The Oval Montessori Nursery

The Oval Montessori Nursery in Vauxhall Park, near Fentiman Road entrance, London, SW8 1LA

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 10 June 2015 5 October 2010

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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 work very closely with parents to successfully establish children's level of development in order to assess their starting points. This enables staff to meticulously track their progress, recognise any gaps that may arise and plan carefully for their individual learning needs.  Exceptional members of staff help children to develop their reading and writing skills using a variety of strategies and supporting children on a one-to-one basis. As a result, children progress extremely well.  Children use a rich and wide range of easily accessible wooden resources which encourage them to use their thinking and problem-solving skills well.  Staff maintain excellent partnerships with parents and encourage them to continue children's learning at home. For example, they encourage them to read storybooks with them and bake the biscuits that children have made at cookery club.  Staff know children exceptionally well and this helps them to build strong bonds with

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This provision is outstanding

them. As a result, children enjoy excellent relationships with all staff and feel very secure.  The manager makes excellent use of frequent supervision and meetings in order to enhance staff's professional practice and identify their training needs. This ensures that staff continually improve their practice.  The manager has robust strategies in place to monitor the progress of individual children and groups of children, and takes highly effective steps to close any gaps in their learning. She implements excellent teaching strategies and monitor's how staff deliver these. As a result, children make rapid progress.

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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

 continually review the impact of improvements to the provision to ensure that children's learning experiences are always of the highest quality.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector observed children's activities during their play, both indoors and outdoors.  The inspector looked at children's records, planning documentation, and policies and procedures.  The inspector had a discussion with the manager and talked with members of staff as well as children.  The inspector spoke to parents to gain their views.

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who attend. This is outstanding

The quality of teaching is outstanding. Staff encourage children to develop independence in everything they do. For example, children readily select activities, put their shoes on and help themselves to drinks. These skills prepare children for the next stage in their learning. Staff consistently enable children's thinking skills to evolve. For example, children learn about different countries and their traditions, including the largest continent Asia. Children engage in creating pictures of Mount Fuji using materials such as Japanese newspapers and paints. Staff expertly help children to think, solve problems and make predictions during play activities. Staff challenge children extremely well. They stay close by to support their learning and understanding as they complete complex activities, such as subtracting and adding, and forming sentences using word cards.

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outstanding

Staff provide an extremely safe and nurturing environment for children to thrive in. As a result, children are particularly confident and develop good self-awareness. The dedicated staff model positive behaviour and encourage children to follow the rules. For example, children confidently pack away their self-selected activities when they wish to play with something else. Children's behaviour is exemplary. They are well mannered and encouraged to say 'please' and 'thank you', in addition to looking after one another. Staff skilfully help children to learn about healthy lifestyles; they discuss fruits and vegetables. When a child says an avocado is a vegetable, a member of staff asks what is in the middle of it. The child replies that it has stone and then decides it must be a fruit. Children enjoy plenty of fresh air and exercise in the rich outdoor environment which is interesting and engaging. For example, staff have converted an old outhouse into a sand and water area,

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outstanding

a home corner and a post office. Children enjoy digging for insects in the flower beds and manoeuvring road signs so that they can weave their scooters in and out.

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provision is outstanding

The manager rigorously evaluates the quality of the provision in order to target areas for development. This leads to positive changes, such as the way staff now deliver the curriculum outdoors. However, continuous review of the impact of these changes is an area for further development. Staff have an excellent knowledge of how to safeguard children and the procedures to follow in the event of a child being at risk of harm. The manager has robust systems for safer recruitment to ensure staff are suitable. This protects children. Staff frequently attend training to develop their skills. For example, they now offer more opportunities for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to make choices following a speech and language workshop.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY225655 Local authority Lambeth Inspection number 846966 Type of provision Sessional provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 20 Number of children on roll 24 Name of provider Louise Norwood Date of previous inspection 5 October 2010 Telephone number 0207 735 4816

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Setting details

The Oval Montessori Nursery registered in 2002. It operates from a single-storey building in Vauxhall Park in the London Borough of Lambeth. The nursery is open term time only from 9am to 12.30pm on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays, and from 9am to 3pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays. The nursery offers funded education sessions for children aged three and four years old. There are five members of staff, all of whom hold appropriate Montessori diplomas.

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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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