Woodentots Montessori Nature Babies

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy at this welcoming setting. They develop close relationships with staff and show a sense of belonging. Younger children are interested in others and call staff and friends by their names. Staff demonstrate genuine care and affection for the children. They give them cuddles and reassurance. Children feel safe and develop self-esteem. Children show curiosity and become engrossed while exploring the well-thought-out indoor and outdoor environments. They giggle and hide behind chiffon scarves in anticipation as staff remove them. Children concentrate for a long period while painting with mud in the garden.

Staff are excellent role models for the behaviour they expect. They praise children and celebrate their achievements. Staff encourage children to use their 'gentle hands' when playing with others. This contributes to create a culture of respect, praise and kindness. Children behave well and use good manners from an early age.

Staff support children to develop good physical skills. Children have a wealth of opportunities to be active and take appropriate risks, such as negotiating climbing on ladders. Children have plenty of chances to enjoy fresh air and to learn to appreciate nature and the local community through first-hand experiences. They visit local parks and shops.

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

• Leadership are passionate about providing high-quality education to all children attending the setting. They reflect on practice and work closely with the provider and staff to identify areas for development. For example, they reorganised certain play areas to make it more accessible for all children.
• Children enjoy home-made and nutritionally balanced meals cooked by the chef. Staff talk about favourite vegetables and how food is prepared. They show children how to hold tongs so that they can serve themselves. Children follow good hygiene routines and learn about the importance of washing their hands. This helps them to develop healthy habits and independence skills.
• Children are encouraged to play and explore. They enjoy sensory experiences, such as playing with straw. Children use their fine motor skills when they fill and empty containers in the water tray. They are thrilled to dig in the soil, looking for the potatoes they previously planted.
• Staff implement respectful care routines and demonstrate a clear understanding of babies and young children's needs. This positively contributes to children's emotional well-being.
• Children benefit from activities that support their communication and language development. Staff sing songs and read books with them throughout the day.
• Young children learn songs and rhymes. They snuggle in with staff for their favourite stories. However, on occasion, some staff miss opportunities to help children learn new words and expand their growing vocabulary further.
• Staff know all the children well. They skilfully observe and assess children to identify what they can do and their next steps. Staff work with parents and other professionals to ensure that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make good progress.
• Parents are very complimentary about the setting and say that the 'amazing staff' go above and beyond in their support. They are pleased with the excellent communication from the 'brilliant manager'. Staff regularly inform parents of how they can support their children's development at home and about their progress. This ensures continuity of care.
• Children follow simple instructions and the daily routines well. Staff encourage children to put their toys away at tidy-up time and use songs to mark changes in the routine. However, occasionally, transitions happen too quickly for the younger children. This means that sometimes they do not understand what is happening and can get unsettled.
• The leadership team models good practice and offers coaching to staff through regular meetings and supervision. Staff have plenty of opportunities for professional development through an online training platform. Staff comment that they are well supported and feel valued; they enjoy working at the nursery and appreciate that leaders recognise their good work. This helps them to fulfil their role.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to help support children to expand their growing vocabulary even further
• review arrangements to help younger children to better understand what is happening now and what will happen next so that transitions in the daily routine are consistently smooth.