Early Educators Montessori

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The managers and staff have created a harmonious and friendly environment. Children demonstrate that they are well settled and thoroughly enjoy their time at the nursery. They arrive with big smiles on their faces, eager to start their day. Children develop close and trusting relationships with staff. This helps them to feel safe and secure. Children behave well. They learn to follow the routines and understand what staff expect of them. Children learn to be respectful to others and develop friendships with their peers.

Staff want children to achieve all that they can. They help them to develop important skills, so that they are well prepared to move on to school. Children listen to stories with increasing attention and learn to follow instructions from adults. Older children speak out confidently within a group. They display an interest in the natural world as they share their ideas about the weather and changing seasons. Children play cooperatively and demonstrate good social skills. They show curiosity as they mix together natural materials, such as soil, leaves, sand and water to create 'porridge'. Children use their knowledge of different families and occupations to enhance their role play, as they take on roles, such as 'big sister' or 'doctor'.

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

• The managers, who also own the nursery, work closely with the staff to support children and their families. Parents comment on the excellent communication with staff. They appreciate the support that they receive to support children's progress at home. The managers are aware of the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on children's development and emotional well-being. They provide supportive stay-and-play sessions to help include parents in their children's learning.
• Staff closely monitor children's progress from the start. They are proactive and ensure that children receive the early help and support that they need. Staff work together with parents and other professionals to develop targeted learning plans. This helps to close any gaps in children's learning. Additional funding is used well. The managers and staff have created a cosy den in the garden. This provides a quiet area outdoors for language activities and sensory play. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, children receiving funding and those who speak English as an additional language, progress well from their starting points in learning.
• The managers and staff provide a well-balanced and interesting curriculum, which supports all areas of children's learning. In general, the quality of teaching is good. However, on occasion, staff do not plan group activities consistently to support children who are at different stages in their learning. Therefore, children do not learn all that they could from the experiences.
• Staff support children's communication skills well. For instance, they introduce new words and use repetition to help children remember them. Staff interact sensitively with children and help them to understand behavioural boundaries. They ask children whether they are feeling happy or sad and teach them signs, to express these feelings. However, staff do not then expand on these conversations, to help children identify a wider range of emotions, such as if they feel too shy to speak out.
• Children show a very positive approach to their learning. They focus well on activities that they choose. For instance, children display intense concentration and attention to detail, as they create collages from small pieces of coloured paper and sequins. Children demonstrate energy and enthusiasm as they sing songs and number rhymes. They count accurately and use their fingers to indicate how many items are left if one is taken away.
• Staff focus on teaching children about healthy lifestyles. Children play outdoors each day and enjoy vigorous exercise as they climb, balance, jump and pedal tricycles. They learn about risks and how to keep themselves safe. For instance, children learn to use knives safely as they cut up their fruit at snack time. Staff teach children good hygiene routines, such as regular handwashing. They talk to children about dental health as they bathe the dolls and pretend to brush their teeth.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• improve the planning and delivery of group activities, to ensure that they meet the individual learning needs of all children taking part
• teach children about a broad range of emotions, to help them understand and regulate their feelings.