Holly Grange Montessori

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are extremely happy and confident in their surroundings. They consistently demonstrate a strong sense of belonging. A positive, inclusive ethos is evident across all the nursery rooms. Leaders and staff create a bespoke curriculum that is exciting, flexible and ambitious. They identify the important key skills and knowledge that children will learn over time. Staff provide highly effective teaching methods in a rich and exciting learning environment, which results in children making excellent progress. For example, children develop a detailed understanding of animals as they learn new concepts. For instance, children identify the difference between the lion, lioness and cub, when learning about different animals. Leaders closely monitor the curriculum to ensure children continue to be fully engaged in their learning and are making excellent progress over time.

Staff are highly successful at providing children with a wide range of experiences that value and celebrate diversity. They support children to recognise their individuality while also appreciating similarities and differences. Partnership with parents is strong. Staff share information regularly to engage parents in their child's learning journey. This helps families stay actively involved in their child's learning journey and promotes positive attitudes to learning. Children at this nursery make exceptional progress from their starting points and are ready for the next stage in their learning, including starting school.

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

• Staff implement a highly effective curriculum that meets the needs of children across all ages and stages of development. In the baby room, there is a strong emphasis on promoting physical development. Staff create experiences to build core strength. Babies demonstrate impressive concentration as they engage in floor-based activities. Toddlers are introduced to exploratory experiences, such as mark-making and painting with ice. These stimulating and creative experiences spark curiosity and set children on an exciting journey of discovery and inquisitive learning.
• Leaders have established strong links with external agencies that offer additional support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Ongoing training equips staff to deliver targeted interventions that promote each child's learning. Staff develop the expertise they need to accommodate children's individual needs. This inclusive, consistent approach enables all children to make positive progress from their starting points.
• Children thoroughly enjoy their time in the garden. They relish the opportunities to explore the natural world, where they are encouraged to take risks safely. Staff complete thorough risk assessments and use these opportunities to teach children how to manage risks themselves. For example, when climbing trees, children are supported to set their own limits with close supervision. This builds independence, confidence and critical thinking. Children understand how to keep themselves safe and are confident to seek help when needed.
• Children enjoy healthy, home-cooked meals. They learn to understand their individual dietary requirements and those of their peers. Children talk about the healthy food on their plates and know that chicken is protein and helps your bones grow strong. They develop an awareness of the importance of eating healthily. Staff also explain that small amounts of less healthy foods are acceptable as part of a balanced diet, helping children to make informed and healthy choices.
• Children develop a secure understanding of the world around them. They acquire valuable practical life skills through a wide range of experiences. Staff support children to recognise and manage their feelings and emotions. For example, children are encouraged to take part in 'Big Feeling Walks'. This allows children to explore their own emotions. This helps them to understand how they feel and enables them to express their emotions using their well-developed vocabulary.
• Staff make excellent use of their training to continually enhance practice and enrich children's experiences. For instance, following recent 'movement' training, all children now begin their day outdoors. This provides valuable opportunities for physical activity and exercise before moving into more focused learning. This enables children to demonstrate high levels of engagement and concentration and readiness to learn.
• Parents value the nursery's welcoming, homely environment and the strong support from staff. Staff ensure parents are fully involved in nursery life. They create a shared approach that helps children thrive. They work closely with families, including those of children with SEND, to provide timely support and targeted interventions. This helps parents to support children's learning further at home.