Ashley Cross Montessori

Ashley Cross Montessori 29 Chapel Road, POOLE, Dorset, BH14 0JU

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 07/10/2014 18/02/2009

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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 are motivated learners who display high levels of exploration in their play as they are provided with a welcoming, well-resourced environment. A good range of activities inspire and challenge children as they learn.  The strong key person partnership with parents and children means staff understand children's interests and abilities on entry and plan effectively for children's individual learning. This means children make good progress.  Children develop good communication and language skills as staff use warm and meaningful interactions and skilful questions during activities.  Strong reflective practice means staff are well equipped to make precise and timely improvements across the nursery.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Children do not access information technology and communication resources readily to learn how to use technology equipment to support their own learning.  Staff communicate warmly to children but occasionally miss opportunities to fully involve less confident children in activities.

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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 staff and children in the playroom and outdoor areas.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled key documents, including risk assessments, key policies and children's developmental records.  The inspector undertook a joint observation of an activity with the manager.  The inspector took account the views of parents spoken to on the day.  The inspector spoke to staff and children at appropriate times throughout the day.

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Information about the setting

Ashley Cross Montessori is one of two privately run nurseries, owned by the same provider. It registered in 2008 and operates from a converted building situated in a residential area of Poole. Children have access to ground floor and first floor rooms and enclosed outdoor play areas. The nursery is open each weekday from 8am to 6pm for 51 weeks of the year. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently 53 children on roll; all of whom are in the early years age group. The nursery cares for a number of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language. The provider is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education to children aged two, three and four years. The nursery employs eight members of staff, of whom 6 hold appropriate early years qualifications and operates in

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Information about the setting

line with the Montessori educational philosophy.

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

 provide children with regular opportunities to access information technology and communication resources to support their own learning

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

 ensure staff use their observational skills consistently to fully involve shy or new children in group activities of interest.

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who attend

Staff demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the learning and development requirements outlined in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Through a strong key person system they take care to establish close relationships with parents when children join the nursery. Staff gather information that results in them knowing their key children well. Staff recognise and celebrate children's achievements as they plan challenging and interesting activities that encourage children to learn and make good progress across all areas of development. For instance, some themed bags of resources are brought out to a group of children and they are invited to select which one they would like to explore as a group. As children select the sausages bag a real frying pan is placed in the centre of the rug and children are invited to get the contents out of the bag and place it in front of them. The staff member calmly and skilfully engages children in counting and naming the items as they

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who attend

are taken out of the bag. Finally, there are ten fat sausages and the focused time continues as children engage in singing, actions and learning the concepts of counting and taking away. Children remain focused and keen to participate. They are confident in their communication and use a good range of descriptive words as they are encouraged to think through ideas relating to the song. Children are stimulated and encouraged to learn as staff engage in the activity and ask carefully thought out questions.

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who attend

Children are highly motivated and enjoy making selections from the good quality, wide range of resources available to them. Children know where to find things and this supports their ability to make informed choices. For example, as children want to use materials to create their own toys they go to the area with baskets of newspaper and other materials. Having selected their required amount of newspaper, children's focus becomes intense as they carefully manipulate it into shapes. Finally with a voice of confidence a child says, 'Look, my grown up fish'. Staff are skilful at asking questions relating to the fish which allows the children to think through ideas and develop further avenues of exploration. As the newspaper fish is taken on a journey around the nursery, children share in the experience and explore different areas of the environment with the fish. The fish even gets its portrait painted. Children are encouraged to fully explore activities of interest to

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who attend

them remaining highly motivated as they are given space and resources to fully explore ideas and use their imaginations. However, there is little information and communication technology available for children to explore freely. This means children are not always able to develop skills in learning how to use simple technology equipment to further support their learning.

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who attend

Children are supported in their communication and language through the positive and gentle role modelling of staff. Children are challenged to think through ideas, and words are added by staff for children to extend their thinking further. Staff focus deeply with children in child-led play, tuning in carefully to the direction of the child's interests. In this way children's learning is stimulated and challenged using their own interests.

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who attend

Children who learn English as an additional language are particularly well supported by a team of staff who know and understand the individual needs of each children to communicate. Children are supported in their acquisition of English using words from their home language and in this way all children feel fully included.

