Little Diggers Montessori

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

As children arrive at the nursery, they are welcomed warmly by enthusiastic and attentive practitioners. Babies and young children build close and nurturing relationships with their key person, as they seek them out for cuddles, smiles and reassurance when they need to. Children feel safe and secure. They put away their coats and bags and are excited to get involved with activities.

Older children demonstrate their growing independence skills as they confidently carry out tasks for themselves. For example, at lunchtime, children carefully set up the table with plates and cutlery. They understand that glasses can break and therefore, they carry them with extreme care and attention. Children have positive attitudes to learning as they build confidence in their own abilities, trying hard to complete these important personal routines.

In the forest area, children are developing good physical skills. They run, jump and splash in muddy puddles with excited delight. Children are supported well by knowledgeable practitioners who provide a variety of inspiring learning activities. Children explore with tools and write with sticks in the mud. They are excited and engaged in their play.

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

• Managers create an ambitious curriculum that intends to challenge and motivate children in their learning. They have a clear vision of what they want children to know and understand. Practitioners contribute to this ambition and commitment as they strive to provide the highest level of care and education.
• Parents share that their children are happy and settled at the nursery. They explain how pleased they are with the excellent communication they receive about their child's progress and future learning. For example, parents know what their children are working towards and are offered suggestions on how they can support this further at home. Parent partnerships are strong.
• Children are fully supported in developing a love of reading. Managers ensure a local library bus frequently visits the nursery, and have introduced a lending library to encourage parents to read frequently to children at home. Furthermore, practitioners embrace every opportunity to sit with children and enthusiastically read stories with them.
• Overall, children behave well. They are beginning to understand how to play fairly with one another and respond swiftly to instructions that are given to them, for example at tidy-up time. However, at times, the core behavioural expectations of the nursery are not implemented consistently by practitioners. As a result, key messages relating to behaviour are not always understood by children.
• Practitioners have a good understanding of how to enhance children's learning and monitor their progress effectively. They have a clear knowledge of how to identify and support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Practitioners and managers liaise with other agencies, such as the local speech and language team. Through all of this, children are supported in achieving the best possible outcomes.
• Children develop broad vocabularies. Practitioners support babies and young children closely as they model single words and phrases. Practitioners offer them plenty of praise and encouragement as they build on their personal language. Older children are confident talkers as they initiate conversations and offer explanations throughout their learning and play.
• Managers are highly aware of how to support the practitioners at the nursery. They are mindful of the importance of carrying out regular supervisions that provide guidance and assistance when needed. Managers ensure practitioners have access to a wide range of purposeful training. For example, they arrange in-person training days, which practitioners report is enjoyable and insightful.
• Children have access to challenging mathematical activities that promote their understanding of numbers and counting in the inspirational inside classroom. However, practitioners do not always use opportunities to involve this area of learning in activities that take place outside. As a result, children who choose to play and learn outside for much of the day, have access to fewer opportunities to take part in activities that extend this aspect of their learning.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• consider how to support practitioners in implementing the behavioural expectations of the nursery more consistently
• strengthen the teaching of mathematics outdoors, so that all children have access to a wide range of high-quality learning opportunities that support their developing understanding of numbers and other mathematical concepts.