Oaklea Montessori St John's

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children part from their parents and carers with ease. They build secure bonds with the caring staff, who welcome them warmly with smiles and cuddles. This helps children to feel safe and secure and promotes their emotional well-being. Children take part in activities such as making play dough. They explore the changes that take place when they mix water with the flour, and play cooperatively. Children talk confidently to visitors about what they are making. They answer questions, sharing their thoughts and ideas.

Children respond positively to each other, encouraging their friends to join in their play. They walk along milk crates, and squeal with delight as they jump off them. Staff treat children with respect and praise them regularly for their efforts. This helps to build children's self-esteem.

Children behave well. Staff encourage them to use good manners by teaching them to say 'please' and 'thank you'. Children listen to staff and follow instructions well, for example when helping to tidy up and getting the table ready for snack time. They are gaining independence from a very young age. For example, children hang their coats and bags up when arriving and use a knife and fork when eating.

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

• The manager leads the nursery with a strong sense of direction and dedication. She is passionate about providing the highest quality care and learning for the children, continually improving the provision. The manager values the staff as the most important asset of the nursery.
• Staff have high expectations for all children. The special educational needs coordinator works closely with other staff to ensure they provide an inclusive provision for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.
• Children develop good hygiene skills. They know that they must wash their hands before eating. Staff support children to make healthy choices. At snack time, they are encouraged to try a variety of fruits. Children pour their own drinks and tidy their plates and cups away when they have finished.
• Staff promote children's language and communication skills well. Children use words such as 'yucky' and 'gloopy' to describe what their play dough feels like. They participate in singing and story time routines, joining in with the 'goodbye' song at home time.
• Staff work effectively to support children who speak English as an additional language. Children show increasing confidence as they say some single words and begin to form simple sentences in English. Staff provide children with opportunities to share aspects of their different traditions and cultural practices from home.
• Children have access to a wide range of resources, which they use to enhance their play. They demonstrate positive attitudes towards learning and show high levels of curiosity and concentration. For example, children are keen to use binoculars to look for different birds in the sky.
• The curriculum for mathematics is woven throughout all areas of learning. Children gain a good understanding of mathematics and recognition of numerals and counting, such as 'more than' or 'less than'.
• The staff's intent for the curriculum is clear for all children. Overall, staff design a broad curriculum that builds on what children already know. They use children's interests when planning their next steps. However, there are times when staff are not consistent in challenging children to fully extend their learning.
• Staff provide good opportunities to develop children's literacy skills. Children have access to a wide range of books and staff encourage them to select books independently. Children enjoy listening to familiar stories, which staff read with animation and enthusiasm.
• Parents speak highly about the nursery, commenting, 'It is amazing and the children love coming'. They also praise the dedicated manager and staff. Parents of older children feel that their children are well prepared for school through their attendance at the nursery.
• Children develop good physical skills in the well-resourced outdoor area. They practise balancing, jumping and climbing using different equipment. Staff engage children in ball games, throwing and catching to help develop their hand-to-eye coordination.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to consistently challenge and extend children's learning, to help them to achieve as much as they can.