The Orchard Montessori Pre-School and Nursery

The Orchard Montessori Pre-School and Nursery The Fen, Norwich, NR16 2BU

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 11 March 2016 Not applicable

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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

 The quality of teaching across the nursery is very good. Staff provide rich learning experiences for children, both indoors and outside. Children are happy, confident and motivated.  Relationships with parents are particularly strong. Parents speak highly of the nursery. They comment that they feel welcomed, supported and well informed about their children's progress and well-being.  Staff have developed strong links with the local schools. They use these partnerships well to help prepare children as they move on to their next stage of learning.  The provider demonstrates a clear drive for ongoing development of the nursery. She has a good awareness of the strengths and weaknesses of the provision and has clear goals for improvement. Staff work very well as a team and are highly committed to constantly providing the best experiences they can for the children in their care.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 The arrangements for monitoring staff's performance are not yet rigorous enough to rapidly improve the good quality teaching to an even higher level.  The professional development for some staff is not yet sharply focused on embedding their understanding of recent changes in legislation.

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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 performance management systems to focus more precisely on improving staff effectiveness and raising the quality of teaching to outstanding  strengthen the programme of professional development to support all staff to become confident in their understanding of new legislation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities inside and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector held discussions with the manager, staff and children.  The inspector viewed a sample of the children's development records.  The inspector reviewed evidence of the suitability and qualifications of staff, self- evaluation, risk assessment, and policies and procedures.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day of the inspection.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. All staff attend safeguarding training. They have a clear understanding of the procedures to follow should they have any concerns regarding children in their care. Robust policies, recruitment and induction procedures are followed to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children. The nursery premises are maintained to a very high standard and good attention is given to children's safety and security. The manager is involved in the daily practice of the nursery and is successful in supporting and motivating staff. The manager and staff are enthusiastic and have a strong drive to develop the nursery. For example, the garden has recently been redesigned, in order to enhance the experiences across all areas of learning offered to children in the outdoor environment.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff have a good understanding of how children learn. The learning environment is arranged imaginatively and creatively. Children can choose freely from a vast range of Montessori resources. They are provided with many opportunities to develop their mathematical skills. They use everyday language to talk about size, weight and capacity, comparing quantities and solving problems. Staff foster children's early literacy skills well. They encourage children of all ages to make marks and join in with stories and songs. They take children to visit the mobile library to promote their interest in early reading. Staff regularly observe children and effectively use these observations to plan individual next steps in their learning.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

The nursery provides a relaxed, fun and homely environment where children behave well and each child is respected and valued. Staff are sensitive to children's needs and effectively support their emotional well-being. Babies develop a strong sense of security and build close attachments to staff. Children learn self-care routines, eat healthily and enjoy fresh air and physical exercise each day. Mealtimes are happy, social occasions. Children have many opportunities to experience real-life situations, such as using china plates and drinking glasses. This supports them in accepting responsibility and recognising risk. It also strengthens their understanding of how to keep themselves safe. Trips into the local community help children understand more about the world around them.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children are eager to learn in the stimulating indoor and outdoor environments. Staff provide a wealth of interesting activities and experiences that children explore and investigate. Children are challenged, motivated to learn and they make good progress in their learning and development. They are well prepared for their next stage in learning as they move through the nursery. They have good opportunities to develop their independence and self-care skills and staff give them time to do things for themselves. Babies are secure and confident to explore their surroundings. Older children develop a wide range of skills, including early numeracy and literacy, which contributes to preparing them for their move on to school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY477136 Local authority Norfolk Inspection number 974906 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 50 Number of children on roll 40 Name of provider Cheryl Ann Porteous Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 01953 887863 or 07443658586

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Setting details

The Orchard Montessori Pre-School and Nursery was registered in 2014. It operates from purpose-built premises in Banham, Norfolk. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 8am until 6pm. The nursery employs four members of childcare staff. Of these, three hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above, including one staff member who holds Early Years Professional status. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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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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