Ladybird Montessori Nursery

Inspection of Ladybird Montessori Nursery 321 Birmingham Road, Wylde Green, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands B72 1EH

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is good

Staff provide good support and encouragement to all children, including those who are new or re-settling after a long absence. They are attentive to their individual care routines and preferences and build a close bond to help them feel safe. Children show sustained levels of engagement as they play and enjoy learning. For example, all children, including babies, fully engage during singing sessions and delight in using the visual aids as they sing familiar songs. Pre-school children are often highly motivated and eager to learn. They listen intently during group time as they identify the weather, month and day of the week. Staff in pre-school skilfully incorporate mathematical language, new concepts and words as children use pretend house bricks and shaving foam to build their structures. Girls, in particular, have a strong understanding of counting, grouping objects and recognising number, and some excel in their writing skills. Boys make good progress in these

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The provision is good

areas but their achievement is not as high as the girls as they are not always as inspired by the activities on offer. Staff caring for the toddlers prioritise increasing children's language. However, on occasions staff introduce too many new words and children lose focus. Staff offer good targeted interventions for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They prioritise those who speak English as an additional language to help them catch up quickly and include them fully during activities.

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need to do better?

n Since registration, the provider has appointed a new and experienced manager. An acting deputy covered in the absence of the deputy during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. The team worked well together to maintain the good practice across the nursery. The management team, along with the joint owners of the nursery, leads an enthusiastic team of staff, who speak highly of the support and supervision they receive. n The leadership team provides a well-planned educational programme across all areas of learning. The team skilfully combines the ethos of the Montessori approach, alongside children's interests, to help provide interesting and challenging activities. This contributes to ensuring children make good progress across the curriculum. n Partnership with parents is good. The manager has worked hard to ensure parents are able to access the nursery foyer one at a time. This system is used effectively to help share information about children's care and progress. Parents

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need to do better?

say that they highly value the electronic assessment tool used to keep them up to date about their children's learning. They report that they use this information to help support children's learning at home and that their children's confidence, social skills and language have improved. n The management team does not consistently act on information it has collated

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need to do better?

25 May 2021 about children's learning. For example, managers have not acted swiftly enough to help enhance the curriculum and raise the attainment of boys when they identified that boys are not making as much progress as the girls in some areas. n Overall, staff support children to make good progress in their communication and language skills. However, staff in the toddler room sometimes introduce too many words at the same time without giving children the time to process their meaning. n The promotion of equality and diversity is at the centre of the staff's work. They make good use of children's personal experiences, books and artefacts to help children learn about various cultures and differences within the group. Children learn to use sign language and learn about the other languages spoken by children at the nursery. n Good attention is given to promoting children's health, and they benefit from healthy and nutritious meals and snacks. Children identify and cut fresh fruits

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need to do better?

and vegetables and learn about their benefits. Staff are creative in their approach and make learning enjoyable as they teach children about good oral health and about the importance of exercise. n Staff help children to follow the codes of behaviour in place to keep them safe and to respect each other. Children confidently follow the daily routines and enjoy taking controlled risks. For example, toddlers are supported well to complete the obstacle course outdoors. Children learn to be kind to others and to show concern for their environment as they recycle card and plastic.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There are good systems in place to identify children who may need early help or who are at risk of neglect. The manager keeps accurate records, makes timely referrals where necessary, and works with other agencies to keep children safe. Staff have a good understanding of child protection and wider safeguarding issues to help promote children's welfare. Their knowledge of the procedures to follow if they have a concern about a child is secure. There are effective recruitment and induction procedures to ensure staff are suitable to care for children. Detailed risk assessments are in place so that children are kept safe and can play freely.

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should:

n support staff in the toddler room to focus even more on how to enhance children's vocabulary skills n act swiftly on information where gaps are identified in children's learning; with particular regard to raising the achievement of boys.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY560729 Local authority Birmingham Inspection number 10191204 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 52 Number of children on roll 53 Name of registered person Ladybird Montessori Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 0121 373 4554 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Ladybird Montessori Nursery registered in 2018. It operates Monday to Friday from 7am until 6pm throughout the year. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The nursery uses the Montessori educational philosophy as part of the curriculum. It employs 14 members of childcare staff. Of these, two hold qualified teacher status, eight hold an early years qualification at level 3, and four hold a level 2 qualification and are working towards a level 3 qualification.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the provider received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the setting. n The manager, the deputy manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together to check the safety of the premises and to gather information about the curriculum provided. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector carried out joint observations with the deputy manager. n The inspector held a meeting with the manager, the deputy manager and the two owners of the nursery. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery. n The inspector spoke to staff, children and parents at appropriate times during

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Inspection activities

the inspection. n The inspector took into account the views of parents.

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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

25 May 2021 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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