Rectory Garden Montessori School

Inspection of Rectory Garden Montessori School Old Church Road, Melton, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP13 6DH

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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

Children are welcomed by staff as they arrive at the nursery and readily leave their parents. Once inside, they put their lunch boxes on the racks provided. Children learn to recognise their names as they self-register each morning. They show high levels of engagement and concentration. For example, children focus intently as they use pipettes to transport water from one container to another. This helps to develop children's hand muscles to aid their early writing abilities.

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The provision is good

Children have the opportunity to develop their large muscles as they ride around the garden on a variety of wheeled toys. Other children balance on tyres and planks, which helps to build their core strength. They carefully balance as they practise throwing beanbags into containers. Staff praise children when they have tried hard, which develops children's self-esteem.

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The provision is good

Children behave well. They benefit from staff's consistent reinforcement of good behaviour. Staff support children to develop good social skills, for example, sitting with the children for lunch and modelling good table manners. Children share resources well and are polite to their friends. Children follow instructions and make their own choices about what they would like to play with.

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need to do better?

n Staff know the children well. They gather detailed information about what children already know and can do when they start at the nursery. They use this information to plan a curriculum that builds on children's starting points. Staff recap on previous learning to ensure that it has been remembered. For example, during an ocean-themed topic, children join in with a floating and sinking activity, and staff help children recall previous knowledge. n Staff model good language and extend children's language effectively. For example, when babies use single words, staff repeat these back, adding extra words into the sentence. Older children competently recognise their names and are starting to recognise the sounds that letters make. For example, during an activity, they recognise that 'F' is a sound in some of the children's names. They then look at other letters and see how many children's names they can

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need to do better?

remember that begin with the same sound. n Partnerships with parents are good. Parents know what their children are learning and appreciate the support they receive to help further this learning at home. Parents speak of the excellent progress their children have made and how well prepared they are for their future learning. n Children have good opportunities to develop their thinking skills. For example, they look at different materials and share their ideas on whether they will float or sink. Children predict the changes that will happen to some materials if they

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need to do better?

29 June 2022 become wet. They learn to record their findings on tally charts during these experiments. This helps children to understand that the marks have meaning. n Older children are independent and successfully meet their own self-care needs, such as washing their hands independently. Older children help to prepare their fruit at snack time. They carefully cut soft fruit into slices and pour their drinks. Children are encouraged to wash their plates when they are finished. However, staff do not help and encourage the younger children to develop good personal hygiene practices and skills. For example, occasionally, they do not follow consistent hygiene routines to help children to build on their early awareness and skills. n Children have daily opportunities to join in with songs and rhymes to help develop their early literacy skills. Babies watch staff intently as they model the actions. Older children enthusiastically join in with songs that build their

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need to do better?

excitement. They eagerly snap their hands together, pretending to be a crocodile. n Staff work closely with families and other professionals to ensure children who need any extra support continue to make good progress. Additional funding is used appropriately to provide one-to-one support and resources that help the children's learning and development. Staff use training opportunities to deepen their knowledge on how to support children's learning.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Managers and staff have a good understanding of their responsibility to keep children safe. Through effective risk assessment, they have made changes to how parents enter the nursery grounds. Robust recruitment processes ensure that those working with children are suitable to do so. Staff have a good knowledge and understanding of child protection, including the wider aspects of safeguarding. Managers ensure staff undertake regular training so their knowledge remains current. Staff confidently know the signs that may indicate that a child is at risk of abuse. Staff know what to do should they have any concerns about a child's welfare.

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should:

n ensure that younger children are consistently supported to develop and understand good personal hygiene practices, such as handwashing.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2566894 Local authority Suffolk Inspection number 10233514 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 45 Name of registered person Rectory Garden Montessori School Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01394388777 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Rectory Garden Montessori School registered in 2019 and follows the Montessori educational approach. The setting is open from 8am to 4pm, Monday to Friday, during term time only. There are 10 members of staff. Two members of staff hold an early years degree and early years professional status. A further five members of staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The setting provides free early education for children aged two, three and four years old.

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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 managers joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want their children to learn. 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 viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector spoke with the nominated individual about the leadership and management of the setting. n The inspector carried out joint observations of group activities with the

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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

29 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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