Posted on: May 1st 2015
As some of you may know, we had our inspection call for our Early Years (EYFS) on Monday this week and the inspection is due to take place next Tuesday and Wednesday with two ISI inspectors coming to our Princes Avenue site to look at all aspects of practice and compliance from Infant Community through to Reception. We were expecting an inspection some time this term, so we’re glad that it has happened early in the term, despite Ms Burke only having had a few days in the job as Head of School!
I have spent a large proportion of my week on Princes Avenue and I have to say I am overwhelmed at how positive the staff have been about the inspection and how brilliantly they have risen to the challenge of making sure that we show off everything that makes us a fantastic nursery and school! Staff on Princes Avenue have been working tirelessly before and after school and working together effortlessly, whilst ensuring that they maintain complete normality for the children during the day.
I have to say, it makes me feel incredibly proud that Montessori House nursery is now part of Norfolk House and how well the amalgamation has gone. It has affirmed all my beliefs that the practice here prepares children so well for the next step of their education. What’s also been fascinating is spending so much time with the Reception and nursery children and just being around the setting - it is a lively and engaging environment and our children are all happy and learning so much each and every day. It’s also lovely to be getting to know the children so much better - I was even out in the garden with the Infant Community this morning, drawing chalk flowers on the playground and almost in the sandpit making sandcastles!
It has also been lovely to meet some more of the nursery parents this week and begin to get to know them more personally; our parents are our biggest advocates and have been supportive in offering to meet with the inspectors and talk about their own experience of the school.
It is no mean feat to follow in LIsa’s footsteps having been here for 20 years, but I can already see that the staff are on board and are so passionate about Montessori and about our setting.
There’s still a bit of work to do over the weekend, but funnily enough, I am quite excited about the prospect of showing the inspectors our fantastic children, our parent body, our vision for the future of the school and what a great job our staff do here.
