Stone Bay Montessori and Beach School

Inspection of Stone Bay Montessori and Beach School Holy Trinity Church Hall, Church Road, Broadstairs, Kent CT10 1EZ

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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 warmly welcomed into the pre-school with cuddles and gentle words of encouragement from staff. Staff provide a calm, inviting environment, where children are supported to freely explore their surroundings and the resources available. Staff stay close to new children and help them to settle and feel safe and reassured in their care.

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The provision is good

Staff help children to vote on which resources they would like, supporting them to have a positive attitude to their learning. Children run excitedly to the sand table, which is set up with the dinosaur toys they asked for. Staff readily join in with children's imaginative games, such as 'frozen' action games. They support children to play together and learn to share.

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The provision is good

Staff have high ambitions for children. They play alongside them and extend their learning in each self-chosen play experience. Children enjoy learning shape names when playing with pretend food. They problem-solve how to fix a tent for a tiger to live in. During adult-led group times, younger children delight at copying actions to songs and giggle as they move a toy spider on their head. Older children take pride in showing what they have learned about animals from other countries, while listening to stories. Children thoroughly enjoy taking part in sessions of music and dance, where they gain great listening and focusing skills for moving on to school.

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need to do better?

n The manager has a clear vision for what she wants children to learn and why. Staff share this aim and are good at adapting resources to ensure that all children make good progress. Children fully focus when exploring the new water area. Staff help younger children to name the different colours of the balls. Older children are supported to learn about 'higher' and 'lower' levels of water and how to make the balls travel down the pipes. n Staff support children's developing communication and language skills. They speak clearly and emphasise sounds in words for children to repeat. Younger children gleefully call out names of musical instruments, such as 'tambourine' and 'triangle' as they recall them in listening games. Staff use questions to support older children to think, such as how they could use counting rods. However, occasionally, when staff ask questions, they move on too quickly, asking further questions before children can consider what they want to say in

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need to do better?

response. n Staff are good at suggesting different play ideas to children to keep them meaningfully engaged. Staff help set up activities, explain clearly how to use the equipment and then allow children time to explore the apparatus themselves. Children thoroughly enjoy many different activities, such as trains, globes and a

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need to do better?

13 September 2023 story listening station. Staff support them to have a natural curiosity, which helps them to build a love of learning. n Children are keen to have a go at all activities and show perseverance and determination. They concentrate while building tall towers. They explore and investigate how to crush cereal with a pestle and mortar and transfer water with a pipette. Children learn about safety and carefully take the time to cut each grape themselves at lunch time. Staff are full of praise for them and children beam with pride for their achievements. n All staff work hard to provide a calm and positive settling-in period for new children. Staff listen to parents information about their children and use this to think about resources and ways to provide comfort. Parents are kept well informed of their child's well-being during this process. This ensures that children settle quickly and show enjoyment and enthusiasm right from the start.

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need to do better?

n Parents have high praise for the staff and the positive impact they have on children's learning and development. They feel supported, listened to and closely involved in their child's journey. They are regularly kept up to date and offered ideas to continue extending their child's learning at home. n The manager has shared her passion for education and care with her staff. Staff are animated and engaging in their interactions and show genuine interest in the children they care for. Training is regularly sought to enhance the provision and to help build staff's personal confidence and abilities. They are a knowledgeable and caring team, who all strive to provide the best care and education they can to all children.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have a clear understanding of child protection issues and their roles and responsibilities in safeguarding all children. Staff are clear about the importance of making prompt referrals should they have any concerns about a child. They understand how to manage allegations made against a staff member. They implement robust procedures to ensure that any adult collecting a child is known to them and/or has the appropriately approved password from the parent. The manager undertakes effective risk assessments of the pre-school environment, which helps to reduce and minimise any potential hazards.

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should:

n continue to strengthen staff's questioning techniques to allow children time to think and respond, helping them to express their own ideas.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2648880 Local authority Kent Inspection number 10305360 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 32 Number of children on roll 34 Name of registered person Debucare Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 07739361587 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Stone Bay Montessori and Beach School registered in 2021. It operates from a church hall in Broadstairs, Kent. It is one of two settings owned by the same private provider. There are four members of staff employed, all of whom hold relevant early years qualifications. The setting opens from 8am to 3.30pm, Monday to Friday, during school term times only. The provider receives funding to provide 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 has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together and discussed the curriculum. n The inspector spoke with staff, interacted with children and viewed appropriate documentation. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager. n Parents shared their views about the setting with the inspector.

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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

13 September 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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