Cherry Tree Montessori Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy, secure and enjoy accessing an enabling environment. The effective curriculum planning ensures that children are motivated and engaged. Staff carefully plan the wide range of good-quality resources to develop children's skills through purposeful play. For example, low pipes fixed to the wall encourage babies to grasp balls, pull themselves up safely and drop them down the pipe. They are fascinated by what happens; they strengthen their hands and legs and develop their hand-eye coordination. Older children learn life skills such as grinding coffee, using tools for a purpose, and strengthening their hands and arms ready for writing. Toddlers become increasingly independent as they learn to share the ride-on cars; they quickly go from getting frustrated at not being able to get in, to opening the door, climbing in and closing the door, before pushing themselves backwards.

There is a strong focus on children's language skills. Staff sing with babies and narrate their actions, and they help older children to recall previous learning and extend their vocabulary. Children use a range of mathematical language, such as 'empty', 'full' and 'one more', and they count with confidence. Children enjoy books in all areas. They listen well to staff, when appropriate, and follow instructions.

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

• The management team has worked hard to ensure that staff implement an ambitious curriculum, which is underpinned by research and the Montessori approach to teaching. Managers and staff intend for children to be curious and to lead their learning, which is implemented successfully. Leaders have a clear focus on the skills they want children to have before going to school and how they expect staff to sequence children's learning to help them attain these skills.
• Through successful monitoring, staff have an accurate knowledge of children's development. They quickly spot any gaps in children's development and provide focused support to help them catch up. Staff ensure that good support for children learning to speak English as an additional language and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities is provided. As such, they make quick progress.
• Overall, staff help children to be independent, find resources they need and learn through first-hand experiences. Most staff challenge children effectively. For example, they reassure young children that they are close by to catch them, but they encourage them to have a go for themselves at balancing on low obstacles. Sometimes, some staff are too quick to solve problems for children instead of using an activity as a learning opportunity.
• Children have an effective understanding of healthy practices. Even toddlers get tissues, wipe their noses, and place the tissue in the bin. Children have daily opportunities to be outside. Older children comment with confidence when they feel their hearts beating fast after exercise. Children know to drink plenty of water to keep hydrated, especially when outside in the sun.
• Children behave well and have lovely, positive relationships with each other and staff. Babies are content, and staff provide good interaction during nappy changing. Children are very willing to tidy up, and they learn the values of patience, kindness, and friendships from staff, who are good role models. However, occasionally, staff do not acknowledge the suggestions of quieter children, as older children dominate.
• Parents confirm that there is strong partnership working with the setting. The daily exchange of information ensures that staff and parents work consistently well together to support children's next steps in learning, both at nursery and at home. Parents comment that shy children become very confident and improve their language skills immensely. They describe staff as nurturing, kind and considerate.
• The strong leadership team provides successful supervision and support for staff. Staff confirm that in-house and ongoing training has made an important improvement to their practice. Managers recognise staff's strengths and give them lead responsibilities, such as for physical development.
• The management team completes a full audit of the provision and targets improvements that have the most impact on children's welfare and development. Managers have gained accreditation in physical literacy, providing superb opportunities for all children, including babies, to take part in focused activities to develop stability, resilience, object control and locomotion. In addition, children enthusiastically develop speech sounds, spacial awareness, self-regulation, understanding, concentration and vocabulary.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• increase staff awareness of ensuring that the contributions of quieter children are acknowledged in group activities
• support staff in helping children to make predications and solve problems through trial and error.