Sunhill Montessori Nursery

Inspection of Sunhill Montessori Nursery Spring Garden Lane, BERKHAMSTED, Hertfordshire HP4 3GY

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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 Good

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The provision is good

Children at the nursery are happy, settled and confident. Babies lead their own play, with staff support. For example, they explore a sensory paint activity at the table and poke holes in clingfilm to feel different textures. Older children enjoy creating structures using wooden blocks. They look at an instruction book for reference as they make their creations, showing adults what they have made.

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The provision is good

Children of all ages are extremely confident. They hand toys to visitors and proudly show them what they are playing with. Children speak about their interests, and staff listen attentively to what they are talking about. For example, older children discuss whether farm animals live on the moon. They laugh as they explore the idea with an adult.

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The provision is good

Children come together to play in the outside area. Each age group has access to different areas, with different activities to take part in. Children choose which activities they want to engage in, such as drawing, splashing in muddy puddles, and manoeuvring ride-on toys. Younger children climb in and out of a ball pit, developing their muscle strength. Older children pretend to 'cook' different foods and serve them to their friends. Overall, children make good progress in their learning and development.

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need to do better?

n Children have a variety of opportunities to develop their physical skills. Older children pull themselves up onto climbing equipment, and younger children enjoy pushing ride-along toys, to develop their large muscles. Older children use glue sticks in the garden to make pretend lollipops with straws and collage materials. Younger children pick up clipboards and pencils. They pretend to write a shopping list during imaginative play. All children gain good control of their small-muscle skills through carefully planned experiences. This helps to develop the hand control that they will need for later writing. n Staff encourage children to be independent. Older children serve their own meals and pour their own water. After they have finished eating, they take their plate to the sink to be washed. Younger children are encouraged to try to put their own coats on and wipe their own faces. Children receive lots of praise as

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need to do better?

they learn new skills. n Staff support children's emerging communication skills well. Younger children listen attentively to stories and point out pictures in the books. They eagerly join in and repeat words that they hear. Staff encourage children to discuss their ideas and share their thoughts. For example, children look at a book about dinosaurs in a tray with toy dinosaurs. Staff point at the words in the book and say, 'this word says roar'. The children excitedly copy the sound.

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need to do better?

22 November 2022 n Mathematics is taught from an early age. Younger children stack blocks and are eager to knock them down, while an adult counts with them. Older children talk about how old they are and enjoy singing counting rhymes independently in the garden. n Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported. Effective strategies are implemented to ensure that children get support early. Staff support children who speak English as an additional language, using key words in their home language to help children communicate their needs. n The management team are fully supportive of their staff. They evaluate their practice and then target their professional development opportunities effectively. A 'colleague voice' initiative has been introduced to ensure that all staff members' opinions are heard. Staff say that they feel very well supported, professionally and personally. As a result, staff are happy and passionate about

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need to do better?

their role. n Partnerships with parents are very good. Parents report positively about the levels of communication from staff. They praise the setting and say that the nursery is a 'wonderful, safe and exciting setting' and that 'staff are very caring.'

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff know the signs and symptoms of when a child may be at risk of harm. They know how to make referrals to help protect children. Staff understand other aspects of safeguarding, such as female genital mutilation and extremism. Children are taught to protect themselves. Older children learn about climbing on equipment safely in the garden when it is wet, while younger children learn about road safety through a 'stop and go' game. The nursery manager provides information to parents about online safety and ensures that she works in partnership with parents to keep children safe. Induction procedures are robust to ensure the thorough training of all staff.

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should:

n review and improve the preparation of routine activities to avoid delays and enable staff to spend more focused time with the children.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 129395 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10234149 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 102 Number of children on roll 112 Name of registered person Sunhill Daycare (Europe) Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01442 872398 Date of previous inspection 10 January 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Sunhill Montessori Nursery registered in 1999. The nursery employs 22 members of childcare staff. Of these, 10 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The manager is qualified at level 5. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am to 6.30pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It follows an approach based on the Montessori educational philosophy.

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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 manager and deputy manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want 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 A joint observation was carried out with the inspector and the nursery manager. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector by providing written feedback. n The manager showed the inspector documentation to demonstrate 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

22 November 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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