Rigg Farm Montessori Nursery

Rigg Farm Montessori Nursery Briscoerigg lane, Beckwithshaw, HARROGATE, North Yorkshire, HG3 1QY

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 29/04/2014 07/10/2009

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 1 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 have excellent opportunities to be involved in outdoor play and learning. As a result, they benefit from lots of fresh air and become confident in exploring and engaging with nature.  Children are provided with an exciting and inviting learning environment, which means they want to explore and discover things for themselves. Consequently, they make very good progress in their development.  Children settle well in this welcoming setting and their behaviour is exemplary because they fully understand what is expected of them. As a result, they become confident, responsible and independent individuals.  Staff work well together as a team. Management recognises their individual skills and utilises these well to support and enhance the outcomes for children's learning.  Partnership working with parents is good, which promotes effective sharing of information. Consequently, staff know children and their families well and can provide

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This provision is good

care that is tailored to their individual needs.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Daily safety checks are not always fully effective in identifying damaged equipment in the outdoor play area.  Partnerships with some early years settings children also attend are not fully established, in order to promote the highest levels of continuity for children.

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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 had a tour of the premises and observed children in the playroom and the outdoor area.  The inspector met with the owner, who is also the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff working with children and discussed the provider's improvement plan.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a selection of children's records, planning documents and policies.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector undertook a joint observation with the deputy manager that involved children acting out a 'tea party' in the outdoor area.  The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day.

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Information about the setting

Rigg Farm Montessori Nursery was registered in 1994 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is privately owned and operates from a purpose-built, single storey extension of a farm house in the village of Beckwithshaw near Harrogate. The nursery follows the Montessori educational philosophy. It serves the local community and surrounding villages and towns and is accessible to all children. Children have use of a large room and there are cloakroom and toileting facilities in an adjoining area. There is an outdoor play area, including a field and extensive gardens, with some areas housing farm animals, which are cared for by the staff and children. The nursery employs nine members of childcare staff. Of these, five have a Montessori International Diploma at level 4 and one has a Montessori qualification at level 2. The nursery opens Monday to Friday from 9.15am to 4pm during term time and a

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Information about the setting

summer scheme runs from 9.15am to 4pm for two weeks in the school holidays for children up to the age of eight years. Children attend for a variety of sessions and there are currently 61 on roll. The nursery provides funded early education for three- and four- year-old children. It supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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

 enhance children's safety further by strengthening the effectiveness of daily checks, to ensure any damaged resources are quickly identified and promptly removed from the outdoor area

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

 strengthen the ongoing sharing of information with providers of all other early years settings where children attend, to ensure continuity of their learning is fully promoted.

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who attend

Staff are well qualified. They are knowledgeable and confident in their teaching and successfully implement the educational ethos they follow in conjunction with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. They provide children with a very good range of interesting activities that enable them to learn successfully in different ways. As a result, children make very good progress in their development and are well prepared to move on to school, when the time comes. Staff give high regard to enabling children to follow their own interests and to become independent learners. At the same time, they know when to join in, to further support and extend children's learning. For example, when children collect eggs from the nursery hens they encourage them to count how many have been laid. This means children successfully learn to use counting for a purpose. Staff support children to extend their understanding of the world very well. For

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who attend

example, they teach them about the solar system. As a result, children are keen to impart their knowledge on the subject, such as discussing how there is no life on Mercury and that Jupiter is a gas planet.

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who attend

Staff give very good attention to promoting children's development in communication, language and literacy. They use open-ended questions, to make children think and give them time to formulate their answers. They constantly use discussion and conversation with children to develop their vocabulary. As a result, children are confident in using language to describe a sequence of events. For example, one child relates how adding baking soda to vinegar will produce a 'volcano'. The child delights in explaining how this will 'explode'. When staff use books with children they make stories come to life. For example, a member of staff wears a hat and provides various items for children to add to this, in line with the story. This means children are very focused on the task and are not easily distracted. Staff also lead activities around singing and rhymes, which successfully supports children to further develop their listening skills and to learn through repetition

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who attend

and word patterns. Good support is provided for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This is achieved through close partnership working with parents and any other agencies involved in children's care and by staff following targeted support plans.

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who attend

Staff provide a bright, welcoming and well-resourced environment for children to play and learn. For example, all resources are available at their height to promote choice and independent learning. Within the playroom there is a dedicated art area where children can develop their creativity through using a wide range of media, with expert support and guidance from an artist. For example, children make detailed representations of the apple tree in blossom in the garden using media, such as paint and tissue paper. Outdoors children engage with nature on a daily basis as they care for various animals. Parents are kept very well informed about the Montessori ethos and what this approach means for their children's learning and development. They have regular access to their child's learning record and are free to take this home to view. This means they are well informed about their child's progress in the nursery. Key persons encourage parents to add their

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who attend

comments and photographs about children's learning at home to the record and a good number do so. This means staff are informed about children's learning outside the nursery and can use this information when planning for children's next steps in their learning.

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

Children's transitions into the nursery are managed very well. This means they settle quickly into their new environment. For example, staff gather a good amount of information from parents about each child as individual and settling-in visits are provided. Parents are able to stay with their child for as long as they feel is beneficial to them. This helps children to feel emotionally secure and promotes their sense of well-being. High priority is given to helping children to learn to manage their personal safety. This means children are not afraid to 'have a go' at more challenging activities. For example, as they climb trees children are taught not to climb higher than they feel comfortable with. Staff are close by to offer help if children ask for this. For example, they suggest where children could put their feet to aid their descent. Staff talk to children about why certain arrangements are in place for housing animals. For example, even though children cannot

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

access the electric fence around the sheep's enclosure staff talk to children about the possible dangers of this. Children's good understanding of this is evident. For example, one child explains to the inspector that she must not touch the fence as 'it's electric' and she will 'hurt herself and have to go to hospital'. Staff do make daily checks of the outdoor area before children go outside. However, these are not always fully effective in promptly identifying and removing any damaged resources, to further promote children's safety.

