Bishops Stortford Montessori Nursery

Bishops Stortford Montessori Nursery The Pavilion Nursery, Hockerill Sports Club, Beldams Lane, BISHOP'S STORTFORD, Hertfordshire, CM23 5LG

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 19 April 2016 10 May 2011

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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 manager and her staff pride themselves on their extremely strong monitoring of children on entry to the nursery. This helps them to identify any significant issues related to children's development or health needs. Staff signpost parents to the appropriate professionals and offer parents ongoing help and support.  Staff regularly check the nursery environments and take action to make sure that they remain safe. Children are included in lots of discussions about safety. This helps to promote their understanding about how to keep themselves safe extremely well.  The long-standing staff team provides a nurturing environment. The key-person system helps children and their parents to build very strong bonds with staff.  Children spend lengthy periods of time engaged in activities that stimulate their curiosity and interest. During make-believe play, children confidently contribute their unique ideas, building storylines.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Although staff are generally well supported through performance management, the process is not yet robust enough to maintain and continually develop the quality of teaching at an outstanding level. The manager has not used sharp evaluations of staff practice to inform a focused programme of ongoing professional development.  The manager and her staff have not fully explored the different ways that they could share ideas with parents about how they could further support their child's learning at home.

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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

 extend staff's ongoing professional development to identify and extend the use of further training opportunities that strengthen their existing knowledge and teaching skills even further  explore a range of ways in which to offer parents more ideas and guidance to support their children's learning at home.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector held discussions with the manager. She looked at relevant documentation, such as self-evaluation and evidence of the suitability of those working in the setting.  The inspector spoke to a selection of parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. All staff attend regular child protection training and three have completed designated persons training. Staff demonstrate consistently strong teaching. However, their professional development has not evolved to further advance their understanding of how children learn. As a result, the quality of teaching has not been continuously reviewed and improved to maintain it at the highest level. Parents are encouraged to express their views about the service through a wide range of methods, including feedback forms and the nursery's social media page. This information is used by the manager and her team to help them plan for improvement. The management team has started to monitor groups of children's development. This enables them to identify where action needs to be taken quickly to narrow any gaps in learning.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff monitor children's ongoing progress through regular observations and assessments. Assessments are made from information gained from parents and key-person observations of children's starting points. This means staff can plan to meet children's individual learning from the start. Children enjoy a balance of independent and adult-led learning opportunities. They are provided with challenges that successfully build on their learning. For example, during tasks they are encouraged to talk about what they are doing to help them think through their ideas. Staff actively motivate children to engage in conversations and learn how to follow instructions. Children are given opportunities to increase their understanding of maths through everyday activities. Staff prompt them to count how many holes there are in a piece of equipment. Children have fun exploring and investigating sand, watching it fall through the holes and trying to catch it.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children are well behaved. Staff are calm and speak to children in a respectful way, helping them learn about what is acceptable behaviour. Children show their pleasure at the praise they receive and are also able to recognise their own achievements. For instance, they smile at staff when they successfully match a set of colours. Children's good health is very well supported. Most children are able to use the toilet independently and wash their hands without reminders. Older children understand that germs can give them a stomach ache. They are encouraged to make decisions about when they would like to eat or drink. Children are able to help themselves to fresh water and snacks at any time.

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Outcomes for children are good

All children make good progress in their development. This ensures that they develop the skills needed in preparation for their next stage in learning or future move on to school. Children enjoy freedom of choice as they move independently around the indoor and outdoor play spaces. They show good concentration as they take part in activities that inspire and interest them. Children develop physical skills and show determination as they learn how to develop greater control over their movements while climbing large apparatus. Older children use complex sentences to link their thoughts. They ask other children to watch them because they know how to make the sand go through holes.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY353280 Local authority Essex Inspection number 849501 Type of provision Sessional provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 47 Name of provider Louise Nicole Bailes Date of previous inspection 10 May 2011 Telephone number 07764273818

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Setting details

Bishops Stortford Montessori Nursery was registered in 2007. The nursery employs six members of childcare staff. Five staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and above. The nursery opens Monday to Friday and offers a range of sessional care from 9am until 4pm, term time only. The nursery provides funded early education for 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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