Blue Butterfly Montessori

Inspection of Blue Butterfly Montessori 2 Gordon Avenue, Stanmore HA7 3QD

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is good

Children are welcomed into the nursery by the friendly staff. They form close bonds with their key person, who they seek out for comfort and cuddles. This shows children feel safe and secure in their care. Children's behaviour is good. They are friendly and welcome visitors. Children play cooperatively, take turns and share resources. They settle with their chosen activities and once they have finished, they independently tidy them away. All children are learning to do things for themselves. For example, older children help to prepare snack as they chop up fruit using knives. They helpfully clear away their dirty plates and cups afterwards. Younger children learn to feed themselves independently using cutlery.

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The provision is good

Children are exposed to a wealth of experiences at the nursery. They benefit from outings in the local area, where they visit nearby rivers, parks and look for animals' natural habitats. Children learn to care for and respect the environment. They help to collect litter and learn what can be recycled to keep the planet healthy. Visiting parents and professionals enrich children's experiences further. For example, children help to cook and taste different foods from around the world. This helps widen children's understanding of the world around them.

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need to do better?

n Managers design a curriculum that incorporates a blend of Montessori philosophy and child-led play. Staff implement the curriculum well and plan activities to support children's development in all areas of learning. There is a good focus on continuous learning, which helps prepare children for future challenges, such as transitioning through the nursery and on to school. For example, in preparation for babies moving into the toddler room staff teach children to move around confidently, managing physically challenging equipment. Children are well prepared for moving on to school. Managers meet with teachers and invite them into the nursery to visit the children. n Children's progress is carefully monitored by staff. Regular observations allow key persons to identify gaps in children's learning and development. The special educational needs coordinator works in partnership with parents and other agencies to ensure children receive the support they need. As a result, all

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need to do better?

children make continuous progress. n Children thoroughly enjoy their outdoor play. They are happy and giggle as they balance, jump and run around challenging obstacles. This helps to develop their gross motor skills. Staff provide interesting and inviting play spaces that engage children. For example, children role play in the mud kitchen. They make 'frittatas' as they scoop mud into buckets. They express their own thoughts and ideas with staff as they add in 'chocolate' and cook their creations in the 'oven'. n Children are developing a love of books as they snuggle into comfy spaces and

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need to do better?

23 March 2023 listen to stories read by staff. Staff create photo albums of past experiences for children to recall. They benefit from a large collection of books available to borrow and take home from the nursery's library. Staff provide home-learning packs with Montessori resources and cooking activities for children to share with their families and continue their learning at home. n Staff plan activities that expose children to new vocabulary. During adult-led activities, children learn about healthy foods and say that protein makes them 'strong'. Staff incorporate mathematical language into their activities. For example, they use scales to demonstrate how much sugar is in different foods. However, while staff prepare activities well, they do not always consider children's engagement and impact on their learning. n Managers recognise the importance of staff well-being and, as a result, staff morale is high. For example, staff say they feel very well supported by

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need to do better?

managers, who offer a range of training opportunities to keep their knowledge up to date. Managers meet with staff regularly to support them in developing their skills. n Parental partnerships are effective. Managers seek feedback from parents to make improvements. For example, parents feel well informed of their children's transitions and next steps of development. Parents say 'there is always a positive vibe in the whole nursery and children reflect this'.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff understand their role in protecting children from harm. They attended training which gives them the knowledge to recognise the signs and symptoms of potential abuse and neglect. They have a good knowledge of wider safeguarding issues, such as child exploitation. The nursery has good systems in place to report any concerns and has posters displayed with the relevant contact numbers. A robust recruitment and vetting process is in place to ensure all staff are, and remain, suitable to work with children. Daily risk assessments ensure the nursery is clean, well-organised and maintains secure boundaries. Staff who hold first-aid qualifications are effectively deployed around the nursery.

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should:

n support staff to reflect on their practice to ensure all children fully benefit from adult-led activities and increase their level of engagement.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2611295 Local authority Harrow Inspection number 10276086 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 123 Number of children on roll 116 Name of registered person AJP Assets LTD

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reference number

Telephone number 07555454198 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Blue Butterfly Montessori registered in 2021. It is located in Stanmore, in the London Borough of Harrow. It is open from 8am to 6pm each weekday. The nursery employs 51 members of staff, of whom 25 hold an early years qualification between level 2 and 7. 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 provider received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the setting. n The manager, deputy manager and inspector completed a learning walk together. They observed activities in the indoor and outdoor learning environments used by children. n The inspector observed a focused activity and evaluated this with the manager. n The inspector spoke with the management team, staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection. n Evidence of staff qualifications and the suitability of all those working in the setting were checked by the inspector. A sample of documentation was viewed by the inspector. n The inspector spoke to parents at the nursery and took account of their views.

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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

23 March 2023 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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