Whitchurch Montessori Nursery and Forest School

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders and staff promote inclusivity throughout the nursery. Leaders focus staff training on helping staff understand how to use the graduated approach to support children's needs. Any inconsistencies in practice do not have a negative effect on children who are at risk of falling behind. Staff recognise the importance of ensuring that the curriculum is tailored to reduce any barriers children may face in their learning. Highly effective and meticulous assessments of children's needs enable swift intervention when additional support is required. Leaders take an excellent, proactive approach to initiating support from other professionals and sustaining these relationships so that children benefit from well coordinated, tailored guidance and care.

The respectful relationships that leaders and staff establish with parents and carers, from the outset, ensure that staff have a comprehensive understanding of each child, enabling them to target support effectively from the beginning. Leaders and staff ensure that targeted interventions are reviewed regularly. Their incisive approach helps all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those in receipt of additional funding, to overcome challenges and achieve the best possible outcomes.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders plan and create a varied curriculum that promotes all areas of learning and is differentiated to meet the ages and abilities of the children in their care. Leaders review the curriculum regularly to ensure that their priorities benefit the cohorts of children attending, including a strong emphasis on children's physical development and their personal, social and emotional development. Staff weave mathematical experiences throughout the provision, helping children to explore and use mathematics in purposeful, meaningful ways. A strong focus on developing children's communication and language skills has enabled leaders to strengthen staff knowledge in this area. Leaders have implemented targeted teaching, which has had a positive impact on older children's vocabulary development and their confidence in sharing ideas.

Leaders adapt the curriculum to meet the differing needs of children, ensuring that those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, as well as those in receipt of additional funding, benefit fully. This has been particularly impactful in supporting children's communication skills. The staff team is new, and leaders recognise that embedding the knowledge and teaching practice of newer staff is an ongoing area for development. At times, some activities are not fully planned to identify and remove barriers that prevent children from maintaining attention and engaging fully in their learning.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children progress well in all areas of the curriculum from their starting points. Children's communication and language skills are a particular strength of the nursery. They enjoy sharing conversations with staff and their peers. For instance, they reflect on their morning activities and articulate their feelings, as staff help them think about and share ideas. Staff sequence learning, which helps children learn and remember new information that they readily share. For example, children learn the names of new colours and recall the names as they point out coloured cars. Children gain suitable foundations for their future learning, including skills in readiness for school. Children are highly independent in self-care and are confident in managing their own self-care, in age-appropriate ways.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders use routines that promote children's good behaviours throughout the nursery. Leaders and staff encourage and support the regular attendance of children, through discussions with parents, when children first start. Staff work with parents to adapt attendance times for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those receiving additional funding, ensuring full access to learning. Staff develop strong bonds with children, in age-appropriate ways. Children readily invite staff to play, and relish times to talk and share ideas. Children develop good behaviours in their play and in interactions with staff. They are polite and courteous, using please and thank you to ask for and acknowledge kindness in play routines with friends. Children respond positively to staff requests, such as when younger children tidy away toys and resources they have finished using. Older children learn how to take part in shared conversations, listening to friends and waiting patiently for their turn to talk.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders and staff establish and maintain strong relationships with children from the outset. Staff use the key-person approach to get to know children and their families well. They respond to children in kind and caring ways, including when children need additional help to settle. Staff offer cuddles and reassurance when needed, providing children with the emotional support that helps them feel secure. Children are encouraged to recognise and talk about their own emotions and feelings. With sensitive guidance from staff, they develop a growing sense of emotional wellbeing and begin to understand how they feel. This supports children to respond more positively during moments when sharing and turn-taking can be challenging.

Routines that promote regular exercise, rest and healthy meals and drinks are embedded well, supporting children's physical development. Children learn to be confident and capable in adventurous play as staff create a safe environment in which they can take appropriate risks. Children balance on wooden beams, jump into puddles and explore how high they can jump. Staff recognise how these experiences promote children's self-confidence and resilience.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders and staff work well together, sharing a clear vision for excellence throughout the nursery. Leaders accurately identify what works well and the areas they want to improve. Regular evaluation enables leaders and staff to focus on priorities for continuous improvement. Leaders work closely with staff to ensure that workloads are manageable and actively involve them in decision-making, which contributes to the evolving quality of the curriculum. Staff complete a wide range of training that continues to build their knowledge and skills, including training to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Newer staff, including apprentices, are embedding their practice knowledge within daily routines. Leaders provide mentoring, coaching and opportunities for reflection through regular supervision sessions.

Parents speak positively about the nursery and the impact the curriculum has had on their children's confidence and communication skills. Staff share information regularly to keep parents informed about children's key achievements. However, there is scope to extend this further, helping parents understand the strategies being taught so they can support children's learning at home. In addition, where some children attend more than one early years setting, staff do not yet have a full range of information about children's learning to promote greater consistency in their care and education.