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who attend

As staff listen carefully to children, observe their play and use skilfully phrased questions they use this information to make regular and precise assessments of children in order to plan and support children's learning progress. Children make confident, independent choices about what they would like to do. For instance, individual children choose trays of items and take these to fully explore them. Their concentration levels are deep as they grind pepper and watch the process of this action on the peppercorns before working out how to put the ground pepper into the available screw top jar without losing any. The concentration levels during activities such as these is so deep as to make individual children unaware of other activities taking place around them. Staff are sensitive to allow children these times of deep exploration and children also give each other space for these times of intense focus.

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

Staff provide positive role models to children, displaying warm and gentle but firm interactions with children. This means children feel secure and affirmed in their relationships with staff and with other children. Children display high levels of cooperation with one another as they play. For instance, a length of masking tape is turned into a ball by a child who then shows an interest in throwing it. A staff member takes up this theme and extends it to throwing and catching. Other children are drawn to the activity and begin to share the experience. Soon a game of catch the sticky ball is underway. Children enjoy the activity together and are soon discussing the funny effect of catching the sticky ball. The game continues to be played long after the staff member has stepped away and children continue to show high levels of cooperation with one another chatting through ideas as they play. However, on occasions, staff do not always encourage those children

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

who are new or shy to join in these new activities and experiences to help them to become part of their new group of friends.

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

Children form secure attachments to their key person which promotes their well-being. As children have a story read to them they are confident to snuggle in and enjoy the cosiness that this provides. Staff demonstrate a firm knowledge and understanding of children's changing needs through the morning or as news is shared from home. Staff are creative and quick to respond to children when they observe a need. For instance, a child becoming sleepy in the book area is encouraged to have a lie down with a blanket while other children are invited to move somewhere else to continue their activity with the staff member.

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

Children are focused and motivated as they enjoy opportunities to play indoors and outdoors. This allows children to engage in a range of activities, including physical activities, throughout the day.

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

Staff promote children's understanding of how to stay healthy and make healthy choices. For instance children are confident as they select some fruit for their snack and pour themselves a drink when thirsty. During lunch children talk about the food they are eating and look with interest at what others have brought in. Children talk positively about their likes of different foods.

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

Staff carry out a number of daily risk assessments in order to keep children safe during their day. Tweaks are made to the nursery as a result. For instance, as there has been heavy rain fall but the sun is now out staff put covering on the decked area to make it less slippery so that children can still access the soft flooring part of the outdoor area. Children are encouraged, as they take appropriate levels of risk in play, to explore activities carefully and meaningfully.

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provision

Staff have a clear understanding of their responsibilities to safeguard children in their care. They demonstrate a good knowledge of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and know the procedure they should follow in the event they are concerned about a child. All staff complete safeguard training prior to starting at the nursery. Paediatric first-aid training is also undertaken by all staff.

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provision

Staff have a secure understanding of how children learn and develop. Their knowledge and understanding of the requirements for the Early Years Foundation Stage means each key person uses observations gathered to plot children's progress effectively. Using the information gathered staff identify areas of focus for their children each day. This means children make good progress in their learning.

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provision

There are suitable policies and procedures in place which staff adhere to and implement in their daily practice. A robust recruitment process, including essential checks, means that all staff are deemed suitable to work with children. Ongoing appraisals and professional development supports staff in their ongoing suitability to care for and educate the children in their care.

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provision

Parents are confident of the care their children receive and of the enjoyment children get from attneding. They speak positively about the nursery. Parents are clear about the key- person system and feel that staff are friendly and approachable.

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provision

The manager and staff team demonstrate a strong reflective practice which results in timely changes being made to a wide range of aspects to nursery life. Reflection of the 'big picture' allows staff to plan for changes that will bring a positive change across the nursery, while small tweaks to the environment add to and enhance what is already taking place. For instance, the manager shares how some blocks in the outdoor area have worn out and so have been removed. Following a time of observation it has become clear to staff that children would benefit from this resource being reintroduced. As staff observe children at play, they reflect on the children's perspective and changes are planned that reflect things of importance to the children. This demonstrates staff make ongoing improvements to benefit the children's learning opportunities.

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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. We re-inspect nurseries and pre-schools judged as requires improvement within 12 months of the date of 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

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Grade Judgement Description

is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected again within six months of the date of this inspection. Met There were no children present at the time of the inspection. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not met There were no children present at the time of the inspection. 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 EY382378 Local authority Poole Inspection number 829781 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 5 Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 53 Name of provider Shepherd Montessori Schools Limited Date of previous inspection 18/02/2009 Telephone number 01202735521

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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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