Port Regis Montessori

Port Regis Montessori Port Regis, Convent Road, BROADSTAIRS, Kent, CT10 3PR

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 14/01/2014 03/10/2013

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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 very positive relationships between children and adults mean children settle extremely well and gain good levels of confidence.  All children benefit from going outside to play in the fresh air, supporting a healthy lifestyle.  Children enjoy the nursery lunches and gain some independence skills from an early age, as they begin to serve themselves.  Parents are well informed of the good progress children make and staff encourage them to support children's learning at home.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There is a wide range of resources and print displayed around the nursery, but this does not fully reflect all children's cultures and home languages.  The staff are not, routinely, fully encouraging children to make marks or practise their early writing during a range of different play situations.

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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 in the play rooms and the outside area.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held a meeting with the owner/manager of the nursery and completed a joint observation in the nursery.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at some children's records, including their learning assessments.  The inspector spoke to some parents during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of safeguarding practices, staff recruitment, ongoing professional development and self-evaluation processes.

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Information about the setting

Port Regis Montessori is one of seven nurseries run by a private owner and registered in 2005. It operates from a segregated area of a nursing home in Broadstairs, Kent. There are extensive grounds and woods, to which all children have access on a daily basis. The pre-school children have access to an enclosed outdoor play area from one of their classrooms. There are a number of internal steps and stairways in the building. There are a number of animals on site including guinea pigs, rabbits, a hamster, chickens and a pig.

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Information about the setting

The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is open each weekday from 7.30am to 6pm, for 51 weeks of the year. There are currently 149 childrenaged from three months on roll, all of whom are in the early years age range. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language.

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Information about the setting

There are 21 members of staff, 20 of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications. One member of staff has qualified teacher status, 16 staff have relevant qualifications to at least level 3 and three have a qualification at level 2. The nursery is supported by a cook. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The preschool children are supported by a Montessori teacher.

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

 improve the reflection of children's home languages and culture across the environment, to promote diversity fully and help develop children's awareness of differences amongst people

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

 provide a wider range of play activities, both inside and outdoors, which enable and encourage children to use materials and tools to make marks and to practise early writing.

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who attend

The staff ably promote children's learning and development effectively, taking account of children's interests and individual needs. There are clear assessment systems in place, and each child's key person identifies appropriate next steps in their learning through careful observations. The enthusiastic staff engage children in activities and motivate them to learn. Staff inform parents well about their child's progress: parents receive regular summary reports and staff encourage them to contribute details about children's learning at home. The pre-school children in the 'Butterflies' group sometimes have 'homework', such as taking sand letter-shapes home, for parents and others to help support their learning. The required progress checks for two-year-old children include good detail about children's progress and next steps in their learning. As a result, parents know about their child's personal, social, emotional and physical progress, as well as their communication

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who attend

and language development. Parents record positive comments that demonstrate they are very satisfied with their child's care and development. Knowledgeable staff help support children who require some additional input, ensuring that they inform and involve parents.

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who attend

Children are clearly gaining the skills and abilities they need to support their future learning and being ready for school. The older children show good levels of concentration as they engage in an activity or play. Younger children show great interest as they explore their surroundings and resources. Children learn independence skills from a young age, for example, the two-year-olds in 'Ladybirds' serve themselves at lunchtime and help to pour drinks. The Montessori resources for the preschool children enable children to learn independently, because much of the equipment is self-correcting. All children have access to some writing or mark-making materials, but staff do not always fully support children to to practise their early writing skills across a wide enough range of play activities or outside. Babies have their own area outside in the large grounds with some age- appropriate resources, such as large construction bricks, playhouse and a roundabout toy.

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who attend

The non-mobile children go for walks in the buggies, even if the ground is to wet for them to play on. The older children have another area set aside, with a range of resources that is constantly under improvement. The preschool children also have easy access to the outside area that leads from their playroom. Overall, throughout the nursery, the staff support children's communication and language development well. With the younger children, staff respond positively to their early language attempts and they do lots of talking and singing. Staff ask good questions of the older children, which gets them to think, and children are keen to talk about their ideas and thoughts. In general, where children are using English as an additional language, the staff value and use the children's home languages. Sometimes, however, the staff do not make the best possible use of children's home language and culture to help children settle and to communicate, or to

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who attend

help others gain a positive awareness of people's differences.

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

Children settle well and demonstrate good emotional well-being, showing they have fun with smiles and giggles. Key persons, as far as possible, manage young children's personal care needs, such as nappy changes for babies and young children, helping to develop a caring bond. There is effective support in place, which includes discussions with parents, for all children as they move through the nursery groups. For example, there are visits to the new room and useful sharing of information between key persons. Notices clearly inform parents when a key person is on holiday or poorly. The staff manage children's behaviour positively and, as a result, children learn to behave well. They play well with each other, learning to share and take turns. Children gain an understanding of the importance of a healthy lifestyle. The nursery provides nutritious meals that meet individual dietary requirements. Toilets are easily accessible to the

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

children who need them, and this helps them learn to deal with their own personal care needs. The older children know about the need for hand washing before eating. All children benefit from playing, or being in the fresh air, on a daily basis, and generally go out twice a day. Cosy areas in all rooms mean that staff and children can share books or talk in comfort. The excellent quality of resources at low-level, enables babies and all children to make their own play choices, helping them gain confidence and develop independence skills. Children learn to keep themselves and others safe as they regularly practise fire drill evacuations. Clear and consistent messages from staff help children learn about safe behaviours, such as when using scissors or making rubber band pictures.

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provision

Although there have been recent management changes at the nursery, the staff team work well together. The staff are aware of the safeguarding and welfare requirements for the Early Years Foundation Stage and ensure that the nursery meets them. Staff are secure in their knowledge of possible child protection concerns and of the processes to follow within the nursery to ensure that children are safe and protected from harm. There are clear written procedures available for staff and parents. There is a thorough recruitment process to help ensure staff suitability, and appropriate checks are in place for all staff. A clear induction process helps new staff gain an understanding of their roles and responsibilities. Annual appraisals and regular supervision sessions encourage staff to reflect on their practice to improve outcomes for children. Ongoing training opportunities help ensure staff are up to date in their knowledge of best practice, for example, in

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provision

behaviour management, safeguarding or first aid.

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provision

The staff suitably supervise children at all times, particularly when outside, as the grounds are very large. All the required documents are in place, such as records of attendance and a complaints recording system. There are detailed written risk assessments that demonstrate how the management consider potential risks to children and minimise these. For example, there is good use of safety gates on stairs or doorways. There have been positive developments since the last inspection, demonstrating a strong capacity to continue improvements. The staff have increased resources and activities outside, and more resources are on order for inside as well, particularly for the 'Ladybirds' room. There are plans in place to create more outdoor play areas for children, to support their overall learning in the outdoor environment.

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provision

The staff have a competent knowledge of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage, and they ably support children's progress. The key persons are responsible for monitoring children's learning records, which enables them to identify each child's learning and development needs and to plan accordingly. The management team uses very robust systems for tracking and monitoring development, to ensure that all children make good progress.

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provision

There is good information sharing with parents: staff engage well with them to ensure their children receive the support they need. Parents comment that they receive good detail about their child's day and can always speak to the staff. There are effective partnerships with others, such as social services or speech and language specialists, to help the staff meet children's individual needs well.

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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 EY413006 Local authority Kent Inspection number 947097 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 85 Number of children on roll 149 Name of provider Townsend Montessori Nurseries Ltd Date of previous inspection 03/10/2013 Telephone number 01843600444

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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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