Acorn Montessori Nursery School Ltd

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders identify and assess barriers children's learning and their individual needs. They ensure children receive appropriate and timely support. This includes tailored and sympathetic support for families who may face more difficult circumstances, putting children at possible disadvantage. Staff make thoughtful adjustments wherever possible, to help all children feel included and to make typical progress. For instance, they provide chewable resources or headphones to reduce noise, to help children who struggle with sensory issues. Regular reviews of learning plans ensure that adaptations and strategies remain effective and change as children's needs alter and their development moves on. Staff recognise the progress that children make and celebrate their small achievements.

Staff work with parents and carers and staff at other settings children attend, or will attend, to provide consistency of care and support. They are sensitive to differing family dynamics. Staff thoughtfully promote how all families are unique so that children feel valued and all families are reflected. Leaders seek and implement timely advice from external professionals to make sure children and families have support to help them thrive. Leaders understand how to use funding mindfully to support each child's needs. For example, leaders have planned further training around autism and supporting children's behaviour. They recognise this will help staff to support children with social and emotional needs to an even higher level.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have a clear vision for the setting and are keen to involve staff in ongoing improvements. Regular reflection on provision and practice means that leaders generally understand their strengths and areas to develop further. For instance, leaders correctly identify that further support to boost staff's confidence in interactions and planning are areas for development. Teaching is typically of high quality and supports children's learning appropriately, generally with reference to their age, stage of development and individual needs. Planning should be strengthened to better reflect children's individual next steps during small group activities. In particular, further differentiation to ensure that the most able children are consistently challenged and supported to reach their full potential. Staff use assessment effectively to inform children's next steps and to identify gaps in learning. Where there are gaps, or where children have special educational needs and/or disabilities, staff use strategies well to help children to catch up. Children typically make secure progress from their starting points.

Communication is a focus in the setting. Staff use Makaton signing to support children to express their needs and ideas. Songs, stories and narration during play help children to hear and practise new and familiar words. Children become confident in their communications through a variety of means. Staff teach children mathematical skills and understanding of number well. Children look at the clock as they count down to tidy-up time. They understand the significance of the second hand and know when their countdown has ended. Children learn social and personal skills as they play together. They develop their independence, manage their personal care and help with tasks in the group, such as laying the table for mealtimes. Staff support children's physical development and stamina through regular outings and walks in the local area.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children achieve well and develop the knowledge and skills they need as they move on to school. Children with learning barriers make appropriate progress from their starting points and those with gaps in their learning make significant progress towards catching up their peers. Children communicate through speech and signs, as appropriate to their age and stage of development. They clearly express their wants, needs and how they are feeling. Children develop the confidence to express themselves in their own way and the self-esteem to become unique individuals. They develop friendships and understand how to interact with their friends, children of different ages and adults who are both familiar and new to them. Children demonstrate independence and enthusiasm to carry out tasks for themselves and to help the group. They typically gain the foundational knowledge to support their progress in education and through life.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

The indoor environment is well resourced. Children are generally busy and engaged in their play. Staff allow children to lead, joining their play to support them as they need it and to extend learning. Staff use outside areas and regular visits to wider outdoor spaces to broaden and add depth to children's understanding and knowledge. Children learn how to treat resources and the wider environment. They know not to pick flowers from gardens in the village, for example. Children say this is because the residents 'love their flowers'.

Staff develop solid bonds with children from the outset. This helps children to feel safe, secure and ready to learn. Children learn about their emotions and feel comfortable discussing and demonstrating how they feel. Support for regular and prompt attendance helps children to understand routines and to benefit from their time in the setting. Staff have high expectations for and of children's behaviour. They are swift to act if children need support to manage their frustrations. Staff model kind and calm behaviour. Children learn to share, play alongside and with their friends in age-appropriate ways. For instance, they learn to use 'kind hands' and 'walking feet'.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Care practices support children's health and safety well. Staff adapt practice to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities appropriately. For example, children who like to explore resources with their mouths have their own chewable resources to support this and are supervised closely at mealtimes. Staff remind all children of the need to sit carefully while eating and how this helps to keep them safe. They learn about safety around roads, water and animals as they engage in interesting discussions on outings.

Children learn to manage their personal care and hygiene routines, promoting positive healthy habits. They learn about different foods during sociable mealtimes and how physical activity, rest and screen time also affect their bodies and wellbeing. Children are interested in and learn to understand and manage their emotions and responses. They act out what 'angry' might look like during a song about feelings, for instance. Staff help children to understand that how they act has an effect on others around them. Children listen carefully to staff and copy the thoughtful behaviours demonstrated. They become mindful and considerate citizens of their nursery and wider community.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders have recently acquired the setting after a long time under previous ownership. They have made positive changes. Leaders have a clear plan to grow the provision and to continue to improve practice and the experiences all children have here. Staff receive support to continue their professional development, gain qualifications and in their personal lives too. Leaders are mindful of staff and children in their decision-making. They take particular care over decisions that affect children with learning barriers and families with challenges in their lives, such as taking professional advice to support them further.

Leaders plan training to enhance staff's knowledge and skills to support children's experiences. They acknowledge that there is more they can do to boost staff's confidence in their interactions with children to support them even further in their learning. They also understand the benefit of differentiating learning during small-group activities and have plans underway to develop this aspect of planning further.

Leaders work with staff at the on-site school to enable children to mix with others of different ages. Children become familiar with school routines before they move on to attend. Community involvement is a focus. Children take part in sport's days and Easter activities taking place in the village, for instance. Leaders work well with parents and carers, engaging them in their children's learning through regular communication.