Sunhill Montessori Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children at the nursery are happy, settled and confident. Babies lead their own play, with staff support. For example, they explore a sensory paint activity at the table and poke holes in clingfilm to feel different textures. Older children enjoy creating structures using wooden blocks. They look at an instruction book for reference as they make their creations, showing adults what they have made.

Children of all ages are extremely confident. They hand toys to visitors and proudly show them what they are playing with. Children speak about their interests, and staff listen attentively to what they are talking about. For example, older children discuss whether farm animals live on the moon. They laugh as they explore the idea with an adult.

Children come together to play in the outside area. Each age group has access to different areas, with different activities to take part in. Children choose which activities they want to engage in, such as drawing, splashing in muddy puddles, and manoeuvring ride-on toys. Younger children climb in and out of a ball pit, developing their muscle strength. Older children pretend to 'cook' different foods and serve them to their friends. Overall, children make good progress in their learning and development.

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

• Children have a variety of opportunities to develop their physical skills. Older children pull themselves up onto climbing equipment, and younger children enjoy pushing ride-along toys, to develop their large muscles. Older children use glue sticks in the garden to make pretend lollipops with straws and collage materials. Younger children pick up clipboards and pencils. They pretend to write a shopping list during imaginative play. All children gain good control of their small-muscle skills through carefully planned experiences. This helps to develop the hand control that they will need for later writing.
• Staff encourage children to be independent. Older children serve their own meals and pour their own water. After they have finished eating, they take their plate to the sink to be washed. Younger children are encouraged to try to put their own coats on and wipe their own faces. Children receive lots of praise as they learn new skills.
• Staff support children's emerging communication skills well. Younger children listen attentively to stories and point out pictures in the books. They eagerly join in and repeat words that they hear. Staff encourage children to discuss their ideas and share their thoughts. For example, children look at a book about dinosaurs in a tray with toy dinosaurs. Staff point at the words in the book and say, 'this word says roar'. The children excitedly copy the sound.
• Mathematics is taught from an early age. Younger children stack blocks and are eager to knock them down, while an adult counts with them. Older children talk about how old they are and enjoy singing counting rhymes independently in the garden.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported. Effective strategies are implemented to ensure that children get support early. Staff support children who speak English as an additional language, using key words in their home language to help children communicate their needs.
• The management team are fully supportive of their staff. They evaluate their practice and then target their professional development opportunities effectively. A 'colleague voice' initiative has been introduced to ensure that all staff members' opinions are heard. Staff say that they feel very well supported, professionally and personally. As a result, staff are happy and passionate about their role.
• Partnerships with parents are very good. Parents report positively about the levels of communication from staff. They praise the setting and say that the nursery is a 'wonderful, safe and exciting setting' and that 'staff are very caring.'

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review and improve the preparation of routine activities to avoid delays and enable staff to spend more focused time with the children.