Seedlings Montessori at Moorlands

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and settled in this nurturing nursery. They are greeted by friendly staff who help them engage in a range of enticing activities. Staff are passionate about their role and provide an inclusive nursery. The manager works closely with parents, during the settling-in period, to obtain information about children's care needs. As such, new children are supported well to transition into the nursery.

Staff successfully develop children's love of books. They encourage children to choose stories that interest them. Staff take the time to sit with children and read. Children listen very attentively. They enthusiastically repeat familiar phrases and predict what will happen next. This helps them to become confident communicators. Staff provide opportunities for children to develop their small muscles. For example, children patiently thread items onto string to make necklaces. This helps them practise the skills they need for early writing.

Children's behaviour is good. They learn to be kind and respect others. Staff consistently teach the children the nursery routine well. This means children know from the outset what is expected of them. For example, when they finish an activity, they tidy it away ready for the next child. All children demonstrate a positive attitude to learning.

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

• The staff team provide a broad curriculum that includes a wide range of stimulating activities. Staff use their knowledge of children's individual needs and progress to move them on in their learning and development. Overall, staff are skilful and interact with children well. However, occasionally, they do not extend and challenge children's learning, particularly during children's self-chosen activities.
• Staff monitor children's progress well. They have a clear understanding of how to support children's learning across the early years foundation stage. Staff complete regular assessments against both the Montessori curriculum and the EYFS. This helps them identify any gaps in children's learning.
• Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is well embedded. The special educational needs and disability coordinator (SENDCo) uses her knowledge and skills to implement targeted support for children who are at risk of falling behind. For example, staff introduce activities to support children's speech and language, while they are awaiting support from outside professionals. This means all children with SEND make good progress from their individual starting points.
• Staff promote healthy eating and oral hygiene well. Children enjoy brushing toy teeth. They demonstrate their understanding as they talk about 'brushing the germs off'. Furthermore, staff offer advice and support to parents on how to promote good habits with food. This helps children and parents to make well informed decisions about the foods that they bring in their packed lunches.
• Staff encourage children to become independent in their self care, ready for the move to school. Children take off their coats and hang them up when they have finished playing outdoors. Staff encourage children to wash their hands and use the toilet independently.
• Parents partnership is strong. Parents speak highly of the setting and staff. They report that their children make excellent progress in their speech and language development. Parents appreciate the effective communication methods used to share information, which helps them to continue their children's learning at home.
• Although there are some supervision procedures in place, these do not focus enough on identifying and addressing any areas for improvement in staff practice, to help them continually develop their skills. In addition, at times, there is some confusion about staff's roles and responsibilities, and the manager also does not always receive consistent support from the nominated person to help her fulfil her role.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to more consistently recognise opportunities to fully extend and build on children's learning during self-chosen activities
• strengthen the arrangements for providing coaching, training and support for the manager and staff, to promote their ongoing professional development and to ensure they have clear roles and responsibilities.