Montessori Pre-School Nursery

Inspection of Montessori Pre-School Nursery 462 Thornaby Road, Thornaby, STOCKTON-ON-TEES, Cleveland TS17 8QH

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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The provision requires improvement

Staff who work with babies have a warm and nurturing manner. Babies watch staff intently when they sing to them, and they join in with games of peekaboo. Warm relationships develop between staff and children. This helps new babies to settle quickly, and all children are at ease in staff's care. Older children arrive happy and are eager to join their friends at play.

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The provision requires improvement

Children are keen to learn, and the educational programme supports this generally well. Pre-school children use their imagination to make pizzas from dough. They strengthen their understanding of numbers when counting bears, as they move them between containers. Toddlers explore sand, filling and emptying buckets. Babies delight in making sounds by banging saucepans together. Some activities are not matched well enough to the learning needs of the children involved. Nevertheless, staff quickly identify children who are not achieving levels of development typical for their age. Support for these children is a strength in this nursery. Staff work in partnership with parents and other professionals to develop precise plans that help children to catch up in their learning.

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The provision requires improvement

Leaders are aware of some aspects of practice that are weak due to recent changes to the staff team. Their positive attitudes and clear plans for development indicate a strong capacity for swift improvement.

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need to do better?

n Plans for learning do not always take account of what children already know and can do. At times, staff do not ensure that children understand the activities provided. For example, they do not check that children know enough about aliens before setting them the task to make one in the creative area. At other times, the most able children lack motivation when staff do not provide enough challenge for them in their learning. n The provider and newly appointed manager are committed to providing the best possible care and education for young children. They acknowledge the need for further supervision, support and coaching, to help some staff to be more effective and improve their teaching. n There are risk assessments and daily checks in place to ensure that children are safe in the nursery. However, managers do not ensure that these are understood and consistently followed by staff. Some staff fail to identify all

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need to do better?

potential dangers to children, particularly in the rooms accessed by toddlers. They do not check that all toys and equipment are age appropriate in the garden. n Staff show a good understanding of how children develop their language and communication skills. Their interactions with children help them to learn new

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need to do better?

4 October 2022 words and develop their vocabulary. For example, toddlers join in simple rhymes and songs. Older children learn new words, such as 'cocoon', when learning about caterpillars. n Children behave well. Staff provide clear and consistent expectations and praise children's efforts frequently. They support the children to work through their frustrations and to manage their feelings in an age-appropriate way. Children develop confidence and self-esteem. They show care and consideration for others. n Leaders and staff are aware of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on some aspects of children's learning. There is a focus on supporting children to be more independent. Staff support children well to develop self-help skills. For example, they encourage them to put on their own coats and use the bathroom independently. n Meals are carefully planned to meet children's nutritional needs and their individual dietary requirements. This, along with plenty of opportunities for fresh

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need to do better?

air and exercise, helps to promote children's good health. n Parents are pleased with the level of care and learning experiences provided for children. They appreciate regular feedback from familiar staff, who they say know their children well. They welcome advice to support their children at home, such as having shared expectations and strategies with staff for managing children's behaviour. n Staff help children to develop an understanding of people and communities beyond their own experience. For example, they provide toys and books that represent a wide range of abilities and cultures. This encourages discussions that celebrate the similarities and differences between different people.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff are committed to supporting children's welfare. The manager keeps her knowledge of safeguarding up to date, attending training and checking relevant websites frequently, for example. She shares this knowledge with staff, who know about the signs that may indicate that a child is at risk of harm. They know how to record and share any concerns that may arise. Risk assessments are in place. However, on the day of the inspection, these procedures had not been carried out effectively, to ensure that potential hazards to children are minimised. Leaders took action to resolve these issues, ensuring that there was no impact on children's safety and welfare.

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Due date

4 October 2022 help staff to provide meaningful and challenging learning experiences that match children's individual learning needs 30/11/2022

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Due date

improve staff's understanding of effective risk assessment to identify and minimise any potential hazards for children and ensure that these are consistently implemented 30/11/2022

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Due date

ensure that the arrangements for supervision and professional development support all staff to improve their skills and knowledge. 30/11/2022

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY419249 Local authority Stockton-on-Tees Inspection number 10229569 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 65 Number of children on roll 22

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Name of registered person

Mr Mohammed Afzal Khushi & Mrs Nargis Bano Afzal Partnership

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reference number

Telephone number 01642750113 Date of previous inspection 7 November 2016

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Information about this early years setting

Montessori Pre-School Nursery registered in 2010 and is located at Thornaby, near Stockton-on-Tees. The nursery employs eight members of childcare staff. Of these, seven hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7.15am 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 setting received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the leaders and staff and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the setting. n The manager showed the inspector around the premises. She talked about the curriculum and the way the provision is organised. n The inspector observed staff's teaching and assessed the impact this has on children's learning and development. n The manager met with the inspector to discuss leadership and management matters. The inspector looked at the relevant documentation provided, including evidence of the suitability checks carried out on staff. n The inspector completed a joint observation of an activity with the manager. n The inspector spoke to staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection. She also spoke to a number of parents and took account of their

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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

4 October 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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