The Old School House Nursery II

The Old School House Nursery II Ashford Road, St. Michaels, Tenterden, Kent, TN30 6SR

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 4 November 2015 25 November 2009

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Outstanding 1

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding 1

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding 1

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This provision is outstanding

 The provider uses an extensive system to monitor and assess children's progress. She consistently involves parents and other settings that children attend in this process. This helps to maintain a significantly high level of continuity in children's learning.  The stimulating and highly interesting environment provides extensive opportunities for children to explore, solve problems and learn from their experiences. Children practise their skills in tasks that help them understand and appreciate what they can achieve. They are extremely well-prepared for the next stage of their learning and for school.  Children are extremely confident, happy and understand the nursery rules. Older children play exceptionally well with each other. Children develop excellent independence skills and use these throughout the day in all areas of the nursery.  Staff form exceptional partnerships with parents that begin before children start. This

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This provision is outstanding

helps them to work together to meet children's individual needs highly consistently.  Staff have very high expectations of all children and the quality of teaching is excellent. They skilfully guide and challenge children's learning and development. For example, staff work in excellent partnership with other professionals to support children with additional needs extremely well.  Staff are exceptionally skilled and extremely well supported through supervision meetings. Unqualified staff develop excellent skills through highly effective support. For example, they are mentored extremely well by experienced and qualified staff.  The provider constantly evaluates the service provided. Staff's, parents' and children's feedback support the self-evaluation process extremely well. This drives excellent ongoing improvement to shape the service to children's needs very effectively.

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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

 review the organisation of some daily routines to minimise any disruption, however minor, to children's learning.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the indoor and outdoor play environments.  The inspector observed the quality of the teaching and the impact this has on children's learning.  Documentation was viewed, including policies and procedures for safeguarding.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector spoke to parents and listened to their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is outstanding

The management and staff have an extremely strong reflective culture and the provider has extremely high expectations for both staff and children. All staff complete ongoing training to maintain their excellent knowledge and skills, which are reflected in their outstanding teaching practice. The highly effective key-person buddy system meets the individual needs of children and their family and provides excellent continuity in the absence of the key person. Children's development is monitored extremely well and staff swiftly identify those who need additional support. Safeguarding is effective. The provider and staff have a highly vigilant approach to protecting children from harm. Staff are extremely confident in their knowledge of the procedures to follow in the event of any concerns arising about children or other staff.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

Each child is encouraged to be an independent and active learner. Children enjoy achieving what they set out to do and persevere with tasks. For example, the older children help set the lunch table, carry their own plate of food and clear away. The babies and toddlers have a focus on sensory play linked to their own interests. There is an excellent balance between activities that children choose and those that are planned by staff. For example, each child receives regular one-to-one support each day as well as opportunities to work in groups. Staff participate extremely sensitively in children's play to involve them and extend their learning even further. For instance, they use every opportunity to extend children's language skills during their interactions. Very occasionally, there are minor interruptions to children's learning due to staff routines.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Children develop an excellent understanding about healthy lifestyles. For example, they eat healthy home-made food and learn about food during visits to the local shops. Staff promote children's excellent independent personal care. For instance, children learn about keeping themselves healthy and take responsibility for their own decisions, which develops their excellent level of confidence and motivation. Staff work with children to find ways to solve problems. Children keep on trying, which helps them develop great resilience. Staff provide children with highly challenging activities that allow them to take appropriate risks. Very effective risk assessments help keep children safe at all times. Children's behaviour is excellent with respect for others taught at every available opportunity.

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Outcomes for children are outstanding

All children make excellent progress. They meet and exceed typical levels of development for their age, which leads to outstanding achievements. Children are motivated and exceptionally ready for their future learning, including starting school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 127702 Local authority Kent Inspection number 825441 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 65 Number of children on roll 110 Name of provider Fiona Brissenden Date of previous inspection 25 November 2009 Telephone number 01233 850239

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Setting details

The Old School House Nursery II registered in 1997 and is privately owned. The nursery receives funding for free early years education for children aged two, three and four years. The staff team follows the Montessori philosophy and principles. The nursery is situated in a rural area of St Michael's, near Tenterden in Kent. It is open Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm, all year round. There are 21 staff employed to work with the children; of these, 14 staff hold recognised childcare qualifications. This includes three staff with qualifications at level 4, a member of staff with Early Years Professional Status and one with Qualified Teacher Status.

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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

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Setting details

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