Jelly Beans Montessori Pre-School At Plumberow

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Leaders and staff successfully organise the pre-school environment so children can safely choose whether they wish to play indoors or outdoors to lead their own learning. The pre-school staff follow the Montessori approach and break tasks down into manageable steps to help children naturally progress as they build on their skills. Staff offer more challenging experiences, as children master these skills, to extend what children already know and can do. They provide interesting experiences for children to learn based on their interests. For example, children talked about growing sunflowers at home so staff introduced them to the works of the artist Van Gogh. They read books about him and children are familiar with his famous sunflower painting. Children attempt to paint their own sunflowers and observe how flowers decay if they are not watered over time.

Leaders and staff have developed a familiar routine where children feel comfortable and secure. For instance, they offer a five-minute warning when it is time to tidy up or go inside. This helps to ensure that children's learning and engagement are uninterrupted. Staff skilfully incorporate early literacy into enjoyable activities. For example, children eagerly practise writing numbers and comments when they score their friends' performances on the stage in the garden. Staff role model polite and appropriate behaviour. In turn, children watch intently, and enthusiastically clap and praise the singers and dancers before sharing their votes.

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

• Leaders hold regular team meetings and share relevant information to keep staff knowledge up to date. Leaders have seen improved interactions as a result of recent professional development opportunities. Staff say it is a great team. They remark that leaders are supportive and encourage career progression through qualifications and specialist training.
• Leaders have created an ambitious curriculum that helps to close gaps in children's development and learning. They recognise that since COVID-19, some children find it more difficult to follow instructions. Therefore, they have added relevant resources, such as recipe cards in the mud kitchen, to address this.
• Key persons work effectively with parents to get to know children's knowledge and skills from the start. They also use their own initial observations to assess any gaps in children's learning and development. Staff plan activities to meet these needs and know what they want children to learn. However, they sometimes do not adapt their interactions when an activity does not capture all children's attention.
• Staff introduce basic mathematics while children play. For instance, they encourage children to count the number of sunflower seeds and assess how many more scoops of soil they need to fill the pot. Children remember what they have learned and excitedly tell staff that seeds need sun and water to grow.
• Staff engage groups of children in relaxed conversations. Children eagerly share funny stories about their families and pets. This helps them feel valued while improving their listening and attention skills. However, staff do not consistently introduce new, more complex words, to expand children's vocabulary.
• Staff provide plenty of opportunities for children to grow their independence and practise meaningful self-help skills. Children use appropriately sized equipment to competently serve themselves at mealtimes. They are learning to recognise their own unique needs and confidently ask staff for a bed when they are tired.
• Staff sensitively talk to children about how others feel when, for example, they do not have enough play dough to join in. This contributes to children's emotional development. Staff are respectful when they ask if children would like a cuddle to comfort them and are mindful of their wishes.
• Leaders have established strong partnerships with the school on site. Staff meet regularly with the school special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) and early years lead to share relevant information about children's individual needs. This helps facilitate a smooth transition to children's next stage of learning. Staff liaise with other settings that children attend to provide consistent care and education.
• Staff work closely with other agencies such as speech and language therapists and the local authority inclusion adviser. They implement strategies to provide an inclusive environment where all children can take an active part in the activities on offer. Children are encouraged to share their customs and holidays so all children hear about each other's differences and similarities.
• Parents appreciate daily chats and access to online systems to share information about their children's learning and development. They comment that their children's speech, behaviour and social interactions have 'improved dramatically' in their time at the pre-school.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen staff's ability to adapt group activities and consider children's levels of engagement to ensure that all children can effectively benefit from the learning opportunities
• support staff to extend children's communication and language skills and introduce more complex vocabulary.