Magic Tower Montessori Nursery

Magic Tower Montessori Nursery Clanville Road, Weyhill, Andover, Hampshire, SP11 0QB

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 5 January 2016 8 January 2015

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This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Requires Improvement

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This inspection: Good 2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good 2

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This provision is good

 Children make good progress in their learning and development. The staff use their good teaching skills to support children's learning well. They skilfully monitor the educational programmes, to ensure they fulfil children's individual learning needs.  Children play in clean, child-friendly and versatile environments, adapted to meet their individual needs.  Staff have a good awareness of how to protect children and teach them good strategies to develop their awareness of how to stay safe.  Good partnership working takes place through strong links with parents, and outside agencies and professionals. This helps to ensure continuity and consistency in meeting children's care and learning needs.  The leadership team has a good understanding of its roles and responsibilities. It ensures that recruitment, support for staff and monitoring systems are used effectively to maintain staff professionalism and safety of children.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Children do not have good opportunities to find out about other people's similarities and differences to extend their understanding of diversity.  Staff do not give sufficient consideration to mealtime arrangements for older children. For example, children cannot all sit comfortably to eat and noise levels are sometimes high and affect the quality of children's social experiences.

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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

 widen children's understanding of people different to themselves to further develop their understanding of the world  review the organisation of mealtimes for older children to allow them to sit comfortably, socialise and enjoy their eating experience.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities and play experiences available to children.  The inspector observed interactions between children and staff.  The inspector asked staff questions about their work and observed practice with the manager.  The inspector spoke to some parents about their views and opinions of the provision.  The inspector sampled documentation and children's development records.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The nursery school is led and managed well. The provider ensures that staff's suitability is rigorously checked. Support from the local authority has been embraced and significant improvement has been made since the last inspection. Self-evaluation is used effectively to target aspects for improvement of the provision. Staff have good opportunities to undertake training, and to gain and advance their qualifications. They receive consistent support from the leadership team. Staff review their group practice regularly, including doing peer-on-peer reviews to identify strengths and weaknesses in one another's practice. They are encouraged to share good practice ideas. Recent in-house training has helped all staff to improve their safeguarding awareness and practice. They know how to identify and report any concerns about a child's well-being. Safeguarding is effective.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Children are confident, actively explore their environment and make their own play choices. They enjoy the wide variety of activities and resources staff use proactively to promote their learning. For example, at circle time, children show good communication and language skills when they all have a turn to share their news from holidays and sing songs. Staff promote children's independence well. For example, older children take on responsible jobs, such as making snacks or helping to prepare for lunch. Children actively engage in activities that promote their early literacy and mathematical skills. For example, children like to write their own names each day for registration. Children have good access to a well-resourced outdoor area that they visit daily.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children develop strong friendships; they are happy and confident. Staff know the children well and provide a safe and nurturing environment. The key-person approach is used successfully to engage with parents and meet children's individual needs. The nursery is welcoming and staff celebrate children's achievements. For example, children's artwork is attractively displayed together with recorded 'wow' moments to recognise children's achievements at home and in the setting. Staff use everyday play opportunities to help develop children's safety awareness; for example, they explain the possible consequences of running indoors. Children behave well and they gain a good awareness of the importance of healthy lifestyles. They learn to manage their personal hygiene from a young age and why it is important to follow good hygiene routines.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children make consistently good progress in their learning and development. They receive good support from staff and are well-prepared for their next stage in learning, such as school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 110097 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 1032997 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 2 - 5 Total number of places 72 Number of children on roll 84 Name of provider The Magic Tower Montessori Nursery School Ltd Date of previous inspection 8 January 2015 Telephone number 01264 771155

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Setting details

Magic Tower Montessori Nursery registered in 1995. It operates from two buildings in a rural setting, on the outskirts of Andover in Hampshire, and follows the Montessori method of teaching. The nursery is routinely open from Monday to Friday during term time only from 8am to 4pm, with a variety of sessions offered between these hours. The nursery provides funded early education for children aged three and four years. There are currently 16 members of staff working with the children; of whom, 14 have relevant early years qualifications. The provider holds Early Years Professional 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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