Tree Tops Montessori Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are eager to learn as they arrive at nursery. They make choices about their learning in the highly organised environment, which helps them to engage quickly in their play. Younger children develop their problem-solving skills as they test how to fit wooden oranges inside different objects. They skilfully balance these on egg cups and carefully transport them from the role-play area to a table. Two- and three-year-old children show high levels of concentration as they explore play dough. They practise their fine motor skills as they manipulate the dough to make different facial features. Older children develop an understanding of their emotions as they sing songs and share stories with staff that encourage them to talk about their feelings.

Children demonstrate a strong understanding of the high expectations staff have of them. Older children independently put on their own coats when they want to play outdoors. At mealtimes, they confidently serve their own food onto their plates and use cutlery correctly. Children take great care of their learning environment and show high levels of respect for their books and toys. When they finish playing with something, they put it back in its place before moving on to the next activity.

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

• Leaders and managers have designed a well-sequenced curriculum that helps children build on their knowledge and skills over time. Staff share their vision as they successfully implement this by providing children with learning opportunities to support their development. As a result, children become well prepared for the next stage in their learning.
• Staff assess children's development regularly and gather information from parents about their learning at home. They use this information to identify what they want children to learn next. However, at times, staff do not make the best use of all information they have to precisely identify how to extend and stretch children's learning even further.
• Staff demonstrate a strong focus on supporting children's communication and language development. They consistently interact with children and hold two-way conversations. Staff model clear and fluent language and introduce new vocabulary. This helps to support children to become confident in communicating with others.
• Children behave well throughout the nursery. They are kind and courteous towards their peers. Children share resources and enjoy working alongside each other. This helps them to develop good relationships with others.
• The nursery provides good support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff use their assessments to identify gaps in children's learning. They liaise with managers to provide support for children to help close these gaps, and seek support for children from other professionals in a timely manner. This helps all children make good progress in their learning.
• Children are supported to lead a healthy lifestyle. They make choices about when they want to go outdoors, and regularly access fresh air and exercise. The nursery provides children with a varied range of nutritional meals and snacks, and children choose what they want to eat and drink.
• Parents speak highly about the nursery. They welcome the information they receive from staff about their child's day. Parents comment positively about the noticeable progress in their child's learning and development since attending.
• The management team use self-evaluation effectively and demonstrate commitment to continuous improvement. They have reflected on the impact of changes they have made during the COVID-19 pandemic and have identified areas for further improvement. Managers enthusiastically talk about their plans for enhancing the already strong outdoor provision and parent partnerships to further develop the experiences for children.
• Managers have recently reviewed the arrangements for the supervision of staff. They have implemented a more frequent system for meeting with staff and monitoring their practice. However, managers have not yet identified all training and professional development opportunities for staff to raise the quality of teaching consistently to the highest level.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance the arrangements for the supervision of staff and monitoring of teaching to identify training and professional development opportunities that help raise the quality of teaching consistently to the highest level
• help staff to use all information that they know about children to precisely identify how to extend and stretch their learning even further.