Right Start Montessori Pre School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive at this setting, showing a genuine enthusiasm for learning. Staff deliver an engaging curriculum tailored to each child's unique interests and preferred learning styles. These thoughtfully planned activities maintain children's focus for extended periods, fostering a calm and productive atmosphere. Children feel happy, safe, and secure, enjoying a strong sense of belonging supported by kind and caring staff.

The quality of education is excellent, with staff expertly observing and responding to children's individual interests to enrich their learning. For example, during the song "Old MacDonald," children eagerly pick up animal toys, imitate their sounds, and place them in a cardboard box. This interactive approach supports language development by reinforcing animal names and sounds, which is vital for early communication skills. Differences are celebrated and discussed openly. Children learn what it is to be unique. Staff actively promote children's understanding of the wider world through rich, culturally diverse experiences that are seamlessly embedded into daily practice. For example, themed cultural activities, such as Mexican-themed days, provide children with immersive opportunities to explore traditions, enjoy authentic foods like nachos and juice shots, and listen to Mexican music, fostering respect, curiosity, and inclusivity.

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

• Staff deliver a high-quality, ambitious curriculum that is varied and precisely tailored to meet each child's individual needs. They know children extremely well and build on their existing knowledge. All children, including those who receive additional funding, are challenged appropriately through their chosen play, enabling them to reach their full potential and make outstanding progress. For example, children demonstrate rich imaginative play in the Forest area by filling cupcake trays, frying pans, and pots with mud, leaves, sticks, and water to create their own 'cakes' and 'recipes.' This play fosters early mathematical language, sensory exploration, and personal storytelling, while also building special connections as children share ideas and collaborate.
• Children benefit from a wealth of rich experiences during forest school sessions that fosters their love of nature and high level of exploration. Staff intuitively enrich children's curiosity as they listen intently to environmental sounds and search for insects. For example, they clearly explain to children the importance of returning the worm they discover to their natural habitat so that they remain protected from the weather, and how they will thrive with access to natural vegetation.
• Staff have an excellent understanding of how to promote communication and language effectively. Young children use props to make connections with the words in the rhymes and songs they hear, helping them to repeat and recall new vocabulary. Young children embrace a love of words as they eagerly want to practice speaking. Staff consistently adapt their speech, using clear, simple sentences, and intentionally introduce new vocabulary in context. For example, they teach the word "continent" as older children match animals to the continents they live in. Staff's skilful questioning encourages older children to use complex sentences, resulting in articulate and expressive communicators.
• Staff support children's mathematical development through a carefully planned, sequential approach that progresses from familiar shapes like circles, squares, and triangles to more complex forms such as octagons and curvilinear triangles in a shape hunt in the forest. Children make meaningful connections. For example, linking the word "octopus" with eight legs to reinforce their understanding of the number eight and the octagon shape. Alongside this, staff introduce key concepts like "empty," "full," "half," and "three-quarters" in natural contexts, helping children develop early geometry skills, shape recognition, measures and related mathematical vocabulary. This approach encourages real-world connections to mathematical language, fostering deeper numeracy understanding.
• Staff strongly support children's emotional development, encouraging self-advocacy and understanding of feelings. Their sensitive guidance builds resilience and prepares children for life changes. Through modelling respect and teaching social skills, children form strong friendships. Resources like dough for young children and emotion boards for older children help them regulate emotions and express themselves confidently. Staff's superb sensitive support results in resilient children who are prepared for changes in their lives.
• Staff expertly promote children's understanding of safety by consistently teaching boundaries, emotional regulation, and positive decision-making. Children confidently follow clear rules and demonstrate a strong awareness of potential hazards when running across the cricket field. For example, children show exceptional self-control as they run to the designated outdoor bench and consistently respect the cones marking safe play areas, maintaining a secure and well-managed environment.
• Partnerships with parents are of an exceptionally high standard. Parents comment how their children are 'thriving' and feel very well informed about their children's progress. Parents are particularly appreciative of how effectively staff support their children's developing skills and routines, helping children feel both secure and empowered. They report feeling well informed about their child's day and value guidance on supporting learning at home, including using the home lending library and taking activity bags to practice essential skills with their children.
• The inspirational management team delivers exceptional, targeted professional development that directly enhances children's learning. For example, they strategically plan mathematical learning to expand vocabulary and deepen mathematical understanding through meaningful, hands-on experiences. Leaders always seek innovative initiatives to ensure staff consistently implement outstanding practice. Staff wellbeing is a top priority, leaving them feeling highly valued and proud of their roles.