Beckett House Montessori Nursery School

Inspection of Beckett House Montessori Nursery School 98 Richmond Avenue, London N1 0LL

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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

Leaders and staff greet children with a warm welcome. Children enter the nursery with confidence. They take off their shoes and coats and put on their indoor shoes before they enter the main room. They demonstrate that they feel safe and secure. Staff know children well. They follow children's interests and next steps in learning to plan interesting activities.

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The provision is good

Children are keen to get involved in the activities on offer and show positive attitudes to their learning. For example, they copy pre-printed patterns to make their own structures from coloured blocks and proudly share these with staff. Children develop a keen interest in reading. They choose to look at books and enthusiastically listen to many stories that staff read during the day.

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The provision is good

The nursery follows the Montessori approach, and children thoroughly enjoy experiences that staff provide for them. Staff support children's independence and self-help skills well. The curriculum is ambitious for all children. It has a clear focus on helping children to acquire the key skills they need for their future learning, such as communication and language, mathematical and literacy skills.

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The provision is good

All children benefit from trips to the local park. They walk safely with staff and explore the community while building their physical skills and learning about road safety. Staff are consistent in their expectations of children's behaviour. They give children clear guidance and instructions. Children know what to expect and how they should behave. Staff give children positive praise for their achievements.

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need to do better?

n Children have lots of opportunities to develop their hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. This supports their early writing skills. Children concentrate as they access practical activities. For example, they skilfully use small wooden spoons to transport pom-pom beads into their containers. n Staff support children's communication and language development and early literacy skills well. They read books enthusiastically and encourage children to interact with the stories. For example, staff encourage children to interact with the story of 'Space Tortoise', and children follow the moves as they pretend to be spaceships traveling into the sky. Children have access to a book area, where they listen to stories. This supports their growing vocabulary and their love for reading. n Staff embed and weave mathematics well throughout children's activities. Children learn to identify numbers and problem-solve as they match the

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need to do better?

counters with the numbers. They make good use of the Montessori resources in the play environment. For example, children enjoy using number rods to

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need to do better?

29 January 2024 understand the length of each rod and how it corresponds to the numbers. n Children take part in regular trips to the local community. For instance, on outings to the local park, staff encourage them to explore the environment, make large marks on the ground using chalk and run freely with their friends. This helps to strengthen children's physical skills. n Generally, staff offer good support for children's learning. However, at times, staff do not consistently extend children's learning during adult-led activities. This limits children's play and learning. n The manager and staff provide a well-planned curriculum, which is based on the early years foundation stage and the Montessori method. Children build on their previous learning and regularly practise their skills. For example, staff teach children about birds and trees, such as through puzzles, and introduce new vocabulary to the children.

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need to do better?

n Parent partnerships are strong. Parents talk highly of the nursery and comment that the nursery has a family feel and that staff are caring, approachable and warm. Parents receive updates on their child's learning and development. They are happy with the progress their children make and highly recommend the nursery to others. n The manager's intent for children to become independent is implemented well. Children select their own activities and clear away when they finish playing. They manage their personal needs well. For example, children independently take themselves to the toilet and wash their hands, blow their nose and put their tissue in the bin. This helps children to become independent. n Staff plan opportunities for children to explore art activities using a range of tools, such as glue and scissors. However, some activities do not always support children to develop their creativity and make choices. For example, staff give

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need to do better?

children a set of pre-cut shapes to build their own penguin. This does not always support children to freely express their own artistic ideas and be creative.

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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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should:

n support staff to develop their teaching skills to challenge and extend children's learning consistently at all times n extend opportunities for children to develop their creativity and imaginations during adult-led activities.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 131668 Local authority Islington Inspection number 10304923 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 20 Number of children on roll 20 Name of registered person Beckett House Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 0207 278 8824 Date of previous inspection 6 February 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Beckett House Montessori Nursery School registered in 1996 and is located in the London Borough of Islington. The nursery employs four members of childcare staff. Of these, one holds an appropriate early years qualification at level 6, two at level 3, and one is unqualified but is Montessori trained. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, for 46 weeks a year. Sessions are from 8.30am until 5.30pm. It provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The nursery is a Montessori accredited nursery school.

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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 manager and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the nursery. n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked about the curriculum and what they want children to learn. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact on children's learning. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery n Children spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector talked with staff during the inspection and took account of their views. n Parents shared their views of the nursery 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

29 January 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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