Leeds Montessori School & Day Nursery

Inspection of Leeds Montessori School & Day Nursery Wetherby Road, Leeds LS8 2LE

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

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

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The provision is outstanding

Inspirational teaching is the key strength of this setting. The manager demonstrates an impressive knowledge of early years and invests extensive time and support into staff development. Children benefit greatly from this and exceed in all areas of their development from a very young age. They are empowered to become autonomous in their learning. The skilled and intuitive staff provide challenge and help to shape children's learning. They help to continually shape and build on what children already know and provide ways to break down their learning. This helps children master their chosen tasks. Children help staff to write labels for various herbs and plants. They explore the scents of the herbs and learn how some words look different to how they sound. They learn to write complex words, including thyme. This demonstrates excellent literacy skills. Children absorb the richness of learning and deeply immerse themselves in play. Staff have high

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The provision is outstanding

expectations for children. Children behave very well. They use impeccable manners and show high levels of respect towards others. Very young children show compassion and support for one another. For example, when a child is upset after waking from their sleep, others offer reassurance and concern for them. Children develop superb social skills. Older children learn to label their emotions and use emotive language throughout interactions.

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need to do better?

n Exceptional partnership working with others helps to provide a rich and consistent approach to children's learning. Teachers from local schools that children attend comment on the high levels of development of children and how well prepared they are for their next stage in learning. The manager provides seminars for parents to attend where she shares her thirst for providing the highest teaching standards for children. This includes ways to build children's early reading skills. Parents have a vast array of opportunities to contribute to their children's learning and development. Parents share celebrations and observations from home. Staff skilfully use this information to help children to prepare for key transitional moments in their lives. For example, staff tailor individualised activities to help children prepare for the birth of a sibling. n Children confidently build their physical skills. They learn to assess risks and take

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need to do better?

part in challenging physical activities. Staff make full use of the local area of the setting. For instance, children participate in forestry activities, including learning to build dens, and participate in scavenger hunts. In addition, parents are invited to yoga sessions with their children. Children understand the benefits of exercise. Young children are supported to build on their excellent physical skills. Staff provide complex indoor climbing structures and enable children to take risks in their play. They offer high levels of support for young children to learn to climb unaided. Children demonstrate a sense of pride in their own achievements.

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need to do better?

18 February 2020 n Children's self-care skills are exceptionally well fostered. Children take responsibility for tasks, including learning to prepare and tidy away after activities and mealtimes. They master toilet training from a young age and are very independent. Children are provided with wholesome, nutritious foods that cater for individual allergies, preferences and cultural beliefs. They learn where food comes from and the benefits of leading a healthy lifestyle. n Staff skilfully promote children's mathematical understanding throughout all areas of practice. Children quickly learn the value of number, and sort and make comparisons during play. Staff offer superb levels of encouragement to children as they begin to recognise how many more items they need to complete their chosen task. n The manager provides extensive supervision sessions for staff. She completes in-depth research that helps to reshape the setting's drive to provide the highest

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need to do better?

standards of quality and care. In addition, staff are very highly qualified. They review their own continuous professional development and evaluate this before reviewing the impact of this on children's learning. Staff attend regular team meetings and team-building events.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Children's safety and well-being is of paramount importance. Staff provide opportunities for children to develop an awareness of how to keep themselves safe. Children develop exceptional levels of confidence and can identify risks and think of ways to address these. Leaders and staff have an impressive understanding of safeguarding concerns, including wider safeguarding issues. They are fully alert to local area issues and refine their in-depth policies to reflect these. Leaders and staff have a superb knowledge of how to address any child protection matters and the procedure to follow in the event of any concerns relating to practice or allegations against others.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY481996 Local authority Leeds Inspection number 10131637 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care Age range of children 0 to 4 Total number of places 79 Number of children on roll 114 Name of registered person Leeds Montessori Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01132323363 Date of previous inspection 11 January 2016

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Information about this early years setting

Leeds Montessori School & Day Nursery re-registered in 2014. The nursery employs 26 members of childcare staff. Of these, 23 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and above, including one with qualified teacher status, one with early years teacher status, three at level 6, and one with a postgraduate degree at level 7. The nursery opens Monday to Friday for 51 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

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 nursery manager. n The inspector held a number of discussions with the nursery manager. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working on the premises. n The inspector spoke to children during the inspection. n The inspector took account of the views of parents through written feedback provided.

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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

18 February 2020 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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