Walthamstow Village Montessori Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children show that they are happy and settled as they arrive at the nursery, cheerfully greeting familiar staff. Babies who are settling in quickly build attachments with the attentive staff caring for them. Activities are thoughtfully planned in a stimulating environment where children are motivated to learn and to engage in play. Older children learn about early science through experiments when making volcanos with baking soda. Younger children enjoy singing and listening to stories with visual prompts and signs. This particularly helps those children who learn better with visual aids. Staff help children to develop their communication and language skills, including for those children who are learning English as an additional language. Staff teach children new words with good use of a signing programme. They help to extend children's vocabulary as they listen carefully and ask questions to help children think for themselves. Children enjoy learning about nature and supporting their community. They take part in fundraising activities and celebrations, such as 'bee day'. Children listen and concentrate well together during 'island time'. They learn about themselves and others using resources that reflect and celebrate differences. Children have a sense of pride when they show visitors their family photographs and drawings on the display boards.

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

• Children make good progress and are well prepared for their next stage in learning. Staff observe children's individual development from the time the children start. Staff incorporate children's next steps into the planning along with their interests, helping staff to provide a broad and balanced curriculum.
• Staff work with parents and other professionals, such as speech and language therapists, when children need extra support. However, further development is needed to ensure that leaders have an accurate picture to make sure all groups of children are making good or better progress.
• Children benefit from a stimulating environment with good-quality resources. This enables them to be independent in their play and learning. Younger and older children show a great interest in books. They carefully turn pages and retell familiar stories to their friends.
• Leaders help staff to work well as a team. They promote the well-being of staff and individual workload is constantly reviewed. Staff develop their skills and extend their knowledge through training and team meetings. As a result, children benefit from good interactions with an experienced staff team. However, there is opportunity to improve the communication and engagement between staff and younger children, especially during the period before lunchtime.
• Staff teach children to value differences and treat each other with respect. Children share resources and talk about being kind to each other. They comfort
• Inspection report: Walthamstow Village Montessori Nursery 26-27 May 2021 2 their friends with a hug and make space for them to sit as they join in the 'island time'. Babies show that they are emotionally secure in their attachments with staff as they smile and look to them for reassurance.
• Children are taught about the importance of good hygiene routines. Staff use visual reminders and explain to children the benefits of washing their hands. Children respond well to this as they wash their hands independently throughout the day.
• Children gain a good understanding of how to stay safe. Younger children are learning how to carefully walk down the stairs to the garden. Children are absorbed as they explore different activities outdoors, such as filling and pouring in the mud kitchen.
• All children develop good independence skills. Older children enthusiastically help staff as they set up tables before and after mealtimes. Babies and toddlers respond really well to the tidy-up time song, indicating a change and preparing them well to move to a new activity.
• Parents speak highly of the nursery. They are appreciative of the additional work completed by staff during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic to make sure their children are safe and are well cared for. They say they are really looking forward to being welcomed back into the setting to take part in activities with their children. They particularly enjoy contributing to special events at the nursery and the good communication they receive from staff.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the quality of teaching for older children so that their emerging interests are responded to effectively and they experience further opportunities to be spontaneous in their play to extend their knowledge even further
• extend staff's professional development in relation to communication and
• Inspection report: Walthamstow Village Montessori Nursery 26-27 May 2021 3 engagement between staff and younger children, especially during lunchtime, to keep children engaged and to ensure their quality of care.
• Inspection report: Walthamstow Village Montessori Nursery 26-27 May 2021 4