Lilliput Montessori Day Nursery Leicester Forest East

Lilliput Montessori Day Nursery Forest House Lane, Leicester Forest East, Leicester, LE3 3NU

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 16/04/2013 19/12/2011

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early years provision

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

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This provision is satisfactory

 There is a warm, welcoming environment in which children are safe and secure.  Children are building suitable attachments and bonds which promotes their well-being.  Partnership with parents, external agencies and other providers are well established and make a sound contribution to meeting children's needs.

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It is not yet good because

 Some procedures in place to support children's good health are not sufficiently robust to minimise cross-infection, with specific reference to hand washing routines prior to snack and meal times.  The organisation of activities is not consistently effective as some do not ensure all children are actively involved, in order to best support their individual learning and development.  The monitoring and performance management systems are not yet sufficiently embedded to ensure the quality of observation, assessment and teaching is at a consistently high level.  The process for self-evaluation is not sufficiently robust to demonstrate clearly how targets are prioritised and planned for in order to drive continuous improvement.

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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 observed activities throughout the nursery in both indoor and outdoor spaces.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the nursery owners, the manager and staff at appropriate times throughout the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at documentation including children's records, learning and development information, staff records and a selection of policies and procedures.  The inspector took into account the views of parents through discussion.

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Information about the setting

Lilliput Montessori Day Nursery is one of five nurseries run by Lilliput Day Nurseries Limited. The nursery was registered in 2007 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated in purpose-built premises in Leicester Forest East, Leicestershire. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates on two levels and there is a fully enclosed area available for outdoor play on the ground floor and a balcony area for children on the first floor.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs 31 members of childcare staff. Of these, 27 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and 3. The manager and one deputy are working towards a qualification at level 6.

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Information about the setting

The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round from 7.30am until 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 160 children attending, 128 of whom are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for three- and four-year-old children. It supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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must:

 take necessary steps to promote children's good health with specific reference to ensuring effective hand washing routines are used by all children, to minimise cross-infection

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must:

 review and improve the organisation of group activities to ensure that all children are engaged and their individual needs, interests and stages of development are fully considered.

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

 develop the performance management and monitoring systems further to ensure that the quality of teaching is monitored and information is used to shape practitioners' professional development

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

 implement rigorous and effective systems for self-evaluation to inform priorities and set challenging targets for improvement.

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who attend

Children make satisfactory progress and are gaining a sufficient range of key skills to support their future learning. They are cared for by qualified staff who generally provide an environment which supports their learning and development. Planning for learning is tailored to children's interests with information provided by parents in home link books. Staff observe and assess children's developmental levels to identify their next steps in learning.

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who attend

Suitable equipment and resources are available in all rooms to meet the ages and developmental stages of the children cared for. Staff plan effectively to ensure a range of adult-led and continuous play activities are available. However, there are inconsistencies in the effective organisation of some activities, which means that not all children are actively engaged in their learning. For example, group activities, such as circle time in the pre- school room are sometimes too large. It requires children to sit for extended periods until all have been greeted individually. Children sitting furthest away are unable to hear those children sharing news and therefore lose interest, causing disruptions within the group. This also occurs during story time. Furthermore, there are occasions when younger children, not yet skilled in steering their own play, are not fully supported by staff to engage in activities and as a result, sometimes wander aimlessly. Staff talk with children

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who attend

and encourage language development through asking mainly open-ended questions. This encourages children to think and respond. Children who speak English as an additional language are appropriately supported in the nursery. For example, labels reflect both English and children's home language and staff have learnt some key words in children's home language. Nursery staff work in partnership with outside professionals and parents to ensure that those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make adequate progress.

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who attend

Babies are cared for in a designated room. They make good progress in their physical development. They explore toys and resources with cause and effect, for example, press button toys which pop up and musical rattles. They access different textures to feel and touch, to develop their sensory awareness. Low-level furniture helps them as they pull to standing and those not yet mobile discover themselves in floor level mirrors around the carpeted areas. Babies crawl into baby nests to sleep as an alternative to cots and their individual routines are recorded and followed in line with parental wishes. Consequently their needs are well met.

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who attend

Three rooms for younger children are organised to meet children's varying developmental levels. They transfer to the room for children aged two to three years before moving to pre-school upstairs. There are opportunities for children to mix especially as all rooms have shared access to the outdoor area. Children play outdoors every day. Doors remain open during appropriate weather so children can make active choices about the environment in which they wish to play. They jump and run to catch bubbles blown by staff and ride wheeled toys with support, developing skills to propel themselves along. Children crawl through a tunnel and those not yet sure, roll balls to staff who play 'peep- bo' at the other end. Pre-school children are cared for on the first floor. A large room is divided to facilitate active play and quiet relaxation. Role play areas enable children to make connections with home, for example, when a pretend hospital area is created due to

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who attend

a child experiencing the arrival of a new baby sibling.

