Care Inspectorate Report, June 1st, 2023

In this report, the Care Inspectorate described the school’s care, play and learning, its setting, its leadership and its staff team as ‘Very Good‘.

Following the Inspectorate’s unannounced inspection, some of their observations were as follows:

• Children experienced warm, nurturing approaches to their care.
• Children were happy, confident and engaged in leading their learning.
• Play and learning opportunities for children were enhanced through strong connections to their communities.
• Children benefitted from an experienced and knowledgeable staff team.
• Children enjoyed relaxed, unhurried mealtimes which supported their independence.
• Strong leadership supported staff to have high aspirations.

The full report of the Care Inspectorate (reference number: CS2011298611)  can be viewed here .

Care Inspectorate Report, November 5th, 2018

In this report, the Care Inspectorate awarded the following grades:

• Quality of Care and Support – 6 – Excellent. (This is the Inspectorate’s highest grade)
• Quality of Staffing – 5 – Very good.

Following the Inspectorate’s unannounced inspection, some of their observations were as follows:

• ‘Staff were nurturing and respectful in their interactions, and children enjoyed their time at the nursery.’
• ‘Staff had an excellent knowledge of each child’s needs, preferences and personalities. The well-being of children was at the centre of their work. They looked at the wider world of each child to identify and provide any additional support that might be required for either children or their families.’
• ‘The environment offered extensive learning opportunities and experiences that encouraged investigation, curiosity [and] exploration.’
• ‘The calm atmosphere and wide range of resources challenged children in their development and play. Skillful interaction from knowledgeable staff ensured each child was supported to progress’.
• ‘The outdoor environment supported active play. Children made good use of a range of equipment to promote their physical development. The focus on outdoor learning meant that children had access to experiences that offered learning through investigation of natural and living materials.’
• ‘Staff had secure and trusting relationships with both children and parents. This ensured high quality information was recorded and used to sensitively support children. Daily planning or individual learning plans [ensured] each child was provided with rich learning experiences.’

The full report of the Care Inspectorate (reference number: CS2011298611)  can be viewed here .

Care Inspectorate Report, October 29th 2015

Following the previous Care Inspectorate report of November 2012 (see below) in which the Montessori Children’s House was considered to be operating at ‘a very good or excellent level with positive outcomes for children attending’, Children’s House was one of the few nursery schools in Scotland for which a ‘Validation Inspection’ only was considered appropriate. In this,  the Care Inspectorate makes a number of highly supportive observations, some of which are summarised below:

• The school has ‘continued to develop the high quality practice reported on at the last inspection.’
• ‘Staff worked with children in a respectful and nurturing manner that promoted self-esteem. … Children’s behaviour mirrored the calm and gentle staff engagement and there was a tranquil atmosphere in the nursery. … Children were largely self-reliant in their play and learning. … Staff made very good use of observation, interacting effectively to extend children’s experiences.’
• ‘Children were happy, safe and confident. … [They] were focused and learning through rich and spontaneous experiences. They independently accessed a range of good quality resources which motivated them and encouraged creativity.’
• ‘This was a small, enthusiastic and highly motivated staff group, who were skilled and trained in Montessori. … Staff interactions supported children very well to achieve, develop independence and be responsible.’
• ‘The well organised and routinely evaluated nursery sessions led to highly positive outcomes for children.’

The full report of the Care Inspectorate (CS2011298611) can be viewed here.

Care Inspectorate Report, November 6th 2012.

In this report, when the school was still at the Holy Trinity Church Hall, the Care Inspectorate awarded the following grades:
· Quality of Care and Support – 5 – Very Good
· Quality of Environment – 5 – Very Good
· Quality of Staffing – 5 – Very Good
· Quality of Management and Leadership – 5 – Very Good.

You can view the report in full here. Our reference number is CS2011298611.