Wetherby House Montessori Harrow Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children in this setting thrive in every aspect of their development. Children's interests are at the heart of everything the nursery provides. Children are constantly introduced to new and exciting learning experiences during the day. For example, children participate with awe during a floating and sinking water activity.

Staff expertly support children to form relationships with peers and staff, promoting a positive learning atmosphere that the children can thrive in. The interactions are exceptional and staff provide a challenging environment that encourages children's independence. Children are given opportunities to take care of fish and plants, for example, from an early age, to encourage a love of nature and taking care of the world around us. Children have strong bonds with their key persons and they, in turn, respond exceptionally well to the needs of the children in their care.

Children enjoy nutritious freshly cooked meals that encourage healthy eating and making healthy choices. Mealtimes are a calm experience for all the children, with staff role modelling positive interactions and communications. Children behave extremely well. They learn to be kind and care for their friends. For example, if a child is struggling to carry something, other children immediately offer to help.

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

• The key-person system in place works exceptionally well and children settle quickly, with transitions planned well in advance and communicated effectively with the parents. Staff demonstrate clear bonds with their key children and have a high level of understanding about their development. Staff then plan activities that enable them to enhance their learning and take their personal interests into account. The learning is child led and children are provided with rich learning experiences that challenge them. This means that all children make excellent progress.
• Leaders carefully consider what they would like children to achieve in their personal, social and emotional development. Staff are exceptional role models and talk to children in a calm tone, encouraging manners, sharing and taking turns. For example, staff eat with children during lunchtime, modelling good manners and table etiquette. This means that children develop an excellent understanding of positive social interactions with others.
• Staff teach children the skills they need to carry out day-to-day tasks and to solve problems independently. For example, babies learn to drink from open cups and to pour their own water. After eating, older children take their plate independently to wash it up. This prepares children exceptionally well for the next stage of their learning journey.
• Leaders have high expectations for what children should achieve as part of the communication and language curriculum. Staff interact with children using ambitious vocabulary, which helps the children to begin to use new words themselves. For example, staff talk about the character's personality when reading a story and children respond with similar langauge. Staff skillfully extend children's narrative, by using effective questioning and giving children plenty of time to process their thoughts before answering. This means that children make excellent progress in the communication and language curriculum.
• Parent relationships are positive and highly effective. Staff regularly share photos, videos and observations with the parents, ensuring they are consistently aware of how their children are progressing. Parents offer very high praise about the setting and staff. Parents feel that their children thrive within the setting and make rapid progress.
• Leaders have high expectations for staff and this is evident through the consistent high quality of teaching that children receive throughout the setting. There is a robust staff induction plan in place that ensures staff are well supported and provided with training to further enhance their learning and skills. Staff benefit from monthly individual meetings with the manager that support them to continuously strive to improve their practice. Staff are given opportunities to develop their learning further and share this with the rest of the staff team. This ensures that staff have the skills to provide high-quality care and teaching.