Rise Montessori Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive at the setting happily waving goodbye to their parents. They independently change into their indoor shoes before choosing from a range of activities that support their learning. For example, children use dry rice and cups to pour and fill up the weighing scales. Staff deliver an ambitious mathematics curriculum. They weave counting and mathematical language into their interactions with the children. Children are keen and eager to learn and have a go. For example, children ask to practise writing and focus on carefully copying numbers drawn by the staff. They delight in working alongside the supportive adults.

Children happily sit together at group time, listening carefully to their friends and sharing their own thoughts. They discuss how they are feeling and staff model the language of emotions. Together, children sing their welcome song and place their names on the board. This helps them to have a sense of belonging and develop good social skills. Children, particularly the babies, form good relationships with their key person, which helps them to feel safe and secure. They enjoy being close to their familiar adult and look to them for reassurance.

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

• Leaders are ambitious in their vision and approach to early education. They strive for the best possible outcomes for all children. Managers work together to create a plan for future development. It uses feedback from parents and other professionals, such as the local authority, to identify areas for improvement.
• Staff help children to learn about healthy eating. For instance, they provide them with play dough and prompts to make fruit kebabs. This provokes discussion about healthy foods. Staff use non-fiction books to talk to the children about the properties of different fruit, such as cherries having stones. Children enjoy the sensory experience of rolling the play dough into different shapes.
• Leaders focus on children learning practical life skills that they need to prepare them for their future. This includes a strong emphasis on children becoming independent. Staff use mealtimes as an opportunity for children to develop their independence. For example, children line up to self-serve their food before carefully carrying their plate back to the table. Children are encouraged to use their forks and demonstrate excellent manners during mealtimes.
• Staff help to promote children's language well. They use clear language with younger children, role modelling single words. This helps children to copy and make good progress in their communication and language. Babies enjoy sensory learning experiences. For instance, they watch in awe as they tap on sensory tiles and enjoy painting with brushes and water.
• Leaders pay particular attention to supporting staff well-being. They provide staff with access to ongoing training and develop opportunities for staff wishing to further their career. Staff have recently completed training to support children with their listening and attention skills. Leaders meet regularly with staff for supervision and to observe their practice.
• Leaders and staff have established positive parent partnerships. They meet with parents termly to discuss children's learning and development. Staff help parents to understand more about early years education and how they can support their children at home. For instance, they hold regular information evenings. Staff share information with parents daily through an online system. Parents speak highly of the staff and describe the atmosphere as 'warm, loving and fun'.
• Staff have a good understanding of the children that attend. They confidently identify what children need to learn next and how to support them to achieve this. However, on occasion, when planning activities, staff do not precisely identify what they want children to learn. This means that for some children, their learning is not challenged or deepened.
• Staff value and promote diversity throughout the setting. They teach children about a wide range of cultures and festivals, such as Hanukkah. Leaders recognise the importance of ensuring their resources reflect a diverse range of cultures. This helps children to learn about the wider community.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to plan and implement precise learning intentions for activities, so that children's knowledge is deepened and challenged.