Sunhill Montessori Nursery

Sunhill Montessori Nursery Spring Garden Lane, BERKHAMSTED, Hertfordshire, HP4 3GY

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 10 January 2017 22 April 2013

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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 have plenty of indoor and outdoor space, which is used flexibly by staff to help meet the needs of different groups of children. The outdoor area is resourced particularly well and planned thoughtfully, to provide a wealth of stimulating and challenging learning opportunities.  Children make good progress in their learning. Staff know them well and plan a broad programme of activities matched to their interests and developmental needs. Careful monitoring helps to identify where adjustments are needed to accelerate learning further.  Older children develop particularly good independence skills. They are taught how to manage different fastenings on their clothes so they can dress themselves. Mealtimes are organised very well to enable children to serve themselves and clear away and wash their plates after eating.  Partnerships are effective. The nursery team forges strong links with local early years

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This provision is good

settings and schools, in order to share good practice and help children prepare well for school. Staff work collaboratively with health and education professionals to support children who have special educational needs or disabilities.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Newer staff have not yet had the opportunity to benefit from the full programme of professional development in order to develop their confidence, knowledge and first-rate teaching skills.

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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

 seek additional ways to help newer staff rapidly develop high levels of confidence, knowledge and expert teaching skills in order to build on the already good practice.

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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 spoke with staff and children during the inspection.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the nursery manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the nursery manager and provider. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.  The inspector spoke to a number of parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The management team maintains high standards through effective self-evaluation and comprehensive monitoring. The manager provides good support for the staff team, many of whom are new and developing their qualifications and skills. She recognises the need to build strong, consistent teams through an established programme of training and development. She observes staff's practice and conducts supervision meetings each month, in order to set personal development targets specific to needs. Safeguarding arrangements are effective. All staff are trained and receive updates at every staff meeting to keep their knowledge current. They demonstrate that safeguarding procedures are implemented without delay and keep thorough records to support their actions. The management team follows safe recruitment practices and completes a range of checks to ensure staff are suitable to work with children.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Since the last inspection the nursery has increased the range and quality of information gathered from parents about children. This helps determine a more complete picture of each child, which staff take account of when planning children's next steps in learning. Staff use effective teaching strategies and resources to support children's learning, including some Montessori equipment. Some staff use excellent questioning techniques to develop children's language and thinking during child-led play and adult-led activities. They model language clearly to help children's listening skills during stories, songs and conversations. Staff seize learning opportunities during mealtimes to help children understand the world. They encourage children to recall how vegetables are grown and which fruits they used to make smoothies. Children remember that some fruits have seeds inside and others, like strawberries, have seeds on the outside.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Parents confirm that settling-in arrangements are tailored to their children's needs and work very well. They say staff are welcoming and positive relationships are built on effective communication and sharing of information. Staff instil a culture of safety throughout their practice. They consistently demonstrate to children how to share and explain why some behaviours are unsafe or inappropriate. Staff follow a safety scheme of activities to help children learn about aspects of their physical safety and emotional well- being. They take a pragmatic approach to managing risks within the environment. For example, rather than removing a large puddle of standing water, they allow children to play in the water while providing extra vigilant supervision.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children move with confidence. They climb up slopes, balance on narrow planks and negotiate paths and obstacles as they use wheeled toys in the garden. Pre-school children show a keen interest in solving number problems. They use clocks to begin to understand the concept of time and enjoy a range of fun activities to develop early reading and writing skills. This prepares them well for their next stage in learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 129395 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 1063610 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 - 4 Total number of places 87 Number of children on roll 113 Name of registered person Sunhill Daycare (Europe) Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 22 April 2013 Telephone number 01442 872398

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reference number

Sunhill Montessori Nursery was registered in 1999. The nursery employs 31 members of childcare staff. Of these, 16 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The manager is qualified at level 5 and the assistant manager is qualified at level 6. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am to 6.30pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It follows an approach based on the Montessori educational philosophy.

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reference number

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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reference number

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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reference number

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reference number

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

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