The Children's House Montessori

The Children's House Montessori 207 West Street, FAREHAM, Hampshire PO16 0EN

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Inspection date 28 February 2019 Previous inspection date 15 November 2017

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

Previous inspection: Good 2 Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate 4 Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate 4 Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate 4 Outcomes for children Inadequate 4

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This provision is inadequate

n Staff supervision is ineffective. Staff issues raised in supervision are not acted on, which has an impact on low staff morale, professional development of staff and experiences that children have. n Weaknesses in safeguarding procedures are not identified by leaders. This means concerns that are raised about children's well-being are not always acted on. n Staff recruitment is not robust. Leaders have not conducted appropriate checks for newly appointed staff. n Leaders and managers are not consistently monitoring how staff plan for and support children's progress. Staff do not use information gathered from observations and assessments to identify and swiftly address gaps in children's learning. n Children's safety has been compromised. This is because leaders have failed to ensure staff with valid paediatric first-aid training are always on the premises.

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It has the following strengths

n Children enjoy warm relationships with the staff, who are kind and caring. n On arrival to the nursery, children settle well.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

The provision is inadequate and Ofsted intends to take enforcement action: We will issue a Welfare Requirements Notice requiring the provider to: Due date improve staff knowledge of safeguarding so signs of abuse can be identified and fully understood 21/03/2019

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

ensure all staff understand and implement the safeguarding policy when they have concerns about children, making sure children are monitored effectively and immediate action is sought when required 21/03/2019

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

ensure all staff know what procedures to follow if they witness inappropriate behaviour displayed by staff and that these procedures are followed when necessary 21/03/2019

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

improve communication between leaders and staff so they are aware of issues relating to children's welfare, ensuring those children are effectively monitored and protected 21/03/2019

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

ensure the recruitment policy is followed when vetting new members of staff, making sure that all staff have a valid Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, have references, and gaps in employment are accounted for 21/03/2019

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

implement effective staff supervision, making sure issues raised are addressed and actioned 21/03/2019

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

ensure there is an available staff member, who holds a current paediatric first-aid qualification, on the premises at all times 21/03/2019

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

implement appropriate risk assessments for staff who have declared medical conditions; including what medication is required, where on the premises it is stored and how the condition can change and impact on them 21/03/2019

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

develop effective staff deployment procedures which ensure managers can fulfil their roles and responsibilities and unvetted staff are not left unsupervised with children 21/03/2019

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

ensure there is no smoking on the premises under any circumstances 21/03/2019

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

keep a detailed record of all complaints, including how they are investigated and the outcome. 21/03/2019

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must: Due date ensure that assessments of children are accurate and identify their next steps in learning 30/04/2019

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

ensure all children have a named key person, who has a secure knowledge of their learning and care needs, and parents are fully informed 30/04/2019

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

provide sufficient learning opportunities which are exciting and challenging for children, with particular regard to older children. 30/04/2019

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

Inspection activities n The inspection was conducted following the Ofsted risk assessment process. n The inspectors spoke to leaders, staff, parents and children at appropriate times during the inspection. n The inspectors sampled documentation including children's and staff records, policies and procedures, and information on children's development. n The inspectors observed practice in all areas of the nursery. n The inspectors observed the quality of teaching during activities and assessed the impact on children's learning.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

Inspectors Kelly Marchmont Teresa Newman

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

Safeguarding is ineffective. Communication among leaders is poor and they are unable to fulfil their roles and responsibilities appropriately. This has left staff without clear direction or suitable support to carry out their roles effectively. It also means important discussions about children's welfare are not held when needed. As a result, leaders do not follow appropriate safeguarding procedures and staff lack confidence about what they should to do if they have concerns about children or other staff members. Leaders have failed to obtain or explore significant information that is required to confirm the suitability of staff. This includes obtaining DBS checks and medical suitability of staff. This means leaders cannot be sure all adults working with children are safe to do so. Leaders have an insufficient understanding of the requirements of the early years foundation stage. As a result, many of the requirements are not met and this

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

compromises children's safety and well-being. For example, adults have been smoking on the premises when children are present. Leaders fail to take responsibly and accountability for these weaknesses and do not prioritise the needs of children.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

Weaknesses in planning and teaching have a significant impact on children's learning. Staff do not assess children's learning and development accurately. This means they are unable to identify where children are developmentally and what they need to learn next. Leaders do not monitor this, and staff are not always given the time needed to assess children's progress. Planning is ineffective as it does not consider individual learning needs of children and is based on inaccurate assessments. Although staff respond to young children's care needs, they do not use these opportunities well enough. They fail to build on the development of children's emerging communication skills. Young children enjoy some activities that support their social and physical skills. For example, they enjoy using their imaginations in the outside area as they run from a 'bear'.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

Frequent changes in the staff team mean that children receive little consistent support and the key-person system is ineffective. Indeed, some children do not have a key person to support their individual needs. For those that do, parents do not know who they are, which limits effective communication. As a result, key persons lack important information about children and their home life. This includes information regarding special educational needs and other circumstances that may have an impact on lives and development needs. This means not all children have secure relationships and are not well supported with their care and development. At times, children are not engaged or challenged by the activities available to them. This has a negative impact on behaviour. For example, a group of children were not properly engaged because activities on offer did not meet their needs for a significant period. This resulted in children running around

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

indoors and this caused conflict among them. Staff were unable to manage this unwanted behaviour effectively.

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Outcomes for children are inadequate

Significant breaches of the statutory requirements compromise children's safety and welfare. Children with special educational needs do less well than they are able to. This is because staff do not take enough notice of the strategies and methods identified by specialised agencies that are designed to support these children's progress and help them catch up with their peers. The progress children make is unclear due to poor observation and planning. Children are not well supported when they move to other parts of the nursery. This is because key information about children, about their individual needs and likes, is not shared with other staff members.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY453858 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 10092977 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Full day care Age range of children 0 - 10 Total number of places 50 Number of children on roll 62 Name of registered person The Children's House Montessori Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 15 November 2017 Telephone number 01329236677

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reference number

The Children's House Montessori registered in 2012. It operates from premises on the outskirts of Fareham, in Hampshire. The nursery is open each weekday from 7.30am to 6pm, for 52 weeks a year. The setting receives funding for the provision of free education for children aged two, three and four years. There are 10 members of staff working with the children, seven of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications.

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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.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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