Little Acorns Montessori Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happy and quickly settle into their play and learning. They form close bonds with the staff who are kind and nurturing. The manager and staff plan an ambitious curriculum for children and adapt this to enable all children to participate in activities and make progress. Children are becoming increasingly independent. For example, they learn self-help skills, such as using tongs to serve their own food.

Children and babies benefit from frequent opportunities to play in the exciting outdoor areas. Pre-school children work together to make maps for their ship and ask their friends where to go to next. Younger children enjoy being physically active as they climb steps to the small slide and negotiate space when they push themselves along on ride-on toys. Children are kind and respect their friends. Staff model positive interactions and teach children to share and take turns. Children think critically and are beginning to solve problems. Staff introduce a sand timer to give their friends equal amounts of time with a toy they all want to use. This helps children's understanding of sharing.

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

• The manager has taken effective action to address the weaknesses identified at the last inspection. They have reviewed their risk assessments and ensure safer recruitment procedures are followed. The manager and staff work closely with parents and other professionals to help children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Individual target plans are put in place to ensure that gaps in learning are lessened, enabling children to make good progress.
• Manager and staff focus on improving children's communication and language skills well. Staff use lanyards with visual communication prompts to help children communicate. They provide a language-rich environment and narrate children's play. For example, staff use words such as 'roll' and 'squeeze' as children create with play dough.
• Staff promote children's physical development well. They give positive praise to children who are learning to walk as they take small steps. Children practise their coordination, as they carefully post objects into plastic bottles. Older children delight as they dig outside making tunnels, and using their imagination as to where the tunnel will take them.
• Staff say they are supported in their roles. There is a strong focus on upskilling staff. For example, the nursery gives opportunities for staff to gain childcare qualifications to enhance their knowledge. The manager reflects on what the nursery offers and completes reviews and peer observations on staff, giving them feedback to help them to improve their practice.
• Parents report that staff are 'amazing' and their children enjoy attending. They say communication is good and that they are fully informed on what their children are learning about and their next steps in learning. Staff give guidance to parents on how to support their children, for example on potty training.
• The manager has high aspirations for the children and staff. Children have access to a stimulating and well-resourced environment. Staff observe and assess children's development well and plan a broad curriculum. However, children's play is frequently interrupted by changes in the routine. For example, children's choice of free play is sometimes interrupted by staff calling them to another activity or nappy change. This does not support children to engage in deep concentration consistently.
• Staff organise the learning environment in a way that motivates children to play and learn. Older children access their own resources. They show good levels of motivation in their self-chosen play. Younger children enjoy dressing up in role-play costumes and being imaginative.
• Overall, children make good progress. Staff are aware of what children know and can do. They plan activities that interest and motivate children. However, on some occasions, staff do not implement the curriculum intent specifically enough. This means that not all activities fully challenge children and build on their prior knowledge.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to implement the curriculum intent more sharply to build on what children already know and raise the quality of education to a higher level
• support staff to ensure that daily routines do not disrupt children's play and learning.