Hopes and Dreams Montessori Nursery Angel

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are welcomed by caring, friendly staff as they begin their day. They settle quickly and happily join in with activities on offer. Staff know children very well and develop secure and trusting relationships with them. Children are safe and clearly enjoy their time at the nursery, as they say they like coming in and playing with friends.

Leaders and staff design and plan a challenging curriculum that builds on what children already know and can do. For example, as children notice that the weather gets colder, staff help them to learn about cold and icy parts of the world, such as Arctic regions. Staff extend children's learning by introducing new words such as igloo and iceberg. Children look at pictures in books and discover more about polar bears' habitat. Children benefit from staff's good teaching. They are curious and develop a positive attitude towards their learning. Staff help them to learn essential skills and attitudes that prepare them for their future learning.

Children are very independent and happily practice their self-care skills during well organised routines. Generally, most children behave well.

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

• Leaders and staff support children to celebrate what makes them unique. For example, children share and celebrate different cultural festivals. Children show tolerance and respect for other people as they learn about the local community. Children enjoy supporting the local food bank and elderly people in the local care home.
• Staff support children's communication and language development to a good level. For example, they use signs and gestures to support the youngest children's communication skills and help older children to expand their vocabulary. However, at times, they do not consistently support quieter and less confident children to be fully engaged in play experiences to help extend their learning further.
• Children develop a love of books and enjoy sharing them with adults and their peers. They have access to a range of books and have cosy places to snuggle up and read. This encourages children to share stories with each other.
• Children thrive in their physical development. They have varied opportunities to develop their fine and gross motor skills. Babies enjoy navigating a small slide, which supports their balance. Older children build a 'pirate ship' outdoors and climb and balance on it with confidence. Children regularly join in with vigorous physical activities.
• Staff provide children with plenty of opportunities to develop their independence skills. For example, babies feed themselves with spoons and attempt to wipe their noses, when needed. Older children use cutlery, serve themselves and put their belongings away. Staff encourage children to dress themselves and put toys away when they finish playing with them. Children follow hygiene routines well. As a result, children's independence skills are fully supported in preparation for their move to school.
• Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is effective. Leaders and staff communicate with parents well and work effectively with other relevant professionals. Children with SEND benefit from positive interactions from all staff and form secure bond with their key people.
• Leaders ensure that there are clear rules and boundaries in place and, overall, children show positive behaviour. Staff introduce rules to children through interactive stories with puppets about sharing and turn taking. They give reminders for children not to run inside. However, on occasion, staff do not reinforce these rules consistently. This is not fully effective in helping children to understand what is expected of them.
• Staff receive effective supervision and coaching to help them to develop their skills. They regularly undertake relevant training. Staff comment that their well-being is given good consideration by leaders.
• Leaders and staff work hard to build strong and positive partnerships with parents. Parents speak highly about all aspects of learning and care that their children receive. They state that staff are loving and create a welcoming environment. Leaders introduce many initiatives to support parents, such as 'family kitchen,' which offers plenty of guidance and support on healthy eating, as well as on baby weening.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the support given to children who communicate less to help increase their levels of involvement in learning experiences
• support all staff to be consistent in reinforcing rules and boundaries so that children fully understand what is expected.