Harmony Montessori Nursery

Harmony Montessori Nursery School Preston Park Cricket Pavillion, Preston Park, College Road, Wembley, HA9 8RJ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 13/01/2015 04/03/2009

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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

 The staff provide exciting and challenging experiences for the children to play, learn and explore. As a result, they are making good progress.  The assessment procedures are thorough and precise which means staff plan effectively for the individual learning needs of all children.  Staff are calm, considerate and speak to the children with respect and understanding and, as a result, children are confident and demonstrate good levels of self-worth.  The staff team have created a warm and welcoming environment for the children, which helps them to feel valued and appreciated.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Some staff are more skilled than others at consistently promoting children's communication and language skills during every day routines.

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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's play and staff interaction, both inside and outside.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector talked to parents, staff and children and held regular discussions with the staff on site.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector examined documentation, including a representative sample of children's records, development plans and staff records.

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Information about the setting

Harmony Montessori Nursery registered in 2004 and operates from a building located in the grounds of Preston Park in Wembley, in the London Borough of Brent. Children have use of three rooms on the ground floor. Children have access to an outdoor area and they can also use the park for outdoor play. The nursery is open each week day from 8:30am to 4.30pm for 42 weeks a year. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register. Currently there are 42 children on roll, all of whom are in the early years age group. The nursery receives funding to provide free early education for children aged three and four years. The nursery currently supports children with special educational needs and/or disability and those children who speak English as an additional language. There are currently nine members of staff employed in the nursery of whom eight of the staff hold relevant early years qualifications. The nursery follows the Montessori educational

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Information about the setting

philosophy and has been accredited by Montessori Education UK.

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

 ensure communication and language is consistently fostered during daily routines across the nursery.

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who attend

The staff have a good understanding of the requirements of the Early Years Foundations Stage. Their knowledge means they plan and provide activities that challenge and motivate the children to learn. Staff use a range of questioning techniques that encourage the children to think for themselves. For example, staff asked the children the resources they will need grate the cheese. Children confidently reply we need graters and mats. Practical activities support children to problem solve for themselves. For example, children carefully placed the mats of the table, working as a team to make sure all the mats fitted in the space. In addition, children demonstrated how they work as a team to solve problems as they looked for a missing cube for a mathematical puzzle. This further demonstrates that children are enthusiastic and curious in their learning and play.

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who attend

Through effective questioning and continuous commentary helps to ensure that children are supported in developing their skills of communication and language. However, this is not consistent across the nursery. For example, a member of staff with the younger children did not talk to the children, or a child she was settling, at all at snack time. Although, another member of staff talked to the children and was animated and enthusiastic. This means that not all of the children are given the same opportunities in this area. Nonetheless, overall, children are making good progress in their communication and language. Staff use all experiences as a learning tool for the children. For example, children grating cheese talk about healthy foods and how many cubes of cheese are needed for each child. This supports children's strong abilities to solve problems and be independent in the decisions they make.

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who attend

The staff demonstrate a secure knowledge of why they record observations. The staff's awareness, coupled with the detailed recording, means plans support children to achieve, learn and develop in relation to their staring points. The staff know the children well, and the plans suit the individual learning needs and styles of each child. Furthermore, the records show children are making good progress. The children play and learn in a busy yet calm and happy atmosphere. Their learning and development is enhanced by staff who are enthusiastic and motivated in their roles. Activities are varied and children are involved in a good range of play and learning experiences that excite and challenge them. For example, the children listened to a favourite story. The staff enhanced this time with music and actions. Children were excited as they used their imagination to pretend to be characters from the story as they moved around in time to the music.

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who attend

Staff make good use of displays, creating a visual environment that is appealing and beneficial to the children's learning. Children's creations are displayed and/or taken home. This enhances children's positive self-image and feelings of self-worth. Resources in the baby room are suitable for their ages and stage of learning. The good quality low-level furniture means babies are able to reach and make their own choices about play. Babies explored the resources with confidence they moved around the room looking for favourite activities. Detailed documents are recorded when children start in the nursery, which means the staff have a good understanding of the needs of each baby in their care. As a result, babies are very secure and they readily turn to the staff for cuddles and comfort when needed. The staff update these records as the children move through the nursery, which means all the children are known to staff and their care needs are understood. Staff

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who attend

complete the required progress check for two-year-old children and share the report with parents. This encourages parents to support their children's learning at home and to be aware of any areas where their child may be making less progress. The outdoor play area offers space for children to develop their large muscle movements as they enjoy using a range of different play equipment. On the day of the inspection, children used the tennis courts in the park. The staff planned for the children to use large movements to move across the tennis courts. Children were delighted to run races laughing when the staff joined in. This effectively helps promote their physical development.

