The Montessori School

The Montessori School 102 Chestnut Grove, LONDON, SW12 8JJ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 29 January 2015 4 November 2008

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Previous inspection: Good 2 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend Outstanding 1

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children Outstanding 1

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision Outstanding 1

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

The setting meets legal requirements for early years settings

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This provision is outstanding

 Staff have excellent knowledge of children's development. They assess children's progress thoroughly and use this information extremely effectively to meet their learning and development needs accurately.  Staff provide deeply enriching activities which leads to children being highly curious and very enthusiastic learners.  Staff have highly effective relationships with parents and others to provide excellent support for children's learning.  Children show very strong levels of independence and a high degree of self-control, which results in exceptionally good behaviour.  Staff have excellent knowledge of procedures to follow should they be concerned about a child's welfare, which helps them to protect children from harm.  The management team monitors the provision extremely successfully to help ensure that staff maintain excellent standards of care and learning.  The manager has an astute awareness of the strengths and weaknesses of all aspects

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This provision is outstanding

of the nursery through thorough evaluation. For example, the manager plans to continue to enhance the outdoor area to promote best outcomes for children.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

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

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

 enhance opportunities for children to learn from displays linked to their interests in their group rooms.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector observed the interaction between staff and children in the indoor and outdoor environments.  The inspector tracked the progress of several children.  The inspector sampled a range of documentation and held a discussion with the manager.  The inspector spoke to parents, staff and children and took their views into consideration.

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who attend. This is outstanding

Children make excellent and rapid progress in this highly organised nursery. Children work highly independently as they select from a very wide range of resources geared to meet different abilities. Children put graded bead rods in number order, which shows excellent understanding of number sequence and quantities. Staff challenge children very effectively by asking them to identify textured letters in a bag, which promotes their early literacy skills. Staff extend children's thinking skills further by asking them to think of a word beginning with that initial letter sound. Many older children are able to read independently. However, opportunities for children to learn from displays linked to their interests are not maximised. Staff ask children to group items that sink or float while children carry out practical experiments with water. This supports their understanding of the world very well. Staff teach younger children lots of dynamic, joyful songs and rhymes

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who attend. This is outstanding

to support their early literacy skills. All children are exceptionally well prepared for school.

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outstanding

Children are very secure and settle readily because staff take great care to get to know them and build very strong, warm relationships. Children are extremely confident and independent. They have excellent personal care routines, develop a great understanding of the need for cleanliness, and learn to manage their own clothing. Staff are excellent role models. They show children how to use tools and materials safely and carry out regular fire drills so children know how to react in emergencies. Staff encourage children to take responsibility for small tasks, such as helping to prepare for snacks, which they do with great skill. Staff provide well-balanced, wholesome meals and snacks, which promotes children's healthy eating habits very well.

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provision is outstanding

The management team has exceptional understanding of the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. The team implements an excellent range of policies and procedures to help them to ensure children's safety. A high proportion of staff are qualified in first aid which provides very good support in accident or emergency situations. Staff carry out comprehensive risk assessments to help keep children safe. The manager uses a thorough recruitment process to check staff suitability. The management team provides excellent support to staff through regular supervision and appraisals. Staff learn from one another by observing practice. New staff are supported effectively because they are paired with a staff mentor to address their development needs. Monitoring of planning and assessment is sharply focused, and helps to accurately identify and address any gaps in children's learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY370786 Local authority Wandsworth Inspection number 829188 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 8 Total number of places 45 Number of children on roll 83 Name of provider Frances Wainwright Ltd Date of previous inspection 4 November 2008 Telephone number 02086 738037

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Setting details

The Montessori School opened in 2008. It operates from a Victorian house in the residential area of Balham, in the London Borough of Wandsworth. The nursery is open each weekday from 8am to 6.30pm for 44 weeks of the year. It receives funding to provide free early years education for children aged two, three and four years of age. The nursery employs 17 members of staff, including the manager. Of these, one staff member holds qualified teacher status; eight staff members hold Montessori qualifications at level 4; one staff member holds a level 3 qualification; one staff member holds a level 2 qualification; and six staff members are unqualified. The nursery uses the Montessori approach to learning combined with learning through play.

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Setting details

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

procedures set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. 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, safeguarding and child protection.

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Setting details

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Setting details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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