The Grange Montessori

The Grange Montessori Westcliff Road, Ramsgate, Kent, CT11 9LJ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 13/05/2013 23/11/2010

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 Previous inspection: 1 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 3 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 3

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This provision is satisfactory

 Staff provide children with a range of activities that enables them to make good progress in their learning.  Staff support children who are learning English as an additional language well.  Partnerships with parents, carers and those offering additional support to children are strong and provide continuity for children's learning.

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It is not yet good because

 Staff do not always respond quickly enough to meet children's individual needs. As a result children's care needs are not always met and they are not always responded to when upset.  Some children do not consistently learn about good hygiene practice and develop independence in their care routines.  Weaknesses in staff practice are not always identified and addressed.

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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 voluntary and compulsory parts 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 read the previous inspection report and evaluations.  The inspector undertook a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector observed activities in all age rooms and in the outside area.  The inspector had discussions with staff and children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled a range of documentation including children's records and safeguarding procedures.

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Information about the setting

The Grange Montessori Nursery registered in 2008 and is one of seven nurseries owned by this provider. It operates from a two storey converted school near to the centre of Ramsgate, close to shops and schools. A wide entranceway gives access for wheelchairs and there is a disabled toilet. There is a baby and toddler room, a two to three year olds room and a pre-school room. The baby unit is upstairs. The nursery serves the local area. Children have access to an enclosed outdoor play area. The nursery is open each weekday all year round from 7.30am to 6pm.

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Information about the setting

The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and on both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register, taking children aged from three months to eight years. There are currently 150 children in the early years age range on roll and children attend for a variety of sessions. The nursery currently supports a number of children with special needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language.

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Information about the setting

There are 21 members of staff working with the children, 20 of whom hold appropriate qualifications to at least National Vocational Qualification at level 2 or above. Of these, four members of staff are working towards a further qualification. The setting offers funded early education for three and four year olds.

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must:

 monitor staff performance to ensure that they are sufficiently skilled to respond quickly to children's individual needs.

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

 help children learn about good hygiene practice and develop independent skills, particularly with regard to their own care routines

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

 review nappy changing procedures to ensure that children's individual needs are met.

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who attend

The nursery is bright and welcoming with things of interest, such as, family photographs at children's eye level. Children are independent learners who are encouraged to select resources and make choices about what they play with. Children are cared for in four age rooms where toys and resources are suitable for their ages and stages of development and offer a wealth of learning opportunities in all areas. Children are encouraged to self discover and are motivated to learn, showing good levels of concentration at adult and child-led activities.

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who attend

Most children are happy and keen to participate in activities of their choice alongside those led by adults. They draw others into their play and are good at taking turns and sharing, taking pleasure in others achievements. For example, while playing a matching game on the computer children pass the laptop to the next person after completing their go. They show joy when they match cards and even more pleasure when their friends do so. Artwork is displayed prominently and children are continuously praised for their efforts, making them feel valued. Children for whom English is an additional language are supported very well as staff learn important words to communicate and ensure that words in their home language are displayed around the setting. Makaton sign language is used very successfully to build on children's communication skills. The environment is rich in language with staff continuously engaging children in conversation. Open-ended questions

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who attend

are used well to encourage children to talk and to think through what they are saying. Babies' communication skills are developing well as staff give clear explanations about everything that they are doing and use key words which toddlers are skilfully repeating. The good start to the development of children's communication skills is preparing them well for the next steps in their education. Books are easily accessible and children enjoy exploring books in cosy areas. They are encouraged to understand that print has meaning and think about sounds, relating them to things that they see around the nursery. Favourite stories are enjoyed and children participate enthusiastically in the telling of them.

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who attend

All children go outside daily to play in the nursery outdoor area where they are able to develop their physical skills well. Tools to develop children's small motor skills are easily accessible and children enjoy practising their pre-writing skills by pretending to write letters during imaginative play, for example. Children develop their mathematical understanding as they play and during routines such as counting out pieces of fruit at snack time. When sharing stories children successfully count up to twelve items in them and are keen to continue counting. Shapes are arranged throughout the nursery helping children to identity and match with great success. Key persons support children to develop excellent mathematical skills by ensuring that they build on their growing interest when planning activities and in general discussion. Role play areas offer a range of resources so that children are able to mimic adults and build on first-hand experiences. For example,

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who attend

children act out a visit to the doctor as costumes and toys help them to do so. They are also skilled at using objects to represent other things, and children play as part of a group during imaginative play, building on their personal, social and emotional development. Regular visitors to the setting also build on children's knowledge of the world and local community. Children use computers competently to participate in learning programmes. Art and craft resources are easily accessible and artwork is individual to the child creating it, encouraging the excellent use of imaginations. Music is enjoyed in and outdoors, with children of all ages playing instruments with rhythm to make the desired sounds.

