Children's House Montessori

Inspection of Children's House Montessori Village Hall, Snodland Road, Birling, WEST MALLING, Kent ME19 5JG

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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

The dedicated staff strive to provide children with the best start in life. Staff support children to become independent, confident and able to regulate their emotions. The provider supports the whole family, offering a wealth of knowledge and guidance.

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The provision is good

Staff are good at supporting children's emotional well-being. They offer quiet spaces, time to reflect and think and a sensory room. Staff model and encourage children to use manners. Children ask their friends if they can play with them and share their resources. They build trusting friendships with their peers and enjoy playing together.

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The provision is good

Staff are keen to support each child at their own individual level. The resources provided are well thought out to address the needs of all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Children independently select the resources they would like and show great focus and concentration. Staff are skilled at supporting them to increase their knowledge and understanding. The provider is good at working with external agencies to provide extra support for children where needed. Staff ensure that children leave here with the skills, confidence and self-worth to thrive in the next stage of their journey.

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need to do better?

n The provider is proactive in supporting staff to engage in continuing professional development. Staff are empowered to use their individual skills to give the children a wide range of experiences, such as cooking and art therapy. The experienced team of staff work well together to provide an inclusive curriculum. Staff offer targeted interventions to support children with SEND to make good progress. Staff are passionate about the children and enjoy coming to work. n Staff are good at demonstrating and explaining to children how to use resources. They then give children plenty of time to explore for themselves and have their own ideas. Staff use open-ended questions well to extend children's thinking skills. n Staff are thoughtfully deployed to ensure children are supported in all areas of the nursery. They are always close to children and are quick to respond to their needs. Children are happy to go to any member of staff and enjoy spending time

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need to do better?

with them all. However, the key-person system is used less effectively. Staff have a good overview of all children, but lack an in-depth understanding of their key child's needs. This means that, sometimes, support for children is not consistently targeted at their specific next steps in learning. n Staff create a calm atmosphere for children to learn in. They play music, use soft voices and are very patient with the children. Children play calmly, focus well

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need to do better?

30 September 2024 and have good perseverance skills. For example, they like to finish an activity before carefully putting it away for the next child to use. However, group circle times are not planned as well and can be too long for the children to remain focused. At these times, children become distracted and do not benefit from the intended learning. n Children understand and follow the routines of the day. Staff have embedded routines well and use different ways to alert children to transition times, such as playing familiar music. Children respond well and calmly get themselves ready for each part of the day. This helps them to feel safe and settled. n Staff are good at promoting children's independence. They often ask children to help them with tasks, such as snack time or being a lunch monitor. Children take pride in these activities and show good levels of self-confidence. Staff highly praise children and celebrate their achievements.

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need to do better?

n Children's rights, wishes and feelings are prioritised. Staff place an importance on teaching children about being respectful to one another. They use songs and resources to help children understand about what their rights are and ways to keep themselves safe. n The provider works closely with all parents and families. Parents are kept up to date with their child's development and offered ideas to extend learning at home. The provider's commitment to families is evident in the extra support and guidance they are offered. Parents are invited into the nursery to share in the children's learning, such as taking part in forest school sessions. In addition, parents are offered support sessions, such as school transitions.

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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 strengthen staff understanding of their key children's needs to precisely target their next steps in learning n review and improve the organisation of group times to more effectively engage all children who are taking part.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY501591 Local authority Kent Inspection number 10351105 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 27 Number of children on roll 28 Name of registered person William, Randa Adel

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reference number

Telephone number 07940 885318 Date of previous inspection 5 October 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Children's House Montessori registered in 2016. The setting operates from a village hall in Birling, near West Malling, Kent. It is open Monday to Thursday, from 9.30am until 3.30pm, and Friday 9.30am until 12.30pm, term time only. It follows the Montessori approach to education. The provider employs 11 members of staff, eight of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above, including five staff members who have qualified teacher status. The setting provides funded early education for children aged three and four years.

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Inspection activities

n The manager and the inspector carried out a learning walk together and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector spoke with staff and observed interactions between staff and children. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager. n Children talked to the inspector about their friends and the nursery. n Parents shared their views about the nursery with the inspector.

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Inspection activities

30 September 2024 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

30 September 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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