Sheen Montessori Nursery

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders and staff consistently and effectively monitor children's progress to ensure that any support children may need is quickly identified and introduced. Leaders and staff consistently collaborate with parents and carers and other professionals involved in children's care and learning to ensure that any barriers are overcome. Every child receives the support they need to make rapid progress and to thrive. Leaders understand how to complete statutory assessment in relation to any social care needs if these arise.

Leaders and staff carefully plan and adapt activities to meet children's individual needs and stages of development. For instance, they break down instructions into smaller steps and provide small-group activities that promote learning well. This enables all children to fully engage in the experiences on offer. Staff who have received training to support children with additional needs share their knowledge with the rest of the team, ensuring that every child benefits. Leaders monitor individual plans for children effectively to ensure that their changing needs are quickly addressed.

Leaders understand how to identify families who may be entitled to additional funding and know how to help parents access funding. Leaders understand how to use any additional funding by providing targeted plans to support children's needs.

Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard

Leaders provide an ambitious, high-quality curriculum. They tailor activities to meet each child's unique needs and interests, including for those who face any barriers to learning.

Activities consistently enable all children to enjoy new challenges and help them make rapid progress. Staff assess children's development and build on what children know and can do. Leaders have oversight of the quality of the curriculum and teaching and work with staff to ensure that decisions they make bring about improvements.

All children become engrossed in activities and are very well prepared for their next stage of learning, including school. Children develop confidence and independence in dressing and toileting. Children's personal, social and emotional development is supported well. They enjoy group activities and build positive relationships.

Children become highly engrossed in science activities as they explore soluble and insoluble substances and observe which dissolve. Knowledgeable staff make the most of learning opportunities to deepen children's learning and relate it to their own experiences. For example, when substances do not dissolve and form a cloudy liquid, staff help children link this to the weather and how the sky looks on a cloudy day. Children enjoy being physically active. They explore nature areas and learn about the benefits of exercise.

Staff focus on developing children's communication skills. Children are confident in their speech, are curious and ask questions. They show great interest during show-and-tell sessions and tell their friends how much they like the things they have shared. Children listen to stories about Ramadan and relate this to familiar experiences at home. Children's mathematical skills and language are well developed. They count number rods in sequence and calculate the cost of items in their pretend shop.

Achievement: Strong standard

Children have a wonderful time at the setting, engaging very well in activities and showing high levels of curiosity and interest. Children are confident to try new experiences and develop their self-esteem. Children concentrate and persevere when learning new skills, such as using scissors. Older children support younger children. For example, they help them to work out how to fill jars. Children are proud when they master new skills. All children, including those with special education needs and/or disabilities, make secure progress from their starting points across all areas of their learning and development. Children build solid foundations for their future learning and are very well prepared for their eventual move on to school. Children's language skills rapidly develop. They communicate very well and express their thoughts and feelings confidently.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Children are happy and very secure in this welcoming and homely setting. Children share very positive relationships with staff and each other. Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour. They are positive role models, are respectful and consistently explain things clearly to children. Staff are skilled in helping children understand the impact of their behaviour. Children's behaviour is managed very effectively, and staff consider children's age and stage of development and individual needs well when supporting them to meet expectations.

Leaders work with families to implement targeted adjustments for children with special educational needs and or/disabilities. This has a highly positive impact on children's engagement. Leaders explain the importance of being punctual and attending regularly to support children's learning. They work with parents and carers to establish appropriate eating and personal care routines. This helps children to develop effective and mature self-care skills and positive patterns for their future.

Children learn and play with others of different ages, which creates a real family feel in the setting. Older children model behaviours such as being polite and kind, which has a positive impact on younger children. This supports older children to develop responsibility and younger children to rapidly understand how to behave. Staff help children regulate their emotions, using pictures and discussions to help them explore their feelings. Children of all ages understand routines and show care for the environment. They put away resources, for example, before they move on to the next activity.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Leaders and staff provide a very secure and trusting environment, where children are happy and relaxed. Staff take time to introduce visitors and explain the purpose of their visit. This helps all children to feel safe. Children are supported well to express and manage their emotions. They approach staff with ease, who provide them with reassurance and comfort.

Leaders and staff consistently prioritise children's welfare. Robust policies and procedures underpin practice and are regularly reviewed. For example, healthcare plans and adjustments to routines are in place where children have additional needs or require any long-term medication. Medication is regularly checked to ensure that it is in date, and health needs are reviewed and discussed with parents and carers. Children form secure attachments with their key staff, who meet their individual needs very effectively. These secure relationships support children's wellbeing and emotional security well. Children are supported effectively to help settle in and quickly become confident with the daily routines.

Children learn to make healthy choices as healthy habits are embedded in daily routines. Staff work with parents to provide ideas for healthy lunch boxes. Staff use lunchtimes and activities such as providing real fruit and vegetables in the play shop to support children's understanding of the benefits of a healthy diet. Children participate in tooth-brushing activities and enjoy daily outdoor play. They follow hygiene routines and develop self-care skills effectively..

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

The leadership team is ambitious and continually provides high-quality education to improve the lives of all children in its care. Leaders are highly reflective and are committed to continuous improvement. For example, they continually develop opportunities for outdoor learning to enhance children's experiences even further. They work closely with staff, families and children to ensure that everyone's views are heard and considered.

The setting works effectively with parents and carers, who speak very highly of leaders and staff. They comment that their children enjoy attending and are very well supported. Parents say their children make secure progress and that they receive regular information about their progress. Leaders work collaboratively with other agencies and schools that children may move on to. This helps to ensure continuity in children's care and learning.

Leaders support and value their staff. They provide social opportunities and training days. Leaders ensure that staff have manageable workloads and time for planning and assessment. Staff have plenty of opportunities for professional development, which is well targeted to enhance their skills. Regular supervision, team meetings, mentoring and training ensures that staff have high-quality support in their roles. Staff receive guidance around supporting children who face barriers to their learning and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.