St Helens Montessori Preschool

St Helens Montessori Preschool St. Helens Primary School, Broomlands Close, St. Helens, RYDE, Isle of Wight, PO33 1XH

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 11 October 2017 Not applicable

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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

 Overall, the quality of teaching is strong. Children enjoy a stimulating environment, which encourages their curiosity and independence skills effectively. Children make good progress in their learning and development.  The provider carries out secure recruitment and vetting procedures on new staff, who follow a clear induction. She monitors their performance closely and puts support in place to develop knowledge and skills.  Excellent liaison with teachers at the school takes place. Children enjoy fun, joint learning experiences, such as a puppet show, which fully supports their move on to school.  The staff monitor children's progress well and are particularly strong at identifying those below expected levels of development. They work with other professionals closely to support their learning needs.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 At times, children spend too long sitting down during large group activities and occasionally lose interest in the activities.  There is less emphasis on the provider monitoring the teaching and routines, which occasionally lack flexibility.

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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

 evaluate large-group activities more effectively and be more responsive to children to help sustain their interest  monitor the quality of the teaching and effectiveness of routines even more closely to help develop teaching to the highest level.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke to children, observed the children's play activities indoors looked at the available resources and read relevant documentation.  The inspector had discussions with manager and provider about their leadership and management, including self-evaluation methods.  The inspector spoke to a sample of parents and took account of their views.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the provider and manager

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. All staff complete up to date child protection training and have a good understanding of what to do if they have concerns about a child's safety and welfare. They implement clear security systems and daily checks to help ensure the premises and equipment are safe for children to use at all times. The manager effectively monitors individual children and groups of children's progress. She quickly identifies and addresses any gaps in children's development. The manager offers good opportunities for staff to develop their skills, such as through staff meetings, training and regular discussions. Partnerships with parents are strong. Staff build good, communicative relationships with them and work effectively together to meet children's needs.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff support children to engage in new experiences, which they do with enthusiasm. Children respond well to staff who provide them with opportunities to become independent and inquisitive learners, such as exploring the flowers, or the items on the 'autumn tray.' Staff enable older children to select and complete activities for themselves, for example, they become highly focused to complete a large puzzle independently. Younger children receive clear adult support, such as when they order coloured tiles into shades. Staff support mathematics during circle time well and they encourage counting and simple problems, for example, during fun, active songs. Staff are inspired by training to support and extend children's communication skills. For example, they encourage children to talk and share experiences during group activities such as 'what's in the box?'

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children make positive attachments with all staff. These help them to feel safe, secure and reassured in their motivating play environment. Children receive plenty of praise and encouragement which help support their good behaviour. Staff remind children of the rules such as walking indoors and learn how to carry a chair safely. Children explore a stimulating environment indoors and outdoors. They learn the importance of healthy eating and have regular snacks and water at a time of their choosing. Children learn where some food comes from, such as when they grow carrots and potatoes in their garden. Children enjoy many activities to support their physical well-being, such as music and dance, gym in the school and activities on the shared school playing field.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children develop skills ready for their next stages in learning. They thoroughly enjoy lively music and rhythm time, and they sing and tap sticks along to favourite songs. Older children quickly learn key vocabulary in German. They count beyond ten and learn to write numbers and their names. Younger, new children follow the routines well and play alongside their new friends. For example, they pretend to make food in the mud kitchen with soil and grass. Their speaking and listening skills are developing well, such as when they confidently recall elements of the puppet show they saw in school the day before.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY491942 Local authority Isle of Wight Inspection number 1021978 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 - 8 Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 22 Name of registered person Jacqueline Seymour

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 01983 874481 or 07938 945138

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reference number

St Helens Montessori Preschool opened in 2015. It is owned and managed by a private individual, who has another setting in Bembridge. The pre-school operates from a classroom within the local primary school in St Helen's on the Isle of Wight. The setting is open each weekday from 7.45am to 5pm. It provides early education funding for children aged two, three and four years. The provider employs five staff to work with the children, four of whom have qualifications to level 2, 3 and 4.

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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

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

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