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 08/11/2013 16/04/2013

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 Previous inspection: 3 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 requires improvement

 Children have secure relationships with staff and are confident. This means they are emotionally ready for their move onto school.  The building is secure and systems are in place to maximise children's safety within the nursery and when on outings. Staff ratios and deployment are effective in ensuring children are supervised well.  The management team is committed to improving standards and have developed systems of monitoring and evaluation which give an accurate overview of the nursery.

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It is not yet good because

 The management team do not take prompt action when weaknesses in staff performance are identified.  A few staff are less skilled in teaching and cover staff are not made fully aware of children's learning needs. This impacts on the progress which some children make.  Explanations are not consistently given to children to support their understanding of the consequences of how they behave on the feeling of others.  There are fewer open-ended activities and resources in the outdoor areas to support children who learn best outside.

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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 the practice of staff in all rooms, including the out of school provision, and observed interaction with children, care procedures and how behaviour is managed.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector kept the manager and senior informed throughout the inspection with feedback and discussion, including a prolonged discussion with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled a range of documentation, including evidence of suitability checks made on staff, registers of attendance, learning journals and the complaints record.  The inspector spoke with parents and took their views of the nursery into account.

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Information about the setting

Lilliput Montessori Day 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 a purpose built premises in the Leicester Forest East area of Leicestershire. It is managed by Lilliput Day Nurseries Ltd, who manage five nurseries locally. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from five rooms over two floors. There are two fully enclosed areas available for outdoor play.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs 28 members of childcare staff. Of these, three staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 6, 21 at level 3 and one at level 2. The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 127 children attending who are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, 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:

 improve the effectiveness of the monitoring and supervision of staff by taking prompt action when weaknesses are identified in practice

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must:

 improve the consistency of teaching, assessment and planning by developing the skills of some staff in extending learning through play and ensuring that staff who are unfamiliar with a room are given appropriate information to provide for children's individual needs

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must:

 improve handling of children's behaviour by ensuring that staff have a secure understanding of good practice and give consistent explanations to children of why certain behaviour is expected.

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

 make better use of the outdoor areas to provide consistency of play and opportunities for all children, including those who learn better in an outdoor environment.

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who attend

Children enjoy their time at the nursery because staff are welcoming and engage with them in their play. They benefit from being able to make independent choices from a wide range of accessible resources indoors, therefore, they are interested and engaged in their activities. For example, a group of children in the pre-school room invent a storyline within the caravan role play. They interact and exchange ideas, share and adapt resources and negotiate roles. Improvements made to the organisation of routines enhance children's engagement. In the larger rooms children are divided at group times, which successfully enhances their involvement.

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who attend

Most staff make effective use of the opportunities provided through children's own ideas to extend their learning. For example, a member of staff praises and encourages a baby's developing understanding of technology as she presses buttons and waits for a response. The baby persists with this activity because her success is celebrated. She is encouraged to try different buttons and develops her listening skills as the member of staff draws her attention to the differing sounds. Children in the Pixies room respond excitedly when one child notices that the colours of the elephant in the book match the wall display. He stands up and shouts, 'Purple, its purple!' The member of staff is enthusiastic in acknowledging this and invites the other children to look. They soon become absorbed in matching and naming other colours. The member of staff skilfully maintains their interest in the story throughout, which means they return to the story with renewed interest and focus.

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who attend

However, teaching practice across the staff team is variable. Some staff are not as skilled as others in making use of the opportunities within children's own play. Although they engage warmly with children and develop their communication and language skills through conversation, they are less adapt at extending children's learning across all areas of development. A few staff do not have a precise understanding of their key children's learning needs when planning the next steps in their learning, which then impacts on how well they can teach. This means that although all children are working within the expected range of development for their age and are sufficiently prepared for school, there are variations in how well they are prepared. Some children make good progress and others make slower progress, depending on the skills of their key person. In addition, staff who are covering absences are not always aware of the learning needs of the children in the

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who attend

room. Consequently, they do not fully tailor their interactions to extend children's learning appropriately.

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who attend

Children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well through secure partnership working with the other professionals who work with them and the specialist centre they attend. This ensures that these children make good progress in line with their starting points. Children who speak English as an additional language acquire an appropriate level of English because words in their home language are used to develop their understanding of language.

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who attend

Parents are actively encouraged to work in partnership with the nursery. Most staff make good use of the information parents give them to enhance their understanding of the children's interests and use this to extend learning. For example, a member of staff develops a child's home interest in cars by planning a car wash. She introduces mathematical thinking into this, as they compare amounts of soap and water and count how many cars have been washed. This regular exchange of information includes support for parents to extend learning opportunities at home.

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

Children are confident and feel secure because staff are warm and caring towards them. Therefore, they develop a positive sense of belonging and are comfortable in the nursery. They are motivated to make independent choices in their play, which means all children are occupied. They approach staff easily to express their needs and enjoy their involvement in their play.

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

Babies are particularly well cared for in the Thumbelina room. Staff are deployed across the room to ensure that all babies have good levels of support and attention. The thoughtful organisation of resources provides babies with a quiet place to sleep or relax away from bright lighting. Babies in this room make good progress in all areas of development. Consequently, children are emotionally secure and ready for transitions to the next stage in the nursery and eventually on to school.

