Epping Montessori Nursery Ltd

Inspection of Epping Montessori Nursery Ltd Church Hall, 11 Church Hill, Epping CM16 4RA

p.1

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

p.1

The provision is good

Children enter the nursery very happy and ready to start their day. They separate contentedly from their parents and run off to play with their friends. Children show they are settled and have strong bonds with staff, who are attentive to their needs. As a result, children feel safe and secure.

p.2

The provision is good

Staff and leaders model appropriate behaviour to help children manage their feelings. Children refer to sand timers to help them patiently wait for their turn with popular resources and toys. This helps children to understand boundaries. Staff praise children for behaving well, which builds their confidence and self-esteem.

p.2

The provision is good

Staff deliver a curriculum that is designed to support children in developing their independence and build connections between their experiences and the real world. Children thoroughly enjoy opportunities to become involved in these experiences. For example, staff encourage children to explore the differences they see between leaves and discuss the different colours and textures. Children delight in exploring the soil and planting 'garlic', using water to help things grow. This helps children to develop their physical skills as they dig, mix and manipulate the soil. Staff encourage children to be gentle when they find a worm and help them understand about caring for living things.

p.2

need to do better?

n Staff and leaders are deeply enthusiastic in their roles. They develop new ideas to ensure children get the most from their learning. They often reflect as a team to determine how children in their care can make further progress in their development. Sharing observations and regularly communicating helps staff understand what children can do and what they need to learn next. n Children benefit from nutritious snacks. They become deeply involved in the process of preparing their own snack. Staff are very skilled at encouraging children to become more independent. They support children to use age- appropriate tools to slice bananas. Children learn words, such as 'segments', to describe the inside of an orange. When they are finished, children push their chairs in and wash up their own plates and cups. n Circle time activities provide support and opportunities to develop children's language. Children learn new words and sing songs they are familiar with. For

p.2

need to do better?

example, staff use visual aids, such as a 'spider', as they sing 'Incy Wincy Spider'. Although this sparks children's interests, at times, staff do not ensure that group circle times meet the needs of all children involved. Therefore, there are occasions when some children lose their focus and become distracted. n Staff and leaders ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive early support. Individual strategies are put in place to

p.2

need to do better?

10 March 2025 ensure that children can make good progress. The team works closely with other professionals to ensure appropriate plans and support are in place and the learning needs of children with SEND are met. n Overall, staff support children to develop their ideas in their play. Children experience a range of activities, such as role play and arts and crafts, that help develop their creativity and thinking skills. However, staff are not always consistent in their interactions to further enhance opportunities that develop children's deeper engagement. n Children immerse themselves in creating patterns with blocks and using visual aids to guide them. Staff talk about the colours children can see and how many blocks they have used to create their pattern. They encourage children to extend their mathematical thinking and develop their problem-solving skills. For example, they show children that when blocks are turned in a different position

p.2

need to do better?

it creates a new shape such as a diamond. Children enjoy testing out their ideas as they make different shapes. n Parents say they are happy with the nursery and commend them on their levels of communication and efforts made to help children settle in. Partnerships with their children's key persons are a highlight of parents' experiences, and they outline how well they know the children. Parents appreciate the newsletters and reports shared by the team of their children's progress.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

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

p.3

should:

n review the delivery of group activities to ensure that circle time meets the learning needs of all children n support staff to strengthen the consistency of their interactions to further enhance the opportunities that develop children's deeper engagement.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number 2701529 Local authority Essex Inspection number 10372601 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care

p.4

inspection

Total number of places 32 Number of children on roll 50 Name of registered person Epping Montessori Nursery Ltd

p.4

reference number

Telephone number 07459229763 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

p.4

Information about this early years setting

Epping Montessori Nursery registered in 2022. It operates from a church hall in Epping. The nursery employs seven members of childcare staff. Of these, one holds qualified teacher status and five hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The nursery operates Monday to Friday, term time only, from 9.30am until 3pm on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and 9.30am to 1pm on Thursday and Friday. The nursery provides funded early education for all eligible children.

p.4

Inspection activities

n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this has on children's learning. n The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation. n Parents shared their views of the nursery with the inspector. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.

p.4

Inspection activities

10 March 2025 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.

p.4

Inspection activities

10 March 2025 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.

p.5

Inspection activities

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.6

Inspection activities

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk

p.6

Inspection activities

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.6

Inspection activities

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.6