Mulberry Montessori House Nursery And Preschool

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders have extensive experience and training in recognising when children need more support in their learning and development. They make early referrals to educational professionals so that children receive the specialised support they need. Staff get valuable training and advice that allows them to provide better support for the children they look after. Careful assessment enables them to check the progress of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This also helps to plan targets for their ongoing learning.

Leaders use early years pupil premium funding to appoint individual staff for children and provide targeted support. This enables children to receive focused help tailored to their individual needs and stage of development and to make even more progress in their learning.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Staff work closely with parents to find out children's interests and starting points. They make effective use of the information to plan fun and engaging activities that help children develop their curiosity and independence. Staff engage in discussions about children's progress, introduce new ideas and identify next steps in children's learning. This includes support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language. Staff keep parents well informed and provide them with information to help them understand how they can support children's learning at home. Staff model key skills such as pouring and scooping rice, enabling children to develop wrist control through active, hands-on experiences. Children explore numbers and shapes using concrete, tactile materials at their own pace, embedding mathematical learning.

Leaders and staff deliver a well-sequenced and ambitious curriculum. However, expressive arts and design provision does not always encourage creativity or imagination, as it offers limited opportunities to explore and experiment with different creative mediums.

Children develop knowledge about plants, animals, weather and seasonal changes through frequent visits to the local park and other locations in the community. Children learn about differences and similarities in the world. They celebrate different festivals and listen to music from around the world. Children explore different cultural foods, and visitors engage with them to discuss various religious and cultural practices. This helps the children develop their understanding of different faiths, traditions and cultures.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children make secure progress as they learn new skills in preparation for their next steps in learning and for school. They are keen to explore the wide range of available resources and are actively engaged in their learning. For example, the children focus for long periods of time as they follow instructions and beat a drum. They are fascinated by the sounds they make and listen carefully as they must stop and start or bang soft and hard. This not only enhances their listening skills but supports hand-eye coordination and the control of movements, which helps them to develop muscles in their hands and arms. Children are busy and eager to investigate the highly engaging environment.

Staff implement effective support plans with achievable targets that help children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make ongoing progress in their learning. For example, small-group language sessions help them focus and develop their language and understanding.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Staff work closely with parents to support children's attendance. The nursery's scholars scheme provides free sessions for unfunded children, giving every child the opportunity to learn and thrive. Staff work together effectively as a team, creating a caring environment for children. They promote respectful behaviour and kindness and give gentle guidance and explanations when required. As a result, children respond well to staff. They cooperate with one another and show positive attitudes to learning. Staff use routines well to support children's behaviour and transitions. For example, songs show that the session is ending. They also signal to stop what they are doing and start tidying up. This also helps children learn to work together and make the environment safe for everyone to enjoy. Staff use praise to reinforce positive behaviour and encourage children to develop an understanding of right and wrong. When children become upset, staff offer lots of reassurance, which supports children with their emotions and teaches them appropriate ways to express their feelings. When children find it difficult to join in with small-group activities, staff offer other options so that they continue learning at a pace that suits their individual needs.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Staff place great importance on children's welfare, mental health and wellbeing. Key workers are very aware of children's emotional development and show great attentiveness to the needs of young children and offer plenty of reassurance, encouragement and comfort when necessary. They build strong and trusting relationships that enable children to feel safe and valued and confident to explore and try new things. Through positive interactions, staff support children to manage their feelings and develop resilience. Leaders ensure that they maintain a calm environment, enabling children to thrive as it helps children to focus and reduces distraction. Children learn about healthy habits such as oral hygiene, nutrition and the importance of drinking water regularly. Easy access to fresh water encourages children to recognise their own physical needs and respond to them independently. At lunch, staff are very careful as they cut food into manageable sizes and sit with the children as they eat. Staff use a display of The Very Hungry Caterpillar to talk about healthy eating, helping the children develop an understanding of healthy lifestyles.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders have a clear understanding of their strengths and the areas that need further development. They take time to reflect on the environment, resources and curriculum to ensure their vision continues to move the provision forward and meets the developing needs of all children. Staff work hard with the guidance of the manager to provide an inclusive, nurturing and stimulating environment for all children and hold high expectations. They monitor the quality of provision through regular staff discussions, morning meetings, supervisions and peer-to-peer observations. This enables leaders to identify where practice is working well and where adjustments are needed to better support children's progress. Staff are encouraged to engage with professional development opportunities to enhance their knowledge and skills. Professional development opportunities are purposeful and well planned. For example, staff recently have attended training to develop their knowledge and understanding of technology. However, this has not yet been fully embedded in practice to support children's learning or to enhance the curriculum within the setting.