Mace Montessori Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The nursery staff work closely with families to ensure there are clear settling-in procedures in place for children. They take account of children's cultural backgrounds and use their starting points in learning to plan a curriculum tailored to each child. The 'all about me' boards created in partnership with children's parents, and the comfort and cuddles offered by staff, allow children to feel valued and safe and secure in this nursery environment.

Children play happily alongside staff and their friends, and staff continually praise them for their efforts. They take turns when waiting to use the toilet and to wash their hands. They respond to staff's instructions for hanging up their coats and hats on their pegs after outdoor play, and in making a 'train' to line up in preparation for lunch.

Staff carefully plan focused story time sessions that allow children to practise their different spoken languages alongside English. Staff use careful questioning and props to support children's understanding and engagement in these story time sessions. For example, children show excitement as they post different fruits into the mouth of a large cardboard caterpillar. They learn the names of these different fruits in the different languages and answer questions to demonstrate their understanding of the story of 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar'.

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

• Children enjoy the opportunities on offer to develop their large-muscle skills. For example, during a yoga session, they practise stretching their arms in the air, curling up into a ball, twisting and turning and bending down 'like a tiger'. The carefully organised roof garden allows them plenty of space to navigate. Children enjoy running and playing chasing games and balancing and jumping off wooden balance beams. Staff support them well as they play.
• Children generally enjoy the range of planned activities on offer. However, at times, some staff do not always plan sufficiently to challenge children's thinking and extend their learning. For example, when offering children further support with counting when building large towers and in extending and enhancing their play experiences as they role play with cars. This results in children quickly losing interest in these activities and not getting the most from the intended learning.
• Children behave well, overall. They wait for their turn in serving themselves lunch, share resources as they play alongside their friends and work together as they problem-solve to make a wooden house. However, there are times when staff do not fully reinforce their behaviour expectations to children. Children are not always given clear messages for using 'walking feet' inside, sitting for group times and tidying up after they have finished playing.
• The leadership team strives for continuous improvement. It is reflective and has a clear vision for moving forward and further supporting staff. Leaders offer staff training opportunities and regularly meet with them to evaluate their practice. They use support on offer from their local authority advisory team and use external agencies to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.
• Most staff engage well with children as they enjoy free play. For example, they join in as children role play tea parties, practise counting candles on play dough cakes and support them as they perform dances and songs to their friends. However, some staff lack confidence with these incidental interactions with children and do not always know when to intervene to further enhance children's play experiences.
• Parents are happy with the nursery, and in particular, with the level of care staff offer their children. They feel the nursery takes their feedback into account and is always on hand should they request a meeting. They are informed about what their children are learning and the progress they are making. They appreciate the support that is on offer by the nursery in supporting their children as they transition into different rooms and in starting school.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• plan more effectively to extend and challenge children's thinking and learning to ensure children get the most from the planned activities on offer
• support staff further to ensure children are given clear messages for behaviour so they have a clearer understanding of what is expected of them
• enhance staff interactions with children, in particular in knowing when to intervene and offer children support to enhance their play experiences.