Mace Montessori Nursery

Mace Montessori School Limited 30-40 Dalling Road, London, W6 0JD

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 28/04/2014 10/12/2009

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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

 Children benefit from a welcoming, inclusive nursery where they are happy and settled.  Staff plan and provide a variety of interesting activities and experiences that support children's good progress in their learning.  Staff have positive relationships with parents and welcome them into the nursery.  The management team are committed to continually developing the nursery and take effective steps to address any areas for improvement.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Sometimes strategies for fully engaging all parents in their child's learning are not followed consistently by all staff.  Resources in some areas are not well organised to encourage children to make choices or to provide opportunities for children to spontaneously explore and investigate outdoors.

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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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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children taking part in indoor and outdoor activities and during meal times and care routines.  The inspector had discussion with the manager, the deputy manager and staff.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled records including staff suitability records, information shared with parents, children's files and planning.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke to parents at the setting and read parent questionnaires and took account of their views.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took part in a joint observation of an adult-led activity with the manager.

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Information about the setting

Mace Montessori School is one of seven nurseries owned by Mace Montessori Schools Limited. It registered in 2006. The nursery operates from a detached two storey building in Ravenscourt Park, within the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Nursery rooms are based over two floors, which are accessible by stairs. A secure enclosed roof garden is available for outdoor play. The nursery takes children aged up to three years and there is a separate Mace Montessori nursery building on the other side of the road that children attend when they are aged three and four years. The nursery follows the Montessori teaching method.

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Information about the setting

The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register. It is open each weekday from 8am until 6pm for 51 weeks a year. There are currently 81 children on roll. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who are learning English as an additional language. It receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two and three.

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Information about the setting

There are currently 22 members of staff who work with the children including the manager and deputy manager. There are four staff members who hold level 6 qualifications, two who have qualifications at level 5 and one who has a level 4 qualification. There are eight members of staff who have level 3 qualifications, six who hold qualifications at level 2 and one apprentice, who is working towards a level 2 qualification.

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

 extend systems further for fully engaging all parents in their child's learning by making sure that staff are consistent in sharing up to date information

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

 review the organisation of resources to provide further opportunities for children in Ladybirds to choose from a wide range of play materials independently and so that children have easy access to resources to explore and investigate outdoors.

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who attend

Staff welcome all children into the nursery. They gather detailed information before children start about each child's background, starting points and needs. For instance, they ask parents to fill in comprehensive registration sheets and talk to them during settling in visits. This helps staff get to know children well and provide any support they need. Staff make daily observations of children's achievements and use these effectively to plan activities that build on children's knowledge and skills. They adapt activities where needed and make links with other professionals as appropriate to ensure a consistent approach, for instance, if children need additional support with their speech and language development. As a result, children make good progress in their learning in relation to their starting points and capabilities. Staff keep parents well informed overall and work with them closely. They talk to parents every day and provide written feedback through contact

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who attend

books or daily sheets. They invite parents to reviews twice a year to discuss children's progress and provide a written report at this time. The report includes suggestions for things that parents can continue at home to support their child's learning. On occasion, however, there are some inconsistencies in the information that staff share with parents in between these review meetings, to ensure they are all fully engaged in their child's learning. For instance, parents are not always kept informed about plans for the next steps in children's learning.

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who attend

Staff plan a varied range of interesting activities for children based on their age and needs. They teach children a variety of useful skills that prepare them well for the next stage of learning and for school. Staff support young children's early language and communication skills effectively when they sing songs and rhymes with them, encouraging them to join in with the words and actions. Staff talk to children as they play, they ask questions and encourage older children to join in with conversations. They engage children's interest in books when they read them stories, asking questions about what happens and encouraging their involvement. Children listen attentively and remember the well-known words and phrases. Staff support children who are learning English as an additional language by finding out key words from home before they start and using pictures to help communication. Some children benefit from being cared for by staff who

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who attend

also speak their home language, which further supports their developing communication skills in both English and the language they speak at home.

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who attend

Staff teach children about number, size and measures well during every day activities and routines. They encourage older children to count as they play and sing number songs with younger children. They talk to children as they fill different sized containers at the water tray outside. Babies explore the size and shape of different objects and staff encourage them to feel their texture. Staff plan some interesting opportunities for children to learn about the world around them. They support children as they plant seeds to grow vegetables in the garden. Children push the seeds into the earth themselves and fill a watering can to feed them. They extend children's learning when they encourage them to talk about a spider that they find while they are outside. However, in the outdoor area children do not have free access to resources, such as magnifying glasses, to further develop this activity. Children enjoy visits from a local police officer or a dental hygienist

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who attend

as they learn about different roles in the community, as well as their own safety and health. Children benefit from a balanced routine and are well stimulated and occupied through the day.

