Cannon Barn Montessori School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happily and separate easily from their parents as they are eager to see peers and staff in the setting. Parents praise how well children settle in, as allocated key persons ensure they get as much information as they can to support each child as they move into the setting. Parents continue to feel involved with their child's learning and development as staff share observations and photographs online and during drop-off and collection times.

Children of all ages enjoy a range of planned activities. For example, each group has daily circle time. Children enthusiastically sing as they participate in the actions for favourite songs and rhymes. Children, including babies, smile as they rock to and fro in time to the tune. Older children hold hands with their friends, laughing when they scream and request more songs.

All staff know the children well. Interactions between adults and children are kind, gentle and playful. Children respond well to requests made of them and behaviour is good. Older children move around purposefully, selecting resources and remaining on task until they complete their chosen activity. Younger children are offered choices, with staff on hand to support or guide if needed.

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

• Children enjoy daily circle time activities. They come together to build on what they know about the days of the week and to discuss the weather. Staff thread favourite rhymes and songs into the session. Children have opportunities to play with their peers. They join hands when rocking their 'boat' to and fro.
• Children can freely access a range of books. Staff use story sacks to make storytelling more interactive. Children choose to be a character, eager to act their part, and can recall repeated phrases. On occasions, some staff do not include opportunities to count and use mathematical language to build on what children already know.
• Staff continually assess children's development. An embedded cycle of 'observe, plan, do and review' ensures that practitioners have high expectations for all children's learning. Celebrations, coffee mornings and parents' evenings all support a strong sense of community.
• Staff in each area of the nursery come together to plan. Key persons ensure that the learning needs of individual children are known by all staff. Staff identify possible lines of development and these are displayed using footprints to clearly identify the short-term focus of learning for each child. This helps to ensure all children make the best possible progress.
• Leaders and managers share how teaching children to be independent is a curriculum focus. Staff encourage children to develop their awareness of self- care. For instance, children wash their hands in preparation for snacks and meals. However, on occasions, some staff do not make the most of the daily routine to support independence, as they cut fruit and serve lunch and drinks directly to children. Older children are learning what they can eat to stay healthy.
• Parents highly praise staff in this setting. They share how additional support or emerging needs for their child have been quickly and efficiently addressed. Parents also feel incredibly well supported as staff work in partnership to devise strategies to support any challenges experienced in the home. For example, staff offer support with tips to develop routines for meals, sleep and toilet training. Parents have found the advice invaluable.
• Leaders and managers place a high importance on the training and development of the full staff team. They evaluate the impact of training by observing staff practice. Managers provide training on a range of topics that have a positive impact on the children. This ensures that the quality of teaching practice is consistently good.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• use everyday activities and routines as opportunities to develop children's independence
• enhance the curriculum to support mathematical development in relation to children's knowledge and understanding of mathematical language and number.