Montys Nursery And Pre School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff create a welcoming and well-resourced environment, inside and outside. This motivates children to play and explore. Staff, especially those in pre-school, are incredibly passionate about their work with children, and their dedication shines through in everything they do. For instance, staff devote ample time to fostering children's interest in books. Staff use skilful questioning to help children to recall complex vocabulary, such as 'gravity' and 'crater', which children can confidently explain. Staff's rich and ambitious curriculum also promotes children's physical skills effectively. For example, they challenge children to walk on wooden planks to improve their strength, balance and coordination. Children respond positively to this challenge.

Staff prioritise the safety and emotional well-being of children. They are vigilant in supervising children and show care and concern for them. Staff teach children good manners. This is evident, for example, in how well pre-school children listen, pay attention, and concentrate during group times. Younger children play collaboratively with each other, and those who have recently joined the nursery settle in smoothly. This is because staff follow robust settling-in procedures, which include collecting relevant information from parents. Children thrive at this nursery. They are very happy and develop positive attitudes towards their learning.

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

• The manager demonstrates professionalism, dedication and a relaxed approach to leadership. This sets a positive tone at the nursery with a great impact on children's and staff's well-being. Staff feel extremely well supported in their work with children, and there are clear opportunities for professional growth. They appreciate the chance to gain higher qualifications to improve their knowledge and skills further. Some staff have learned sign language following training to help children to express themselves more confidently.
• The manager reflects on their practice and continues to make developments to improve outcomes for children. For example, since the last inspection, she has helped staff to expand the planting area to support children's understanding of growing food in the garden. The manager is exploring other ways to involve parents even more at the nursery.
• Staff plan a curriculum which takes into account the ages and developmental stages of children. They observe and assess children's learning precisely. For instance, staff recognise that children enjoy listening to storybooks and singing. They are skilled at incorporating numbers and letters into these activities to enhance children's mathematical and literacy skills. As a result, younger children learn to count from one to 10 and backwards. Older children learn to recognise familiar letters and say words starting with those letters. Staff's high expectations contribute to children's significant progress, particularly for the most able and self-assured children.
• Children benefit greatly from the warm, nurturing and home-from-home environment. They seek out staff for spontaneous cuddles, which demonstrates a close relationship with them.
• Staff organise various outings for children to enhance their learning experiences. For instance, they take children to the local supermarket and nature reserves. Additionally, staff teach children familiar greetings in other languages, such as Portuguese, Romanian and Italian. These opportunities raise children's awareness of diversity and the world around them.
• Children behave well. They play collaboratively, such as when 'cooking pasta' in the mud kitchen or exploring play dough.
• Staff promote children's independence skills very well. For instance, they encourage children to serve their fruit at snack time, select their resources and help to tidy up toys. The manager acknowledges that sometimes staff do not organise mealtimes as effectively as possible to support children's full engagement.
• Staff encourage children to wash their hands regularly to minimise the spread of germs and cross-contamination. This promotes good hygiene practices to protect children's health.
• Parents praise the way staff promote multiculturalism at the nursery. This includes hosting events that celebrate different cultures and religions. Parents feel respected and valued. They also comment positively about how staff communicate with them on a regular basis. However, staff have yet to form connections with all settings that children attend to ensure a consistent approach to their care and education.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review the organisation of mealtimes to support children's engagement more effectively
• make links with all early years settings that children attend to develop a consistent approach to their care and education.