Eagles Flight Montessori Nursery School

Inclusion: Expected standard

Staff know how to identify and support a child who is falling behind in their learning and development. They observe children regularly and carry out two-year-old progress checks. From this, they can spot if there are any gaps in learning. Staff talk to parents and advise them to contact relevant professionals, such as doctor or health visitor for further guidance. They readily adapt activities to meet the individual needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and other vulnerable children. For instance, they organise group games indoors and outdoors to help children who need extra support to develop their social skills. Some staff have attended a course on autism awareness and this has led to better understanding to inform best practice

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Generally, the curriculum is interesting, broad, and balanced. Staff prioritise children's personal, social and physical development. They provide interesting activities that focus on the development of different physical skills. For instance, staff organise weekly fun, dynamic music and movement sessions where children learn a range of physical coordination skills. Staff make skilful adaptations to curriculum activities to meet the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and other vulnerable children. For instance, by channelling children's energy into organised ball games.

Staff support children's communication, language and literacy skills securely. For instance, they read books to children and take time to introduce new stories. They encourage children to look at cover illustrations and how they relate to the story. Children engage well with books and interact enthusiastically with stories. Staff sing a range of lively songs and rhymes to help children to learn new words. Staff teach children mathematical concepts, such as height as they compare their height against a measuring rod. Overall, staff provide older children with some opportunities to develop their creative skills, such as drawing and water play. However, the curriculum has not been fully developed to cover a wider range of textures and materials to enhance older children's creative skills. Younger children enjoy exploring the texture of rainbow-coloured rice grains closely supervised by staff. They show great interest in the noise it makes as they shake bowls and do this repeatedly. However, staff do not consistently use these moments to enhance children's learning and listening skills.

Achievement: Expected standard

Overall, children achieve well in their learning and development. This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and other vulnerable children. Children speak in clear sentences and express themselves well, while younger children learn new words. Older children have very secure understanding of letters and the sound they make and are able to recognise their names. Children have secure understanding of early mathematics. They recognise numbers and count securely to 10 and beyond. Children are able to name and recognise different shapes. They learn to do things for themselves as they put on their coats and shoes. Younger children learn to feed themselves. Children gain a wide range of physical skills, from crawling to running and balancing. All children gain secure foundational skills to prepare them for their next stage of learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Children are keen learners who engage well with activities. They show secure concentration skills as they learn about how letters are formed and the sounds they make. Children persevere with tasks well, for instance they skilfully transfer all the grains, using teaspoons, from one container to another. They show ability to think deeply and recall the steps needed to plant and grow seeds.

Staff manage children's behaviour in positive ways. They have high expectations of children and share their group rules with them, such as to be kind and to respect others. Staff are calm and fair in their approach to managing children's behaviour and use effective strategies. They adapt their strategies to meet the needs of individual children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and other vulnerable children. For instance, by giving children more one-to-one support to aid their personal and social development children act in positive ways. They play cooperatively together. For example, they take on different roles as they play in the home corner and create stories together. Staff have secure, trusting relationships with children. Children attend regularly and this supports their progress and readiness for school routines.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders promote children's safety and wellbeing effectively. They carry out daily risk assessments covering all parts of the nursery and remove any hazards. Leaders carry out daily cleaning of all surfaces and ensure that meal preparation areas, bathrooms and nappy changing areas are kept hygienically clean. Staff teach children how to act in safe ways. For example, children walk indoors and sit down when eating. Staff teach children how to act with care and caution when out on trips, such as crossing the road safely with staff. They teach them not to approach dogs that are unknown to them and this helps to protect children from harm.

Staff ensure that children's packed lunches and snacks are stored appropriately. They sit facing children at meal and snack times, closely supervising all children to keep them safe. Staff teach children about the importance of eating well. For example, children name different fruit and vegetables on a chart. Children name foods that give them protein to help them grow. Staff help children to identify and understand different emotions. For instance, they ask children how they are feeling each morning. Staff use visual resources and stories to help them to identify and understand different feelings.

Staff ensure that babies sleep safely and securely. They ensure babies sleep on their backs in clear clean cots and stay with them while they sleep. Staff regularly check babies to ensure that they are safe while sleeping. Staff adapt routines to meet the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and other vulnerable children.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders monitor and support staff effectively. They know each staff member well because it is a small, friendly staff team. They talk to and support each other and leaders meet up with staff individually to discuss and support their work. Leaders identify any training needs of staff and ensure that have opportunities to enhance their skills and knowledge. For instance, staff members are currently completing higher level training in childcare. They have completed training on behaviour management which has led to more consistency in this area. Leaders promote staff wellbeing effectively. For example, they often thank staff for their work and provide treats.

Leaders and staff value parents and have successful partnerships with them. They provide parents with daily updates on children's achievement and skills in flexible, effective ways. For instance, they talk to parents each day and provide regular parents' meetings. Leaders and staff ensure that parents have opportunities to support their child's learning. For example, parents borrow books from the nursery to read at home with their child to support children's language and literacy skills. Leaders and staff form wider links with the community, for instance through regular visits to local museums.