The Bix Montessori School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Each child, parent and carer are individually warmly welcomed on arrival at this calm and nurturing nursery. Managers encourage an ethos that is flexible and allows families to take time to settle their child each morning. For example, encouraging parents to read a favourite book or to spend time completing an activity with their child. Children settle happily, showing high-levels of independence as they are consistently encouraged by staff to choose, use and tidy away activities. Staff support children to regulate their behaviour and understand their emotions well. They are sensitive to children's non-verbal cues. Staff encourage children to name and describe their emotions when they notice children are showing they are upset or suggest sensory ideas that support children to re-focus attention. This approach is extremely successful in supporting children to participate and overcome any reluctance as they gain confidence.

Each child's key person prioritises building a stable and caring relationship with each child. Settling-in processes ensure time is taken to carefully understand each child, including what their likes and dislikes are. Staff develop a collaborative approach with each family, which ensures each child feels secure, happy and eager to learn. Children flourish within this safe environment, they are given time to explore the well-organised learning environment. This enables children to lead their own learning, carefully guided by staff. Children develop excellent communication skills as they hear new words and phrases constantly. Staff explore the meaning of new words with children in the context of high-quality story times and experiences. The curriculum places communication and language at the heart of activities, as staff carefully select books that children are interested in sharing and are closely matched to children's current interests.

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

• A sequenced and ambitious curriculum provides clear progression for all ages. This includes careful consideration given to the equipment provided for activities and allows for cumulative steps in progression. As a result, all children including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make sustained progress from their starting points.
• Children enjoy an individualised curriculum. Careful observations by staff assess what each child can do and what they need to practise. Planning systems ensure activities closely match the child's stage of development and include repetition, consolidation and developing skills and knowledge. For example, as children show an interest in writing, activities promote a pincer grip, then explore letters in sand, then chalk before introducing paper.
• Staff focus on developing children's independence and confidence as a key focus throughout the nursery. Emphasis from the start enables children to practise practical life activities, which encourage independence, responsibility and develop skills that will support other curriculum areas. For example, practise pouring from a jug to a cup allows children to show independence at mealtimes or carrying resources on a tray allows children to collect the resources they want for other activities.
• Leaders are currently in the process of introducing changes to management and developing greater consistency with staff. There is an ambitious development plan, which builds upon the historical standards of care and education. These changes are yet to be consistently implemented by all staff and further mentoring, coaching and monitoring is required to ensure the consistent implementation of new policies and procedures.
• Managers have created an updated vision for the nursery and are committed at every step to ensure children are prioritised and staff central to these developments. Sharp consideration is evident that reflects on ensuring the experiences offered to enhance the curriculum are rigorous and link to the community of children and their needs. Sharing these changes with children and staff and carefully guiding them on the journey is a key management focus. Managers are committed to ensure all parents, children and new members of staff fully understand the new expectations. However, the vision is in the initial stages of implementation and not yet fully embedded.
• Parents are complimentary about their partnership with staff. They value the positive impact on children's learning at home following information shared at parent sessions. For example, learning about how to manage tantrums to support their children's emotional development. Parents value how managers collaborate closely with other professionals to share information and implement additional support for children with SEND, including information staff share with schools in preparation for transitions.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the coaching and mentoring of less experienced staff to further embed the nursery's policies to ensure consistency in routines and interactions
• leaders and managers to continue to implement and embed the nursery vision they have created and ensure all staff, parents and children are central and fully understanding of it.