Montessori Nursery in Uxbridge

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff know children well and form strong relationships with them. Staff learn about children's interests, likes and dislikes and use this to help settle children, especially when they are new. As a result, even new children feel secure and explore the nursery with confidence. Children show they feel comfortable and safe with the staff, seeking cuddles and reassurance from the familiar adults.

Passionate leaders offer a curriculum that gives children experiences they may not have elsewhere, such as messy play. Children enjoy mixing pasta and tapioca to explore different textures. Outside, children develop their large muscles and coordination. They wash cars, dig in the soil, plant seeds and flowers, and carefully hunt for insects. Inside, they explore herbs in playdough, carefully placing the stalks of herbs into the dough. This helps develop their hand strength and coordination.

Staff create a calm atmosphere and gently guide children through the day. Children are familiar with the routines. A visual timetable helps them understand what to expect, which supports their sense of security. Photographs of their families displayed throughout the nursery offer comforting reminders of home, helping children feel connected and part of a community.

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

• Staff give children plenty of opportunities to explore using their senses. Children love getting messy, using their whole bodies to experiment with paint. Staff encourage children to explore a range of fruits by cutting and squeezing them. However, staff are not always clear on what they want children to learn from these activities. This means children sometimes have reduced opportunities to make stronger links in their learning or build skills like thinking things through for themselves and solving problems.
• Children learn to recognise and manage their feelings. Staff offer items like fidget toys and scented toys to help children soothe themselves and develop self-control. This responsive approach helps children build confidence and resilience in social situations.
• Leaders prioritise supporting children's communication skills, especially as many children speak additional languages. They have developed a clear curriculum to help children build these skills. Staff use signs to support understanding. However, staff do not consistently implement the curriculum. They do not always narrate children's actions or use rich descriptive language. As a result, children have fewer opportunities to expand their vocabulary and deepen their understanding.
• Children take pride in their achievements. Staff encourage independence through practical tasks, such as serving themselves at mealtimes. Staff praise children for their efforts, which builds their confidence and motivates them to keep trying.
• Staff manage children's behaviour in a calm way, helping them explore within gentle boundaries. For example, they give a five-minute warning before ending an activity, which prepares children to move on to something else. However, there are times when expectations are not consistently reinforced, or when different staff give mixed messages about what is acceptable. As a result, children do not always develop a clear understanding of rules.
• The setting values and celebrates children's cultures and identities. Staff talk to parents and learn about each child's background, special celebrations, and favourite foods. They share photos from children's family events, offer snacks from around the world, and welcome parents to come in and read stories in their home languages. This helps children feel proud of who they are and builds a warm, respectful environment where everyone feels they belong.
• Staff build strong partnerships with parents. Parents appreciate practical advice, such as guidance on reducing dummy use to support speech and promoting healthy habits like toothbrushing. They value how staff encourage independence and celebrate new skills, like children feeding themselves. This collaborative approach supports children to develop confidence, independence, and healthy habits both at nursery and at home.
• Leaders effectively support staff wellbeing by fostering a reflective and supportive environment. The manager implements regular supervisions, wellbeing events, and an open-door policy to create ongoing opportunities for staff to feel heard and appreciated. As a result, staff are motivated and respected, contributing to a positive environment for children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to embed the learning intentions of activities more consistently to help children problem solve for themselves and further extend their learning
• support staff to make better use of everyday opportunities to enhance children's vocabulary and use of language
• establish and consistently maintain clear behaviour expectations to help children understand the setting's rules and boundaries, supporting them to behave well at all times.