Mill Cottage Montessori School Day Care

Mill Cottage Montessori School Day Care Wakefield Road, Brighouse, West Yorkshire HD6 4HA

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Inspection date 13 May 2019 Previous inspection date 27 January 2015

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Previous inspection: Outstanding 1 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 management team are visionary leaders who are uncompromising in their drive to improve outcomes for children. Self-evaluation is extremely effective and takes into consideration the views of staff, parents and children. n Strong teamwork between staff, parents, therapists and healthcare professionals ensure that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, fully engage with their learning and make excellent progress. n Staff have an excellent knowledge of how children learn and fully understand the individual needs of children. This underpins the planning of rich and varied activities that allow all children to flourish. Children quickly develop a love of learning. n Staff closely observe children's progress and accurately assess their learning needs. They are extremely swift to identify any delays in children's development and ensure that any gaps are rapidly reduced.

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This provision is outstanding

n The behaviour of children is excellent. Most pre-school children have social skills beyond those usually found in children of their age. They work together, take turns and can talk about their feelings and behaviour well. As a result, children play happily together and explore their environment collaboratively. n Children settle very well and thrive in this setting. Staff provide a highly impressive, welcoming and calm environment. Children develop very strong emotional attachments with staff from the start. Staff are especially caring, attentive and nurturing.

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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 build on children's excellent knowledge of people's similarities and differences, including how people communicate in different ways.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager. n The inspector held discussions with the provider, staff and children. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of adults working in the setting. n The inspector took the views of parents into account.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

Recruitment and vetting procedures are robust. This ensures that staff are suitable to work with children. The management team monitor the performance of staff exceptionally well. They ensure high levels of consistency in teaching are maintained throughout the setting. Staff have very good access to training to keep their knowledge continually up to date. In addition, the well-being of staff is fully considered. This benefits the learning outcomes for children to a high degree. The management team are currently devising ways of helping children understand about how people communicate in different ways. The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. There is a culture of vigilance across the setting and children's welfare is at the heart of daily practice. The management team ensures all staff are extremely confident of their role in recognising any safeguarding concerns. Consequently, children are protected extremely well.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

Staff work exceptionally well to plan highly effective and individual targets to support children's development. They successfully enrich children's experiences. Staff are extremely skilled at adapting activities to meet the needs and interests of children. They support babies as they explore the different textures on the floor tiles with their hands and feet. Toddlers make predictions and investigate what happens when they add vinegar to baking powder or bicarbonate of soda. Pre-school children develop their knowledge about the life cycle of bees and butterflies to a great depth. Children's communication and language skills are exceptional. Staff introduce new vocabulary as children play. For example, as children bake, staff talk with them about the difference between a serrated and smooth edge cutter.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

The exceptionally enabling and natural outdoor environment supports children's physical development to a high degree. The use of nursery pets promotes a nurturing and caring ethos while giving children a greater understanding of the world. For example, children delight in bathing the rabbit and feeding the chickens. Children are highly independent. Toddlers show great pride as they help staff sweep up the rabbit's straw. Pre-school children eagerly wash the tables and utensils after their baking activity and set the tables for lunch. Children learn about kindness and respect and learn to help each other. For example, they pour drinks for each other and find each other's shoes. Children receive an exceptionally healthy diet. They grow and harvest their own fruit and vegetables from the garden. In addition, they learn to identify fruits and vegetables and make healthy choices.

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Outcomes for children are outstanding

Children are extremely well prepared for their next stage in learning, including their move on to school. They learn that writing has meaning as they look at recipe cards when they bake. In addition, staff encourage them to find books that give them more information about bees. Children have a highly impressive understanding of the solar system. They talk excitedly about the difference between a star and a planet and use mathematical terms when they compare the sizes of different planets.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY317102 Local authority Calderdale Inspection number 10103796 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care Age range of children 0 - 4 Total number of places 54 Number of children on roll 128 Name of registered person Mill Cottage Montessori School Ltd

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 27 January 2015 Telephone number 01484 400500

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reference number

Mill Cottage Montessori School Day Care registered in 2005. It follows the educational philosophy of Montessori. The setting employs 21 members of staff. All staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. A number of staff hold qualified teacher status and early years teacher status. The setting opens Monday to Friday from 7.30am to 6pm, all year round. It provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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

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