Sunshine Montessori Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff ensure children feel safe and welcome. They greet children with big smiles and warm words. Older children excitedly share their news and eagerly enter the nursery. Younger children stretch out their arms in recognition and happily say goodbye to their parents and carers at the door. This all shows that children feel comfortable and happy to be there. These warm interactions continue through the day. The nursery is full of settled children, who are happily exploring and learning.

Leaders have designed a very ambitious and detailed curriculum. They are clear what they want children to learn and why they want them to develop the particular skills and knowledge they do. They also plan well so that learning is fun and memorable, because this will help children develop positive attitudes to learning. For example, they identify the creative skills children need to exhibit in the nursery art exhibition. They plan the problem-solving and practical skills children will need to be able to work together and build a den. Alongside this, staff focus closely, and effectively, on children's language and physical development. By the time children leave for school, they are confident communicators and inquisitive learners. Staff promptly identify children who may need some extra support. They adapt the curriculum very well to help these children make good progress and get the most from their time at nursery.

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

• Strong leadership is central to the high-quality care and learning children receive. There is a strong programme of support and training for staff, focusing on their teaching skills and knowledge of child development. For example, leaders have supported staff very effectively to enhance the curriculum for physical development. Staff now teach children a range of specific skills in order to develop their coordination and strength. For example, staff teach children how to throw balls by breaking down the different components into manageable steps. Through this approach, children develop lots of skills that help them enjoy an active lifestyle.
• Staff focus well on developing children's communication skills. From an early age, children are exposed to rich and descriptive language, which builds further on their existing vocabulary. Staff organise the rooms so that children have spaces and opportunities to practise their conversational skills with their peers. Children confidently make their needs known and express their opinions.
• Overall, the learning experiences meet children's needs well. However, on occasions staff do not fully consider the stage of development of the children who will be taking part. Sometimes, activities are a little too hard for some of the younger children, who become distracted or are not quite sure what they should be doing. At these times, teaching is not as effective as at other times.
• There is a strong focus on outdoor learning, and children regularly attend forest school sessions. In addition, children help grow food at their allotment. Staff use these experiences very well to help children learn to care for their environment and to appreciate nature.
• Staff are good role models. They are polite and helpful towards each other. They are clear about behaviour expectations for children and gently remind children about the need to be kind and considerate. Children behave well for their age. When needed, staff offer gentle and effective support for children as they learn to share and play cooperatively.
• Staff help children manage the changes to their routines as they progress through the nursery. Children's existing key person helps them settle into their new room, and also helps them build bonds with their new 'special person'. The effectiveness of this approach is seen in how well children adjust to changes and how confident they are in their new environment.
• Staff plan a rich set of experiences to help children learn about their local community and the wider world. Children build friendships with residents of local care homes. They help support local charities. They explore different types of artwork from different parts of the world. All of this helps children understand about their place in the world and the similarities and differences between themselves and others.
• Parent partnerships are a real strength of the setting. Parents are full of praise for the warm staff and the home-from-home environment they create. Through blogs, parent evenings and regular conversations, staff ensure parents are very well placed to continue children's learning at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• refine the planning and delivery of some learning experiences for younger children, so they more precisely match the age and developmental stage of the children taking part.