Staff and pupils at a St Albans kindergarten were "absolutely delighted" to receive an outstanding Ofsted report.

During the inspection at Mount Carmel Kindergarten, Ofsted described the school as an "outstanding setting" with a "highly effective and ambitious curriculum".

School principal Gabriella Spooner said: "We are absolutely delighted to have been recognised as outstanding by Ofsted.

"I want to express my gratitude to our wonderful team who are central to our success. 

"The positive and nurturing relationships our staff foster with our Mount Carmel families is at the very heart of our nursery and is why children make so much progress."

Read the full Ofsted report below.

Outcome

Mount Carmel Kindergarten was awarded an outstanding report.

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff greet children and families warmly on arrival, providing reassurance and support to help new children settle in comfortably to this outstanding setting. Staff build strong relationships with their key children, fostering a sense of security and belonging from the start of the day. Children quickly become engaged in the highly effective and ambitious curriculum. Their imaginative world is captured as they race cars up and down tracks they have made, and skilfully use tools to manipulate dough to make cakes for their friends. Staff take every opportunity to introduce new words to children, such as 'crunchy' and 'squidgy', as they describe foods they eat for lunch, fully supporting children to develop complex language.

Staff promote a democratic and child-led learning environment where children have a strong voice. Children engage in collective decision-making processes during assemblies. Staff encourage children to express their preferences as they use tokens to vote for the activity they would like to do. Children are extremely well behaved. They learn to show respect for their environment as staff encourage them to tidy away toys when they have finished. Staff provide an abundance of positive feedback and praise when they complete these tasks, fully supporting children's positive behaviour and building their already-high self-esteem.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

Staff are exceptionally skilled at engaging with children to support their learning and development. Children demonstrate consistently high levels of concentration as they access a range of rich learning experiences that help to build on knowledge they need for future learning. For example, children explore a globe and discover where their families come from, finding countries such as Singapore and the Czech Republic. They talk about the languages they speak in these countries and find pictures of the flags.

The leadership team is passionate about its role and works collaboratively to ensure that the setting is always operating to its best potential. Staff are extremely well supported, and morale is high. The leadership team empowers staff by identifying areas for development and offers tailored support to help raise practice to the highest standard. There is a strong focus on building a dynamic and motivated team that provides exceptional care for children in the setting.

Staff go above and beyond to ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported. Staff ensure that the environment and children's experiences are adapted so that they feel included and have the same learning opportunities as other children. For example, adapted pushchairs are provided, enabling children to be involved in sports days. Swings are adapted in the outside area to enable all children to access them. This fully Inspection report: Mount Carmel Kindergarten 9 September 2024 2 supports children to make the very best progress from their starting points.

The setting excels in supporting children's emotional well-being, with dedicated spaces such as cosy corners and special chairs in each room to help children regulate their emotions. Staff act as exceptionally good role models with a focus on emotional regulation and positive behaviour, a core strength in staff that contributes to a calm and nurturing atmosphere, allowing children to be happy, confident learners.

Parents provide overwhelmingly positive feedback about the setting and consistently report that their children have made significant progress since starting at the setting. Parents highlighted the setting's excellent communication, including daily updates, shared photos and termly development updates outlining their children's next steps in learning, helping parents to stay well informed and engaged in their child's learning journey.

Transitions throughout the day are smooth and seamless, supporting children as they move around the setting. Staff manage changes calmly and effectively, providing additional support when needed. This ensures that children feel secure and that their emotional needs are consistently met, fully supporting their well-being.

Staff provide opportunities for families to share information about their cultural identity and to come in to talk about special celebrations. Children learn about different traditions, clothing, foods and practices, helping them to build an appreciation and respect for cultural differences. Children are supported to engage in meaningful conversations during these sessions by asking questions and sharing their thoughts. This helps to develop their already well-developed language and communication skills, as they learn to articulate questions and listen attentively.

Safeguarding 

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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

Inspection activities

  • The principal joined the inspector on a learning walk. She talked to the inspector about the curriculum.
  • The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors. She discussed children's progress with staff.
  • The principal and inspector carried out a joint observation.
  • The inspector looked at relevant documentation. This included evidence of staff suitability, staff records and safeguarding documents.
  • The inspector spoke to parents during the inspection and took account of the written feedback provided.