Unity Montessori Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children at this joyful setting achieve to the best of their potential. They thrive in the calm and harmonious atmosphere created by the experienced and thoughtful teaching team. The leaders of the setting have a clear ethos. They know precisely what is important for the children to learn and ensure the cohesive team provides a consistent approach in the way it teaches the children. Children feel valued and safe and are ready to learn.

The resourceful leadership team prioritises children's independence, self-care, curiosity and love of learning. All of these are fostered in abundance. The team has high expectations, trusts the children's capabilities and provides every opportunity for them to discover that they can do things for themselves. Even the very youngest children at the setting take great care of the meticulously planned learning environment. They treat resources with respect and carefully replace their activities when they have finished exploring them.

Children benefit from learning together across the age range. The older children offer help and support to the younger ones when needed. They gently remind them to say 'please' and 'thank you' to the teaching staff when asking for help. Children are kind to each other, play cooperatively and behave exceptionally well. Staff speak to the children with courtesy, and children respond to their requests and instructions promptly.

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

• Children are treated as individuals. All the team are aware of what each child needs to learn next. The curriculum is well-sequenced, and children's skills grow at every opportunity. For example, younger children practise balancing on an obstacle course, which helps to improve their core strength. This means they can maintain stability, take control and navigate space when they move on to riding a scooter.
• The team's interactions with the children are excellent. Staff encourage new vocabulary, introducing words such as 'unstable' and 'vegetarian' during the two-way flow of meaningful conversation. Children respond well to open-ended questions from the team, such as 'Your house fell down. What are you going to do to fix it?' This inspires the children to think critically and problem solve.
• Children's learning is evident. They recall prior learning, demonstrating how the team has built on what they already know. During the harmonious circle time, children revisit the names of baby animals and recollect the bugs that they have found in the outside space.
• Children are granted the time they need to investigate activities and engage deeply. They use all their senses. They listen to sounds in the environment, feel the temperature of the water and look closely at the bugs and leaves that land in the water. Staff are skilled at knowing when to intervene and when to allow children space. This means that meaningful play is never disrupted unnecessarily.
• The team provides excellent support for children's speech and language development, including those children that are learning English as an additional language. Staff speak to children at their level. They ensure they make eye contact so that children can focus on what they are hearing. The team speaks clearly, using language appropriate to the age and stage of the children. As a result, children are becoming effective and confident communicators.
• The experienced and dedicated teachers conduct precise observations. This means that children that may need additional help are identified early and provided with exceptional, nurturing support. Parents get sage advice and guidance to help them understand and access specialist services if needed.
• Parents cannot speak highly enough of the team. They praise the way the team knows the children's unique needs. The setting is fully inclusive. Parents are invited to join the children to reflect their cultures through important celebrations, such as Nowruz. Through such experiences, children learn about the diversity of the world in which we live.
• The team of staff ensure activities underpin the delivery of the curriculum across all areas of learning. For example, they have identified that children need to develop their small hand muscles further, as this supports early writing skills. As a result, children are offered opportunities for cutting, sticking, threading, pouring and scooping.