Learning Stars Montessori Childrens House

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive excited to see staff and begin their session at nursery. They are greeted warmly by their key person and swiftly settle in. All children show high levels of engagement in activities. They benefit from the rich learning environment, which is well planned and stimulating. Staff focus on building children's confidence and independence. For example, children put on and take off their own coats, hanging them up on clothes hangers afterwards, and return resources to the correct place after playing with them.

Supporting children's personal, social and emotional development is at the heart of the curriculum. Each play space has a 'peace area,' where children can sit quietly away from the hustle and bustle of the room. Here, children can think about how they are feeling and talk to staff when they are having difficulties playing with their friends. Behaviour across the nursery is good.

Staff have high expectations for all of the children they care for. Older children are well prepared for their transition to school. They spend time every day writing and reading simple words and learning the sounds that letters make. Younger children confidently explore resources and equipment, choosing the things they are interested in and practising their play skills.

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

• Managers support staff's well-being effectively. Staff report that they feel listened to and valued. Regular supervision meetings support their professional development. Managers have a good overview of staff strengths and where their skills need to be improved.
• Managers and staff work well together. Information about children and their families is regularly shared and discussed. This helps them to plan a curriculum that takes account of children's individual needs and ensures each and every child makes good progress.
• Staff quickly identified the impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on children's learning and development. They planned activities and support to address gaps in children's communication and language and their social skills.
• Most staff support children's learning effectively. They observe and engage in children's play, developing and extending their skills and thinking. However, on occasion, some staff move children on to other activities when they are fully engaged in independent play activities. This disrupts their learning.
• Staff focus on children's language development, including those who are learning to speak English as an additional language. Staff ask parents for and use keywords in children's home languages. They talk to children all of the time, using gestures and signs to support their understanding. They encourage children to repeat simple words and phrases and question them to broaden their communication skills.
• Staff embed mathematical understanding in children's play. Outside, children follow instructions, raising their arms 'high' and then 'low'. Staff working with babies, count objects as children put them into a container, and older children compare the sizes of different animals.
• The large outside space is well equipped and supports children's physical development. Children negotiate obstacle courses, climb and slide, and play with hoops and games equipment. Inside, children build their small-muscle skills. For example, babies manipulate small-world toys and roll and shape dough. Older children put the pieces of a puzzle together and practise holding crayons and colouring pencils correctly.
• Children understand the nursery routines well. Visual timetables in every room support their understanding, as children talk about the stage in the day they have reached, highlighting the corresponding photo. However, some daily routines are not well planned. Children spend unnecessary time waiting for activities to begin, and their attention and behaviour can suffer as a result.
• Children play well together. They understand the importance of taking turns and sharing appropriately. For example, babies take turns to mix the dough, and pre-school children pass food to each other during lunch, making sure they take just enough for themselves. Staff quickly intervene to help children who are having difficulties working with others.
• Relationships between staff and parents are strong. Parent feedback is extremely positive. They comment on the detailed information they get from key persons about their children's learning and care needs. They feel their children are progressing very well and highlight the flexibility and communication of nursery staff as particular strengths.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• ensure all staff identify when children are fully engaged in independent play activities, making sure they do not intervene unnecessarily and disrupt children's learning
• review some of the nursery's daily routines, making sure children do not spend long periods of time unoccupied and waiting for activities to begin.