Patchwork Montessori Nursery

Patchwork Montessori Nursery Lowerbrook Academy, The Fairway, Maidenhead, SL6 3AR

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 28 April 2016 31 October 2013

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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 nursery has a very strong and caring ethos that puts the child at the centre of everything that staff do. Children are extremely well safeguarded by the highly knowledgeable manager and staff team, who implement robust procedures.  Children play in a rich and varied environment that is highly conducive to learning. The nursery is bright, welcoming and exceptionally well organised. Children become active and inquisitive learners.  Staff are exceptional teachers who continuously support and extend children's learning. They carry out extremely thorough and accurate assessments of children's progress and use these to sustain their learning. Staff meet children's needs exceptionally well.  Children make the best possible progress towards the early learning goals, ensuring they are very well prepared for school. Staff place a high focus on children developing their social skills, literacy and mathematical skills, which they do exceedingly well.

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This provision is outstanding

 Staff are extremely supportive, welcoming and warm. All children feel exceptionally secure and settled in the nursery.  The highly dedicated, inspirational provider continually strives to improve her provision and develop the professional knowledge of the staff team, honing teaching skills to enrich children's learning 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

 continue to expand the opportunities for children to develop their creativity and imaginations in even more ways.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held discussions with leaders at appropriate times during the inspection.  The inspector observed children's activities and staff teaching indoors and outdoors.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector looked at documentation, including a sample of children's records, planning and assessment records, medication and accident records, and checked the evidence of the suitability of staff to work with children.  The inspector took account of the views of children, staff and parents spoken to on the day of the inspection, and of the provider's self-evaluation.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is outstanding

The management and staff are highly professional and committed to providing the very best service for children and families. They work hard to ensure the nursery is constantly improving. They listen to the views of children and parents, and make changes to reflect the needs of the families who attend. The management team supports staff's professional development extremely well. There is an ongoing commitment to staff attending relevant training to improve outcomes for children. Safeguarding is effective. Since the last inspection, a range of policies and procedures have been updated and implemented, which ensures a safe and secure environment for the children. There is a highly effective partnership with parents and carers, who are fully involved in their children's learning and are kept well informed on ways to support learning at home. The management team and senior staff constantly find innovative ways in which to involve parents further.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

Staff enrich children's learning greatly by making timely interventions in their play. For example, children engage excitedly in group time, eagerly discussing birthdays, the monarchy, and the differences between families, with enthusiastic staff. Children competently count, compare, and match letters and sounds. Staff reinforce their learning, for example, giving them the opportunity to act out or draw what they had seen. Children choose freely from a vast range of high-quality resources, and staff offer structure both in the well-organised environment and through adult-led activities. However, staff have recognised that they could promote children's creative skills and imagination even more.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Children are cared for in a very welcoming, happy environment that is meticulously planned to meet their differing needs. For example, babies crawl eagerly across soft mats to reach their toys, and older children move easily between play areas. Staff teach children to respect others, and they help to develop their understanding of other cultures. Staff are highly effective in role modelling respectful relationships and valuing children's opinions. Staff manage children's behaviour in excellent ways. Children play very well together. Children show a real understanding of how to manage risks. Staff teach them the importance of healthy lifestyles, for example, encouraging good dental hygiene and healthy eating through discussion and activities.

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Outcomes for children are outstanding

All children make outstanding progress relative to their starting points. Children listen and respond to each other extremely well, holding elaborate conversations. They are developing very good conversational skills. They take high levels of responsibility for their own care, and quickly become independent, in preparation for school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY461549 Local authority Windsor & Maidenhead Inspection number 1028289 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 88 Number of children on roll 137 Name of provider Patchwork Nursery Limited Date of previous inspection 31 October 2013 Telephone number 01628 784984

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Setting details

Patchwork Montessori Nursery originally registered in 1997 and re-registered with the same provider as a limited company in 2013. The company has two other Montessori nurseries in the area. The nursery operates from premises within the grounds of Lowbrook Academy, Cox Green, Maidenhead, Berkshire. The nursery operates weekdays from 8am to 6pm for 48 weeks of the year. It is closed for two weeks during the summer, one week at Easter and another at Christmas. The nursery follows the principles of the Montessori approach alongside traditional teaching methods. There are 24 staff in total. The principal holds Early Years Professional Status and is supported by the manager, who holds a Montessori teaching qualification at level 4. Of the remaining staff; four hold relevant qualifications at level 6, three hold Montessori qualifications at level 4, and 12 hold relevant childcare qualifications at level 3.

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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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