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

Staff pay excellent attention to promoting children's outdoor play and learning. Children have 'free flow' to the garden area, accessing this as and when they want. This means they benefit from lots of fresh air and have scope to investigate and explore on a much larger scale. For example, children become fully immersed as they make 'meals' using mud; they take off their shoes and delight in feeling the texture of sand between their toes and build their own dens, using a willow shelter and fabric. Children develop good physical skills and control and coordination of their bodies as they use large play equipment. For example, they very confidently negotiate the steps to a large climbing frame and delight in pretending to sell 'ice cream' from the balcony. They giggle with pleasure as they 'whizz' down the slide. Staff give the highest priority to supporting children to become polite, independent and self-reliant individuals. For example, they give

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

them lots of time to develop their self-care skills in particular. As a result, children demonstrate 'can-do' attitude. This prepares them well for school. For instance, from a young age children know to put their wellingtons on before going outside and to put these away when they change into their shoes.

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

Children behave in an exemplary manner because staff ensure they have consistent boundaries and know what is expected of them. As a result, children know to put equipment back in the correct place after use, so others can find this easily. At snack time, they decide whether to have this inside or outdoors. They collect their plate and select what items they would like to eat, pour their own drink and carefully carry this to the table. When they have finished eating, they put any leftover food items in a dish to feed to the goats and wash and dry their plate and glass afterwards. Children help to feed the nursery animals each day and take their duties very seriously. For example, they scoop up feed and place it in troughs for the pigs and goats. This means they make a very positive contribution to the life of the nursery and learn to care for living things. Children learn to have mutual respect for one another. For example, children who are staying all day say

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

goodbye to those who are leaving at lunchtime.

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provision

Arrangements for safeguarding children within the nursery are good. For example, there are robust systems in place to ensure there is no unauthorised access to the premises, including key code entry for staff and parents and a bell for visitors. Staff and management have a good understanding of their roles and responsibilities in terms of child protection issues and know to whom they should refer any concerns. This means children are well protected. Staff are deployed very well and take ownership of different areas during the session. The manager recognises and values the individual skills and strengths of staff and utilises these effectively. Consequently, children are well supervised and supported at all times. The inspection was prioritised following concerns being raised about: the safety of large climbing equipment, the arrangement for keeping animals and for dealing with any rodents in the outdoor area, children's learning needs not being met,

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provision

the nursery's policy for use of cameras, hand washing and toilet facilities and the provider's ability to keep accurate attendance records. The inspection found that large climbing equipment is safe and risks associated with its use are minimised effectively, animals are housed so they do not come into contact with children's play areas and a contract is in place with a professional company to ensure any rodents are eradicated. Any cameras used for taking photographs of children never leave the premises and are only used by staff. There are appropriate hand washing and toilet facilities and children's individual learning needs are known and met well by all staff. Attendance records are maintained. However, it was found that on one occasion the hours of attendance for two children were not recorded. However, although this is a breach of welfare requirements, since this occasion, all records of children's attendance have been maintained accurately

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provision

and, therefore, no further action is being taken.

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provision

There are thorough recruitment and vetting procedures in place to assess staff's suitability to work with children. These include requesting references and Disclosure and Barring Service checks. New staff undergo an induction, so they are clear of their roles and responsibilities and all staff have an annual appraisal with the manager, to identify and address any additional training needs. Peer observations and monthly one-to-one meetings with the manager are being introduced, to further strengthen the monitoring of staff's ongoing performance. Partnerships with parents are very good. They receive good information about the service, including the policies and procedures that underpin the service. Daily discussion, regular newsletters and photographs of the session's activities are displayed on a monitor in the entrance. All of which keep parents well informed of their child's time in the setting on an ongoing basis. Social events are provided, such as a

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provision

summer barbeque, which provide good opportunities for parents to get to know one another. The nursery has good links with schools that children move onto, which promotes good partnership working, to aid a smooth transition to the next stage in children's learning. However, links with providers of some early years settings children also attend currently, are not fully established. This means a shared approach to all children's care and learning across provisions on an ongoing basis is not promoted as well as it could be.

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provision

The monitoring and evaluation of the service and the effectiveness of the educational programmes is seen as an ongoing process. This means the needs of all service users are known. For example, at the end of each day staff meet and take turns to lead discussion that focuses around evaluating the success of the day's activities and children's learning. Outcomes from this are recorded, including areas for improvement, which the manager then uses to help draw up a clear and well-targeted plan for future improvement. Parents are continually asked their opinions about the service and questionnaires are used to gain their views about particular aspects, such as the effectiveness of opening times in meeting their care needs. As a result of this, the opening times have been changed to fit in more effectively with school drop off and pick up times of older children in the family. Parents express positive comments about the nursery. For example, they praise staff's

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provision

commitment to promoting their children's learning and they particularly like the opportunities children have to develop their independence. Children's progress is monitored effectively through the nursery's ongoing tracking arrangements. This enable the manager to identify any gaps in children's learning and help staff to address them. This means children reach their full potential. Children are actively encouraged to take ownership of their learning records. For example, they help to add photographs and decide if they want to add examples of their work to the record.

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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 400409 Local authority North Yorkshire Inspection number 968132

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 61 Name of provider Theresa Micallef Date of previous inspection 07/10/2009 Telephone number 01423 525263

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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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