Prima Montessori Day Nursery

Prima Montessori Day Nursery Elm Court, Capstone Road, Gillingham, Kent, ME7 3JQ

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 1 April 2016 9 September 2010

p.1

This inspection: Outstanding 1

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Outstanding 1

p.1

This inspection: Outstanding 1

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding 1

p.1

This inspection: Outstanding 1

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding 1

p.1

This provision is outstanding

 Staff provide an exceptional range of activities and experiences that fascinate and interest children. Children are exceptionally happy and settled, and thrive in the highly welcoming and stimulating environment. They make extremely good progress in their learning.  Staff track children's progress extremely effectively to ensure there are no gaps in learning. Staff and managers work together particularly well to monitor the progress of all children, planning exciting challenges to move them forward in their learning.  Children learn about healthy lifestyles. For example, they enjoy extremely nutritious snacks and meals, and are highly involved in the preparation of their substantial tea at the end of the day.  Staff offer children consistent praise and teach them to behave well and to value and respect each other. For example, they role model excellent sharing and turn taking, and successfully involve older children in deciding the rules in their playrooms.

p.1

This provision is outstanding

 All staff place an extremely high priority on keeping children safe and are vigilant about staff deployment. For example, they complete thorough risk assessments and identify when children and staff leave a room to use different areas of the nursery. This, and a highly effect alarm system, keeps children very safe.  Leadership of the nursery is exceptional and managers place an extremely high priority on the well-being of staff and children. Staff receive excellent professional support to consistently promote positive outcomes for children.

p.1

What the setting needs to do to improve further

To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

p.2

What the setting needs to do to improve further

 strengthen the existing excellent partnerships with parents to promote their active involvement in all aspects of the nursery even further.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspectors observed the children and staff interacting together indoors and outdoors.  The inspectors talked to parents, staff and children during the inspection.  The inspectors held a meeting with the management team.  The inspectors completed a joint inspection with the early years leader.  The inspectors looked at a sample of paperwork, including staff qualifications, evidence of suitability and nursery policies and procedures.

p.2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management is outstanding

Managers evaluate the strengths of the nursery exceptionally well and all staff take part in ongoing professional development to develop their teaching skills. For example, training on outdoor activities led to exciting walks in woods and an inspiring plan for ongoing development. Furthermore, staff took part in an interactive workshop to heighten the importance of creative play and now provide an excellent range of materials for children to explore. Safeguarding is effective. All staff are highly knowledgeable and fully understand their responsibility to protect children. They are extremely confident with the procedure to follow if they have concerns about the welfare of children and families.

p.3

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

Staff have an excellent understanding of how to extend children's play and engage their curiosity. For example, a child's interest in the sand and oil led to talk about 'moon sand' and walking on the moon. Children listened enthusiastically to a story about space before excitedly pretending to 'moon walk'. They were highly engaged as staff extended their play further, for example, creating rockets and spaceships from everyday materials. Staff promote physical development exceptionally well. For example, younger children eagerly used their whole bodies to explore flour, and all children have daily exercise in the highly stimulating outdoor area. There are highly interesting resources, such as tweezers, water pumps and the creation of dens and obstacle courses indoors and in the forest.

p.3

Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Staff know their key children extremely well and effectively promote their individual well- being. For example, younger children eagerly explore resources in a calm and nurturing environment, where cosy baskets allow children to decide when to rest. Staff work very closely with parents and other professionals. For example, they create home learning bags to encourage children's learning at home and support children's specific needs very effectively. However, further steps to involve parents in all aspects of the nursery are still in development. Staff promote hygiene extremely well. For example, they consistently use appropriate clothing for preparing food and for toilet routines, and skilfully use mirrors to help children effectively clean their own faces.

p.3

Outcomes for children are outstanding

All children build excellent relationships and communicate extremely well with each other. For example, older children confidently recall the content of stories and learn the letters of their name. Children are extremely well prepared for the next stage in their learning. For example, they practise early writing using a variety of resources, such as clipboards, marker pens and large chalks. Children from a young age have exceptional independence as they gain skills, such as putting on their coats and managing zips.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number EY230735 Local authority Medway Towns Inspection number 826402 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 - 8 Total number of places 119 Number of children on roll 200 Name of provider Prima Montessori Ltd Date of previous inspection 9 September 2010 Telephone number 01634 838400

p.4

Setting details

Prima Montessori Day Nursery registered in 2002 and is in Gillingham, Kent. The nursery is open each weekday from 7am to 7pm, for 52 weeks of the year. It employs 40 members of staff, 33 of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications. This includes six members of staff qualified to degree level, two of whom hold Early Years Professional Status and one holds Qualified Teacher Status. The nursery receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The nursery follows the Montessori method of teaching.

p.4

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.

p.4

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.

p.4

Setting details

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/, write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.5

Setting details

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our website for news, information and updates at www.ofsted.gov.uk/user.

p.5

Setting details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

p.5