Windmill Montessori School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive eager to start their day, they thoroughly enjoy their time at nursery and separate from parents easily. They are excited to greet their key person with a cuddle and go in search of a favourite toy. They feel safe and secure, and staff know the children and families well. Children confidently select activities and know that staff are there for reassurance and support when needed. They benefit from a wide range of enjoyable activities and experiences across all areas of learning and development, indoors and outdoors. The staff team plan activities that interest and excite children. For example, in the garden, children enjoy testing the speed of balls rolling down guttering and eagerly discover ways to fix the guttering when it falls.

Staff have high expectations for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff consistently talk with children, sing songs and read stories with them. Children respond well and engage in conversations with staff. This helps to extend their communication and language development. Staff are consistent in their approach to managing children's behaviour. Children listen carefully to the adults. Children's engagement and interaction with staff are good. They behave well.

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

• Staff plan a curriculum that blends the Montessori approach and the early years foundation stage. They plan activities with regard to children's interests and consider what children need to learn next. Children are enthusiastic and have a positive attitude to their learning. For example, children discuss how the tower of cylinders balances and what their marks represent as they draw with chalk. Children make good progress in their learning and development, including those with SEND.
• Children benefit from a wonderfully calm and nurturing atmosphere to play and learn in. Their independence is fostered well, and they enjoy making choices about their learning. Staff successfully tailor activities and experiences based on children's interests and individual needs. Staff are knowledgeable about what children need to learn next. Children have many opportunities to explore, be creative and develop their imagination. For example, in the role-play area, children busy themselves making salad for their friends and the staff.
• Staff support and develop bonds with children. As a result, children are happy and motivated to learn. For example, staff comfort unsettled children when they arrive, and they join children at activities to support their play and learning. However, at times during the day, children's emotional needs are not consistently supported.
• Staff promote children's speech development well, including children with
• English as an additional language. For example, they engage and interact warmly with children, often using their home language to explain what is happening. Staff hold conversations with children and repeat words back, modelling correct language and pronunciation. Staff support children to develop good listening skills. For instance, during a parachute game, children responded to the tempo of the song to decide how slow or fast to shake the parachute. This has a positive impact on children's communication and language development.
• Staff support children to lead healthy lifestyles. They enjoy time in the garden for fresh air and have healthy snacks and meals. However, the organisation at these times means children sit waiting for too long. Therefore, children are waiting for extended periods of time because staff do not fully tailor the routines to children's needs.
• Partnerships with parents are effective. Staff communicate well with parents, sharing regular updates and information about their children's progress and ongoing achievements. This helps parents to support their children and extend their learning at home. The parent representative regularly liaises with the manager sharing suggestions and comments from parents about the nursery. Additionally, staff's ongoing relationships and collaborative working with other professionals are effective in supporting children's individual needs. For example, staff seek appropriate support from outside agencies as required.
• Staff supervision and support are effective. The manager ensures that regular discussions and group meetings enable staff to identify their own strengths and areas for improvement. Staff speak positively about their roles and how the manager's ongoing support and guidance promotes their professional development. This has a positive impact on staff.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to recognise changes in children's emotional needs to ensure they are responded to quickly
• refine the organisation of routines during the day to minimise waiting time for children.