The Beehive Montessori School

Inspection of The Beehive Montessori School St Michael's Church Hall, Sycamore Road, Amersham, Buckinghamshire HP6 5DR

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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The provision is good

The provider organises a broad curriculum for children. A wide range of activities and experiences entice children to join in and take part. Following the Montessori philosophy of teaching, staff plan activities for children that have a start and end, encouraging their sense of achievement in completing tasks. After completion, staff encourage children to pack away their activity before starting another. Children understand this routine and the nursery is calm and orderly. Children trace around letters printed in rough sandpaper with their fingers. They learn about the shape and sound of letters and enjoy opportunities to test out their knowledge, such as writing their names on their work. Children are rapidly developing the skills they need to be successful in their future learning and for when they eventually start school.

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The provision is good

Children's behaviour is excellent. They show respect and courtesy towards each other as they play and learn together. Staff provide activities that help children to follow directions. They listen to music and shake instruments as they move their bodies. When the music stops, children crouch behind their chair, hold their instrument still and wait for the music to start again. This shows children's high level of understanding.

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need to do better?

n Whole-group activities sustain children's attention and focus. Staff are skilful in demonstrating activities and explaining to children so that they understand. Children tap wooden blocks together in time with music, warming up the muscles in their hands and arms in readiness for learning. n Staff plan well for children's learning. Young children learn about the basics of mathematics by sorting and ordering by size and shape. Older children build on their prior learning, exploring numbers and counting, before staff encourage and support their early addition and subtraction skills. n Children talk logically about their ideas. They discuss dinosaurs and what they like about them. Staff help to support children's communication and language skills well, introducing them to new words, such as the names of flowers. n The daily routine provides children with familiar activities that they enjoy. However, staff are not always flexible in adapting this routine, for example, by

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need to do better?

bringing forward outdoor play when young children want to play ball games. n Staff teach children to learn how to keep themselves healthy. They encourage children to feel the sensation of blowing through their nose on the back of their hands. Children then practise blowing their nose into a tissue to reduce the spread of germs. This helps children to learn ways of keeping themselves and others healthy. n Children learn how to handle tools such as scissors and equipment carefully.

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need to do better?

12 November 2019 Staff model how to do this safely and encourage children to have a turn and to be independent. n Although children learn about animals, countries and the sea, there are fewer activities and resources to promote their learning about the diversity amongst themselves, their community and wider world. n Children form close relationships with the staff who care for them. Staff ensure that children have comfort and cuddles when they need reassurance and all children display high levels of self-confidence and contentment. Children are confident in their own abilities. They help themselves to snack, tidying away afterwards. Children sit together talking with animation as they enjoy their food. n Staff use effective ways to encourage parents' involvement in their children's learning. They know different ways that they can support their children's learning at home. Parents play a strong role in nursery life. There is a parent

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need to do better?

representative who helps to ensure that parents' views and ideas are consistently heard by the provider. The provider works effectively with other professionals to meet the individual needs of children. n Staff are well qualified and experienced. The provider carries out regular supervision sessions and encourages staff's professional development. Staff say that they all enjoy working at the nursery and feel valued by the provider.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff at the nursery are committed to safeguarding children. They display good awareness of the signs and symptoms that might indicate that children are at risk of harm. Information on the staff and parent noticeboard provides guidance for referring any concerns about children's welfare to the Local Safeguarding Children Board. The provider operates stringent recruitment and induction procedures to ensure that those working with children are safe to do so. Ongoing training supports staff to continually refresh their good knowledge and skills. Staff are vigilant in keeping children safe. They operate safe collection routines with parents to ensure that children are always safe and protected.

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should:

n adapt the daily routine to more readily respond to the changing needs, interests and abilities of young children n enhance teaching, further promoting children's awareness and respect for different people.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 107977 Local authority Buckinghamshire Inspection number 10060967 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 to 4 Total number of places 40 Number of children on roll 16 Name of registered person Nelson, Lyndsey Maclaren

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reference number

Telephone number 07932173990 Date of previous inspection 27 November 2015

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Information about this early years setting

The Beehive Montessori School registered in 1990. It is situated in Amersham, Buckinghamshire. It is open from 9.15am to 12.15pm on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, and from 9.15am to 2.45pm on Wednesday and Friday, during term time only. The nursery employs seven members of childcare staff. Of these, four hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 4. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n A meeting was held with the provider who manages the setting. The inspector looked at evidence of the suitability of staff and information about staff's qualifications. n The manager and inspector went on a learning walk to discuss the curriculum and intentions for children's learning. n The inspector observed children's learning activities and discussed their development and progress with staff. n A joint observation was held with the manager. n The inspector spoke to a small number of parents, staff and children and took account of their views.

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Inspection activities

We carried out this inspection 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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Inspection activities

12 November 2019 regulates and inspects to 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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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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