Les Petites Etoiles Bilingual Montessori – Paddington

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enter nursery excitedly and staff greet them warmly with big smiles. Children give them a hug and tell them about their journey to nursery or how their morning has been. Children are happy and settled in this welcoming nursery. All children's needs are met effectively, which is due to the staff, who are caring and exceptionally dedicated to the well-being of the children.

Children have a sense of pride in this nursery which provides a bilingual programme that supports children's language skills in French, English and Mandarin. Staff have clear expectations for what children should learn through the curriculum for communication and language. They get down to children's level and narrate, using either English or French as they play and sing with them. In the baby room, it is clear to see that the babies enjoy participating in songs. Staff talk to the babies while changing them, which encourages the babies to feel secure, safe and happy.

Children behave very well and understand the rules and boundaries in the nursery. They achieve this through the high expectations and praise of the staff. Children develop their independence by choosing activities that they would like to try and then tidying them away when completed. This supports children in preparation for the next stage of their learning journey.

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

• Leaders build strong parent partnerships. They communicate well via regular meetings and send a written report to parents twice annually. Staff also regularly send information about children's learning and progress to parents via an app and inform them of any next steps. Parents speak of being well supported with starting their child in Nursery with an informal home visit to meet staff and helpful support with potty training and attachment issues.
• The manager has a good understanding of what good practice looks like. For example, the manager clearly identifies the effectiveness of staff's open questions during an activity about floating and sinking. This demonstrates that the manager has the skills to support staff to develop their professional skills and leads to good outcomes for children.
• Leaders have clear expectations for what children should learn in each of the rooms and how this progresses as children move through them. For example, they explain how children develop their independence as they move through the rooms. Children in the toddler room are encouraged to feed themselves using cutlery and are supported to pour their own drinks. Children in the pre-school room are independent in taking their bowls and plates and scraping off the unwanted food ready for cleaning. This clear progression leads to good outcomes for children and prepares them well for school.
• Leaders provide a curriculum that combines the Montessori ethos as well as children's interests to promote a wide variety of enjoyable learning activities. Montessori practical life and sensorial equipment in the toddler room helps children to become independent and achieve their learning goals. Children in the pre-school room are being well prepared for the transition to school. For example, children were observed mark making and learning to form their letters using the sandpaper letters.
• Leaders provide opportunities for children to develop their physical skills. Babies can practise their walking and climbing skills on the specialised equipment. Toddlers are helped to develop the muscles in their small hands by threading beads and using scissors to cut. Children in both the toddler and pre-school rooms have regular access to the park, where they can climb, balance and negotiate space. This leads to good outcomes for children's physical development.
• Leaders carefully consider how to help children to learn about the natural environment through daily trips to local parks. This supports children's understanding of how nature changes throughout the seasons. Leaders also promote children's curiosity by hatching chicks in the classroom and enabling children to watch caterpillars change into chrysalides and then emerge as butterflies.
• Leaders carefully plan professional development opportunities for staff through peer observations, targeted training based on staff needs and individual supervision meetings. This leads to good reflective practice throughout the setting and leads to good outcomes for children. Leaders liaise with external agencies to seek advice for children with additional needs. This supports staff and builds inclusivity.
• Staff provide some valuable opportunities for imaginative play. However, more opportunities for children to play independently with their peers will develop their social skills with others. Listening, paying attention and sharing play experiences will help children to explore their feelings and develop self-discipline.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• consider how to develop children's peer play, to promote social skills and support children to resolve conflicts independently.