Happy Days Montessori Childrens House

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children flourish in this warm and nurturing nursery. When children arrive, they settle quickly and happily. They are highly confident and very motivated to learn. Staff get to know children well and cater for their likes and dislikes. Children are deeply curious and eager learners. They gain exceptional independence skills. For example, they prepare their own fruit snack, practise making tea for staff and visitors and are able to put on their coats by themselves.

Children behave well. Staff manage their behaviour in effective ways, for example by sharing group rules with children. There is a respectful culture throughout the nursery, where children are encouraged to be kind and to value one another. Children enjoy deep and meaningful learning experiences. Leaders and staff have high expectation for all children. They design an ambitious and broad curriculum, which is effectively implemented by skilled staff. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and who speak English as an additional language, make good progress from their starting points.

The manager and staff worked tirelessly to make all improvements needed. They are committed to providing the best for all children. Children are well supervised, and staff gained needed knowledge to ensure children are always safe and secure in this nursery.

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

• Staff demonstrate a good understanding of how children learn and develop. They provide an abundance of opportunities to enhance children's communication and language skills. They introduce new words and use signs to support understanding. Children are confident talkers. For example, they explain the rules of their made-up games to their peers and play all together.
• Children develop a real interest in books. They often look at books independently and tell one another a story based on illustrations that they see. Children also initiate spontaneous group story time. For example, they bring chairs to designated area and choose books they want staff to read to them. Staff are very engaging and follow children's choices consistently. This supports children's growing confidence.
• Staff support children's mathematical knowledge very well. Children learn about 3D shapes and are helped to remember the properties of a cube, cylinder, or sphere as they explore solid shapes in a range of ways. Children gain understanding of basic patterns and use mathematical and positional language during conversations.
• Children's physical development is a high priority for staff. Children thoroughly enjoy playing in the outdoor area. They use huge wooden blocks to build a bridge and then practise to balance as they step on the blocks. They test their coordination skills as they ride bikes. Children learn about safety and remember to wear protective gear when appropriate. They enthusiastically join in weekly forest school sessions. This helps them to learn more about nature and give them opportunities to practise the use of a range of tools and materials.
• Children's health is supported well. Staff ensure parents provide a healthy and nutritionally balanced lunch for their children. Children and staff discuss the benefits of healthy eating and staying hydrated. They follow the important routine of handwashing and help to keep the nursery clean and safe. For example, children swiftly wipe any spillage they see on the floor. They take pride in being helpful as they prepare the tables for lunch and clean afterwards. This supports their growing sense of responsibility.
• The manager plans regular supervision meetings with staff. She observes and evaluates practice generally well. The present focus on ensuring staff have a secure knowledge of safeguarding led to great improvements in this area. However, she has not yet provided enough support for staff to develop their skills, to raise the good levels of teaching to consistently outstanding.
• Partnerships with parents are the strength of the nursery. Parents value the ways that the nursery communicates with them. They are given valid information to support children's learning at home. They speak about children's progress and growing self-care skills. Parents praise the committed and caring staff.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• focus professional development opportunities for staff to raise the quality of teaching to the highest levels.