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

Although children benefit from a stimulating environment indoors, the outdoor spaces are less well organised and resourced. Staff plan for individual activities, for example, specific growing activities or circle games. However, there are fewer open-ended resources, such as den building or role play. This means that children who learn better in an outdoor environment are less well provided for. Children benefit from regular opportunities for fresh air and outside play, which gives them the benefit of exercise and develops muscles and coordination.

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

Children are developing sound social skills because staff are friendly and engage with them positively. Realistic rules and boundaries for children's behaviour are consistently applied, therefore, children conform to these. However, a few staff are not skilled in promoting children's knowledge of behaviour, because they do extend these expectation with appropriate explanations. This means that children do not securely develop an understanding of the consequences of their behaviour on the feelings of others and their own safety.

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

Staff have a secure understanding of how to safeguard children's welfare. They have a clear knowledge of the policies and procedures of the nursery and of their roles and responsibilities in reporting child protection concerns. Procedures that are in place, for example, to ensure only known adults can enter the building and collect children, are meticulously followed, which ensures the safety of children in the nursery. Children develop independence as appropriate to their age and ability through established routines. For example, children going to the park to collect leaves put on their coats and high visibility jackets and stand in a line because they know they must be counted. Children in the early years age group who attend the out of school provision explain the arrangements for the journey from school to the nursery, demonstrating their confident understanding of the safety measures and why these are in place. This shows that they

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

develop a secure understanding of how to keep themselves safe. Children follow established hygiene routines to support their self-care and understanding of keeping healthy. They remember to wash their hands before eating or after using the toilet with few reminders. Children's safety is further promoted through good levels of security in the building. Children with mobility issues are supported well and can access all aspects of the building equally.

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provision

This inspection was brought forward because Ofsted received information that the nursery was not meeting the requirements of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. This is in relation to promoting equal opportunities for all children and the appropriate managing of children's behaviour. The inspection found that the nursery has in place appropriate systems and practice to support children's equal opportunities. However, not all staff are skilled in supporting children's behaviour with regard to giving explanations of why certain behaviour is expected. The leadership and management team have identified concerns with staff performance regarding behaviour management. They have formulated well-targeted plans to address this, through training and changes to staff deployment. However, prompt action has not been taken to put these plans into operation. The registered person and nursery manager are aware of their responsibilities

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provision

in doing so and have taken some action by increasing supervision and resourcing relevant training. They demonstrate an adequate understanding of their responsibility to meet the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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provision

The monitoring and evaluation of the nursery across all areas of provision has been made a priority since the last inspection. Monitoring is thorough, taking in most aspects of care, teaching and learning. Managers are ambitious and improvement plans are detailed and accurately focussed on the areas which require improvement. Therefore, the nursery demonstrates the capacity for continuous improvement. However, these plans have had only partial impact because managers have been focusing on the monitoring process itself. Action has been taken on the actions and recommendations raised at the last inspection and overall the nursery has made improvements. Staff views are sought and taken into consideration through team meetings, one to one supervisions and conversation with managers throughout the week. The manager has increased the amount of time she spends in the nursery rooms in order to evaluate and lead practice more successfully.

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provision

Parents are invited to contribute to the evaluation of the nursery through surveys, parents' evenings and an open-door policy. The advice of local authority support worker is actively sought and her recommendations acted upon to the benefit of the children.

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provision

Managers carry out regular monitoring of children's learning journals and are working to support staff where shortfalls in the quality of assessment and planning have impacted on the effectiveness of teaching. This applies to a few staff, as most have good skills in this area. The majority of staff in the nursery hold appropriate childcare qualifications and where these have been enhanced by ongoing and well-targeted training and development staff demonstrate good skills which impact positively on children's learning and development. Observations of staff teaching practice are beginning to be carried out and training needs identified from these are in the process of being resourced. This is enhanced by regular supervisions and appraisals of staff skills. These formal supervisions are carried out more frequently where performance issues have been identified. This means that staff have a clear understanding of the standards required and know the areas

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provision

of their performance they need to improve.

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provision

Children's welfare is safeguarded because the management team has a secure understanding of their roles and responsibilities. The safeguarding policy has been reviewed and a policy on the use of mobile phones and social networking introduced in order to promote safe working practices. Procedures for the recruitment of staff ensure that appropriate checks on adults' suitability to work with children are carried out. New staff go through a probation period, during which they are supported by a mentor and receive an appropriate induction into the nursery. This ensures that all staff have a sound knowledge of the expectations and procedures of the nursery.

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provision

Written risk assessments of hazards to children are shared with staff and displayed in the rooms as reminders. Therefore, staff are aware of these and take action to minimise these hazards. This includes the maintaining of ratios at all times, including outings and journeys to and from school. Staff are deployed appropriately to maintain good levels of safety and supervision of the children. The building is secure, with both external and internal doors effectively preventing children from leaving the premises or leaving their own room without staff's knowledge. Children's care, learning and development are enhanced by good partnerships with parents and other professionals. Parents spoken to at inspection demonstrate a secure understanding of how to raise a concern or complaint. They are able to access the policies of the nursery on the company website, in order to clarify these procedures. Parents express high levels of satisfaction with the nursery and feel they

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provision

receive good levels of communication with regard to their children's care and learning.

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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 Requires improvement The provision is not giving children a good standard of early years education and/or there are minor breaches of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected within twelve months of the date of this inspection. 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

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Grade Judgement Description

the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected again within six months of the date of this inspection. 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 942072

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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 127 Name of provider Lilliput Day Nursery Limited Date of previous inspection 16/04/2013 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

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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