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

The individual needs of all of the children are successfully met due to the effective key- person system. As a result, the children are happy and form secure attachments when in the nursery. This confidence promotes a good level of well-being. The children move freely around the nursery, cooperate with their friends and are keen to share their activities with staff. The children are enthusiastic when they help to tidy away throughout the day. This demonstrates a good awareness of responsibility within the nursery. Children's behaviour is good and they demonstrate a strong sense of belonging in the nursery. Staff use effective systems to help children to understand when they becoming too noisy or over excited. Children confidently tell their friends when it is time to sit quietly. Staff keep detailed and precise records of accidents, and staff are clear in their role in treating and recording accidents. Staff are aware of keeping children safe and are

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

successfully deployed both indoors and outdoors. The staff are constantly monitoring the children and the areas they are using. This means children are effectively supervised as they play and learn.

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

Children know the routines and take an active part in preparing the tables for lunch time. Meal times are social events where staff sit with the children talking about the day's events, asking them what they have enjoyed during their day. On the day of the inspection children are excited to tell their friends they have grated the cheese for the pizza. Staff use meal and snack time to successfully promote children's independence. For example, the resources used at meal times are a suitable size which means children are able to serve themselves and pour their own drinks. The use of number cards and sample plates help the children understand the quantities they can take to ensure a healthy balanced diet. Staff use gentle encouragement to children who are unsure about eating. This means children are given the best opportunities to develop healthy dietary behaviours. The priority given to support children's independence skills prepares the

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

children very well for the next stage of their learning.

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provision

Staff show a secure understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage and know how to implement the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Staff are valued members of the team and, as a result, morale is high and staff promote effective outcomes for children. The manager and staff implement good organisation, resulting in the efficient running of the nursery to meet the children's needs. This results in babies and children receiving plenty of opportunities to learn and develop in a safe and secure environment. The manager is keen to ensure the staff team remains motivated and inspired in their role. She has attended courses which guide her in this role and, as a result, the staff group are supported well in improving their skills, knowledge and practice. In addition, there are secure systems in place to monitor staff practice. As a result, children's care and learning is given high priority. There are good systems in place to

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provision

monitor the delivery of the educational programmes and the progress children make. The staff team have a good understanding of their role in working with outside agencies, to identify and help any children who are not progressing as expected.

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provision

A strong partnership with parents means they are enabled to contribute their ideas and skills to the nursery. Parents spoken to on the day of inspection said they feel valued and respected by the staff. They said they know the good progress their children are making and feel able to contrite ideas to the nursery. Parents are given a range of information through the use of notice boards, displays and letters. There is a good two-way flow of communication between staff and parents each day. This provides valuable information for staff to be able to meet the changes needs of the parents and children.

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provision

The self-evaluation process works well and leads to ongoing improvements in the nursery. In addition, the local authority work closely with the manager and staff to complete action plans. This shows a strong commitment to continuous improvement and results in good quality provision for children. Recruitment and induction procedures are robust. As a result, suitably qualified and experienced staff care for children.

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provision

Arrangements for safeguarding children are firmly in place. The implementation of the clear policies and procedures contributes to the continuing safety and welfare of the children. Through discussion, staff demonstrate a clear understanding of the procedures to follow if they have concerns about any children in their care. Staff clearly understand their role in the implementation of the whistle-blowing policy which further helps to protect children from harm. Visitors to the nursery are carefully monitored at the main reception area, which means children are further protected from unknown persons entering the nursery.

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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 EY284943 Local authority Brent Inspection number 833651 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 1 - 5 Total number of places 50 Number of children on roll 42 Name of provider Harmony Montessori Nursery Limited Date of previous inspection 04/03/2009 Telephone number 0208 9085678

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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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