Caterpillars Montessori Nursery

Caterpillars Montessori Nursery School Appleton Hall, West Green Road, Hartley Wintney, Hook, Hampshire, RG27 8RE

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 21 April 2015 19 January 2009

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Previous inspection: Outstanding 1 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 use detailed observation records, and their knowledge of individual children's interests, to plan a broad range of activities. As a result, children are enthusiastic and eager to explore and learn.  The quality of teaching is consistently of a very high standard as experienced, caring staff enjoy nurturing children's skills in creating and thinking imaginatively.  Staff offer an excellent range of initiatives to engage, support and build on parents' interests in their children's development. This helps to provide children with continuity and confidence in their learning and care.  Staff treat children with a great deal of respect and this results in a harmonious, caring environment for everyone, where every child is valued and every family welcomed.  Children's behaviour is excellent. Staff are wonderful role models who provide consistent guidance and strategies to promote positive behaviour.

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This provision is outstanding

 Staff training in safeguarding, their use of comprehensive risk assessments and reviews of any accidents or incidents, help to ensure children's safety remains a priority.  The manager and her team work exceptionally well together, as they know and complement each other's strengths. Their high levels of commitment to the children and professional conduct underpin all that they do.

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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

 build on children's interest in helping staff complete domestic tasks by making resources, such as mops, more accessible.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed a wide range of activities across all areas of the nursery and talked with staff and children about what they were doing.  The inspector reviewed documents and procedures, including those relating to safeguarding, staffing, supervision, risk assessment, equal opportunities, and health and safety.  The inspector sampled a range of children's records, the nursery's systems for planning, evaluation, and for exchanging information with parents and external professionals.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day and reviewed written communication from parents.  The inspector met with the leadership team and conducted a joint observation with the manager.

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who attend. This is outstanding

Highly qualified staff have an excellent understanding of how children learn and develop. They give children time to explore and practice new skills, build confidence in their abilities and fuel their own passion for learning. When children seek to share their play, staff gently prompt them to think deeper, express their ideas and plan their next moves. Staff marry together Montessori teaching philosophy and the Early Years Foundation Stage requirements to create high-quality educational experiences for children. Children pretend to bake and decorate cakes in their French patisserie. Many of the children also regularly learn some Spanish, and this underpins their enthusiasm to add a little French pronunciation as they sell their baked goods. Children are enthusiastic helpers but are not always able to independently select items, such as mops, to join in domestic tasks. Staff have a clear understanding of children's individual strengths and needs, based on daily

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who attend. This is outstanding

observations and precise assessments. This helps them to ensure that they focus their teaching and nurturing on helping children achieve their best possible levels of progress.

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outstanding

Staff develop respectful and trusting relationships with children and their parents. The manager begins to establish this ethos from her first discussions with parents. Consequently, children are emotionally secure, happy and enjoy their time at the nursery. Staff plan the environment and resources to support children's growing independence and physical fitness. This enables children to pursue their own lines of interest and enquiry, and take pride in their own achievements. Staff effectively model strategies for children to express courtesy and respect for each other. Groups of children cooperate well, for example, they play mathematical board games or work together on garden designs. Children learn about making healthy personal and environmental choices in the food they grow and the materials they recycle. They explore these further at snack time and as they create new recipes in their role-play patisserie and mud kitchen.

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provision is outstanding

The manager thoroughly understands her role in meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She ensures that her staff know, and use, effective policies and procedures to support children's health, safety and well-being. Staff also help children understand how to keep themselves safe as they manage risks in the playground, handle sharp tools and explore their local community. Capable, well-supervised and trained staff contribute to sharply focused evaluations of their practice. They share the manager's drive to maintain the highest levels of achievement for all children. The high-quality teaching and care ensures that children are confident, articulate and have the skills needed for their future learning and school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 110247 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 824931 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 44 Name of provider Angela Louise Pagett Date of previous inspection 19 January 2009 Telephone number 01252 844706

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Setting details

Caterpillars Montessori Nursery School registered in 1996. It is located in Hartley Wintney, Hampshire. The nursery is open each weekday, during school term times. Sessions are from 9.30am to 12:30pm, and 12:30pm to 3:30pm. Staff also offer an early start at 9.15am and a lunch club. The nursery is closed on Friday afternoons. The nursery is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three, and four. Nine staff work with the children. One holds Qualified Teacher Status and seven hold relevant qualifications from level 3 to level 6. The nursery follows the Montessori philosophy of teaching.

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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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