Rosewood Montessori

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff warmly greet children at the door as they arrive. Children separate from their parents with ease and quickly settle into activities. Staff provide effective settling-in processes, which helps new children to gain confidence and feel safe and secure. Staff know individual children well and plan activities around their interests. This helps children to become engaged in their learning.

Children benefit from the extensive outdoor area. They develop their awe and wonder of the natural world. For instance, children become fascinated by the worms they discover in the garden. Staff use these opportunities well to introduce mathematical language about size and to discuss children's feelings and the importance of being kind. Children play imaginatively to create a restaurant in the outdoor mud kitchen. They explore the sensation of mark making with muddy water. Children develop their physical strength, such as when they play with large boxes and arrange the furniture for their pretend restaurant outdoors.

Children have access to a wealth of extra-curricular activities. For example, they take part in visits from a storytelling company and computer classes, which helps to broaden their experiences beyond the nursery. In addition, staff organise trips to the theatre and to places in the local community that build on children's knowledge of the outside world and the arts.

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

• Staff promote children's independence and help them to prepare for starting school. For example, at mealtimes, older children learn to come and collect their food and carry it to the table themselves. Younger children learn to serve themselves food using tongs.
• Staff support children to become independent in getting ready for outside play. The nursery provides waterproof clothing so that children can fully enjoy the outdoor environment in all weather conditions. Babies enjoy a dedicated outdoor area to practise their developing skills, such as mastering the slide. However, staff supervise the activity rather than supporting children's next steps in learning while they play.
• Partnerships with parents support children's learning well. Parents comment that they feel fully included in their child's learning. They explain how they are kept informed through electronic systems and regular reports on their child's progress.
• The nursery supports children to communicate about their home experiences through shared 'chatter books'. These contain pictures of children's families and significant family experiences. Children demonstrate pride in talking about their attendance at family weddings and their holidays. This supports children's language development well, as they practise new words, both at home and in the nursery.
• The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) is highly skilled and works closely with key persons and other professionals to ensure that the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are fully met. Children benefit from coordinated support because the nursery works well in partnership with others, such as health visitors and local children centres.
• Staff support children to develop their attention and listening skills well. For instance, they draw younger children's attention to sounds in the environment such as an aeroplane flying overhead. Older children receive gentle reminders to use their 'ears for listening' as a reminder to focus during group activities. However, sometimes, children become distracted because not all staff model these expectations.
• The food provided is cooked on the premises and is balanced and nutritious. Information about children's care needs, dietary requirements, preferences and allergies are obtained from parents before children start. Staff follow clear procedures to ensure that children's care and dietary needs are met. Children receive gentle support from staff to try new foods and are assured that they do not have to eat any foods that they do not like. This encourages children to sample a wider range of foods.
• The manager prioritises the well-being of staff. Staff comment that they feel well supported and receive a good induction when they join the setting. She ensures that staff are not put under excessive pressure and have access to regular supervision and training opportunities. Self-evaluation is accurate. The manager understands the strengths of the setting and where she would like to secure improvements. She is a strong role model for the team.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance staff practice so they provide further support for children's next steps in learning while they play
• support staff to consistently model concentration and focus in order to help children understand expectations for behaviour during group activities.