New Hickory Montessori

New Hickory Montessori Comptons, 25 Denmans Lane, Lindfield, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH16 2LA

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Inspection date 26 April 2019 Previous inspection date 4 March 2016

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Previous inspection: Good 2 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

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This provision is outstanding

n The dedicated management team has an exceptional approach to leading its staff. Managers are passionate about creating an environment where children have the freedom to learn and develop in their own unique ways. They constantly reflect on and evaluate the provision and act on feedback from the parents, children and staff. n Children make excellent progress in their learning, including children with special educational needs and/or those in need of further support. Meticulous monitoring and rigorous assessment ensure all children receive highly appropriate and meaningful support. Interventions are swiftly and successfully put into place to prevent children from falling behind their peers. n The managers and staff work exceptionally well with health professionals and others involved in the children's learning. They share strategies such as visual learning cues and flash cards to support children's care and learning very effectively.

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This provision is outstanding

n Children are highly imaginative as they play. For example, they design and build complex structures with crates and chairs. They incorporate other resources, such as steering wheels and tickets, to enhance their game and develop storylines even further. n Staff are skilled and knowledgeable and demonstrate strong teaching practice. They continuously engage in high-quality interactions and, as a result, children are very eager to learn. n Parents' comments about the nursery are overwhelmingly positive. They share their experiences of the recently improved handover periods of the day, where the child's key person offers verbal details of the child's time at nursery and the progress they make in their learning. n Children are incredibly happy and demonstrate kind and respectful behaviour. They have developed extremely strong attachments with the caring and nurturing staff. This has created a warm atmosphere throughout the setting.

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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 continue to enhance the already excellent strategies for engaging parents in contributing to nursery life and supporting their children's all-round learning and development.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

n The inspector held meetings with the management team and the provider, and spoke with staff at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching and the impact this has on children's learning indoors and outside. n The inspector spoke with children and parents and sampled parents' questionnaires to help take account of their views. n The inspector completed two joint observations with one of the officers in charge. n The inspector looked at a range of documentation, including records of children's progress, the nursery's self-evaluation and improvement plans, evidence of staff suitability, and policies and procedures.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

Safeguarding is effective. Staff have an excellent understanding of a wide range of factors that can affect children's well-being. Concerns about children's welfare are identified and responded to promptly, ensuring children's safety at all times. Robust and rigorous recruitment procedures are adhered to, ensuring the suitability of all staff employed. The managers are very well qualified and experienced childcare professionals. They ensure that they support staff superbly well. Staff comment that they feel highly respected and valued within their roles. Supervisory sessions are extremely effective at maintaining outstanding teaching across the nursery. Staff contribute and offer suggestions for new training experiences that will enhance their skills even further.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

Children are eager to join in with an abundance of exciting activities, inside and outside. Staff show a firm understanding of how children learn. They enable them to lead activities, making suggestions for them to take an active role in their learning. Staff skilfully question children to help to extend their language and creative thinking. Children are fascinated and delighted by the range of resources and demonstrate exceptional skills while they play. Innovative ideas, such as using hand-held metal detectors, help children to investigate and explore material properties as they hide and rediscover a range of objects, including play dough, toys, real money and keys, under bowls or within straw.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Staff are exemplary role models and children's behaviour is excellent. Children use their exceptional manners without being prompted by staff and show kindness and respect towards their friends. For example, they politely ask their friends if they can have a turn during shared games. This is down to the nurturing, motivated and enthusiastic staff, who create a warm, exciting environment for all the children. All children develop a positive sense of self and their place in the world. For instance, they express great joy as they share personal experiences with each other about Easter activities and family holidays abroad. Children are highly capable at managing their own needs, including showing very good independent hygiene routines.

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Outcomes for children are outstanding

Staff are dedicated to ensuring children reach their full potential. Children are highly self- motivated and confident learners. They settle quickly when they arrive at nursery, recognise their own names and are keen problem-solvers. For example, younger children demonstrate exceptional levels of perseverance as they attempt to build towers from mirrored shaped blocks. Older children express fascination and delight as they experiment to see which objects float or sink and work out why this happens. Children demonstrate superb collaboration in their play, form firm friendships and develop excellent social skills. All children make excellent progress in relation to their starting points and are learning key skills in readiness for the next stage in their learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY310220 Local authority West Sussex Inspection number 10066714 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care Age range of children 1 - 4 Total number of places 28 Number of children on roll 54 Name of registered person Benson, Carole Anne

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 4 March 2016 Telephone number 01444 473311

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reference number

New Hickory Montessori nursery registered in 2005. It is part of the Tudor House group of nurseries. The nursery operates from Lindfield, West Sussex. It opens every weekday from 8.30am to 3.30pm, during term time only. The nursery is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The nursery employs 11 staff, nine of whom, including the nursery owner, hold appropriate early years qualifications. The nursery follows the Montessori teaching method.

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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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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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