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who attend

Staff have a good understanding of how children learn. They use appropriate and recognised guidance to assess children's development and to help them plan meaningful activities to build on children's progress. They know their key children well and this helps them to provide an environment that is engaging, varied and generally meets their individual learning needs and interests. Consequently, children are well prepared for the next steps in their learning.

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who attend

Parents and carers are fully involved in their children's learning journeys. They are greeted warmly by staff who share with them information about their child's day. Children are encouraged to participate in conversation and clearly relay what they have enjoyed at nursery. Daily diaries are also used to share communication. Parents and carers are able to look at their children's developmental folders whenever they wish but there are also regular events where they socialise with other families as well as learn more about their children's time at nursery. Parents add to the developmental folders when they write on 'wow' forms, sharing children's achievements from home. Baseline assessments and information from parents and carers help the setting to monitor children's progress and to plan for individual needs. Regular newsletters and interesting notice boards offer a wealth of information and keep parents and carers abreast of nursery life. Parents and carers

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who attend

report that they are very proud of the progress that their children are making and thoroughly appreciate being able to read their developmental folders.

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

Staff have an appropriate understanding of their roles and how to support children using the key person system. For example, where possible the youngest children's key person changes their nappy and feeds them. Staff spend time settling children and overall there are successful procedures which help children to settle very well. For example, a well- placed basket of musical instruments is explored by a baby while the key person encourages this as well as supporting interaction with other toddlers who crawl over to explore. Information is shared between rooms to ensure that individual needs are met and parents are part of the process when children move. Children turn to their key person for support and engage in conversations about things that are of importance to them. However, on occasions when children become upset staff do not respond quickly enough to reassure them because they are busy doing activities with others.

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

Staff give children appropriate guidance on how to keep themselves safe such as how to sit safely on chairs. Children demonstrate that they are aware of hazards. For example, a child pretends to write a letter that tells children not to run indoors as there are obstacles in the way. Children are generally well behaved and show kindness to others. Staff manage children's behaviour appropriately using consistent strategies. Children are helped to understand the importance of regular fresh air and exercise as part of a healthy lifestyle. Drinks are easily accessible and children of all ages know why and when they are thirsty and that water refreshes them at these times. Snacks and meals are healthy and nutritious and children are encouraged to try new flavours. Staff encourage children to help to clear up after meals, teaching them a sense of responsibility. Children participate in activities that build on their knowledge of the importance of a healthy

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

lifestyle. However, nappy changing routines do not meet children's individual needs because they are not always offered sufficient privacy and nappies are not always changed as required. Some children's independence and learning about good hygiene is not fully encouraged because staff dry their hands for them. Children benefit from playing in a well-resourced environment and participate in activities that adequately develop their independence and self-help skills.

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provision

Staff strive to provide a service that evolves to meet the needs of children and their families. Views and opinions of parents and carers are valued and gathered through a variety of methods including open-ended questions that encourage input. Children also discuss what they have enjoyed and not enjoyed at nursery and their suggestions for activities are listened to when planning. The setting works closely with local authority advisors who offer training to support them to develop. Recommendations raised at the previous inspection have been acted on and have improved outcomes. For example, partnerships with parents and carers are effectively contributing to them becoming involved in their children's learning. The outside area has been developed to provide a welcoming space where children enjoy playing and plans are in place to develop this further.

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provision

Staff review children's learning in order to plan activities to help children to continue to make good progress. As the managers are not included in ratios they are able to support staff through observations and regular appraisals. However, there are occasions when weaknesses in staff's practice are missed, resulting in children's needs not being fully met.

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provision

Staff are fully aware of their roles in safeguarding children. All staff participate in training and have access to information to continuously build on their knowledge and understanding. For example, staff are booked to attend training on how to manage children's behaviour. Risk assessment identifies areas to be regularly checked and to make sure that the premises are secure. Appropriate action is taken to minimise risks.

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provision

Partnerships with other settings that children attend are helping staff to work with other professionals to provide positive outcomes for children. Other professionals are welcomed to the nursery and strategies are shared that support all children, including those with special educational needs to make progress. Parents and carers enjoy positive relationships with key persons and are invited to social events, which they enjoy and help them to build relationships with other families. Staff meet with teachers, sharing information that helps them to plan for children's move onto school.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are Met The requirements for the voluntary 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 EY413013 Local authority Kent Inspection number 914420 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 97 Number of children on roll 150 Name of provider Townsend Montessori Nurseries Ltd Date of previous inspection 23/11/2010 Telephone number 01843588840

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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

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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