Montessori by Busy Bees at High Wycombe

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Leaders are very dedicated to help ensure that they deliver an ambitious vision for the nursery. The friendly staff take time to greet children when they arrive, helping them to separate from their parents and carers with ease. Staff give priority to children's emotional well-being, helping children to settle in well and feel safe at this nurturing setting. Babies seek out their familiar adult for reassurance when they need it. Older children are confident to ask adults for help, such as with peeling fruit at snack time. Leaders and staff provide a welcoming and interesting environment, with a good range of resources and activities to motivate children to explore. Toddlers' laughter fills the air as they play with the sand and water.

Staff know children well. Children learn to be independent and confident in their preparation for starting school. Staff encourage children to develop a 'can-do' attitude. For instance, they are determined to learn how to use the safety knifes when chopping fruit. Children preserve until they have achieved what they have set out to do. These positive attitudes help children with the next steps in their learning. Overall, children behave well. They have a positive attitude to their learning. Children are keen to take part in physical activity indoors and outdoors. For example, older children enjoy exploring sand and water as they fill and empty containers. Younger children enjoy sensory activities. For example, they roll small cars in paint to make marks. Staff consider children's small- and large-muscle development well.

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

• Leaders and staff create a positive environment in which children settle and enthusiastically take part in interesting activities. Staff encourage children to learn and play with their peers. They give warm and responsive encouragement to children who need additional support in social situations. This helps all children to contribute to the activities and supports the less-confident children to feel part of a group.
• Key persons have a good understanding of their children's interests. They use this knowledge to creatively plan activities that hold children's attention. For instance, staff motivate children who greatly enjoy playing with cars to paint using tyre tracks. Staff use familiar stories to support children's engagement as they make 'Gruffalo' crumble.
• The leadership team carries out good recruitment procedures to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children. Staff receive induction training to help them understand their roles and responsibilities. The leadership team ensures that staff have opportunities to enhance their professional knowledge. Staff comment that they feel supported by the leadership team. The nursery's approach to staff's supervision and training helps everyone to grow their professional skills and knowledge.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive good support from the nursery. Leaders ensure that timely referrals are made to other agencies, when appropriate, and work closely with other professionals. Leaders develop specific, targeted learning plans for children with SEND, to help close the gaps in their learning.
• Parents state that they are happy with the care their children receive at the nursery. They describe staff as friendly. Staff work closely with parents to ensure that they receive regular developmental information about their child's learning. Parents know who their child's key person is, and say that they receive advice and suggestions from staff to support their children's learning at home. This helps them to provide continuity of care and supports children to feel secure.
• Overall, staff understand how children learn. Children encounter activities that stimulate their senses. For example, they see, smell, feel and taste the oats and cinnamon as they bake with staff. Staff are very vigilant in their supervision of the activity. This helps to promote food hygiene and minimises the risk of children choking.
• Overall, staff effectively use children's play and the environment to extend children's learning through spontaneous interactions. Staff link activities and discussions to children's own experiences, such as stories about their families. This helps children to be focused and become confident about sharing their stories and thoughts with others. However, there are times when staff do not recognise when children would benefit from more support to build on their interest and extend their learning. As a result, there is some inconsistency in the quality of support for children's learning during their freely chosen play.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to recognise, and make more effective use of, spontaneous opportunities to extend and challenge children's learning.