The Little Learners Montessori Watford

The Little Learners Montessori Watford 62-68 Merton Road, Watford, Hertfordshire WD18 0WL

p.1

Inspection date 17 October 2018 Previous inspection date Not applicable

p.1

This inspection: Outstanding 1

Previous inspection: Not applicable Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding 1 Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding 1 Outcomes for children Outstanding 1

p.1

The provision is outstanding

n The managers lead a high-quality culture of reflective practice. They expertly engage with staff, parents and external professionals to evaluate areas for improvement and continuously boost the exceptional services provided for children. n Staff have developed unique strategies to work with parents to provide children with continuous support. Parents highly praise staff's exceptional dedication in teaching, caring and ensuring that children are safe. n The key-person system is extremely robust and staff know children incredibly well. They establish remarkably warm and nurturing relationships with children, who are visibly happy and show that they feel exceptionally secure in staff's care. n Staff are skilled at producing accurate assessments that identify children's next steps in learning and gaps in their development. They actively work with their managers to track children's skills and ensure their exceptional progress.

p.1

The provision is outstanding

n Across the nursery, the highly qualified staff plan exceptionally stimulating play opportunities for children. There is an accurate balance of adult-led and child-led activities, indoors and outside. Children flourish in their learning and development. n Staff complete thorough risk assessments of the premises, equipment and resources. They expertly teach children about safety. Staff are extremely attentive in supervising children during play and give utmost priority to keeping them safe.

p.1

What the setting needs to do to improve further

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

p.2

What the setting needs to do to improve further

n continue to enhance the excellent opportunities for staff's professional development to maintain the already outstanding quality of teaching and learning for children.

p.2

What the setting needs to do to improve further

Inspection activities n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector completed joint observations of activities in each room with the nursery manager. n The inspector held meetings with the nursery manager and provider. She looked at relevant documentation, such as the evidence of the suitability, training and qualifications of staff working in the nursery. n The inspector discussed reflective practice with staff, parents and managers. She looked at the nursery's self-evaluation forms and quality audits. n The inspector spoke to a selection of parents during the inspection and took account of their views through written feedback.

p.2

Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

Safeguarding is effective. Staff attend regular safeguarding training to develop their excellent knowledge of the signs of abuse. They are extremely confident about the steps to follow to make referrals of concerns about a child or other adults. Managers follow rigorous recruitment and induction systems. They continuously monitor staff's suitability and performance. Staff strive to provide the highest quality services for children. For example, they carry out regular safety, safeguarding and learning audits to continuously monitor and improve practice. The exceptionally dedicated team plans on attending even more training to maintain the outstanding outcomes for children.

p.3

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

Staff are inspirational teachers. For example, they help babies to develop exceptional coordination, physical and language skills as they take scarves out and put them into containers of different sizes and shapes. Staff astutely challenge children's learning. For example, toddlers are inquisitive during highly engaging reading sessions and show exceptional confidence in communication as they retell stories using props and natural resources. In all rooms, children are highly motivated to explore the safe and extremely stimulating play areas. For example, staff extend older children's interest in planets using extensive resources and books to teach them about the Earth. Children learn about the importance of water, vegetation and their role in looking after nature and animals to help protect the world they live in.

p.3

Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Children have exceptional opportunities to learn to independently manage their personal care needs. Additionally, they are extremely proud to help staff during routines. Staff are excellent role models and successfully support children's emotional development. Children's behaviour is excellent. Staff are experts in teaching children about diversity, other cultures and festivals. Children learn to respect and accept their peers and others in their community. Staff inspirationally promote children's health. They ensure children have nutritious meals and plenty of outdoor play. Children engage in exciting learning experiences outside. For example, staff astutely promote children's physical skills as they engage them in an exciting storytelling activity in the garden. Children act out the characters of a story as they pretend to walk through mud, long grass and snow. They are challenged to pretend to cross a river and enter a cave. Staff are experts in

p.3

Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

promoting children's imagination and creativity.

p.3

Outcomes for children are outstanding

All children, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language, make exceptional progress. Additionally, managers invest additional funding to provide children with specialist support to meet their individual needs. From an early age, children show high levels of motivation, perseverance and engagement during activities across all areas of learning. They achieve a tremendous foundation and are educationally and emotionally prepared for school.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number EY540707 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10081494 Type of provision Full day care

p.4

Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register

p.4

Day care type

Age range of children 0 - 4 Total number of places 90 Number of children on roll 87 Name of registered person Little Learners Montessori Ltd

p.4

reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 01923 804488

p.4

reference number

The Little Learners Montessori Watford registered in 2016. The nursery employs 30 members of childcare staff. Of these, 25 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2, 3, 4 and 6. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, for 50 weeks a year, excluding bank holidays. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. The nursery receives funding to provide free early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

p.4

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.

p.4

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.ofsted.gov.uk . 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 and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, 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.

p.4

reference number

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.5

reference number

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk

p.5

reference number

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: www.ofsted.gov.uk/user .

p.5

reference number

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

p.5