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who attend

Creative activities are supplemented with the provision of an additional room equipped with a range of materials, paint and collage materials. Children can also access the 'loft' which is a dedicated area for children who attend the out of school provision but is utilised during school time with additional activities. A covered balcony enables children to play outside safely without negotiating stairs. This opens from the first floor landing and has low-level balance beams and is sufficient in size to enable children to experience activities that promote their physical development. Mathematics is introduced to children through everyday routines, such as counting the number of children on the register. This is extended by staff to include 'clapping' the correct number.

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who attend

Communication with parents is effective with regard to obtaining information during induction about what their child already knows and can do. Parents' views are valued and there are regular opportunities to share information and plan for children's learning in nursery and at home. Staff have experience of working in partnership with other early years providers and local schools as children move on in their education, to ensure consistency of care and learning.

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

The nursery environment is safe, warm and welcoming and children learn how to keep themselves safe. For example, older children learn how to climb up and down the stairs safely using low-level hand rails. Children are supported well in the transition from home to nursery in a manner sensitive to their different needs and those of parents. Children progress to the next room in the nursery according to developmental readiness. Summary documents record their progress and they visit with key persons to ensure a smooth transition. Parents are informed and introduced to new key persons. This ensures that consistent care is given to children and effective partnerships are maintained. Children enjoy sound relationships with their key person, who knows their needs well.

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

Children are generally settled, building relationships with key persons and other staff in their room. Staff encourage children to play cooperatively with others, to share and take turns. Behaviour is consistently managed with positive reinforcement in order to boost children's self-esteem. Good practice encourages children to gain an understanding of difference. For example, resources reflect positive images and children learn about different traditions, customs and beliefs. Older children develop skills in the use of Makaton signing which they practise during singing activities.

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

Most children are supported well in managing their own hygiene and personal needs. However, this is not consistent for all children. For example, staff neglected to wash the hands of some young children returning from outdoor play before they accessed snack foods. This poses a risk of cross-contamination as they all help themselves from a plate of prepared fresh fruit.

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

Meals and snacks are healthy and nutritious. A recently introduced initiative provides a starter and main meal on two days each week with a main meal and pudding on the other three days. Children enjoy poppadoms and dips before curry and rice, tentatively trying mango chutney as an addition to the meal. Dietary needs are discussed with parents to ensure specific needs are successfully met with alternatives, for example, to reflect vegetarian or cultural needs. Children's well-being is addressed appropriately and parents are provided with clear detail about staff practice in policies on safety, illness and accidents. Robust procedures are established for the safe administration of medication. A senior staff member administers this with another staff member present. Accurate information is recorded and parents sign to acknowledge they have been informed. Staff take prompt action in situations when accidents occur, within the nursery and when

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

emergency care is required. Staff complete daily checks in their rooms to ensure any hazards are minimised, including how furniture is arranged to ensure children play and relax safely. Records are included in risk assessment reviews to identify and address any reoccurring issues.

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provision

Children remain safe because the premises are secure and staff are fully aware of their responsibility to ensure the suitability of all staff. Required ratios are maintained to ensure children are supervised at all times in their designated rooms and when they play outdoors. Children are never left unsupervised with any person visiting or settling children who has not been subjected to vetting procedures. Required records and documents are established and consistently reviewed, including policies and procedures to support the safe management of the nursery. However, self-evaluation is not rigorous enough to consistently identify clearly how targets are prioritised and planned for, in order to drive continuous improvement.

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provision

Staff are knowledgeable in their responsibility to safeguard children and know the procedures to follow if they have concerns about a child or any adult caring for them. Designated staff attend training and ensure others are kept fully informed and up to date. Parents are aware of the policy and the Leicestershire Safeguarding Children Board procedures are accessible to them. There are strong partnerships with other agencies who are involved in the care and learning of the children, which ensures that they receive relevant support and consistency to meet specific or identified needs. Partnerships with parents are effective and staff are committed to working together with them to ensure continuity of care and learning for children. Parents are kept well informed both in writing and through daily verbal communication.

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provision

Staff work well together in their designated rooms. Although the manager visits rooms on a regular basis and meets with staff for supervision and appraisals, the monitoring and performance management systems are not yet sufficiently embedded to ensure the quality of teaching is at a consistently high level. Transitions into school are effective as links are established with local schools. Arrangements include visits from reception class teachers and visits with children during the term before they start.

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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 EY348114 Local authority Leicestershire Inspection number 909083

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 100 Number of children on roll 160 Name of provider Lilliput Day Nursery Limited Date of previous inspection 19/12/2011 Telephone number 01162394912

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Type of provision

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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