Woodlodge Montessori School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff interact well with children. They smile and laugh as they explore sensory baskets together. They show excitement by using facial expressions when exploring different items that children pick from the play kitchen. Children behave very well within the setting. Staff support this by reinforcing the rules and boundaries. They talk to children about safety, such as holding the large wooden rods next to their body and carrying items one at a time. Activities are introduced to children. This helps children to understand what is expected of them.

Children show excitement when engaging in a 'show and tell' activity. This supports them to feel valued and included within the setting. Children are encouraged to bring in a special item from home and tell others about this. They have opportunities to ask each other questions and explore the item together. This supports children to develop their communication and language skills.

Children enjoy using pretend phones to make phone calls. Staff sing 'happy birthday' as they use bricks to make pretend cakes. This encourages children to use their imagination. Children have opportunities to develop their creative skills. Younger children explore paint in the garden and older children create their own animal masks with a variety of different resources.

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

• Staff place a strong focus on children developing their independence. They speak passionately about children having opportunities to practise and develop their skills. In the pre-school room, children help to set up for lunch. They are encouraged to serve and cut their own food during mealtimes. Children also clear their own plates once they have finished their meal. In the toddler room, children put on their own coats and tuck their chairs in after themselves. This supports children to be able to develop a wide range of skills and achieve tasks for themselves.
• Children have plenty of opportunities to learn about turn taking. Staff consistently encourage children to take turns and share. Children show a good understanding of this. They independently say 'your turn, then my turn' as they participate in activities.
• Staff do not consistently challenge children to extend their understanding of a wider range of mathematical concepts. For example, children use different-sized wooden rods to create a maze. Although staff use some mathematical language, learning is not extended for children who are already confident within this area of learning.
• Staff support children to develop their communication skills. In the toddler room, staff repeat words back to children and use single words to support their understanding. For example, when exploring sensory baskets, staff use words such as 'rough' and 'soft' to describe textures as they explore the materials. In the pre-school room, staff introduce new words to children. For example, when an advert comes on the music player, staff explain the meaning of the word 'advert' to children.
• Staff teach children about healthy lifestyles. For example, they talk to children about healthy foods. Children confidently express how cucumber is healthy for them. Children continue this conversation by talking about their electric tooth brushes at home and how they use them to keep their teeth clean.
• Children enjoy listening to stories in different situations. For example, they engage well when reading the story of 'The Gingerbread Man'. They use puppets as they interact. Children also enjoy listening to stories being read on the music player. They join in with the actions and repeat words from the story, such as 'squash, squash'. Staff continue this activity by asking children questions about the story. This gives them opportunities to recall and express their own opinions.
• Parents have positive views of the setting. They speak about the personalised care that is given to their children. Parents are happy with the communication they receive. They are updated about their child's development and progression.
• Leaders are reflective. They evaluate the setting and can identify areas of strength as well as areas that they would like to improve upon. Leaders are passionate about supporting staff's well-being. Staff at the setting have positive views and feel supported within their roles. They talk about identifying training that they would like to complete. Leaders are proactive in sourcing this training for them.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• challenge and extend children's learning, particularly in mathematics, to fully support the progress they make.