Fledglings Montessori Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enjoy coming to this wonderful pre-school, and the caring staff warmly welcome them. It is a hive of learning, fun and activity. Children blossom, confident in the warm, caring and consistent approach from the staff. Children are completely engrossed in their learning. It is evident from their remarkably high levels of confidence and self-esteem. Children thrive with rich experiences that help them to learn about the world around them. For example, they relive their camping experiences by playing with a make-believe campfire and cooking with real potatoes and leeks. Staff are swift in supporting children to resolve their conflict while simultaneously keeping them engaged with their learning. Children develop confidence to make their own decisions right from the start. They like spending part of their day learning outside in the wooded area. Here, they get to explore and participate in group decisions and activities. For example, children are invited to decide which path to take in the woods. This skilfully managed group experience gives children the opportunity to listen to and respect the views and choices of others. Children follow the respectful behaviour modelled by staff and are consistently kind and helpful to each other.

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

• The manager is inspirational and implements an ambitious curriculum that successfully prepares children for life in modern Britain, while having its roots securely in the Montessori ethos. She has very high expectations for what children should achieve. Leaders make sure that the day includes opportunities to help children develop, think and try new things. The dedication the manager and her team give to providing high-quality care and education is admirable.
• Building on children's vocabulary and extending their knowledge and skills are at the heart of staff's work. Throughout the pre-school, staff successfully build and extend on children's prior knowledge. This helps children to make highly rapid progress. All children are incredibly well prepared for the next stage in their learning.
• Staff are skilful in deciding how to support children and selecting activities for them to do. For example, during a trip to the woods, staff encourage children to collect sticks and use this as an opportunity to extend children's listening skills and vocabulary. Staff swiftly identify children who arrive at the setting with lower than expected speaking skills. Leaders use highly quality assessment of children's starting points and interventions to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Consequently, children catch up quickly and any gaps in their learning are starting to narrow.
• Staff deliver consistent messages to help children develop their independence. For example, when getting ready to go to the woods, children independently find their outdoor clothing and have a go at dressing themselves with little input from the staff. Staff expertly encourage those that need a little help to have a go at putting their outdoor shoes on, and praise them when they have done so. This builds children confidence and self-esteem.
• Parents highly rate what they consider to be an exceptionally caring and communicative staff team, who 'go above and beyond'. They praise the high-quality education opportunities available to their children, such as the extensive use of the natural environment and the wooded area on their doorstep. Furthermore, parents say that staff provided excellent communication and support during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Staff read with superb expression to children. They take time to talk to children about the books they read and encourage them to direct the storytelling. For example, children are able to describe what is illustrated in books with great confidence. Children develop a love of learning, which they demonstrate through their remarkable levels of motivation and concentration. They are consistently engrossed in exciting and challenging activities.
• Language development is a strength at this pre-school. Children learn to recite stories. They have access to a wealth of books that they share enthusiastically with the staff, re-telling stories as they describe what they see. The language-rich environment provides a nurturing learning space for children. Staff seize every opportunity to build on children's language skills, interact and encourage turn taking.