Sticky Fingers Montessori Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children settle well as they arrive at the nursery. They are greeted by the warm and welcoming adults who care for them. Where they need some extra support, they climb on laps to snuggle in as they read a story or reconnect with their key person. Staff offer plenty of reassurance and empathy to children, which supports their emotional well-being.

The ambitious curriculum is designed to help children develop their skills to prepare for lifelong learning. Staff skillfully plan a range of experiences that help children to acquire new learning and practise and refine skills. They enjoy remembering prior learning, such as favourite stories and rhymes. Outdoor learning is a strong feature, children enjoy making mud pies and mark making on a big scale.

Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour and children show high levels of respect for themselves and others. Staff role model positive attitudes to learning as they discover things together. The children invite others in to play and begin to make strong friendships. Key persons know their children very well. They understand children's individual personalities and interests. They plan learning opportunities to support their continued development.

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

• The nursery is clean, organised and equipped with a wide range of high-quality toys and resources, both indoors and outdoors. Staff are good role models and treat children with kindness and respect. Behaviour is good across the nursery. Staff have clear expectations for all children and role model these well. Children are confident and curious to learn and are skilled communicators.
• Staff successfully implement a curriculum to meet children's individual learning needs and interests. They observe children and ask parents for information about children's learning and development at home. This helps to maintain a positive partnership with parents. Staff plan regular outings. For example, they visit local shops and play parks and go on trips further afield. They also participate in activities that help to promote children's sense of self within the local community, such as the 'Intergenerational Sparkle' sessions and peripatetic sessions, including ballet and sports.
• Children learn about a range of cultures and events. Staff help them to find out about the world around them, different countries and the similarities and differences between them. Festivals are shared in the nursery that are relevant to those attending, such as St Patrick's Day and Diwali. They celebrate family connections, such as through 'Grandparent' sessions. This helps children and their families to feel valued and respected.
• Parents are extremely complimentary about the nursery. They have good relationships with staff and describe them as friendly and kind. They are happy with the communication they receive daily and feel valued as parents. They are updated regularly about children's development and are supported to help children make further progress at home. Leaders are passionate about including parents in children's learning, and they provide parents with information about opportunities they can access locally.
• In response to a relatively new team, leaders have designed a programme of support. Induction into the nursery for new staff is in-depth and thorough. Staff are given time to learn the new routines and understand the procedures for the nursery. They demonstrate a good knowledge of important arrangements, such as safeguarding, and they are provided with opportunities to attend training. Furthermore, staff supervision sessions are regular and detailed, which contributes to the overall good quality of provision for children. Staff also speak highly of the provider and value the strong support they receive for their well-being.
• The management team provides a range of training options to support staff and extend on their teaching skills. However, there are weaknesses in staff's understanding of their role in supporting children's learning. For example, staff leave activities they are engaged in with children to go and attend to other tasks that other staff could easily do. This impacts on the progress some children make.
• Leaders carefully monitor children's progress across the curriculum. They identify areas of practice to improve. For example, they recognise that children do not always make the expected progress in mathematics and put in place group activities to support this. Although staff identify children who need additional support, they occasionally focus on more confident children. This is to the detriment of other children who need more encouragement to join in and engage with the learning.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• ensure all staff fully understand their role in supporting and extending children's learning
• strengthen the support given to all children to help them engage and enjoy activities to further extend their learning.