Meadows Montessori

Meadows Montessori Katherine Semar Infant School, Ross Close, SAFFRON WALDEN, Essex CB11 4DU

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Inspection date 30 April 2019 Previous inspection date 5 June 2014

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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 have established exceptionally strong partnerships with parents. They communicate very effectively with them and involve them well in their children's learning. Parents praise staff for their warmth and dedication. They say their children love coming to nursery. Parents of older children, in particular, comment that staff 'set their children up for school'. n Skilful staff promote children's listening and speaking skills with confidence. They engage children in stimulating conversations and encourage them to express their ideas. Children love hearing stories and enthusiastically join in with songs and rhymes. n Staff and children have excellent relationships. They form warm and trusting bonds with each other. Children have high levels of confidence and demonstrate they feel safe and secure. n Managers and staff have a strong commitment to providing children with good-quality care and learning. They have formed a strong team and work together well. Staff

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This provision is good

morale is good and this shines through in their obvious enthusiasm for their roles. Staff have a thorough understanding of their responsibilities. n At times, staff do not make the most of opportunities to challenge the most-able children's capabilities and extend their learning still further. n Although children play outside daily, this tends to be at scheduled times. This means that children who learn best outdoors are not always able to choose to do so.

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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 make more of all opportunities to challenge the most-able children's capabilities to extend their learning further n extend opportunities for children to make choices about their preferred learning environments.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

n The inspector spoke to parents and read written testimonials to gather their views on the quality of the provision. n The inspector had a meeting with the owner, who also manages the setting. Management processes were looked at and various documents examined, including evidence of staff suitability, training certificates and children's records. n The inspector observed the children and their interactions with staff. She carried out a joint observation with the owner and evaluated the quality of teaching to assess the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector spoke with staff and children during the inspection.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Managers and staff have a secure understanding of child protection procedures. All attend regular safeguarding training to refresh their knowledge. Staff deploy themselves effectively to supervise children and keep them safe. The owner implements thorough recruitment processes to help ensure anyone working with children is safe to do so. Staff benefit from regular support meetings with their managers. They are positively encouraged to attend training and improve their qualifications. Training is appropriately targeted to meet children's needs. For example, staff are beginning to learn simple sign language to enhance support for children with communication difficulties. Managers collect the views of staff, children and parents to help them to make changes that benefit the children, such as improvements to the garden area.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff have an enthusiastic approach to their work and show they enjoy time spent with the children. They regularly observe children as they play to assess their development. This helps to provide a broad understanding of individual children's interests and achievements. Managers carefully track children's overall progress to identify areas where children may need extra help. Staff skilfully engage children in enjoyable small- group activities. For example, children excitedly name characters in a story and join in with energetic action songs. Children develop their understanding of mathematical concepts in practical ways. They compare the weight of familiar objects and learn how to sequence the days of the week. Older children demonstrate a good aptitude for writing. They spontaneously use chalks, pens and pencils during their play.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff work closely with parents to settle children into the setting. They take time to collect detailed information about children's individual needs and interests. Children behave well and show consideration for their peers. Staff help children to understand and deal with their emotions as, for example, they teach them breathing exercises that lower stress levels and promote feelings of peace and calm. Children learn about their local community. They explore nearby woodland and have recently made visits to a care home to meet older people. Staff encourage children to be healthy. They talk to children about nutritious foods and teach them the importance of good hygiene.

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Outcomes for children are good

All children make good progress, given their starting points. Older children are prepared well for school academically and emotionally. They interact confidently with adults and know how to take turns and share games with their friends. Children develop good levels of independence and undertake responsible tasks, such as tidying up after themselves. They listen well to stories and enjoy making up their own. Children approach their learning with joyful enthusiasm.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY407996 Local authority Essex Inspection number 10068881 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 2 - 4 Total number of places 36 Number of children on roll 68 Name of registered person The Meadows Pre-School Nursery Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 5 June 2014 Telephone number 01799513858

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reference number

Meadows Montessori registered in 2010 and is privately owned. The setting opens Monday to Friday all year round except for bank holidays and one week at Christmas. Sessions are from 8am until 6pm. The setting provides funded early education places for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The setting has 10 members of childcare staff including the owner/manager. The owner/manager holds early years teacher status and six other members of staff have appropriate qualifications at level 2 or 3.

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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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