One World Montessori Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children demonstrate that they are happy in this warm and welcoming nursery. They confidently leave their parents at the door and quickly settle into the nursery routine. Children show a positive attitude to their learning. They move around their different rooms choosing what to play with. Children demonstrate that they feel safe and secure. For instance, they eagerly show staff and friends minibeasts that they have found in their garden as part of the nursery topic.

Staff regularly praise children for their achievements. This helps to create a positive learning environment, where children are keen to have a go at a variety of activities. Children benefit from a good range of experiences that prepare them well for their future success. Young children enjoy being imaginative as they learn about the animals in the jungle. Older children develop good communication skills and confidently articulate what they know and can do. They talk about recent books that they have read as they explore the 'beach' area, looking at the shells, sea creatures and minibeasts. Children's behaviour is good. They learn about the rules and boundaries and what is expected of them when in the local community. Children are kind and friendly towards each other. Staff remind children to share and take turns.

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

• Staff know what their key children can do and what they need to learn next. Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those from disadvantaged backgrounds is excellent. Leaders ensure that additional funding for children is used well to target their specific needs. All children make good progress in relation to their individual starting points.
• Managers develop an ambitious curriculum for all children. They have clear intentions for children's learning that are well informed and sequenced. Staff are clear about the wider learning intentions for children. However, at times, as staff join children at activities, they do not effectively build on children's learning. For example, staff do not use varying questioning techniques to challenge children's thinking skills.
• Children are confident communicators. They develop good communication and language skills. Children regularly join in with conversations, and show good listening and attention skills.
• Children enjoy listening to stories as staff use books to support children's learning. Younger children engage with stories that are read to them. They enjoy investigating different props and artefacts to bring the story to life. Older children begin to read, segment and blend words.
• Children benefit from regular outdoor play in the nursery garden and areas of the local community. They develop their physical skills. Children crawl along tunnels, balance on stepping stones and race each other on wheeled toys. They enjoy regular trips to local community gardens to look at wildlife and learn about nature.
• Generally, children develop their independence skills. For example, they serve their own snack. Children are confident to approach staff for help if needed. Staff offer praise for children's accomplishments to raise children's self-esteem. However, staff do not consistently encourage children to carry out simple tasks. This does not fully extend children's self-care skills.
• Staff introduce mathematical vocabulary to children as they play. They encourage children to count and match the correct number of pebbles to numbers. Younger children water the plants with their 'full' watering cans.
• Staff comment that they are well supported within their roles. They receive regular meetings to help to develop their performance and identify any areas for training. Staff have attended recent training to support children to self-regulate and understand their emotions. For example, staff use different colours to encourage children to express how they are feeling. Staff have a chance to reflect on what is working well during regular team meetings.
• Managers and staff successfully work in partnerships with parents. They share plenty of information, and keep parents well informed about their children's progress and next steps in learning. Parents are full of praise for staff. Staff work closely with all other agencies involved with the children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to enhance children's learning even further during their play and focused activities
• encourage children to do even more for themselves during their everyday experiences, to further develop their independence.