The Little Sweethearts Montessori

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Leaders and staff create a learning environment that is motivating and calm. Children are warmly greeted by the nurturing staff team. Staff plan settling-in sessions unique to the children. This supports children's emotional well-being and helps them feel safe and secure.

Staff successfully develop children's love of books. They encourage them to choose stories that interest them. Staff take the time to sit with children. They build on children's communication and language skills by using puppets and props, as they retell the story of 'The Gruffalo'. Children enthusiastically repeat familiar phrases and predict what will happen next. This helps them to become confident communicators. Staff plan opportunities for children to develop their large-muscle groups. For instance, they have created a safe space for children to ride bikes indoors. Children navigate these areas well and thoroughly enjoy this time with their friends.

Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour. They teach them the rules and boundaries in the nursery through positive praise. Children develop their independence by choosing activities that they would like to try and then tidying them away when completed. This supports them in preparation for the next stage of their learning journey.

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

• Staff plan beneficial small-group sessions to develop children's social and communication skills. They speak clearly and model language very well to children. Staff support children who speak English as an additional language to make good progress. They ask parents to share words in their home language to support children's communication development.
• Staff provide ample opportunities for children to develop their physical skills. Children are fascinated as they use syringes to transfer water from one container to another. Younger children confidently explore the sand suitcase and excitedly use scoops to fill up pots. This helps them to develop the small muscles in their hands to support them with writing as they progress in their learning.
• Overall, the curriculum intent is appropriate and focuses on what the children need to further develop in their learning. Leaders have a clear understanding of what they want children to learn. However, some staff are not fully confident of the curriculum intent. This leads to a slight inconsistency in the support that the children receive. For instance, staff do not always use opportunities that arise from children's self-chosen activities, to extend and challenge children's learning.
• Children's good health is promoted well. Staff encourage children to eat a nutritious diet. They teach children how to protect themselves from germs and infection by washing their hands thoroughly before eating. Children are developing a good knowledge of the importance of health and well-being.
• Staff support children's independence well. They provide plenty of opportunities for children to develop the skills they need for future learning. Children take off their coats and hang them up. Furthermore, they confidently change into their indoor shoes. Staff teach children how to serve themselves at snack time and wash up their plates when they have finished eating.
• Staff help children to play harmoniously together. They encourage children to talk to each other to take turns with the resources. This promotes their positive attitudes to learning.
• Staff provide very good support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They focus strongly on meeting their individual needs. Staff work closely with other professionals and parents to create and use plans that help children with SEND to progress in their development.
• Partnership with parents is good. New parents say that communication is regular and that the settling-in session really helps them get to know their child's key person. This helps parents develop a trusting relationship from the outset.
• Leaders and staff have positive relationships with each other. Staff talk positively about the support they receive. There are systems in place for leaders to identify mandatory training needs. However, this occasionally does not consider how to support the individual needs of staff to fully understand the intent of the curriculum.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen teaching to make sure staff offer children relevant challenge and an extension to their learning, particularly when children are engaged in activities they have chosen themselves
• provide further support, coaching and training for staff to help them fully understand the nursery's curriculum to help them plan more precisely for each child's learning and development needs.