors and out. This helps children acquire a range of skills and prepares them for the next stage of their learning. Staff observe children's interests closely and through assessment information clearly track children to see where support is necessary and plan for the next steps in their learning. This enables children, including those learning English as an additional language, to make very good progress according to their starting points, notably with their formal skills in mathematics and literacy. Overall there is a good range of activities on offer to meet the needs of the children who attend. They provide suitable challenge; children self-select activities according to their interests from the defined learning areas. Children demonstrate a growing ability to use tools such as pencils and scissors correctly. Older children confidently write words using their well-developed phonic

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who attend

knowledge. They show a growing awareness of number by making quantities to 20 and are learning how to add and subtract. Appropriate resources, which include puzzles and picture cards, promote children's understanding of the world. Children enjoy the puzzles; they enthusiastically talk about the animals on a wild animal puzzle. Whilst children have access to a book area, stocked with a selection of books that usually includes library books, this area is not sufficiently inviting to consistently attract all children and encourage them to have an interest in a wide range of written materials. Children's physical development is enriched through physical education and dance sessions run by specialist teachers; children eagerly participate in these fun sessions. Children's creativity is encouraged through a selection of art material available and through a small selection of role play props that children are keen to use. Although role play is a popular choice of

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who attend

activity with the children, there are limited opportunities within the environment for children to use a wider range of resources that provide stimulus for children's imagination.

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who attend

The school benefits from a partly covered outdoor area which children have free-flow access to. Children enjoy developing their skills outdoors in all areas, for example they develop their physical skills by riding a range of scooters and bicycles and their creative skills through drawing on a chalk board.

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who attend

The 'key person' system enables staff to develop effective parental partnerships and ensures that there is a regular two way flow of information. The initial joining sheet that parents complete all about their children is a useful tool for the staff to gather relevant information that will help the children settle and staff to learn about their interests. Daily face to face communication between staff and parents, text messages and phone calls, open mornings where parents are invited to discuss their child's progress with staff, and the progress check at two years of age all ensure that parents are fully informed about the progress their children are making and helps them learn about the plans for their future learning.

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

The 'key person' system is successfully embedded within the school. Children enjoy positive relationships with staff whose calm and gentle manner permeates the environment. Staff take time to know the children and their parents well. This helps foster the family feel that is apparent within the school. Staff effectively nurture the children in their care; they foster children's independence and provide appropriate emotional support.

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

Behaviour of children is extremely good; the clear rules and routines of the school are followed consistently and a happy yet calm atmosphere prevails. Staff observe children diligently. They are quick to offer advice when necessary, especially when required to keep them safe; for example by teaching children how to carry equipment appropriately. Respect for others is fostered from an early age, with younger children benefiting from observing the older children's behaviour. Children have a well-developed understanding of right and wrong, and are able to sort out minor disagreements without the need for adult intervention.

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

The organisation of the environment enables children to access resources independently. Children of all ages busily involve themselves in self-chosen activities. Indeed, children's independence in their learning and self-care is a great strength of the school. For example, children benefit from being able to eat snack when they are ready, thus reducing the need to interrupt their work cycles. Children make healthy choices from the range of snack provided and know the importance of washing their hands before eating 'because they are dirty'. The staff give clear guidelines for parents on suitable food to provide for packed lunches and children benefit from the positive role models that staff provide when they eat together. As a result, lunch time is a relaxed, enjoyable period where children eat well using appropriate manners.

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

Staff have good systems in place to help assist children who are due to move to the next stage of their school career. For example, they invite teachers from the local primary school to visit the nursery. This aids the children's transition into primary school and provides a valuable opportunity for children to meet their future teachers in an environment where they feel comfortable.

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provision

The school places great importance of the safeguarding of children and has effective systems in place to help keep children safe. These include undertaking criminal record checks on all staff as well as arranging safeguarding training. Staff also hold paediatric first aid qualifications and demonstrate a good understanding of their responsibilities to keep children safe from harm.

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provision

The management of the school has given considerable thought into developing clear and effective methods for planning and assessment, in line with the revised Early Years framework. They demonstrate a clear understanding of how children learn. Planning documents clearly set out the learning intentions across the seven areas of learning and the assessment records making child tracking quick and easy for all staff to follow. Planning and assessment documents are stored appropriately to enable free access for all staff to refer and add to. These are monitored effectively by the deputy manager.

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provision

The school has established good links with the local authority, who provide support for the staff through regular training. Additionally the school is a member of the Pre-school Learning Alliance and benefits from close liaison from their advisors. Partnerships with other nurseries have been fostered. These are invaluable for staff to share ideas and help plan for improvement. Arrangements for staff supervision are in place, and the staff benefit from a system of regular classroom observation that helps them improve practice to meet children's needs effectively. The staff team benefit from the on-going support from the Principal, who encourages staff to continually improve their practice through additional training. As such, four members of staff are currently undertaking courses and are working towards gaining additional qualifications such as Qualified Teacher Status.

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provision

The school staff work closely with parents to ensure that they plan suitable experiences for each individual child. Additionally this sometimes means seeking the advice and support from external agencies. Staff have good links with the local authority special educational needs coordinator, as well as other specialists who work with the staff and parents to create individual education plans that meet children's needs and help them to achieve. Parents are happy with the care and education that their children receive; parents whose children have recently joined the school note that their children have made very good progress since joining. 'Children quickly learn independence' and 'my child is always happy and staff are very supportive' are typical of the positive comments parents make.

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provision

Systems for self-evaluation involve the whole staff team, and the setting reflects on its practice regularly, keeping up to date with the requirements necessary to meet the Early Years Foundation Stage regulations. The school successfully addressed the action and recommendation from the previous inspection in a timely manner.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are Met

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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 action. 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 EY359128 Local authority Ealing Inspection number 837955 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 8 Total number of places 46 Number of children on roll 26 Name of provider Ojal Montessori Uk Limited Date of previous inspection 05/11/2008 Telephone number 02084 222 427

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Setting details

set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: 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, which are usually the childminder’s 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

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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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