Wildflowers Montessori

Inclusion: Needs attention

Staff do not always support children well enough, including those who find it harder to settle during their day or who need more help to participate in play and activities. Leaders show awareness of children's individual needs and backgrounds, such as other languages spoken at home. They gain some key words in children's home languages to use in the setting. Leaders are aware of acting on potential delays in children's development and demonstrate an understanding of implementing a graduated approach. They identify staff to complete special educational needs coordinator training to lead this and support other staff in their work with children who need extra support.

Leaders identify the steps they plan to take, including speaking to parents and putting in place support plans for individual children. However, required assessments for some children are not completed in a timely way to support this approach. Leaders are aware of children who may need extra support in their learning and emotional wellbeing. For instance, they provide some one-to-one care to these children and appropriate activities that help them to regulate their feelings. However, staff do not consistently implement support that some children need.

Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention

Although, leaders are aware of children's individual learning needs, they do not always ensure children receive the support they need. For example, staff have not completed progress checks for children who are nearly three and who have attended for some time. This does not fully ensure there is a focused approach to identifying and supporting children's needs.

Children generally enjoy the interesting range of resources available, which help to spark their curiosity to explore. Young toddlers show interest in exploring sensory materials, although staff do not always encourage this well. Older children enjoy being physically active, such as in the garden, where they run around and independently explore different tools and equipment. However, staff do not organise routines well to ensure children benefit from their learning experiences. For example, some children have limited time in the garden due to the routines not being effective. During changes of routine, children sometimes wander around and wait without purposeful play and activities.

Not all staff have a confident understanding of the curriculum learning intentions. Some do not provide quality interactions with children during all activities. For instance, they do not extend discussions or talk to young children about what they are doing. This does not help to support children's language skills. However, there are times, when children sing songs and learn some vocabulary linked to letters. Staff develop children's awareness of numbers and counting, such as through singing number rhymes. Staff encourage children to be helpful, such as to help tidy up. They encourage children's self-care skills appropriately, including learning to wash their hands and feed themselves.

Achievement: Needs attention

Children do not always make the progress that they are capable of from their starting points. Children enjoy attending and gain some useful skills that help them to make friends. However, they sometimes become unsettled, such as during transitions within the daily routine.

Children develop confidence in singing and carry out the actions in songs. This contributes to supporting their developing vocabularies and physical coordination. Children also enjoy exploring the resources and gain confidence in making choices.

Overall, children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who face barriers to learning, are not consistently prepared as well as possible for moving on in their education.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Needs attention

Staff do not always organise changes in routine well. This has an impact for children as they do not receive purposeful activities and interactions. Children wander around at these times, and the environment sometimes becomes chaotic, leading to some children having minor disagreements.

Most children enjoy their time at the setting and some demonstrate they have made friends. The learning environment is inviting, and most children settle well on arrival. Leaders recognise the importance of children attending regularly and indicators of possible concern linked to non-attendance. Leaders and staff warmly welcome children and their parents on arrival. Children enjoy the circle time which promotes a sense of belonging and helps them to learn the staff's and other children's names. Staff are caring and well-meaning. On occasion, they do not consider the way they approach children, such as picking them up from behind without speaking to them first. This does not promote respectful handling of children.

Staff provide some appropriate guidance with positive messages to children about behaviour, including being kind to their friends. Leaders recognise the importance of children's emotional wellbeing and supporting behaviour, such as working with families when needed to promote positive behaviours.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Needs attention

Although staff are aware of cutting up some foods appropriately, such as grapes, they do not always consider other foods that pose a risk of choking for children. They do not recognise the risks of reheating already cooked food to ensure this is reheated safely. This has the potential to impact on children's good health and wellbeing. Leaders demonstrate a positive attitude to putting these weaknesses right.

Staff encourage children to follow appropriate hygiene routines, including washing their hands before eating. However, staff do not fully consider their own hygiene, such as cleaning their own hands after wiping children's noses. Staff carry out nappy changes regularly and make these times caring for children. For example, they sing songs with children. Staff settle children to sleep with any comforters they may need.

Generally, staff form caring relationships with children. They show awareness of children's individual emotional needs, such as needing to hold special items. Leaders recognise when children may need extra support to manage their emotions. However, sometimes, and particularly during changes of routine, staff do not respond promptly to some children's need for support.

Leadership and governance: Needs attention

There has been a very recent change to the leadership team. Nevertheless, there continues to be consistent leaders, who are very familiar with the setting, staff and children. Leaders do not recognise all weaknesses in the practice and provision. However, with reflection, they show awareness of how to address the most urgent areas for improvement, such as food safety. Leaders have not fully considered the balance of staffing, such as the numbers of inexperienced staff working alongside other staff. This does not fully ensure children's care and learning needs are met well.

Leaders take some steps to reflect on their setting. For instance, they have recently had an external health and safety audit completed to identify areas of the premises that may need further attention. They work with their local community and, with their support, have current plans to improve the garden to help develop children's outdoor learning experiences.

Staff feel well supported in their wellbeing and roles. They receive regular individual meetings to help them reflect on their work. They complete some relevant training as part of their induction, such as safeguarding training. Leaders take steps to support staff to manage their workloads and to promote their wellbeing. For instance, they ensure staff have breaks during the working day and they support those working towards qualifications.