Manchester Montessori House

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are expertly guided in their development. The attentive staff place children's well-being at the centre of everything they do. Key persons have the highest respect for both the children they care for, and their families. As such, children demonstrate happiness and a strong sense of belonging to this compassionate nursery community. From the moment staff greet children at the nursery gate to the final wave goodbye, children are immersed in highly engaging play and learning. Staff and children alike take great pleasure in nursery life.

Leaders establish abundant learning and development opportunities for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They meticulously plan the curriculum to provide a pioneering programme. Children learn to understand and use multiple languages. They master advanced fine motor skills, such as fastening clothes. They gain the knowledge to take care of the planet sustainably. Subsequently, children have a strong start to their education that fully prepares them for the future.

Children learn to manage their own feelings and behaviour with ease. They demonstrate socially respectful behaviour from the start. This is because of the considerate interactions staff have with them. Children know to ask their friend if they may join in with them, before jumping on the swing to play. They recognise their own needs. When a mathematics activity becomes too hard, they say, 'I think I may need a little help please.'

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

• The leader's passion for providing high-quality early education is compelling. They share their love of the Montessori approach with children, families and visitors. Parents and/or carers state they feel welcomed into the community. They attend parent network groups and join staff for training. Parents recognise the support they receive from the staff impacts positively on both their own and their child's well-being. All those who talk about the nursery comment that it is a 'special place'.
• Leaders have implemented a diverse curriculum that is precisely sequenced. They ensure that the desired knowledge, skills, and behaviours are learned one step at a time, at the pace of the individual child. Staff have a thorough knowledge of the Montessori theory and implement it effectively alongside the 'Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage.' Key persons monitor development termly and share their findings with parents. As a result, children make commendable progress in all areas of learning.
• Staff prepare the environment with great consideration to the learning they wish children to secure. For example, the youngest children begin by exploring transference of a liquid from open containers. Then they progress to the pouring of wet and dry substances with a funnel. Finally, they use a range of equipment to pour liquids without a funnel. Staff support learning at every stage. Therefore, children confidently master each step. Children then use their acquired learning to skilfully serve their own drinks, using glass receptacles, whenever they are thirsty.
• Children master the use of communication quickly because staff place high importance on becoming adept at using languages. Children learn to use sign language as well as learning vocabulary, phrases, and songs in both English and French. The daily story sessions and continual back and forth conversations about children's interests encourages extensive vocabulary development. For example, while completing a jigsaw, two-year-olds learn that the picture depicts a woodpecker bird.
• Children demonstrate sureness in their own unique abilities and are exceptionally independent. They communicate freely, making suggestions to develop their play or learning. Staff respond to their comments thoughtfully. As such, children feel valued and in control of their own learning. Even the youngest children make their own decisions about how they learn best. For instance, they decide if they need 'tidy hands or busy hands' when listening to a story. This supports their exemplary self-discipline.
• Learning in the outdoor area is promoted by all staff. Children access the enticing garden often. They learn how to climb, swing and play imaginative games among the willow structures and plants. They explore flowers and small creatures with interest. Staff encourage children to protect the environment by helping to pick and recycle litter in a local park. Together, staff and children reduce electric consumption by switching off lights in the nursery. Children learn to conserve their world for future generations.