Nurture House Montessori

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children of all ages settle well at the nursery and are well cared for by the staff. They follow instructions well and understand the routines of the nursery. They enjoy exploring the resources inside and outside and form close bonds with the nursery staff. Children respond well to the staff's high expectations for them to be independent and are keen to do things for themselves. For example, younger children come into the nursery and take their own shoes off, placing them in the box. Older children serve themselves snack, using small tongs to pick up the fruit and breadsticks. Staff encourage and support all children to tidy away toys once they have finished using them, to show respect for the resources in the nursery. Children behave well in the nursery. They learn to share and take turns, and to show respect for each other. They try to solve small conflicts by talking to each other and explaining why they are upset. Children show a positive attitude to learning and are excited by new words. For example, they are learning about sheep. The children learn the words 'ewe, ram' and 'lamb' and use model sheep to identify each one. They also describe the sheep's colour, count their legs and discuss the sheep's diet and habitat. Older children use balance scales to weigh and compare fruit and vegetables, using language, such as 'heavier' and 'lighter'. Outside, the children enjoy racing each other down the slide, riding bikes along the path and crawling through a tyre.

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

• The manager places a strong focus on improving children's communication and language skills. Younger children enjoy pointing at pictures of animals, naming each animal and making the animal noises. They practise blowing up imaginary balloons and popping them to build the muscles in their mouths. Older children have conversations at mealtimes with staff as well as with other children. This helps to improve their social skills as well as their ability to communicate.
• The provider uses additional funding to support children's individual needs, in particular with improving communication and language skills. For example, staff have increased the resources to extend the children's role play. Children use these resources to act out stories, talking to each other while they do so. Staff have also received training on different ways to communicate with children who are not yet able to express themselves using words. Staff identify and support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They work with the children and their families to ensure they receive any extra support they need.
• The manager and staff develop strong relationships with families to support the children at home as well as at the nursery. Staff keep parents and carers updated about their child's progress during handover meetings.
• Staff use the children's interests to plan activities. They introduced equipment with cogs after younger children enjoyed spinning and turning toys around. The children were watching with excitement as one cog turned the others. However, although the staff know what they want the children to learn, at times, the activities do not meet the needs of the children. Staff provided an activity for the younger children using the alphabet, which was too challenging. The children did not understand what staff expected of them so they did not engage in the activity.
• Staff plan activities to improve the children's physical development. This includes a plank ramp which is balanced across a tyre in the outdoor area. However, there are fewer opportunities for children to use their larger muscles, for example by running and climbing.
• The manager supports staff well in their professional development. She aims to improve outcomes for all children, and involves staff and families in this drive for improvement. The manager ensures that mandatory training, such as safeguarding and paediatric first-aid, is maintained. Staff are also encouraged to complete their childcare qualifications while working at the setting.
• The manager has adapted children's routines to promote a safe environment during the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, parents no longer enter the setting when dropping off or collecting their children.
• Parents speak highly of the nursery and say that they feel their children are safe and well cared for. They also report that the staff regularly support them with their children's next steps, for instance when their children are ready to start using the toilet.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• consider ways to strengthen and develop activities to make them appropriate for the age and stage of development of the children
• provide more opportunities for children to improve their physical development, in particular with their large-muscle movements.