Oaklea Montessori Cic

Oaklea Montessori Cic Magdalen Hall, Wimpole Road, Colchester, Essex CO1 2DE

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Inspection date 22 March 2019 Previous inspection date Not applicable

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This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Not applicable 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 Leaders and managers are ambitious and have effective arrangements for continuously improving the provision for children. They involve parents and children in their self- evaluation process and keep parents well informed of changes and improvements. n Children enter the nursery confidently and part from their parents and carers with ease. They quickly engage in purposeful play and enjoy the company of their chosen friendship groups. n Staff know the children well and use the information they know about each child to plan for their next steps in learning. They share observation and assessment information with parents daily through their online system. This helps to keep parents well informed about their child's day and the progress they are making. n Children are keen and active learners. They enjoy learning in the well-presented environment that provides good opportunities for them to explore the range of learning

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This provision is good

resources available to them. n Staff effectively promote children's independence skills. They encourage children to serve some of their own meals, snacks and drinks and even the youngest children wash their own plates and cups up when they have finished. n Key persons work well with other settings that children attend, or have previously attended, to share relevant information about their development. n At times, staff do not manage the change-over times when children leave to go home well enough to ensure that all children remain engaged and interested in learning. n Occasionally, not all staff respond to children's changing play quickly enough to demonstrate highly effective teaching. For example, they do not recognise when resources within the environment need to be re-arranged to follow children's play.

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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 review the organisation of change-over times to ensure that children remain engaged in purposeful play and learning and are well supervised n enhance staffs' practice further, to ensure that the quality of teaching is consistently strong, highly receptive and appropriately adapted to meet children's changing play.

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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 observed an adult-led activity and evaluated it with the manager. n The inspector held a number of discussions with the provider, manager and staff. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working at the setting. n The inspector spoke to children at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to at the inspection.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effectively. Managers and staff demonstrate a very good understanding of their responsibilities with regards to protecting children. They regularly update their safeguarding knowledge through appropriate training and in-house meetings. Managers have effective arrangements for the supervision of staff and encourage them to pursue their professional development. A number of staff are currently training, both through the Montessori route and through other training paths. Key persons work well with parents and other professionals to help to identify any gaps in children's learning and put in place effective measures to help to close the gaps. Managers make effective use of additional funding to support the learning of individual children.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Children confidently use the resources, which are presented on low-level shelving for easy access. They guide much of their own learning and develop exciting games with their friends. For example, a group of girls use the colourful pieces of material to wrap around themselves to become princesses. They twirl around on the soft-play area, showing each other their designs. Children focus for long periods of time, they build intricate models from the range of different plastic and wooden bricks. Staff support this play by helping them to think about ways that they can further develop their model. They show them a clip board, paper and pencil situated by the construction play area. Staff encourage children to draw a design of their model which they enthusiastically do, enhancing both their physical and literacy skills.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children learn to be kind, caring and respectful of each other as staff help to encourage them to consider each other's feelings. For example, children ask if they can join in another child's play and thank them when they have finished. Children enjoy learning in the outdoor environment on a daily basis. They choose whether to play indoors or outdoors, where they actively move resources around to facilitate their game. Children are encouraged to take carefully considered risks to promote their physical development, such as jumping from the wooden blocks in the garden. Staff remind children how to use equipment safely, such as the slide for younger children. Children enjoy a wholesome cooked meal at lunchtime. Staff remind them how to use a napkin properly and sit with them to eat their lunch. This creates a calm mealtime, used to share quiet conversation.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make very good progress from their starting points. They are well prepared for their next stage of learning, including their eventual move to school. Children are very independent, they confidently squirt paint from the paint dispensers into their trays to create their colourful works of art. They help to devise the shopping list with staff, they check if groceries, such as sugar, are low and add them to their shopping list. Children learn about the wider community when they go for walks in the local area.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY542566 Local authority Essex Inspection number 10089555 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 24 Number of children on roll 41

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Name of registered person

Oaklea Montessori Community Interest Company

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 01255 880135

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reference number

Oaklea Montessori Cic registered in 2016. The setting employs 13 members of childcare staff. Of these, nine hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 upwards, including two who hold early years professional status. The setting opens from Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 8am until 5.30pm. The setting receives funding for the provision of early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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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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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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