Cherry Tree Montessori Nursery and Pre School

Inspection of Cherry Tree Montessori Nursery and Pre School 1 High Street, Ashley Heath, Ringwood, Hampshire BH24 2HP

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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The provision requires improvement

Children are settled and happy. They move around the nursery confidently and talk to visitors. They take part in appropriate activities, although staff do not always extend their learning to help them make the best possible progress. For example, staff miss opportunities to ask them questions to help them think. Children independently select, use and put away the Montessori resources. They enjoy playing outdoors, but there are limited resources and these are not always fully equipped to enable children to get the most from them. For example, the playhouse has various other resources stored inside it, the chalkboard has no chalks and the music board is dirty and missing items. Indoors, children do not have easy access to books to support their developing literacy skills.

p.2

The provision requires improvement

Children and staff chat to each other throughout the day but further support for language development is not always forthcoming, including for those children who need additional support. The baby room has a cosy area where children can communicate with one another, but the older children had no communication- friendly spaces indoors on the day of inspection. Children are developing good counting skills but there are few opportunities for them to make the link between counting and seeing matching numerals. There is also limited print displayed to extend children's literacy skills. Children have good manners, take turns and listen carefully to instructions.

p.2

need to do better?

n Teaching is inconsistent. Staff do not always extend children's learning fully, for example, by explaining and asking questions to make them think. When children watched a science activity, staff did not explain the reason for the candle going out and the water being drawn up into the jar and did not ask the children what they thought was happening. n Staff use effective methods to manage behaviour. They talk to the children about sharing and taking turns, and are quick to recognise and praise desired behaviour. Children clearly understand the boundaries and behave well. n Although staff chat to children throughout the day, they do not provide further support, such as communication-friendly spaces for older children to develop their language skills. Staff read books to the children as a group but, during the inspection, the bookcase had three wooden chairs pushed right up against it which did not encourage children to choose books to look at by themselves.

p.2

need to do better?

n Staff do not ensure that there are sufficient resources in all areas throughout the day or that these are well maintained and ready for use by the children. This limits children's learning. n Staff place a strong emphasis on safety and hygiene. They take effective steps to ensure that the premises are secure at all times and are vigilant about

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need to do better?

26 November 2019 keeping them clean. Children are knowledgeable about how to stay safe and discuss how you must never pick up fireworks or use matches. n Partnerships with parents are effective. Staff share information with parents in a number of ways which help to involve them in their children's learning. Parents report that staff are supportive and give them ideas of how to help their children make progress. n Children do not have sufficient opportunities to recognise numbers and letters to fully extend their mathematical development and literacy skills. n Staff have warm relationships with children and get to know them well. They make effective use of praise and encouragement, which helps children develop confidence and independence. n The staff team is close knit and well established. The manager meets regularly with staff to discuss how things are going and considers their well-being. A rota has recently been put in place so that each member of staff takes a turn at a

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need to do better?

different task to develop their skills further. n While improvements have been made since the last inspection, the manager does not make effective enough use of self-evaluation to identify areas for development. She tends to react to feedback from others, rather than being proactive about identifying issues herself. Despite weaknesses in teaching being identified at the last inspection, the focus has been more on becoming familiar with the new inspection framework than developing staff practice.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Staff have improved their understanding of how to protect children since the last inspection. Safeguarding is always on the agenda of staff meetings to keep staff up to date with any changes. All staff know the possible signs that a child is at potential risk of harm and are aware of the procedures to follow if they have concerns. They know where to find the information they need to make a referral themselves if necessary. They are all aware of what to do if they have concerns about the actions of a colleague. Hazards identified at the last inspection have been removed and staff are careful to supervise children, including sleeping babies, at all times to ensure their safety.

p.3

Due date

improve the quality and consistency of teaching in order to extend children's learning as much as possible 26/01/2020

p.3

Due date

26 November 2019 review the environment to encourage children's love of books and provide further support for their language development 26/01/2020

p.3

Due date

provide more opportunities for children to see and recognise letters and numbers 26/01/2020

p.4

Due date

ensure that a varied range of resources is available in all areas throughout the day and that these are ready for use by children. 26/01/2020

p.4

should:

n take a more proactive role in evaluating weaknesses in the provision and in planning how to make improvements.

p.4

Setting details

Unique reference number EY395931 Local authority Dorset Inspection number 10113919 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 0 to 7 Total number of places 27 Number of children on roll 20 Name of registered person Needham, Chrysoulla Anne

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reference number

Telephone number 01425477400 Date of previous inspection 3 June 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Cherry Tree Montessori Nursery and Pre School registered in 2009. It operates from premises in Ashley Heath, near Ringwood, Hampshire. The nursery opens Monday to Friday from 8am until 6pm, all year round. Five members of staff work with the children, including the provider/manager. Of these, four hold childcare qualifications at levels 3 and 4. The nursery follows the Montessori ethos of teaching.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector spoke to parents, staff and children during the inspection. n The inspector observed interactions between staff and children both indoors and outside. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of a planned activity with the manager and discussed the quality of teaching seen. n The manager and the inspector held a leadership and management meeting. n The inspector sampled documentation, including proof of staff suitability and the setting's policies and procedures.

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Inspection activities

26 November 2019 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

26 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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