Cotswold Montessori @ Guiting

Inspection of Cotswold Montessori @ Guiting The Old School Building, Church Lane, Guiting Power, CHELTENHAM, Gloucestershire GL54 5TX

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is outstanding

The senior team and staff inspire children to achieve. They understand very well how children learn and develop. Staff find out what children can do when they start. They use children's interests, information from parents and offer different ideas or suggestions to extend learning and development brilliantly. They combine Montessori practice with the early years foundation stage framework successfully. As staff see children progress, they add to the complexity of activities or ideas, superbly enhancing children's skills and knowledge.

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The provision is outstanding

Indoors, low-level shelves hold exciting trays filled with accessible resources. Children are highly motivated to experiment and explore. Younger children have jugs and containers to pour water into and out of. Staff ask questions, getting children to consider whether different shapes of container will hold the same amount of water. Older children have similar activities, but staff include more tools. For example, children have pipettes that they have to squeeze to fill and empty. Staff ask questions and pose challenges for children to solve. Children build on their skills and take pride in their achievements.

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The provision is outstanding

Children's behaviour is exceptional. They show tremendous respect for others. Staff model this superbly. They listen intently when children speak, and provide time for children to think and answer questions. When there are disagreements, staff ask children to help find the solutions. For example, when children are reluctant to share some of the toy dinosaurs, staff encourage children to talk about which ones they want or need. They make sure that they give enthusiastic praise when children let others take some of the dinosaurs.

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need to do better?

n Staff know the children and families intimately. Partnership with parents and other professionals is superb. Staff ensure that they use and tailor any additional support precisely to help children achieve well. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, or who are learning English as an additional language make fantastic progress. Staff focus on communication to help all children express their views and join in. They use signs as well as words, and home languages to make sure that children feel valued and included. n Children remain focused and engaged in activities. Younger children explore dough. They talk about how to make it and what it feels like. Staff ask them about what they are doing. They make suggestions about how children can mould and shape the dough and use different tools. They praise children when they share the dough and tools with others. Older children explore a puzzle

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need to do better?

based on a map of the world. They match the colour of the country to the space on the puzzle. Children recall the names of countries. They talk about needing to

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need to do better?

10 June 2022 take an aeroplane to get to Asia, but say that it does not look too far on the puzzle map. Children are making connections and forming ideas for themselves. n Outdoors, children are eager to play with others. They recall digging for worms and where the best place is to find them. When they find the worms, older children remind younger ones to use gentle hands. They tell staff that the worm has to go back where they found it as that is its home. n Highly qualified staff make the most of opportunities to extend and develop children's knowledge and skills. They model how to research and find things out. For example, they draw a farm and road with the children. When children ask them to draw animals, staff use online sources to look up the animals. They talk with the children about how to use the online materials and how they can stay safe. Children point out the animal pictures that they would like and help staff to

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need to do better?

add them to their picture. Children work together, cooperate brilliantly and have very positive attitudes to learning. n Children develop superb self-help skills. Staff teach children how to care for their environment and resources. All items used are 'real'. There are crockery, glasses and real food in their pretend home play spaces. Children learn how to handle tools and objects that they would find at home. At snack and mealtimes, they patiently wait for their turn to get the fruit and pour their own drinks. Older children help to clean tables and sweep the floor. Children take pride in helping others and caring for their play spaces. They become independent and are well prepared for moving on in their learning and development.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Keeping children safe is of paramount importance to staff. All staff have a secure knowledge and understanding of what to do in the event of concerns about children. They also know what to do if there are allegations about staff. They understand the procedures to follow, including who to contact for advice and guidance. The manager has clear systems for monitoring staff, including making sure they remain suitable to work with children. Children take risks and know how to stay safe. Outdoors, they know where it is safe for them to climb or ride. They negotiate safe pathways and check with staff if they are unsure.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2547622 Local authority Gloucestershire Inspection number 10215615 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 41 Name of registered person Cotswold Montessori Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 07929 608619 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Cotswold Montessori @ Guiting registered in July 2019. It operates from its own premises in Guiting Power, Cheltenham. The setting is open from 8am to 5pm, Monday to Thursday, and from 8am to 4pm on Friday, all year round. The setting employs eight staff. The manager holds early years teacher status and the owner holds an appropriate qualification at level 4. Two staff hold appropriate childcare qualifications at level 6, two staff hold appropriate childcare qualifications at level 3 and one member of staff holds an appropriate childcare qualification at level 2. The setting receives funded 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 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 owner and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of group rhyme time activities with the owner. n Children spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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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 June 2022 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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