Buckingham Montessori School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff use their strong, wide knowledge base to provide children with exciting learning experiences throughout the well-resourced and equipped setting. Excellent and challenging activities allow children to access all areas of learning and make superb progress in their development. Children move around all areas of the setting, taking the lead in their play experiences. Staff have effective observation, planning and assessments in place, which effectively supports children in their development. Children build their language skills with staff who are highly engaged in their teaching, narrating as children play to introduce new words. For example, during a storytelling activity of 'We're Going on a Bear Hunt', children are highly animated and enjoy using the words that sound just like the things it is describing. Together children endure swishy tall grass, deep cold river water, thick oozy mud and more.

Staff have superb arrangements to care for children and support their well-being. New children settle very well into the setting following a comprehensive settling in period. Staffing arrangements are consistent, so children are very familiar with staff. A sound key-person system provides the children and families with reassurance and a strong line of communication. Staff create an environment where children feel safe and learn to respect one another. Behavioural expectations are clearly communicated to children. Despite the challenges that some children face through their development, behaviour in the nursery is exceptional. Events, such as mealtimes, are calm, social occasions and are testament to the high expectations executed by the staff team.

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

• The nursery managers have an exceptional overview of the curriculum and they know what they wants all children to learn, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Both managers have a clear, strategic vision and place support for children at the heart of all nursery activities.
• The quality of teaching is outstanding. Staff fully engage children in highly stimulating activities and present them with exciting challenges throughout the day. Children build on and remember what they already know and can do. Their experiences over time are planned to ensure that they have the essential skills they need for their move on to school.
• Staff are outstanding roles models for children, which fully enhances children's social development and therefore their behaviour is excellent.
• The premises are generally very clean, safe and secure. However, one area of the premises with an internal drain and vent in the flooring has become unhygienic. As this is not a classroom area, it does not have a significant impact on children's safety.
• Staff have a robust understanding of safeguarding and child protection; however some policies require updating to ensure they are relevant and current so that staff have the most up to date information. This does not impact significantly on safeguarding for children.
• The managers have clear processes in place for recruitment, induction, supervisions and appraisals. Arrangements for staff's continued professional development ensure they have the same vision for the curriculum content and quality of teaching This helps to ensure that the staff team are highly qualified and receive highly effective support for their professional development.
• Staff show genuine care and respect towards the children and treat them all as individuals. They know each child very well which significantly contributes to meeting each child's needs. Staff support children with SEND exceptionally well. At this multi-cultural setting, staff help children learn that everyone is different, and children show care and concern for one another. Children develop clear friendships and work exceptionally well together.
• Parents praise the work and dedication of the managers and staff and appreciate that this is reflected in their children's progress. They say that they have noticed progress in their children's speech and language ability since they have started at the nursery. They remark on how their children benefit from the secure relationships they have with the staff, who know the children very well.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider must:

• ensure areas used by the children are suitable and comply with health and hygiene requirements; in particular, the internal drain in the children's side entrance area. (by 30 June 2024)

The provider should:

• review and update the setting's policies and procedures.