Stoneygate Montessori Nursery

Inspection of Stoneygate Montessori Nursery 279 London Road, Leicester LE2 3BE

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

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

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The provision is inadequate

Children's safety and welfare are compromised. While staff complete regular questionnaires and training on safeguarding, not all staff are secure of how to recognise signs that children may be at risk of harm. Additionally, children are exposed to risks in the garden and some other areas of the nursery due to ineffective risk assessments. However, children are effectively supervised by staff in the nursery both indoors and outside, therefore reducing the risk of harm.

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The provision is inadequate

Children are happy and enjoy spending time in the calm and child-centred environment. Most children enter the setting confidently, despite the current drop- off arrangements not allowing parents access inside the premises due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. Children of all ages quickly develop warm and affectionate attachments with staff, who help them gain a sense of belonging. This helps those children who are less secure to settle quickly and easily. Children are kind and play well with one another. While in the garden, older children help younger children to climb up steps to the slide.

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The provision is inadequate

Older children show high levels of confidence and independence. They know and understand how to be safe as they climb up and down stairs, and use large play equipment in safety. Expectations for children's behaviour are high and staff implement a consistent and effective approach to managing this. Children behave well and have good attitudes to their learning. They are respectful of each other and the resources they use. They display positive self-esteem as they are praised by staff for even the smallest of achievements.

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need to do better?

n Some staff's knowledge of safeguarding is not secure. They do not understand the 'Prevent' duty guidance or how to identify vulnerable children who may be exposed to extreme views and behaviours. Furthermore, there are hazards in the garden and indoors that have not been identified. An open, insecure window means that unknown persons could gain entry to the building. Trailing wires in the baby room that are within reach of children and damaged fence panels in the garden that are large enough for children to go through put children's safety at risk. n Partnerships with parents are strong. Staff get to know the children and families well. They gain a good range of information from parents about what their children can do when they first join. Parents are highly appreciative of the efforts the manager and staff have gone to in order to maintain communication, despite parents not currently having access to the building. They express how

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need to do better?

well their children have settled and how staff take time to share their child's day with them.

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need to do better?

10 August 2021 n Overall, staff support children's language development by modelling speech effectively. Staff caring for the younger children give them time to hear new words and repeat them, enabling children to practise and pronounce new words. However, for the pre-school children, staff sometimes forget to give them time to respond to what is asked of them, or to practise speaking in a way that enriches their thinking further. n Staff working with younger children encourage them to take part and have a go at all activities. They recognise that younger children are not as confident as older children and allow them the space to try things in their own time. Children who are not confident to walk across a wobbly bridge are given space and time to persevere with this new task. They achieve this and express their delight, as do staff. This increases children's self-esteem and encourages them to keep trying new experiences.

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need to do better?

n Staff are offered regular supervision meetings by the manager. They discuss the progress children make, any training requirements and their ongoing suitability. The manager monitors staff's engagement and interactions with children. However, she does not use this information to help target appropriate development opportunities for staff to enhance the quality of education further. n All staff working with children have excellent bonds with their key children, know them well and work hard to help them achieve. They plan exciting activities for children based on their knowledge of children's interests and how they learn. Children enjoy playing in flour and use cooking equipment to 'bake a vanilla cake'. They engage well and learn about how it feels. They also sing together as they make it rain flour. However, at times, during some activities, staff do not understand how to adapt or challenge what is offered to children in order to

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need to do better?

help them build on their learning further. n Children enjoy being outdoors. The manager and staff recognise that a number of children do not have access to outdoor spaces. They ensure that children have regular opportunities to use the large outdoor space. Children show good physical skills and coordination as they run, climb, slide and use their imagination during outdoor play. The area is well set up with a range of large and small play equipment to support and develop all areas of children's learning.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and most staff have a secure knowledge of how to recognise signs and symptoms of abuse and what to do should they have a concern. However, not all staff are secure in their knowledge of the 'Prevent' duty guidance. Some areas that children have access to at the nursery indoors and outside are not properly risk assessed to keep them safe. However, staff are deployed appropriately and the required staff-to-child ratios are maintained. This ensures that children are supervised well. Robust recruitment and vetting arrangements are successful in ensuring that staff are suitable to carry out their role.

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Due date

ensure all those working with children have a thorough understanding of the safeguarding policy and procedure, particularly in relation to the 'Prevent duty guidance: for England and Wales', in order to be able to identify children who may be at risk of harm 30/08/2021

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Due date

ensure risk assessments are robust and identify and minimise potential hazards, with particular regard to low-hanging wires in the baby room, open windows and broken fence panels. 30/08/2021

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should:

n develop staff's understanding of how to challenge children in order to extend their learning during activities n ensure staff give children time to think and respond to questions asked of them in order to develop and extend their language skills n monitor staff practice more closely to support their professional development in order to raise the quality of education to the highest level.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY538782 Local authority Leicester Inspection number 10144499 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 14 Name of registered person Dayah, Sheila

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reference number

Telephone number 01162706662 Date of previous inspection 14 January 2020

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Information about this early years setting

Stoneygate Montessori Nursery registered in 2016 and is located in Leicester. The nursery employs four members of childcare staff. Of these, all hold appropriate early years qualifications at either level 3 or level 6. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round. 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 This was the first routine inspection the provider received since the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The manager and inspector conducted a learning walk to discuss the curriculum and how it is implemented. n The inspector reviewed documentation, including accident forms, medication forms and transition forms in order to gain an insight into the running of the setting. n The inspector observed children indoors and outdoors. n The inspector sought the views of parents about what it is like for their child to attend the setting. n The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager.

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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

10 August 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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