Prima Montessori Day Nursery

Inspection of Prima Montessori Day Nursery Elm Court, Capstone Road, Gillingham, Kent ME7 3JQ

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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 Outstanding

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The provision is good

Children thoroughly enjoy their time at the inclusive and welcoming setting. Children enter confidently and are keen to get to their rooms to meet their key people and friends. On arrival, children are provided with a range of stimulating and fun activities. For example, the babies explore edible paint with their hands and large paintbrushes, whereas the older children hunt to to find minibeasts, and use bricks and shaving foam to pretend to be builders.

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The provision is good

Children enjoy using the garden to practise their physical skills. They run and climb over the assault courses, showing control over their body movements. Others enjoy using the mark-making tools, such as chalks and crayons, to draw on the fences and floors. The children take pride in their growing area, where they are carefully tending to strawberries ready to eat for snack. Children make butterfly feeders to hang on the fences to encourage butterflies to the garden to extend on their current learning around life cycles.

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The provision is good

Children's behaviour and attitudes are positive throughout the setting. The younger children are learning the basic rules of sharing resources. Whereas in the older rooms, the children are learning about the personal space of others when they play.

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need to do better?

n Children are learning about healthy lifestyles and what foods are good for their bodies. The food provided is healthy, balanced and nutritious. However, the organisation of mealtimes means that children are waiting for long periods of time for their food, during which some children become distracted. n Leaders can identify areas that need to be improved within the provision. However, their support is not always as swift as possible to help ensure the curriculum is implemented to the highest levels across the nursery. n Children's emotional development is embedded well. After the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the setting has worked hard to improve the emotional literacy of the children. For example, they have introduced the story 'The Colour Monster' to encourage the children to speak and verbalise their feelings and the feelings of others. This has worked particularly well with the older children and is

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need to do better?

now going to be introduced to the younger children. n Parents and carers are extremely happy with the setting and the education and care that their children receive. They feel that they are provided with lots of information about how their child is progressing and what they are working on next. Parents particularly praised the inclusiveness of the setting and how all religions, cultures and beliefs of the children in the setting are celebrated and shared with all children.

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need to do better?

27 July 2022 n Leaders and managers recognise and support the well-being of the staff. For example, since the COVID-19 pandemic, they have created a calm-reflection space for the staff to use. Staff praise the support they receive from the manager and deputy. Staff are provided with adequate time to speak to leaders about their role and are provided with further training and support in order to improve their skill set. n Children are making good progress. This includes children with special educational needs and / or disabilities (SEND). The special educational needs coordinator ensures that she has a thorough knowledge of the children in the setting. Children with SEND are identified quickly to ensure that the correct support is provided. She works well with parents to include them and create a two-way process of support for the children. n Language is promoted well throughout the setting. Staff working with the

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need to do better?

youngest of children model language through singing and regularly reading to the children, to encourage them to join in and develop their speech sounds. Whereas older children show their knowledge through language, by using words such as 'Exoskeletons' and 'palaeontology', when freely exploring minibeasts and dinosaurs. n Children are becoming increasingly independent. For example, the youngest children use suitable steps to access the tap and soap to wash their hands. They cooperate with nappy changes, which are enjoyable experiences as the staff sing and chat to the children. Older children successfully manage their own toileting and know that they need to wash their hands when they come in from the garden and before eating.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Safeguarding is embedded well throughout the setting. Leaders ensure that staff have suitable training in order for them to be aware of the risks to children, and the action that needs to be taken if they have concerns or worries. For example, staff can recognise the signs of abuse and understand the risks to children, such as the effects of domestic violence. Leaders ensure that they undertake more thorough training for their role as designated leads for the setting. They understand wider risks, such as radicalisation and female genital mutilation. Policies and procedures are in place to ensure that everyone is following the same guidelines when it comes to protecting children. The setting is safe and secure as a result of the in-depth risk assessments that are completed at the beginning and end of each day.

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should:

27 July 2022 n improve the routines of mealtimes to reduce the amount of time where children are not engaged in meaningful learning n ensure leaders swiftly support staff to help them understand how to implement the curriculum more effectively across all rooms.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY230735 Local authority Medway Inspection number 10128577 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 119 Number of children on roll 90 Name of registered person Prima Montessori Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01634 838400 Date of previous inspection 1 April 2016

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Information about this early years setting

Prima Montessori Day Nursery registered in 2002 and is in Gillingham, Kent. The nursery is open each weekday, from 7am to 7pm, for 51 weeks of the year. It employs 34 members of staff, 27 of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications. The nursery receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years.

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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 inspector spoke to parents during the inspection, and they shared their views about the setting. n The manager 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 talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector and manager carried out a joint observation to evaluate the quality of teaching. n The inspector observed interactions between staff and children. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed the evidence of the suitability of staff.

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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

27 July 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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