Newpark Montessori School & Nursery

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders promote an inclusive culture at the nursery. They encourage all children to join in with vibrant activities that stimulate children's interests. For example, staff provide sensory exploration for children, such as playing with soil and water. This helps children with barriers to their sensory development explore different textures and gain confidence.

Leaders make links with external experts to promote learning for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They support staff to apply individual learning plans as advised by early years experts effectively. This ensure that children's learning needs are met well. Staff consider the individual needs of children with gaps in their wellbeing. For example, they create individual plans for children with health needs. This ensures children can fully access the learning environment safely.

Leaders work closely with staff and parents and carers to set targets to close gaps in children's learning. This includes using funding, where appropriate, to purchase resources linked to children's learning needs. Staff know children well and are reflective of their practice. They attend high-quality training to develop their understanding of how to assess and review children's learning in a step-by-step approach. This helps staff to spot emerging gaps in children's learning quickly.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have a clear understanding of the strengths of their curriculum and areas for development. Staff skilfully promote children's independence, such as by providing them with responsibilities to wash the dishes and put on their own aprons. Staff have equally ambitious expectations of what children with special educational needs and/or disabilities can achieve across the nursery. They adapt the curriculum thoughtfully and break down learning into small steps to enable children to experience success. This helps children to feel confident, such as when they complete tasks for themselves.

Some staff are not as skilled as others at delivering the curriculum, for example during transition times. They do not make the best use of interactions as an opportunity for teaching, such as at lunchtimes. At these times, there is less consistency in the quality of teaching for children. This means that, on occasion, children do not engage in learning as well as they could.

Staff skilfully teach mathematics. Children are motivated to choose to count, measure and understand number. Staff sequence this well across the nursery and use innovative resources to teach children. Staff interact with children positively. They give children the communication skills they need to express themselves. Children are skilled communicators, playing with their nursery friends and negotiating with each other. Staff plan enriching opportunities for children to develop physical skills and coordination. They teach babies to reach for resources, pull themselves up and walk unaided. In the garden, staff teach children to ride on wheeled toys and balance. Children are physically active and develop skills ready for their future lives.

Achievement: Expected standard

All children learn to express themselves well. This includes children who need expert support. Children with barriers to their learning know how to communicate their needs and interests. For example, they use visual cards to show what they know and can do. This helps all children to become confident talkers. Children are excited to explore. They enjoy doing things for themselves. Older children enjoy helping younger children learn routines. Toddlers learn about early scientific concepts, such as by mixing colours. Babies and toddlers develop stamina and strength as they learn to pull themselves up and ride on wheeled toys in the nursery garden. This means they have confidence and develop a positive self-image. All children gain the knowledge and skills they need in preparation for their next stage of learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Staff typically provide support for children to learn independence skills that help them to feel confident. For example, children collaborate together as they wash up, put on aprons and tidy away after themselves, without prompting from staff. Staff help children to understand the rules of the nursery and how to keep safe. As a result, children are generally motivated to learn and take part in nursery activities. On occasion, during routines, some staff do not help children to consistently focus and concentrate, for example when waiting for their meals or during circle time activities. As a result, this does not support children's best possible behaviour.

Leaders and staff promote children's attendance and punctuality to families. Staff build warm and respectful relationships and teach children to be kind to one another. For example, older children recognise when younger children need help. Children help each other explore the environment or learn how toys work. They develop high levels of self-esteem as they learn to do things by themselves. This helps them to develop a strong sense of responsibility and belonging at the nursery.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Leaders skilfully adapt their policies and procedures to support the wellbeing of all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. For example, they adapt meal routines and intimate care practices for children who need additional support. Staff sensitively consider the background experiences of babies. For example, they work with families to understand how to comfort babies and help them to develop positive sleep habits.

Staff's highly effective teaching of physical development helps children to take and understand risks in a safe environment. For example, staff teach children to negotiate space with others and consistently take care. This includes helping children to consider individual sensitivities of others. Children understand how to keep themselves and others safe. Staff are highly responsive to individual children. They have a comprehensive knowledge of the children they care for. This includes considering children's changing personal circumstances. For example, they give children additional emotional support through thoughtful help to develop their feelings of security. Staff work very successfully with families to help them to access wellbeing support for their children to address difficulties or challenges. This includes children who are known, or previously known, to social care. All children thrive at the nursery, building a solid foundation for their physical and emotional wellbeing.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders are reflective of their practice. They collaborate with staff to identify areas of development. Leaders create opportunities for staff to contribute to improvements in the nursery, for example by sharing their learning from training with one another. Leaders encourage staff to reflect on their own practice. They ensure staff have a clear understanding of the curriculum aims. Leaders offer helpful feedback to staff about their work with children, for instance through meetings and supervisions. They ensure that staff have high levels of wellbeing by adapting practices to meet their individual needs. Leaders ensure that staff workload is manageable so that the majority of their time is spent working in the rooms with children. Staff enjoy working at the nursery and feel valued.

Leaders ensure that they act in the best interest of all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. For example, they carefully arrange their approach for transitions between rooms by sensitively considering the learning and wellbeing needs of individual children. This helps children to settle quickly and feel safe in their new learning environment. Leaders work closely with parents and carers to understand children's needs. They help parents to access support services for their children beyond the nursery. This helps to further prepare children for their future lives and education.