Lavendale Montessori

Inspection of Lavendale Montessori The Grounds of Woodside Park Club, Southover, Woodside Park, LONDON N12 7JG

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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 Good

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The provision is inadequate

Children's safety and well-being are compromised. Leaders fail to demonstrate sufficient understanding of their obligation to report safeguarding concerns to other agencies, including Ofsted. The weakness in their understanding of safeguarding procedures may mean unnecessary delays in reporting concerns appropriately.

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The provision is inadequate

Leaders and managers are passionate about promoting children's learning. The educational curriculum for children is strong. Staff promote children's good language development. Children become familiar with different poems. They learn to recite them to their parents. Children speak with good vocabulary. This is because staff consistently teach children new words during their interactions with them.

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The provision is inadequate

Children form positive relationships with each other. Young children freely approach their key persons for hugs and cuddles. They curiously explore the outdoor and indoor environment. Across the nursery, children play busily. They focus and concentrate well during adult-led activities. For example, children intensely examine autumn leaves. They reflect on their observations and compare them to photos. Staff engage children in deep discussion about the natural world.

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The provision is inadequate

Staff ensure routines are very well embedded. Children know when it is time to play, sleep and eat. Young children show they are proud of their meticulous tidying skills. Staff working with babies are skilled at helping them develop a positive sense of self. Staff show babies photos of themselves and their friends while positively describing their personalities and what makes them unique. Staff considerately seek babies' permission before providing personal care.

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need to do better?

n Leaders have not made sufficient improvement following actions previously raised. They have not improved their knowledge and understanding of reporting safeguarding concerns. In addition, they do not demonstrate that they maintain records of children's attendance. Some registers were not available or accessible during the inspection. This is a breach of a safeguarding requirement. n Across the nursery, children explore freely and make independent choices as they play. Children enjoy cooking, yoga and Spanish sessions as extra-curricular activities. Staff get to know individual children well. Key person relationships are strong. Staff observe and accurately assess what children know already and identify clear next steps for them to reach. n Children enjoy listening to a wide range of books, which introduce them to rhyme, language patterns and story narrative. They listen attentively as staff read books, such as 'Walking Through the Jungle', for example. They confidently

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need to do better?

25 November 2022 finish staff's sentences and closely follow the events. n Children learn good early mathematical skills. They learn to count well and use manipulative resources to represent quantities. Children recognise numbers they discover buried in soil. They apply their good knowledge to different contexts. For example, children excitedly announce the numerals on the front doors of their respective homes. n Staff promote children's good understanding of different cultures. Children learn what makes them unique and the differences between themselves and others. For example, they enjoy hearing stories in Mandarin and celebrating Persian and Chinese New Year. Children learn the significance of dipping apples in honey to celebrate Rosh Hashanah. n Staff encourage children's healthy eating habits. Mealtimes are happy social occasions, where staff sit with children and engage them in discussions about

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need to do better?

good nutrition. Children know that they must eat fruit and vegetables. They know that fish contains protein. n Children display good physical agility. Outdoors, they energetically bounce on space hoppers and run around in the fresh air. They seek each other's company in the outdoor tent. Children enjoy role play and develop narratives with their friends. For example, they pretend to make 'leaf pie' together in the mud kitchen. n Children learn good self-help skills. They are confident to hang up their coats as they arrive. Children manage their own respiratory hygiene and toileting needs well. At mealtimes, they maturely serve their own portions and attempt to cut up their own food. n Children behave well at the nursery. They listen to staff and follow the rules. When children are upset, staff console them and label their feelings. They teach children to recognise different emotions. This helps children confidently explain

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need to do better?

how they feel. n Parents say their children grow good independence skills at the nursery. They say their children are happy and develop positive attitudes towards learning. n Staff say they have good opportunities to develop in their roles and improve their existing childcare knowledge. They feel their workloads are manageable and they have good support from their room leaders.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff know the common signs that suggest a child is suffering abuse or at risk of harm. They know their responsibilities under the 'Prevent' duty and the procedure to follow if they suspect a child is being drawn into extremism. However, there are gaps in staff's knowledge regarding the correct procedure to follow should an allegation be made against them. Staff know they must inform the local authority designated officer, but they do not know that Ofsted must also be notified. This puts children at risk.

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Due date

ensure all staff and those with designated lead responsibility for safeguarding know they must report all allegations to Ofsted in addition to the local authority designated officer 14/12/2022

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Due date

ensure all children's attendance records are made available and accessible to those who have a right or professional need to see them. 14/12/2022

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Setting details

Unique reference number 147571 Local authority Barnet Inspection number 10252580 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 48 Number of children on roll 48 Name of registered person Lavendale Montessori Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 02084457999 Date of previous inspection 7 December 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Lavendale Montessori registered in 2006. The nursery is open each weekday for 51 weeks of the year, from 8am to 6pm. It receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The nursery employs 15 staff. Of these, 14 staff, including the manager, hold appropriate early years qualifications. The nursery also employs a cook. The nursery follows aspects of the Montessori approach.

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Inspection activities

n We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information we received about the provider. 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 Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The deputy manager and inspector carried out a joint observation of a phonics activity. 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 manager showed the inspector documentation to demonstrate the suitability of staff. n Children communicated with the inspector. n The deputy manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum.

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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

25 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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