Snowdrop House Montessori Nursery

Inclusion: Expected standard

All children are included in every aspect of the day. Staff know children well and ensure that each child can participate meaningfully in routines, activities and learning experiences. Children who use wheelchairs or standing frames are supported sensitively so they can join in alongside their peers. Staff adapt spaces and resources, ensuring that all children have opportunities for exploration and interaction.

Children with barriers to their learning are supported through high-quality interactions and teaching. Staff build children's communication skills through songs, stories and rhymes, modelling language clearly and providing repeated opportunities for children to listen and respond. Strategies such as now-and-next boards help children to understand routines, manage transitions and develop self-regulation skills.

Staff use ongoing observations and targeted assessments, particularly for communication and language, to identify when children may need additional help. Where children require more tailored support, leaders work with staff to identify activities that would close gaps in learning. More individualised targeted interventions would further support children to learn and develop the skills they need for their next steps in learning and ensure that support is precisely matched to each child's needs.

Visual cues are placed around the room to help children who speak English as an additional language to communicate their needs. Key words in children's home languages are displayed for staff, enabling them to communicate more effectively with children. As a result of this inclusive practice, all children make steady progress from their starting points and are supported to participate fully.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have a clear understanding of the differences in staff's teaching skills and levels of interaction across the nursery. They have reviewed staffing deployment to ensure there is a balanced mix of strengths in each room. This work is still in its early stages and some staff are continuing to build their confidence and consistency in teaching.

Although staff interactions vary in quality, they generally support children well. For example, staff count with children as they play in the sand, extend children's sentences to model more complex language and help children to learn new vocabulary by breaking tricky words down into syllables. Children enjoy a varied and engaging curriculum, enriched by the nursery's incorporation of Montessori teaching methods. These approaches are woven throughout each day, supporting children to follow their interests, make independent choices and engage in purposeful learning.

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, with barriers to their learning and those known to social care, are supported to engage in activities that help them to progressively learn new skills as they move through the nursery. Staff understand the importance of sequencing learning and provide opportunities for children to build on what they already know and can do.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children are well prepared for their next stage in learning. They develop the skills they need as they move through the nursery, including independence, social skills and communication. These foundations help children feel secure, capable and ready for new challenges when transitioning on to the next room.

Children show that they are ready to learn. They listen well to instructions, follow routines and eagerly participate in activities. Children independently choose the materials they want to use, demonstrating autonomy and a growing ability to make decisions about their learning.

Children demonstrate resilience in their learning. For example, when building a tower of blocks that should descend in size, children notice when a block is out of order and correct it independently. Children enjoy looking at books and listening to stories. They predict what might happen next and talk about what they see in the illustrations, showing confidence in expressing their ideas.

Children develop self-care skills that progress as they move through the age groups. Babies and toddlers learn to feed themselves and make simple choices, while older children wash their hands, wipe their own noses and manage simple routines independently. These skills support children to be ready for their transition on to school.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Children arrive at the nursery ready to learn. They settle quickly and become busy and highly engaged in their play. They show curiosity and sustained focus during activities, such as searching in sand for photos of their peers and experimenting with water. These experiences help to develop positive attitudes to learning.

Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. Children are supported to understand the nursery's boundaries through clear explanations and consistent routines. Staff use praise and encouragement to reinforce expectations, helping children to understand what is required of them. Children follow instructions well and respond positively when staff help them to understand the consequences of their actions. For example, staff show children how to roll balls to each other indoors rather than throw them, supporting them to make safe and considerate choices.

Staff adapt their approach to meet the needs of individual children. Children who speak English as an additional language are supported through picture cards and visual cues, helping them to understand routines and expectations. This ensures that all children can participate confidently and feel secure in the environment.

Attendance is monitored closely for all children. Leaders work with parents to help them to understand the importance of consistent routines, supporting children to attend regularly and benefit fully from the learning opportunities on offer.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Children are safe, happy and well cared for in this nursery. Staff supervise children well, ensuring they have the support and reassurance they need throughout the day. However, leaders have identified some inconsistencies in staff practice and have put plans in place to strengthen and embed greater consistency across the team, ensuring that procedures are robustly followed. As a result, children benefit from increasingly reliable routines and interactions that promote their wellbeing.

Staff know the children well and respond to them with respect and sensitivity. Interactions reflect an understanding of children's feelings and preferences. For example, staff ask children before wiping their faces or taking them for nappy changes, helping them to feel secure, respected and involved in their own care.

Sleep routines are well organised. Children are gently soothed to sleep, and staff monitor them regularly to ensure they remain safe and comfortable. The sleep environment is calm, helping children to rest and drift off to sleep. Transitions are managed effectively. When children start at the nursery, they are offered settling-in sessions that are tailored to their needs. As children move through the nursery, staff share information to ensure continuity of care and smooth transitions.

Staff understand children's individual needs well. Care plans for children with medical needs are shared with relevant staff, ensuring they know what action to take to keep children safe. This careful communication supports children's welfare and ensures that their needs are met.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders have evaluated the provision effectively and identified clear areas where practice can be improved. They have developed plans to ensure these improvements take place and although these are in the early stages of implementation, positive development is beginning to become evident across the nursery.

Staff feel well supported in their roles and their professional development. They report that they have seen improvements in the consistency of policies being applied which has improved teamwork and morale. Leaders provide regular opportunities for staff to share their views through supervisions, making them feel valued within the team.

Staff access training through an online platform, which helps them to develop their knowledge and keep up to date with early years practice. In addition, leaders offer opportunities for staff to gain professional qualifications and complete specialist training, such as forest school, supporting the development of effective teaching skills across the nursery. These opportunities help staff to strengthen their practice.

Communication with parents is managed effectively. Parents share that they receive regular updates about their children's development and feel well informed. When gaps in learning are identified, leaders engage parents to gather relevant information and strategies to support children's progress at home. Leaders work closely with other professionals, such as speech and language therapists and physiotherapists, to ensure that children can participate fully in activities.