Little Orchard Montessori Nursery Sparkwell

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are warmly greeted by staff. Staff provide carefully planned environments and learning activities for children to play and explore. Staff know the children well, and children clearly feel happy and settled. The curriculum all children experience builds on what they already know and can do. For example, older children excitedly practise and develop their tooth brushing skills as they learn about self-care and keeping teeth healthy and strong. They learn about the importance of making teeth brushing part of a daily routine for life.

Staff working with babies know their care routines and respond quickly to signs they need comfort or support. As babies develop confidence to move around, staff praise and encourage their efforts, and babies' perseverance skills flourish. Throughout the nursery, staff develop strong bonds with children and children's personal, social and emotional skills blossom. Children are confident and eager to interact with visitors and show kindness and respect towards each other as they play. Behaviour is good. Staff have high expectations of children and support them to share and take turns when needed.

Children experience rich and varied learning experiences that include visiting the local church, taking part in village celebrations, and learning about the horses, deer and lambs they see in the fields surrounding nursery. Children learn about the world around them. They grow their own fruits and vegetables to enjoy at snack time. They enjoy learning from community members that visit and teach children about religious events celebrated by others, such as Chinese New Year and Harvest.

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

• Staff model language well for children. Story times and singing are regular activities with children of all ages. Babies enjoy singing nursery rhymes and watch with interest as staff perform actions as they sing. Older children eagerly listen to stories. As staff share a story about emotions with children, they encourage children to describe occasions when they feel a certain emotion. Children show themselves to be such confident communicators, able to share their thoughts and ideas and listen to their friends when they share their experiences.
• Staff have high expectations of children and prioritise helping them develop skills to support their next steps in learning. Staff encourage children to develop independence as they play and learn. Children relish the opportunity to choose activities and engage with these for some time. Resources and games are stored at a low level, and this supports their growing independence. Children have daily opportunities to take part in outdoor learning, which successfully supports their physical development and well-being.
• Children enjoy social mealtimes. They use real crockery and utensils and serve themselves food. Children chat happily with friends and staff as they enjoy meals prepared on site that support a well-balanced healthy diet. Staff support children to pour their own milk or water and praise their efforts.
• There are daily opportunities for children to lead their own play but, at times, staff do not allow children enough time to engage in independent learning and develop their concentration and focus.
• Leaders provide regular support to staff to engage in training opportunities and develop their skills, confidence and practice, to meet the learning and development needs of the children they care for. Staff's well-being is good. Staff speak positively about the levels of support and encouragement they receive from leaders. Leaders are reflective and continually develop the experiences for children, such as introducing a sign a day to babies to support the youngest children with strategies to communicate their wishes and needs.
• Parents speak positively about the caring staff and rich range of experiences their children enjoy at nursery. During hand over, staff inform parents about activities enjoyed each day. However, sharing of children's learning, development and progress is not regularly taking place to inform parents of how they can continue to support learning at home.
• Procedures for effective management of children's allergies are effective. Staff supervise children closely when they are eating, to help reduce the risk of cross contamination of allergens.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• improve communication with parents to ensure they know children's next steps in learning and how they can continue the learning at home
• support staff to engage children more effectively in sustained play and develop their skills of concentration and focus.