Maytime Montessori Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff have secure and trusting relationships with children. On the day of the inspection, children took part in an activity for Children in Need to raise money for charity. They dressed up in yellow and talked about Pudsey Bear. Staff support young babies to explore the world around them. Babies realise that their actions have an effect on the world. Staff repeat actions with babies to help motivate them further. Babies enjoy engaging in play with a treasure basket, with which they explore and use their senses. They climb through tunnels to help move more skilfully and quickly. Staff provide supportive routines for babies. These help them to settle and to feel safe and treasured as an individual.

Staff have high expectations for children, who are well behaved. They share, take turns and learn to manage their emotions well. Staff share books and sing nursery rhymes with children to help give them rich opportunities to understand new words. The curriculum is well planned and exciting for children, and staff provide varied learning activities. Children move freely across the room, selecting for themselves what they want to do, which helps to support their physical development. Children express what they want and take the initiative. They develop close friendships, which helps to support their personal and social development.

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

• Staff interact well with children, which helps to support the development of their speech and language. However, staff do not always recognise ways to develop children's speech and language further. For example, they do not, when appropriate, talk to children about what they are doing or what they notice, to support children to build on their vocabulary and conversational skills.
• Children show some awareness of mathematics, in particular number words. However, staff do not use opportunities during the day to match number words to objects to extend children's learning further.
• Staff provide children with age-appropriate activities in relation to their celebration of Black History Month. Children visit the library to look at books. They learn that the traffic signal was invented by a Black man. Children celebrate Armistice Day and other festivals that represent the children who attend the nursery. This supports children's understanding of the wider world and the importance of respecting others who are different to them.
• Staff provide children with healthy, nutritious meals and take account of their dietary needs. Staff give children tasks to complete to develop their sense of responsibility. Children help to prepare the table for mealtimes and tidy away resources.
• Partnership with parents is effective. Parents speak highly of staff and the support children receive. Parents receive regular feedback about their child's development and next steps in learning. Parents are given ideas to continue their children's learning at home.
• Staff work well with external agencies to support children with additional needs to make progress. Staff provide individual care and education for children who require this support. Staff recognise and promptly work with parents when they observe any concerns about a child's development. This helps to support children to be ready for school.
• Children enjoy outdoor play, and they learn to take physical risks safely. They climb up apparatus, ride bikes, move freely, use speed and coordinate their bodies well. Staff take children on trips to the park for a 'bear hunt' game, and they go on trips to the library.
• Leaders support all staff effectively. They provide regular supervision meetings to discuss their professional development, their work, and any concerns they may have. Staff attend regular staff meetings, and leaders speak to staff daily. Communication is good between staff and leaders. This all ensures that the needs of the children are met.
• Leaders use early years pupil premium funding effectively to support children's development. For example, they purchase resources such as books to support children's development of literacy.
• Self-evaluation of practice is a priority for leaders, who skilfully identify their strengths and weaknesses and plan for future progress. For example, they plan for staff training and the refurbishment of the garden.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff further to develop their understanding of the curriculum, in particular when to talk with children about what they are doing and what they are noticing
• help children to develop their understanding of mathematics further to, for example, match their counting words with objects.