The Beanstalk Montessori Nursery School Limited

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive at this setting and learn what they need to be successful in for their future. Staff have an excellent understanding of what each child knows and needs to learn next. They use this information to plan activities carefully to help children achieve the next steps in their learning. Children show excellent focus and attention as they take part in these activities. For example, they experiment with how to make water flow at different speeds down a ramp and watch intently as the water flows down the ramp each time. This means that children make exceptional progress.

Children develop their independent skills very well. They carefully take glasses off the shelf, pour themselves a drink and put their paintings independently onto the drying rack. Developing skills such as these helps children to build their self confidence and prepares them well for the next stage in their learning journey.

Children form strong attachments to staff. They are keen to show them their achievements and approach them for comfort. Children respond well to the high expectations that staff have of what they can achieve. They persevere when they find something challenging. For example, when completing a jigsaw puzzle, children do not give up even if this is hard for them. Children feel pride when staff explain how proud they are of the children for persevering.

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

• Leaders have put an exceptional programme of learning in place for communication and language. Staff carefully consider how to help children extend their skills in this area. Staff have very high expectations for the vocabulary that children should learn. They use ambitious vocabulary in their interactions with children. Children then use this vocabulary with confidence. For example, children talk about 'pine needles' when exploring the garden or 'gerberas' during flower arranging. Staff provide targeted interventions for children who need support to develop their communication and language. By the time they leave the setting, children speak confidently, using an extremely wide range of vocabulary.
• Staff plan how to support children to develop their physical skills in a clear and purposeful way. For example, children skilfully ride balance bikes, navigating obstacles, or scoop and pour liquids, such as water. They balance up and down ramps, or build their core strength by carrying heavy objects, such as large blocks. This means that children make excellent progress in their physical skills.
• Leaders plan an ambitious programme of learning for personal, social and emotional development. Children become skilled at helping each other and working as a team. For example, children help each other to carry heavy blocks to make an obstacle course. They support each other with where to place jigsaw pieces by discussing this together. This helps children to develop empathy and team-working skills and ensures that they have the skills necessary to form relationships with their peers.
• Staff support children extremely well to work things out for themselves. For example, staff explore with children why toy farm animals will not fit through a fence and how children can resolve this. They support children to explore why their vase has overflowed with water and how children can prevent this from happening when they add more flowers to the vase. This helps children to develop their problem-solving skills.
• Leaders work hard to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They work closely with external professionals, such as speech and language therapists, to implement effective strategies to help every child to reach their potential.
• Leaders build thriving parent partnerships. Parents are delighted with the warm way in which staff nurture their children. Staff work closely with parents to support children, such as by suggesting how parents can help children with their speech at home. Leaders carefully consider the views of parents and adapt processes within the nursery based on these views. For example, leaders have adapted the opening hours of the setting following feedback from parental surveys. Staff and parents working closely as a team in ways such as these helps children to transition easily between home and nursery.
• Leaders provide exceptional professional development opportunities to staff to ensure best practice consistently. They model best practice to staff on an ongoing basis and identify targeted training for staff to attend. This supports staff to implement good practice.