Brambly House Montessori School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff are committed and passionate about providing a welcoming environment for all children. They take time to speak to parents when they drop their children off and support children to settle into their day. For example, staff organise a variety of activities for children to engage in when they arrive. Children have the choice of playing in their own classroom that extends outside, or they can take part in forest school sessions in the purpose-built outdoor classroom.

Children with special education needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have their own purposefully designed classroom. Staff organise the environment to support the needs of the children they have in that day and have a variety of specialist equipment to promote individual children's development. They make sure the environment is calm and not overwhelming.

Children behave very well and are engaged and motivated to learn. For example, pre-school children self-select resources they require to further their learning, such as large building blocks to build towers taller than they are. Younger children explore a range of resources relating to China. This is to promote their awareness of Chinese New Year.

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

• The leadership is very strong. Recent changes to the leadership structure have enabled more support and guidance for staff. Supervision sessions are extremely thorough, and staff are provided with an extensive training package. Newly recruited staff receive an in-depth induction programme. Weekly meetings with senior leaders are held to go through policies and discuss staff practice. Staff feel very supported and are clear about their roles and responsibilities.
• Leaders regularly share their knowledge and skills at team meetings and individually with staff on a daily basis. For example, leaders observe staff taking part in activities with children. They provide immediate feedback on the intention and implementation of activities and make suggestions on how staff can further support children's development. This means staff receive regular coaching and mentoring to help develop their practice further.
• Staff understand the curriculum intent and provide a range of exciting and stimulating experiences for children. They talk to children about the continents in the world and children recall what they have learned. For example, children look at a globe and recognise Australia. They remember this is far away and comment that it 'takes a really long time on the aeroplane'. Staff extend children's knowledge of the world and speak to them about the types of animals that live in different countries. Staff value what children say and give them time to speak about their own experiences.
• Children take part in a range of rich learning experiences in the outdoor classroom. Children are highly engaged as they make bird feeders using fruits and seeds mixed into lard and choose where to hang them when they are finished. Staff encourage children to look for small twigs and leaves to make clay birds. Children remain engrossed for long periods, using their fine motor skills as they mould the clay. Staff comment on what children are doing using a variety of descriptive words and introduce new words, such as 'sticky' and 'snout'. Children show delight in their achievements and flourish in their personal development.
• Leaders act with integrity to ensure all children have access to their full entitlement of early education. They work closely with the local authority to ensure children with SEND get the support and help they need. Leaders review children's individual plans alongside advice from other agencies involved to ensure children with SEND have access to learning at their own level. Staff focus on extending children's attention and provide an abundance of sensory experiences. Children are beginning to use these experiences independently to help them to self-regulate.
• Staff know the children very well. Leaders hold meetings to discuss children's individual targets and next steps in learning so that they can support these when children access other classrooms in the setting. However, when there are specific strategies to support some children, these are not communicated to all staff. This means not all children experience a smooth transition.
• Parents are extremely happy with the care their children receive. They describe the setting as an extended family and feel the staff are not only there to support their children but also their family. They know what their children are learning and how they can support this at home. Parent's of children with SEND comment on how leaders have created a support network with other parents where they feel able to share their experiences and discuss any concerns they may have. Parents comment that 'they have created an environment that every child thrives in'.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen procedures to support how children are transitioned into areas less familiar to them, particularly children who are receiving targeted support.