The Mulberry Bush Montessori Nursery Ltd

Inspection of The Mulberry Bush Montessori Nursery Ltd 12 Melrose Road, West Mersea, COLCHESTER CO5 8JB

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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

Confident children enter the nursery foyer and part from their parents and carers with ease. They are greeted by smiling staff who chat calmly to them and ask them how they are. Children respond enthusiastically and enter into lively discussions with staff. Children are happy, safe, content and extremely engaged during their nursery day. They form friendship groups and play together, sharing exciting ideas for their game. Children skilfully choose and access the Montessori activities situated on low-level shelving around the main playroom. They focus and concentrate on their chosen task, such as transporting water from one container to another with a range of tools. Children's behaviour is exemplary. They demonstrate a secure understanding of the nursery's routines.

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The provision is outstanding

Children are extremely articulate speakers. They express their thoughts and feelings in small- and large-group activities. Children thoroughly enjoy cuddling up to a favourite adult and listening to a story. They take turns to choose their favourite songs for the group to sing. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make secure and sustained progress in their learning. They are extremely independent, confident and ready for their next stage of learning. Staff have high expectations of the children based on their expert knowledge of their stage of development, interests and learning styles.

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need to do better?

n Children are extremely keen and eager learners. They enjoy exploring in the exciting indoor and outdoor areas. They alert staff to the fact that they wish to play in the garden or return from their play by knocking at the nursery door using a child-height door knocker. n The recently improved outdoor undercover area enables children to freely access the outdoor learning environment in all weathers. Children have excellent opportunities to participate in small, calm activities in the recently installed sensory room. For example, they participate in a yoga session. Other children have use of the room as a quiet space to take a few minutes to relax away from the busy nursery activities. n Parents speak extremely highly of the staff and manager. They comment how well their children are learning and how involved they feel in their child's early development. Some parents comment on the expert knowledge of the manager

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need to do better?

and staff in identifying children who need extra support or interventions. Others say how the staff team helps to support and nurture the whole family, not just the children. n Children enjoy exploring literacy in their play. For example, they quickly become knowledgeable about sounds and use their knowledge to spell simple words, such as 'dog' and 'pen'. Some children read using the early reading schemes.

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need to do better?

3 March 2020 Children write their own names and have fun bringing in items that begin with the sound of the week. n Children are excited by mathematical concepts and use numbers and counting in their everyday activities. For example, they use simple calculation to work out how many children are left when others leave the circle to wash their hands. Children use the Montessori resources to identify different shapes, including three-dimensional ones. n Children form very close and caring relationships with the staff and each other. They often give a friend a hug or ask an adult if they can hug them. Children are extremely secure and comfortable in the nursery environment. n Children have excellent opportunities to guide their own play as they move freely between the role-play, art and main nursery rooms. Staff are effectively deployed across the rooms and undercover outdoor area to enable them to support children's learning superbly.

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need to do better?

n The manager and some of the staff have worked together for many years. They are a strong and highly successful team. Newer staff quickly settle in to their role. They develop an in-depth understanding of the Montessori method of teaching and the manager's ambitious curriculum and ethos. The team work extremely well together and support each other. The manager is highly skilled at imparting her expert knowledge of the Montessori curriculum to others. n Children understand how to keep themselves safe and healthy. They demonstrate safe practice as they negotiate the huge wooden fort in the garden. Children carefully mount the stairs to reach the higher level and the big slide. They demonstrate their expert physical skills as they slide down using various methods, such as facing head first and laying on their back and tummy. Children use the 'snuffle station' resources, such as tissues, mirror and anti-bacterial gel,

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Managers and staff demonstrate extensive knowledge of the types of abuse and the indicators that might alert them to a child's safety being compromised. Staff are knowledgeable about the dangers of families being drawn into terrorism and the dangers associated with the internet. All staff and managers know how to report any concerns to the appropriate authority for investigation. Managers and staff update their safeguarding knowledge frequently. They complete face-to-face training, online training and use in-house meetings to refresh their knowledge. The manager has robust procedures for carrying out suitability checks on all new staff and volunteers before they begin working at the nursery. New staff complete a thorough and comprehensive induction, which includes developing in-depth knowledge of the nursery's safeguarding policies.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY479688 Local authority Essex Inspection number 10127369 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

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inspection

Total number of places 25 Number of children on roll 31 Name of registered person The Mulberry Bush Montessori Nursery Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01206 383898 Date of previous inspection 12 July 2016

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Information about this early years setting

The Mulberry Bush Montessori Nursery Ltd registered in 2014. The nursery employs six members of childcare staff. Of these, four hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above, including the manager and deputy manager who both hold early years professional status. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday during term time only. Sessions are from 9am to 3.30pm. The setting provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector went on a learning walk with the manager and discussed how she uses the environment to deliver the curriculum. n The inspector held a meeting with the manager and looked at a range of documentation, including staff's qualifications and evidence of the suitability checks carried out. n The inspector observed an adult-led activity and discussed the learning intentions and impact with the manager. n The inspector spoke to children and staff at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to during the inspection.

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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

3 March 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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