Castalia Montessori Day Nursery and Preschool

Inspection of HeadStart Nursery 21/23 Castalia Square, Docklands, London E14 3NG

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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 Outstanding

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The provision is good

Children arrive happily at this warm and welcoming setting. The staff greet the children with a smile and ask them about their day. Children show they feel safe and secure as they confidently separate from their parents. The effective key- person system is well embedded within the setting. Children have formed strong bonds with the staff, who know them very well.

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The provision is good

Staff have high expectations for all children, and children make good progress from their individual starting points. Children are happy and play independently. Staff are kind and warm with the children. They provide a varied range of activities based on children's interests. Children are keen to get involved in the activities on offer and show positive attitudes to learning. For example, they happily cut real vegetables and make fruit tea in the role-play area. Children receive lots of praise from the staff, and this helps them to build their confidence and self-esteem.

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The provision is good

Children have excellent opportunities to develop their fine and gross motor skills. For example, children strengthen their small hand muscles as they roll and press the dough to make birthday cakes for their friends. During the day, they spend time in the garden, where they use bicycles, scooters and balls to build their physical skills.

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need to do better?

n Communication and language development is a key priority at the nursery. Staff read familiar books enthusiastically and encourage children to interact with the story. Children are well engaged during singing sessions and confidently sing with their friends. Staff ask children lots of questions during the day. This supports children to build their vocabulary and communication skills. However, on occasions, staff ask closed questions and do not always allow children the time they need to think and respond. n The staff provide communication and language focus group times during the day to help children who need more support. For example, children concentrate and pay attention during a 'bucket time' activity. This supports children to build their attention and concentration skills. n Partnership with parents is effective. They are happy with the provision and are complimentary about how caring and kind the staff team and leaders are.

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need to do better?

Leaders provide support for the whole family, signposting them to services that may be helpful. n All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as additional language, are making good progress from their starting points. The staff team and leaders work closely with parents and outside professionals to identify and support children to achieve to the best

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need to do better?

31 May 2023 of their ability. n Children behave well. Staff model turn-taking and sharing well. This helps children develop respect for each other and understand what is expected of them. For example, children work together to organise the bowling pins and take turns to roll the ball in the garden. n Staff are happy and feel very supported by their manager. They are enthusiastic and enjoy their job roles. Managers provide staff with opportunities to develop their skills and extend their knowledge through training opportunities. For example, staff received training on communication and language to further support children's communication skills at the setting. Staff receive regular supervision and are assigned mentors to discuss their needs and development. n Children are developing their independence and self-care skills well. For example, children carefully serve their own food and pour their own drinks

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need to do better?

during mealtimes. Staff encourage children to manage their own personal hygiene. For instance, they ask children to wash their hands before eating and wipe their faces independently after. n Managers and staff evaluate what works well in the nursery and identify areas for development. They have recently considered ways to support children's transitions from home to nursery and from nursery to school. This resulted in reviewing the transition processes, and they have built links with the local schools to support the children in their next journey in education.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff have a secure understanding of their roles and responsibilities to safeguard and protect children. They complete regular training to ensure their safeguarding knowledge remains up to date. The staff have a good knowledge of the signs and indicators of abuse and how to report any safeguarding concerns. This helps to protect the welfare of children. Rigorous recruitment procedures are in place to ensure that all people working with children are suitable to do so. The manager and staff routinely check all areas of the setting to make sure they are safe for children to use.

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should:

n continue to develop staff's interactions with children to help enhance children's critical thinking skills even further.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY470006 Local authority Tower Hamlets Inspection number 10285975 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 26 Number of children on roll 54 Name of registered person Childcare Nurseries Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 02079870246 Date of previous inspection 26 October 2017

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Information about this early years setting

HeadStart Nursery registered in 2014. It is situated in Crossharbour, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. The nursery is open each weekday from 8.00am to 6.00pm for 51 weeks of the year. The nursery receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The nursery currently employs eight members of staff. Of these, the provider holds early years professional status, the manager holds a relevant qualification at level 6 and a further five staff hold relevant childcare qualifications at level 3 or level 2.

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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 inspector and the manager looked around the nursery and talked about how the curriculum is devised and implemented in practice during the learning walk. n A joint observation was completed with the manager to evaluate the impact of staff's teaching. n The inspector spoke with staff, parents and children at appropriate times and took account of their views. 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 inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.

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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

31 May 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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