Clapham Montessori

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive to the nursery happy and excited. Staff greet them with a warm welcome. Children are extremely familiar with the routines and settle in well, ready to learn. They independently change their shoes into slippers to maintain a clean learning environment, swiftly moving on to the next activity.

Staff act as exemplary role models, demonstrating behaviour that children mirror exceptionally well. Children are kind and gentle towards each other and take great care of the learning environment and the resources. Staff support children to develop independence extremely well. All children take responsibility for their own learning and maintain a high-quality learning environment. Children access the snack area and select the number of fruits and crackers listed on the board and pour their own milk and water. Staff create a café-like atmosphere for children to enjoy their snacks with friends, building their social skills.

Children benefit from the wide array of activities staff arrange that enable children to apply previously taught knowledge and skills. For example, children learn about growing and plant their own vegetables. Children take care of their plants independently, and they know when to water them if the soil is dry. They use their finger to check if the soil is moist or dry.

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

• Children are extremely independent and exceptionally well behaved. The environment is extremely calm and nurturing. Younger children learn from their older peers and join in with taking responsibility. For example, older children gently lead and guide younger children to change the wet tablecloth at snack time.
• Children benefit from accessing 'grace and courtesy' activities. Children learn to take responsibility for their environment and show high levels of maturity when moving around the nursery. Children behave exceptionally well.
• Staff have created a relaxing atmosphere, and children enjoy reading books in the culture area. Books are changed to reflect the season and events in children's lives. For example, some children are expecting siblings. Staff provide books about new babies at home and what it is like having a new sibling.
• Children have ample opportunities to develop mathematical concepts and vocabulary. The mathematics curriculum has been organised into three groups. Activities are based on the children's current stage of development and next steps. Staff introduce quantity using objects and then move to symbols. They combine the two in order to support children to understand and secure their knowledge of numbers.
• Staff have built excellent partnership with parents. Parents are extremely thankful and pleased about how the staff and nursery support the children to become independent individuals. Parents are particularly pleased with the way their children have developed their self-care skills.
• Staff feel thoroughly supported by the manager. They provide staff with in-depth meetings and coaching that facilitate with developing staff's excellent knowledge on how to deliver a well-structured curriculum that all children can access.
• Staff have carefully created a learning environment where activities have been structured to support children to build independence, develop fine motor skills, allow free choices and to persevere, concentrate and problem-solve. Activities are organised from simple to complex. Staff have created a community where every child takes responsibility and exceptional care of their relationships with staff, peers and the resources. They take pride and tidy up after every activity. High expectations of children are instilled and embedded.
• Children have superb opportunities to develop their gross motor skills. For instance, children use wheelbarrows, practise climbing trees and enjoy jumping and balancing on the stepping stones. Children have a plethora of opportunities to explore nature and wildlife, such as digging for worms and investigating snails. Children visit a community space and garden. Here, they enjoy observing tadpoles in the pond and the beehives.
• The key-person system is extremely effective. The attachment between each child and their key person is undeniably strong. The key person works closely with parents and carers to ensure children's needs are fully met.