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

Children are confident and settled in the nursery and come in happily at the start of the day. There is an established key person system which helps children form good relationships with their carers. Where there are changes of staff, children benefit from at least one long-standing staff member in each room to offer them consistency and continuity. This supports children's emotional and physical wellbeing. Staff are careful to follow young children's familiar home routines when they start, which helps them settle quickly and feel secure. Staff prepare children for transitions by making sure they have plenty of time to visit their new room before they move up. They provide calm and gentle support and guidance that helps children behave well. They remind children to share and take turns and encourage them to be kind to each other. Children quickly become familiar with daily routines. They line up to go outside and sit and listen quietly at circle time.

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

The nursery is bright and welcoming. A wide variety of age-appropriate resources and Montessori materials are available both indoors and outside. Resources are mostly used to create an interesting play environment for children. However, resources in 'Ladybirds' room are not as effectively organised as in others, to support children's independence and encourage them to make choices. This is because there is not as wide a range of play materials available for children to select for themselves in this room as there is in others. Staff make daily checks of the nursery and garden to ensure children can play safely. They supervise children closely at all times, making sure that enough staff are present throughout the day. This ensures that there are always at least two staff present all the time and new staff and students are not left on their own with children. Young children learn about risks and how to keep themselves safe when staff show them how to walk up

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

and down the stairs carefully holding on to the rail. Children take part in regular fire drills with staff so that everyone knows what to do in an emergency.

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

Children's good health is promoted well. Staff follow careful procedures for changing nappies, such as wearing aprons and gloves, which help minimise the risk of cross- contamination. Children learn to manage their own personal needs effectively when they wash their hands before they eat or get a tissue to blow their nose. Staff recently reviewed procedures for supporting children while they are learning to use the toilet to ensure that they have regular access to the bathrooms and to improve communication with parents. For instance, they now use a dedicated 'toilet training' communication book to pass between the nursery and home to help develop a consistent approach. Children benefit from well- balanced, nutritious meals and snacks that are freshly prepared on the premises. They enjoy, for example, a tasty pasta dish with fruit afterwards, for lunch. Children play outside every day as part of a healthy lifestyle. They benefit from a large

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

roof garden and regular outings to the nearby park. They enjoy the fresh air and exercise while practising their physical skills. They have fun riding scooters and bikes, having a turn on the climbing frame or playing a game with balls.

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provision

Children's welfare is effectively safeguarded. There are clear procedures in place to ensure that all staff are suitable to work with children and until checks are complete new staff are supervised at all times. Key staff in the nursery attend local child protection training and make sure all staff are familiar with the procedures to follow if they have concerns about a child. Staff and any students complete a safeguarding quiz as part of a comprehensive induction process, as well as a further quiz to ensure they are fully familiar with all policies and procedures. All required documentation is in place that supports the smooth day to day running of the nursery. The manager and deputy manager monitor staff performance effectively through room observations, file checks, supervision, appraisals and staff meetings. Staff attend local training courses to further develop and extend their skills. This ensures that the staff group is well trained and supported.

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provision

Staff show a good understanding of the learning and development requirements. They monitor children's progress effectively through observation and assessment. They work closely with other professionals as appropriate to provide all children with consistent support. The management team is committed to continuous development and has recently reviewed and updated systems for recording observations and for sharing information with parents, to ensure these are fully effective. Management involves staff in identifying areas for improvement and developing their own action plans. For instance, staff in 'Bumblebees' have recently reorganised resources to make sure that children can select as much as possible for themselves. Staff also seek feedback from parents as part of their evaluation of the provision, and they act on the suggestions. For example, menus were recently amended following a parents' survey about healthy food. The nursery staff are also in the

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provision

process of further improving and developing the outdoor play space so that children continue to benefit from challenging and stimulating outdoor play experiences.

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provision

Parents have access to a comprehensive range of policies and procedures as well as regular updates through newsletters, notice boards and the nursery's website. Parents are invited to take part in regular meetings and sessions at the nursery, such as a recent talk about cooking for young children. Parents comment that they find staff caring and helpful. They feel their child is safe and well cared for and they are pleased with the progress their child has made. Staff are also aware of the need to develop effective links with other early years settings that children attend, where this applies.

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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 EY335641 Local authority Hammersmith & Fulham Inspection number 971698 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 3 Total number of places 74 Number of children on roll 81 Name of provider Mace Montessori Schools Limited Date of previous inspection 10/12/2009 Telephone number 0208 741 5382

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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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