The De Lacey Montessori School

The De Lacey Montessori School St Francis Community Hall, 865 Great West Road, ISLEWORTH, Middlesex, TW7 5PD

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 28/01/2014 Not Applicable

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early years provision

This inspection: 1 Previous inspection: Not Applicable 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 1 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 1

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This provision is outstanding

 The highly effective use of self-evaluation is sustained and threaded through all aspects of children's learning, planning, assessment and staff management. This results in sustained, meaningful development and a consistently high quality of teaching.  The manager disseminates her vision for the nursery well, shares good practice and values staff's experience and individual skills. This results in all staff working seamlessly and coherently and encourages the continual development of staff and sharing of skills.  Staff use their secure and detailed knowledge of individual children to focus well planned activities at the appropriate level to engage and interest all children. Children make excellent progress as a result.  The use of the outdoor area enthuses children and generates sustained and purposeful learning. The successful and developing use of the Forest School ethos and carefully planned tasks results in children exploring, investigating and learning to assess their

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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 spent the inspection time observing staff and children in the nursery.

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Inspection activities

 Safeguarding was discussed with staff and the manager and the nursery's policy was sampled.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector shared a joint observation and a leadership and management discussion with the provider/manager during the visit.  The inspector sampled children's information and development records.  Parents' views were gathered through discussion with parents.

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Information about the setting

The De Lacey Montessori School has been operating since 1982. It was taken over by the daughter of the original provider and re-registered under her ownership in 2010. The Montessori School operates from St Francis Community Hall in Isleworth in the London Borough of Hounslow and combines the Montessori ethos with the Early Years Foundation Stage learning and development programmes. The premises comprises of a hall, kitchen and bathroom areas. There is an enclosed outdoor area for outdoor play.

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Information about the setting

The Montessori School is registered on the Early Years Register. It operates from 9.30am to 3.30pm Monday to Friday during term time only. The nursery school receives funding for the provision of free early education to children aged two, three and four years. A staff team of eight, including the provider/manager, works with the children. The provider/manager has a Montessori Teaching qualification and has achieved Early Years Professional Status. Her mother, who shares some aspects of management and works in the nursery, also has a Montessori teaching qualification, another member of staff has a primary teaching qualification, two member of staff have level three qualifications in childcare, and two have level two qualifications and are working towards level three. One member of staff is currently working towards a childcare qualification. A cook is also employed to prepare lunch.

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

 extend the use of personalised resources to further support children's sense of themselves, each other and the world around them.

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who attend

The staff work seamlessly together with the manager to provide a busy, productive and interesting nursery environment where children are excited, motivated learners. The consistently high level of staff engagement in children's learning and high quality of teaching, results in all children making excellent progress in their learning and development, given their starting points. The wide range of varied and well planned learning experiences and the nursery routine all build children's confidence, independence, and their physical and communication skills. This results in children acquiring an excellent range of skills that will help and support them when they move on to school.

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who attend

Children arrive at nursery eager and excited. They immediately become immersed in the varied and interesting range of activities set out each day by staff. The excellent balance between adult led activities and child led play encourages children to become independent and motivated learners who are confident in initiating and sustaining their own play. For example, children use their imagination, creativity and problem solving skills continually. They make independent choices about their play as they help themselves to large wooden bricks and planks and carry these into the outdoor area. Children immediately become engrossed in designing, building and constructing an aeroplane. They use large and small physical skills and coordination to balance and position bricks and planks forming a recognisable structure in which they take great pride. Children show confidence, concentration and excellent team working as they work together to complete the

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who attend

construction and discuss where the plane will take them and who will be the pilot.

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who attend

The consistently high quality of teaching and appropriately judged level of support staff provide encourages children in this high level of creativity, independence and concentration. Staff engage constantly with children, for example by creatively linking their imaginative play in the garden to a familiar story. Children excitedly huddle together with a member of staff inside the pretend house they have made, while she tells the story. Children giggle, gasp and call out 'the wolf is coming'. They recall the familiar story naming the different types of houses there are in the story and saying 'I know this, it's in the book'. This high level of excitement and exploration is extended and sustained by staff when children discover a worm in the soil. Children observe the worm closely and describe it as 'a wiggly worm' as it moves. The member of staff suggests they find a magnifying glass to look more closely at the worm and examine the worm and how it moves looking

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who attend

closely through the magnifying glass. Children gradually increase confidence, building towards carefully picking the worm up and feeling it wriggle on the palm of their hand, then carefully return it to the soil where they observe it burrowing into the soil. Staff use these impromptu learning experiences consistently following children's interests and capturing their attention. This encourages children to becoming confident, active, explorative learners as they try new experiences and investigate in a safe environment.

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who attend

Staff use their observations and detailed knowledge of individual children to provide more intense support where needed. They provide close individual attention during some activities and use resources such as picture communication and simple signing. This supports children with language delay or who have English as an additional language and ensures all children achieve well and participate at their own pace. Staff plan specific adult led learning such as letter recognition and pre-reading activities according to individual children's needs. They recognise when children are showing an interest in letters and sounds and initiate a short one-to-one activity matching letters to pictures. Highly successful strategies such as suggestions on continuing these simple matching games and sounding out of letters at home, involve all parents, through practical activities, in children's learning. Effective use is made of resources such as photographs in displays and

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who attend

children's development records to illustrate what children are learning, although this is not quite as effective in supporting children's understanding of themselves and the world around them.

