Blossom Tree Montessori

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and settled at this vibrant and welcoming nursery. They develop close bonds with the caring staff and show that they feel very safe and secure. Babies confidently communicate their needs, for example, by using simple signs to show whether they want more or have finished. Older children eagerly include staff in their play and readily turn to them if they need help.

Children respond positively to the high expectations of staff. They are active, curious and keen learners. They become independent and confident in what they can do. Toddlers enthusiastically stack blocks to create towers. They display resilience and resolutely try again if their tower falls. Older children show a keen interest in literacy. They happily look at books independently and share stories with adults. Some children make very strong progress from their starting points. They become fluent readers and confident writers.

Children's behaviour is consistently good. They are friendly and sociable towards others and enjoy being independent and helpful. Babies begin to develop their own interests and make choices about their play. Toddlers confidently use cutlery at mealtimes and scrape their plates when they have finished. Older children take pride in having responsibilities, such as watering the nursery plants and cleaning up after play.

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

• Leaders are passionate about their roles. They have a clear vision for providing high-quality care and learning for children. Leaders evaluate the provision well, to identify any areas for further development. They have adapted and improved ways of sharing information on children's progress with parents. This has reduced the amount of paperwork for staff, so that they spend more time actively involved with the children.
• Parents speak highly of the nursery. They describe the excellent communication with staff. For example, parents receive daily information, photos and videos of their children, through a bespoke online app that the provider has created. Parents say that this reassures them that their children are very happy, stimulated and well cared for by the staff.
• Children benefit from a broad and well-planned curriculum, which encompasses all areas of their development. They demonstrate enthusiasm for learning and concentrate well on the activities that they have chosen. For instance, children are highly focused and show attention to detail during a painting activity. They create elaborate patterns using painting techniques seen in Masai art.
• Staff, generally, implement the curriculum well. They introduce new ideas, model skills to children and encourage them to join in and try things out.
• However, occasionally, the delivery of group activities is less strong. For instance, activities for younger children, sometimes, go on for too long and those for older children, occasionally, lack challenge. Therefore, children lose interest or do not gain all that they could from these experiences.
• Staff monitor children's development closely, to identify their next steps in learning. They ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive effective support to make the best possible progress. For instance, staff work with children on a one-to-one basis, to help them develop relationships with other children. Staff work closely with parents and, where appropriate, with other professionals to draw up focused plans for children, to promote their learning and support them when they move on to school.
• Overall, staff promote children's communication skills well. For example, they read books and sing songs with children and comment on what they are doing as they play. However, staff, sometimes, miss opportunities to help children hear and use a wider range of words, to help broaden their vocabularies.
• Children build strong foundations to support healthy and active lifestyles. They have good opportunities for vigorous exercise, to help them build strength and fitness. For instance, they play outdoors in their well-equipped garden and take part in extracurricular sports and movement sessions. Children enjoy healthy meals and snacks, which are freshly prepared each day by the nursery chef.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to improve the implementation of group activities, to ensure that they consistently engage children and provide appropriate levels of challenge
• help staff to strengthen their support for children's language skills, by introducing a wider range of vocabulary and encouraging children to use new words as they play.