Happy Days Montessori Childrens House

Inspection of Happy Days Montessori Childrens House Empire Way, Wembley, Middlesex HA9 0RQ

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

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

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The provision is inadequate

Children's safety is not assured at this setting as a result of weaknesses seen in leadership and management. The setting's safeguarding practices are not robust. For example, staff do not adequately supervise children while they eat at mealtimes. This puts children at risk of choking.

p.2

The provision is inadequate

Children happily settle and receive caring interactions from staff. Children are content and experience a good curriculum. They are well mannered, polite and considerate. Children show good early independence skills and are happy to take part in a range of interesting activities indoors and outside. They are excited as they sing familiar songs with staff. Children are developing strong oracy skills across all age groups and make good progress from their starting points. They show delight when talking about the changes in seasons, noticing that leaves are green in the summer and change in the autumn.

p.2

The provision is inadequate

Children are sociable. They negotiate with each other and learn how to cooperatively take turns and share resources. Children of all ages learn about emotions. They carefully consider feelings of others and are supported to express themselves in an appropriate way.

p.2

need to do better?

n The provider has failed to ensure effective systems are in place to check ongoing suitability of staff or other people who work with children. The provider has not ensured that staff have consistently applied knowledge in safeguarding. This impacts children's safety and their personal development. n Leaders are passionate about the experiences children have. They have developed a good curriculum and know what they want children to learn. Staff feel adequately supported through coaching and peer observations. n Children's learning is of good quality. Staff foster children's curiosity. Children are intrigued by the world around them and seek out new and exciting experiences. For example, during the inspection, they investigated the digeridoo and linked the sounds made to wild animals such as eagles and owls. Staff assess and evaluate what children have learned. Children show that they have gained new knowledge as a result of their experiences.

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need to do better?

n Staff work well with parents and share information about children's learning. Parents speak highly of the setting. They comment that the nursery is a pillar within the community and feel 'blessed' to send their children there. Parents feel that the provider went above and beyond to keep in touch with families during the COVID-19 pandemic and have a genuine interest in their children. n Children develop healthy habits with food and understand what is important to fuel their body. They grow plants and vegetables in the garden and ensure they

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need to do better?

22 September 2022 provide crops with water to help them grow. The nursery adopts a good healthy eating policy. However, when children eat meals, they are not adequately supervised to prevent cross-contamination and choking risks. As a result, the safeguarding of children who attend this nursery is not assured. n When children are overwhelmed or upset, experienced staff support them to understand what they may need to do to feel better, and enable them to vocalise what has gone wrong. Experienced staff model and talk through expectations of behaviour. On some occasions, less-experienced staff do not understand how to help younger children join in with group activities. However, this does not affect children's learning experiences. n Children who speak English with an additional language and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are given the opportunity to flourish. They are able to explore culture through maps, flags, books and

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need to do better?

pictures. Children are encouraged to use their own language through play and learn languages of others. Children with SEND are provided with additional support. Referrals are made in a timely manner to close gaps. n Children's communication and language development is good. Children talk with one another as they play, and language is rich as children engage in back-and- forth conversations. Good-quality interactions with staff develop children's oracy skills. n Newly settled children do not receive as much time as possible with their key person when they need emotional support. This does not impact on children's emotional development because they receive good support from other staff. n Children are keen mathematical thinkers. They use number beyond 10, size, quantity, colour and shape in play. There are rich opportunities for children to develop their spatial awareness, which is also deeply rooted in their behaviours

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need to do better?

with one another. This prepares them well for their next stage of learning.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

The provider has not kept up to date with legislation surrounding safeguarding, resulting in gaps in safeguarding knowledge across the setting. Staff understand and recognise basic signs and symptoms that may indicate a child is at risk of neglect or abuse. However, they are not secure in the knowledge of which agencies they need to refer to if they have concerns about an adult. The provider has failed to implement procedures to check the ongoing suitability of staff or ensure that staff are providing adequate supervision at mealtimes. The premises are secure.

p.3

Due date

ensure effective systems are in place to check that staff, and any other people who work with children, remain suitable 19/10/2022

p.4

Due date

ensure staff and any other people who work with children understand how to escalate referrals to the correct agency 19/10/2022

p.4

Due date

ensure children who are eating are supervised appropriately to minimise the risk of cross-contamination and choking 19/10/2022

p.4

Due date

ensure that all staff, including volunteers and students, benefit from safeguarding training while working with children and continue to develop their ongoing safeguarding knowledge. 19/10/2022

p.4

should:

n consider how the key-person approach could be improved to ensure that when children settle, they spend more time with the key person during their critical settling-in period n consider how to build on group times to enable younger children to benefit more from the rich experiences on offer.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 137801 Local authority Brent Inspection number 10137776 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 32 Number of children on roll 30 Name of registered person Dillane, Margaret Mary

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reference number

Telephone number 020 8903 6221 Date of previous inspection 18 May 2016

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Information about this early years setting

Happy Days Montessori Childrens House registered in 1990 and is situated in Wembley. The setting follows Montessori teaching methods. The provider employs four members of childcare staff, which includes the manager. The provider holds a masters in montessori teaching and early years professional status, two staff are montessori trained and one has an early years qualifications at level 3. The setting is open each weekday during term time, from 9am until 3pm, with an option of finishing or starting at midday or staying all day. The setting provides funded early education for three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection 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 setting. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk of the setting and discussed the curriculum. n The inspector spoke to staff, children and parents during the inspection. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working at the setting. n The manager carried out a joint observation with the inspector. n The inspector spoke to the manager about the leadership and management of the setting. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this was having on children's learning.

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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

22 September 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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