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

Staff create a welcoming atmosphere and share affection and care with children. This results in children forming secure attachments with staff and feeling safe to investigate, explore and learn in the supportive, stimulating and interesting nursery environment. Children behave extremely well as they are excited, busy and active. They play constructively showing a developing consideration and awareness of each other and staff. Children build friendships, socialise well, and work together on tasks, games and during imaginative play, enjoying each other and staff's company. Children are familiar with the daily routine and well prepared for changes, such as responding to the bell which means they need to stop and listen. This prepares children extremely well for expected behaviour and routines they will experience when they start school.

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

The pertinent planning and highly successful implementation of activities such as the weekly Forest School session, promotes children's awareness of the outdoors and safety through meaningful experiences. For example, staff and the manager share clear explanations and give visual demonstrations of an activity before supporting children in trying this themselves. The close adult reassurance and vigilant supervision enables children to use real tools, such as a hand held drill, to achieve a goal of drilling their own hole in a piece of wood. Children assess risks in their own play, such as realising when the large wooden bricks are unstable and may fall. The excellent way in which staff use the outdoor environment provides constant challenges and exploration, and encourages children's enjoyment at being outdoors and learning about the world around them. This promotes in children a feeling of good health and encourages children's active learning

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

and extensive use of both the indoor and outdoor environments.

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

The nursery provides healthy snacks and meals which children thoroughly enjoy. They learn that using energy during their busy morning makes them hungry. Children understand why they follow good hygiene procedures such as their hands needing to be clean for lunch. They are supported well by staff in developing increasing independence such as serving themselves at snack and lunch times using a ladle and cutlery appropriately and carefully.

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provision

The provider/manager has a clear and comprehensive understanding of her responsibilities regarding safeguarding children, including maintaining the required records and documentation. She has high expectations of staff which is reflected in their clear understanding of their responsibilities and the procedures to follow if concerns arise regarding children's welfare or they have concerns regarding a colleague. All staff have attended safeguarding training and the manager keeps herself abreast of new information and guidance which she disseminates to staff. Staff supervise children vigilantly and use risk assessments to monitor, reassess and minimise potential hazards. They promote a culture of taking care and being safe that encourages children's awareness of their own safety very well.

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provision

The provider/manager is constantly striving for excellence and has a clear vision for the ongoing development of the nursery. She has a strong, successful commitment to driving continued improvement which is supported by external monitoring of her practice. Staff share this vision and their individual experience, skills and knowledge are highly valued by the provider/manager. This results in a highly effective staff team who provide a welcoming environment. The comprehensive and meaningful use of self-evaluation is sustained and is threaded through all aspects of children's learning, planning, assessment and staff management. This results in sustained, meaningful development which has a direct and positive impact on children's learning.

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provision

Robust recruitment procedures establish that staff are suitably qualified, experienced and suitable to work with children. Staff have regular individual supervision and annual appraisal meetings with the provider/manager which identify individual strengths, interests and future development. These are currently in the process of being gradually extended to include peer on peer observations. The provider/ manager participates in regular Early Year Professional Status audits which help monitor and focus her own development. Staff regularly attend training to further extend their knowledge and qualifications.

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provision

Staff have a secure understanding of the individual needs of all children. The allocated key person system is very effective in building children's confidence and helping them build relationships outside their family. Staff communicate well with each other to share relevant information and ensure children's needs are met at all times. They use their knowledge, observations, tracking of children's progress and planning to focus meaningful activities and learning opportunities. These are tailored to children's individual stages of development, interests and needs. Staff use their observations and assessment of children's development to contribute to the required progress check for two year olds and identify potential areas where children may need additional support. The provider/ manager oversees this by monitoring different groups of children and assessing progress overall.

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provision

Space and resources are used effectively to provide a balance of adult led and child led play and activities. Highly effective use is made of real tools during the Forest School session, and children are taught how to handle, manipulate and use these safely and appropriately.

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provision

The nursery works effectively with parents sharing information well and providing meaningful opportunities for parents to be involved in the nursery and continue children's learning at home. For example the weekly nursery to home diary provide parents with a 'picture' of their child's learning and practical suggestions for use at home. Parents are encouraged to contribute to this too providing information about what children have been doing at home. This contributes to how staff plan activities and conversations they have with the children. Parents participate in activities such as sharing stories from their culture on World Book Day. Parents praise the nursery and staff highly, commenting on how welcoming staff are, the excellent communication, and the progress they can see their children making.

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provision

Good links are made with other providers through the Early Years cluster meetings the provider/manager attends, and her links with other Early Years Professionals in the area. Links are made with local schools and strategies such as exchange visits with some schools take place. A preparation for school meeting takes place with parents as children approach school age, during which information about the differences between nursery and reception class are discussed. This supports children and parents effectively during this time of change, preparing children very well for the move to 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 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 EY418859 Local authority Hounslow Inspection number 701291 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 5 Total number of places 33 Number of children on roll 35 Name of provider The De Lacey Montessori School Limited Date of previous inspection not applicable Telephone number 07921483391

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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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