Children Of The World Montessori School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are welcomed warmly by the friendly staff. They arrive happy and eager to start their day. Leaders have high expectations for all children. They plan and deliver a curriculum that builds on what children know and can do. Children are happy and settled. They form strong bonds with their key person and each other, which helps them feel safe and secure.

Children are keen to explore their welcoming and safe learning environment, which supports their independence and confidence well. Children show positive attitudes to learning. Children enjoy the wide range of activities available to them. For example, younger children smile and laugh as they splash in the water tray. Older children engage well as staff teach them how honeycomb is made. They talk about the shapes and patterns in honeycomb, and staff introduce children to new words and their meanings.

Children are kind to one another, For example, older children help younger children peel fruit for their snack. Children are beginning to manage their own emotions effectively. When unwanted behaviours arise, staff calmly distract the children. This supports good behaviour. Children are keen to take part in physical activity indoors and outdoors. For example, older children are keen to explore sand and water outside as they fill and empty containers. Younger children enjoy sensory activities, for example rolling and creating with play dough. Staff consider children's small- and large-muscle development well.

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

• Leaders and staff are passionate about their role in supporting children's development. Children receive good support to help them develop their communication skills. Staff use a range of strategies to help children learn to communicate their needs, even if they have not yet developed the language to do so. For example, they use visual aids. Staff read with children regularly. Children show good listening skills and a love of books.
• Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well. They observe children closely and alert parents to any early concerns about development that they might have. Staff offer advice and support to parents and liaise effectively with other professionals, such as speech and language therapists, to best meet individual needs. All children, including those with SEND, make good progress.
• Parents are very happy with the care that is provided to their children. They state that they are regularly informed about their child's stage of development and how to support them at home with next steps. This helps to support continuity of care and learning.
• The leadership team organise regular staff meetings and training opportunities. Staff morale is good, and the team work well together to support one another's practice. They work closely with parents and the leaders to evaluate the care they provide and make well-considered changes to the learning environment
• Staff work closely as a team to plan activities and experiences that will help spark interest from the children. However, at times staff do not consistently support and develop children's natural curiosity to enhance their knowledge and understanding further, for instance when children show an interest in things they see and want to explore in the nursery.
• Leaders and staff update their safeguarding and child protection knowledge regularly. Leaders review staff confidence in how to contact the local authority designated officer if they have concerns about another adult or of the safety or well-being of a child. Staff complete risk assessments to identify and remove risks within the environment. Leaders are reflective and continuously make changes to ensure risk assessments are robust to ensure children's safety.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to enhance interactions with children during spontaneous play to extend curiosity.