Mulberry Montessori School

Mulberry Montessori School Mulberry Montessori School, Royston Lane, Comberton, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB23 7EE

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 5 October 2017 8 September 2014

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Outcomes for children Requires improvement

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This provision requires improvement. It is not yet good because:

 Some staff do not have strong enough teaching skills to ensure their interactions across the nursery help children to become fully engaged and challenged.  Some staff do not manage children’s behaviour effectively.  Self-evaluation is not rigorous enough to identify and swiftly implement changes needed to raise the quality of the nursery.  Staff do not gather enough information from parents when children first start about what their child can already do

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It has the following strengths

 Children of all ages are sociable and confident. Older children are interested in people visiting the nursery, and freely talk about what they are doing. Babies babble at visitors and wave as they leave the room.  The nursery has a welcoming feel. It is well resourced and effectively set up to support children’s independence.  Staff support older children’s language development. They are introduced to words like ‘lava’ and ‘pentagon’. Staff respond to younger children’s babbling and emerging words and look at books with them.  Parents are positive about the nursery. They feel involved in their children’s learning and talk about how their children enjoy attending.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage the provider must:

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Due Date

 improve supervision and performance management of the staff team to ensure teaching across the nursery supports good outcomes for all children 26/10/2017

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Due Date

 improve staff's understanding of age-appropriate expectations for children's behaviour. 26/10/2017

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Due Date

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

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Due Date

 develop a culture of reflective practice to support ongoing identification of areas of weakness, so that improvements are swiftly implemented  gather more information from parents when children first start, so that staff have a good understanding of what children can already do.

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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 to children and staff at appropriate times during the inspection.  The inspector completed two joint observations with the provider.  The inspector held a meeting with the provider. The inspector also looked at relevant documentation, such as the nursery's self-evaluation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the setting.  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 requires improvement

The provider, who is also the manager, has not implemented an effective and consistent system of self-evaluation. Supervision and performance management of the staff team does not ensure consistently good teaching across all areas of the nursery, so that all children make good progress. The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff are knowledgeable about signs and symptoms of possible abuse, and are confident about how to record and report concerns regarding a child's welfare. There are effective recruitment and induction processes in place to ensure staff working with children are suitable. Parents receive regular feedback, ensuring they are involved in their children's learning. However, staff do not gather enough detailed information from parents about their children's abilities when they first start at the nursery.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

The quality of teaching across the nursery is variable. When staff engage with children in the infant room, particularly when inside, they do not always take account of the needs of this age group. Staff do not support children to become engaged in activities and as a result, children become easily distracted and flit from one activity to another. Overall, babies and children in pre-school are supported effectively. Pre-school children are starting to learn letter sounds as staff encourage them to remember the first letter of their name. As they complete puzzles, they gain early mathematical skills. Observations and assessments are completed regularly and give an accurate picture of all children's progress.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

Staff do not manage children's behaviour across the nursery consistently. Staff in the infant room do not always have age-appropriate expectations and, as a result, strategies to support children's behaviour are not always effective. Across the nursery children develop their independence, as they self select and return resources to the correct places. Pre-school children learn to manage their own care needs and make good use of songs to remember to 'wash bugs down the drain'. Children enjoy healthy and nutritious meals and have daily opportunities for fresh air in the setting's garden.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Weaknesses in teaching and learning mean that some children are not making the best progress possible. Nevertheless, most children are developing basic skills to support their future learning. They make friends quickly and show care and concern for each other. Children in the infant room start to learn about the natural world, showing delight as they dig for worms and watch them wriggle. Babies develop their physical skills, as they spend time practising rolling or pulling themselves to standing. Pre-school children talk confidently with each other and staff, sharing their ideas. They show motivation as they fit blocks together or workout, which shapes they need.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY347249 Local authority Cambridgeshire Inspection number 1104578 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 42 Number of children on roll 29 Name of registered person Christina Clayton

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 8 September 2014 Telephone number 01223 263646

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reference number

Mulberry Montessori School registered in 2007. It employs eight members of childcare staff; of these three hold childcare qualifications at level 4 and three hold childcare qualifications at level 3. The nursery is open from Monday to Friday, all year round, except for one week at Christmas. Sessions are from 8am until 6pm. It provides funded early education for three- and four-year-old children.

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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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