Townsend Montessori @ Maidstone

Townsend Montessori @ Maidstone The former Archbishop Courtenay School, Maidstone, Kent ME15 6YH

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Inspection date 29 January 2019 Previous inspection date 6 May 2016

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This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Good 2 Effectiveness of leadership and management Good 2 Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2 Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good 2 Outcomes for children Good 2

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This provision is good

n Staff get to know children and their individual personalities well. Children have a good sense of belonging and positive levels of well-being and self-esteem. n Staff use effective ways to support all children to make good progress, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. For example, they liaise closely with outside agencies, such as speech and language therapists, to share good strategies. n The manager and staff effectively review their practice together. They hold weekly discussions to evaluate children's progress. They use their findings to support their future activity plans. This helps keep children motivated to learn. n All children have good opportunities to develop their creative skills. They explore paint in interesting ways, such as using string and pipettes to make patterns. n There are good opportunities for children to develop their physical skills and explore

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This provision is good

different ways to move. For example, they enjoy weekly tennis and dance classes. n Children have good opportunities to gain mathematical skills to support their future learning. For example, older children complete simple sums with confidence. n Staff do not consistently support children to understand fully the expectations of their behaviour and encourage them to resolve minor conflicts independently. n Staff do not make the most out of opportunities to share children's achievements from home more extensively.

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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

n extend children's understanding of what is expected of their behaviour and how to manage minor disagreements with more independence n strengthen the already good partnerships with parents and encourage them to share children's achievements from home more consistently.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

Inspection activities n The inspector observed the staff interacting with children and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector viewed the indoor and outdoor environments. n The inspector looked at written documentation, including evidence of the suitability of all those working at the nursery. n The inspector spoke to the manager, children, parents and staff, and considered their views. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

The manager closely monitors the consistency of care and teaching that staff provide for children. For instance, she holds individual meetings with staff to discuss their performance and to set challenging targets to help develop their practice. Staff establish positive partnerships with other early years professionals. For example, they share children's achievements with staff at settings they also attend. This helps provide children with a good, consistent approach to their shared care and learning experiences. All staff are keen to build on their skills and knowledge further. They have learned about the different ways to support children to develop their communication skills, such as using simple signing. Safeguarding is effective. The manager and staff have a good knowledge and understanding of the safeguarding and child protection policies and procedures to follow to help protect children's safety and welfare. Children learn how to

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

keep themselves and others safe. For instance, they talk about how to cross the road safely during role play.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

The manager and staff closely monitor and track individual and different groups of children's progress. This includes children who speak English as an additional language. This helps them to highlight any gaps in their learning promptly and provide good support to help close them quickly. Staff support children to prepare for their future move to school effectively. For example, younger children enjoy bringing stories alive with puppets. Older children recognise letters and simple words with confidence. Staff extend children's ideas well. For instance, children who enjoy a book about a man made of gingerbread, go on to make their own gingerbread people.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children build meaningful friendships and play happily together in group activities. Children develop a good understanding of the importance of healthy lifestyles. For example, children choose to exercise and access fresh air or rest and engage in quieter activities with confidence. Children have good opportunities to learn about other people's similarities and differences. For instance, they learn about different events and traditions from around the world, such as Australia Day festivals.

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Outcomes for children are good

All children make good progress in their learning in relation to their established starting points. Children gain good skills to support their future learning. For example, younger children make marks in interesting ways, such as using foam. Older children write simple words with confidence. Children have good opportunities to explore and investigate the natural world. For example, they learn about the life cycles of an ant and ladybird. Children enjoy participating in simple science experiments, such as making erupting volcanoes.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY477930 Local authority Kent Inspection number 10075992 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Full day care Age range of children 0 - 4 Total number of places 92 Number of children on roll 193 Name of registered person Townsend Montessori Nurseries Ltd

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 6 May 2016 Telephone number 01843 852575

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reference number

Townsend Montessori @ Maidstone registered in 2014. It is located in Maidstone, Kent. The setting is open Monday to Friday from 7.30am to 6.30pm, all year around. It receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The setting employs 27 members of staff, 25 of whom hold relevant early years qualifications at level 2 or above. This includes two members of staff who hold a qualification at level 6 and one member of staff who holds qualified teacher status.

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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.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.

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

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