Ladybird Montessori Nursery Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive to start their day at the nursery with enthusiasm and receive a warm welcome from familiar staff, many of whom have cared for their siblings over the years. They show a real sense of belonging and familiarisation with the routine as they confidently put their lunch boxes away, find their coat peg and swiftly engage in play. The long-standing team builds strong relationships with families, giving parents confidence in leaving their children in trusted hands. Children, including those who are new to the setting, settle quickly and build secure and meaningful relationships with staff and their peers. Children demonstrate that they feel safe and secure.

Children are excited and eager to learn. Staff encourage children to make predictions, for example thinking about which of the bubble timers will finish first. Staff weave mathematics through activities and children's everyday play. For example, children learn about the different sizes of cubes as they sort them and use them to build a tower. This helps build children's knowledge over time.

Staff support children to understand the nursery rules and expectations. They are calm and patient. As a result, children behave well and develop positive attitudes towards learning. Children are respectful to each other and enjoy sharing their ideas during play. Children take turns to spoon mud into cups, working together as they make cups of tea. Staff provide children with positive encouragement and praise, which helps children take pride in their achievements.

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

• Leaders provide staff with regular supervision and support for their well-being. This helps staff feel valued. However, not all staff have regular opportunities to enhance their teaching skills through professional development, to raise the quality of teaching to the highest standard. That said, children benefit from good quality teaching and interactions that positively impact the progress children make from their starting points. This prepares them well for their next stage in learning.
• Staff recognise that some children may need extra support. They put strategies in place and work with parents and outside agencies to ensure children overcome any barriers to their learning and continue to make steady progress. Leaders use additional funding well to support those who need it most. For example, they use funding to provide extra activities to enhance children's physical development, which not only benefits specific children with their coordination, but all children.
• Staff know their key children very well. They use the information they gather from observations and discussions with parents to plan activities based on children's interests. For example, staff use children's love of painting to teach them about colour. Staff test what children already know about primary colours and encourage them to make predications before they mix two colours together to make secondary colours. However, at times, staff do not always extend activities fully to maximise learning for those who are ready for more challenge. This can limit some children's learning opportunities.
• Children have lots of opportunities to develop their language and communication skills. Staff interact with children and promote regular conversation during play. For instance, they repeat words to extend and build on children's vocabulary as they introduce different shades of paint when mixing colours. During role play, staff encourage children to recall past experiences as they play with baby dolls. Staff listen carefully and ask open-ended questions as children give their babies 'injections'. This helps children gain confidence in their language skills.
• Staff support children's physical development well. Children enjoy being outdoors and regularly use local green spaces to burn off their energy. Children happily run and explore nature as they find different leaves to add to their autumn basket. Children develop their fine motor skills as they attempt to write their names and confidently use scissors to cut out their pictures. This prepares them well for their next stage in learning.
• Children's independence is strongly supported by staff. For example, children cut up their own fruit during mealtimes and wash up their dishes when finished. Children learn to take care of their own personal needs. Staff focus on ensuring children are well prepared for their future transition to school. Staff maintain strong links with the on-site school and use the opportunity to share spaces, building familiarisation for those due to transition.
• Partnerships with parents are very effective. Parents are highly complementary of the individual care and support their children receive during their time at nursery. Staff hold regular parents' evenings and offer stay-and-play sessions to help families stay informed about their children's progress. Parents value the continued feedback about children's development and ideas of how they can continue this at home. This contributes positively to the steady progress children make.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance the curriculum to ensure all activities are precisely planned and provide children with the support and challenge they need to excel in their learning
• provide staff with regular opportunities to develop the quality of their teaching through professional development, enabling each child to reach their fullest potential.