Clapham Park Montessori and Infant Community

Inspection of Clapham Park Montessori and Infant Community The Contact Centre, 60 Hambalt Road, Clapham, LONDON SW4 9EH

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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The provision is outstanding

Managers and staff are very in tune with children and how they learn. They have the highest ambitions for all children. Staff are highly knowledgeable and motivating. They provide an extremely inspiring curriculum that they implement exceptionally well. Staff are highly committed to their role. They ensure that all children have the best opportunities to develop and flourish as they grow, and become well-balanced and happy individuals. Staff are exceptionally nurturing. They gently guide and successfully organise the environment to promote and foster children to learn. As a result, children have an ample amount of space to freely explore, engage and indulge in their learning. All children make excellent progress.

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The provision is outstanding

Staff provide simple resources that children thoroughly enjoy. For example, younger children spend time exploring different musical instrument figures. They concentrate extremely well as they pick each item up and explore them, pretending to play each one in the correct manner. Older children participate in activities that enhance their communication, critical thinking and problem-solving skills. For instance, they discuss and work out how much water they need in the bowl to wash different items. Staff encourage children to predict how much water they will need, such as a 'full' or 'half' jug. They encourage children to compare the different sizes of resources they use, such as talking about 'large' and 'small' and the order in which they are placed. Staff skilfully use questions to engage children in discussions to build on their vocabulary and communication skills.

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The provision is outstanding

Children demonstrate that they are extremely happy in the company of their friends and staff. They are highly respectful towards each other and considerate, even from a young age. Children are highly confident and know the expectations for their behaviour, which is excellent.

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need to do better?

n Managers are inspirational and have a very clear vision of what they want children to achieve. Children of all ages consistently demonstrate extremely high levels of confidence, interest and engagement. Staff meticulously plan experiences that successfully capture children's desire to learn. They recognise each child as a unique individual, and enthusiastically use their interactions to build on children's learning exceptionally well. n Staff expertly provide a range of opportunities for children to explore and discover. There is a strong focus on supporting children to lead their own play from an early age, giving them the tools to assess risks, develop a 'can-do' approach and become resilient. Staff use their knowledge and interactions, along with books, to seamlessly promote the curriculum. For example, staff use different resources to help children to understand about Chinese New Year. They

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need to do better?

6 February 2024 share stories and explain using pictures and discussions. This leads to a wealth of new vocabulary and imaginative play. n Children of all ages are excellent communicators. They speak clearly and engage in meaningful conversations with staff. Children show exceptional recall and fluency as they sing their favourite songs to themselves as they play. Older children securely join in lengthy conversations with their peers. Staff pose questions and give children time to process their thoughts. They closely monitor children's language development and share detailed progress with parents. This ensures that children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who are learning English as an additional language, are confident speakers and achieve highly. n Staff develop excellent relationships with parents. They keep them well informed about their children's development. Parents give high praise for staff's in-depth,

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need to do better?

face-to-face and online communication with them. They are very complimentary about the professionalism and support they receive and feel greatly involved in their children's education. n Children are extremely confident and independent from a young age. Younger children take their time to take off their coats and hang them on the peg, and they put on their shoes with ease. Older children persevere as they attempt to zip up their coats. They politely refuse staff's help and say they can do it by themselves. n Staff thoughtfully promote children's healthy lifestyles. Older children help to chop fruit for snack time. They know to wash their hands before sitting at the table when they are ready and competently use tongs to serve themselves. n Staff are excellent role models. Children build exceptionally close bonds with staff and their peers. They are very kind and thoughtful and help their friends willingly. All children receive excellent support, including children with SEND.

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need to do better?

Managers and staff work very closely with parents and professionals to enable children to have the best experiences and enjoy the environment. Staff precisely identify any delay in children's development and target their support to swiftly close any gaps in learning. n Managers continually reflect and evaluate the provision and staff's practice and make improvements. Staff receive consistent support and training which enhances their professional development. Managers give staff's personal well- being a high priority. This benefits all children immensely.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY337464 Local authority Lambeth Inspection number 10305020 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 40 Number of children on roll 23

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Name of registered person

Rosalind Bowles & Lucia Gomez-Santana Partnership

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reference number

Telephone number 07757317179 Date of previous inspection 8 February 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Clapham Park Montessori and Infant Community registered in 2006 and is situated in Clapham, in the London Borough of Lambeth. The setting uses the Montessori approach to children's learning. There are seven members of staff, six of whom have an Early Years Montessori Diploma qualification at level 4. In addition, three of the six staff also have a level 6 qualification. The nursery is open Monday to Friday, from 8.15am until 5pm, during term time. It 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 nursery 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 nursery. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk around the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n Staff and children talked with the inspector at appropriate times and the inspector took account of their views. n The inspector and manager carried out joint observations of group activities. n Parents shared their views of the nursery with the inspector in person and in written feedback.

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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

6 February 2024 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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