Little Acorns Montessori School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children make good progress in this calm and nurturing environment. They are confident learners and eagerly explore the well-organised environment. Children are very well behaved. They have clear expectations from staff. From an early age, children learn to be respectful of their environment and know to tidy toys away after they have finished with them. Children build meaningful friendships with each other and develop positive social skills. They wait patiently for their turns on equipment and chat as they play, pretending to make meals of pizza and cupcakes for each other.

Children become deeply engaged in their play. Babies delight as they explore shakers with glitter. Older children develop strength in their hand as they mould coloured dough into different shapes. They use tools for a purpose as they use rolling pins to roll the dough and cutters to make shapes. Children are independent. They quickly master self-care skills, such as handwashing and dressing themselves. Children learn how to set the table for lunch and scrape and wash their plates up after eating. Children develop a clear understanding of size and number as they explore the Montessori resources. They learn to match counters to written numbers and play with blocks, sorting them into size order.

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

• The manager and staff work well together. They are passionate about delivering high-quality care and education to the children, following a Montessori philosophy curriculum. Leaders have clear learning goals for children in each room. Staff know their key children well and plan meaningful experiences based on children's interests. This helps children to make good progress.
• Staff gather detailed information about the child and invite parents into the setting when children first start. This helps families form secure attachments with their key person. As children move through the nursery, staff work closely together. They share learning goals and information about the child. This helps children transition smoothly throughout the setting.
• Children make excellent progress with their communication and language. Babies bounce along as staff sing nursery rhymes to them. Toddlers confidently name the colours of pegs as they peg them onto a basket. Staff take every opportunity to introduce new words. For example, children learn the word 'sea lion' as they pretend to go on a sea life adventure.
• Staff provide children with opportunities to explore digital technology. Babies play with toy laptops and older children use electronic tablets to trace letters with their fingers and play games. Staff supervise children when using these devices. However, they have not yet considered how to teach children to keep themselves safe when using technology.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. Staff keep parents fully up to date with their children's learning and development with consultations and daily feedback. They offer parents workshops on children's development, such as potty training and the importance of books. Parents report that they value the dedication, care and attention that staff provide to their children.
• The manager regularly reflects on the setting and has a strong drive to continually improve the outcomes for children. The setting's outdoor area is currently undergoing a refurbishment to make this more inviting for children to explore and learn. Staff receive effective supervision, where safeguarding and staff well-being are discussed. They benefit from a range of training opportunities, which helps further raise their teaching skills.
• Children make excellent progress in their physical development. Babies pull themselves up on equipment to build strength in their legs. Staff clap and cheer as babies confidently try and take steps independently. Older children have opportunities to use a soft-play centre, which supports development of their larger muscles and physical skills.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported. Staff closely monitor children, and work with professionals to ensure that children receive focused support. Staff support parents to access speech and language courses, which help to improve their understanding of how to support their child. This helps children to make the best possible progress they can from their starting points.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop opportunities for children to learn how to keep themselves safe when using digital technology.