Your Montessori Pre-School & Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children demonstrate that they feel happy and safe at nursery. They are warmly welcomed into the setting by the staff who know them well. Children benefit from regular and consistent routines. For instance, children put their belongings away and pop their slippers on to start their day. Staff use circle time to greet each child at the beginning of the session through a welcoming song. This supports children's personal and emotional development securely. Children benefit from well-planned transition procedures and develop positive key-person relationships. For instance, when children start nursery, they have settling-in periods to suit their individual needs. This helps them become familiar with their new environment, different toys and new people. Staff have implemented secure systems which help children to behave well. For example, children respond promptly when the 'tidy-up song' is played, and everyone helps to put toys and resources away before mealtimes.

Overall, children at the nursery follow a well organised and well-thought-out curriculum. Staff provide many resources and age appropriate activities for children across all rooms. As a result, children demonstrate positive attitudes to their learning and are fully engaged in the activities planned for them by staff. For example, younger children and babies enjoy exploring with a wide variety of sensory activities. They inquisitively investigate with different materials, such as paint, glitter, cotton wool and feathers. This supports their creative development and strengthens their small-muscle development successfully.

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

• Staff fully understand the importance of supporting children's physical development. Young children and babies learn to crawl through the tunnel and smile with joy, as they are met warmly by staff members at the other end. All children benefit from weekly sessions with external providers, such as dance and football coaches. This has a positive impact on their developing coordination skills and strengthens their large muscles.
• Staff read to all children regularly. As a result, children develop a love for books from an early age. Babies enjoy 'touch and feel' books read to them by staff. Older children recite sentences from their favourite story, such as 'The Gruffalo' book. This supports their developing language skills well and helps children to learn new vocabulary.
• Staff support children's understanding of the world they are growing up in effectively. For example, they plant vegetables together, so that children gain an understanding where the food they eat comes from. Furthermore, children benefit from visits from members of society that help us, such as doctors, dentists and firefighters. This helps children to make sense of their physical world and their community.
• Children are well prepared for their eventual move to school. For instance, staff provide opportunities for older children to participate in group activities, such as 'show and tell'. This helps them to learn how to sit with others in a group. Children demonstrate good listening skills and delight in activities which promote their confidence and self-esteem well.
• Overall, staff teach children independence skills effectively, such as eating with cutlery and serving themselves at lunchtime. However, in the room for children aged two to three years, staff help children with tasks they could master by themselves, such as putting on their aprons before art and craft activities. This means that on occasion their independence skills are not supported consistently.
• Although staff count with younger children during circle time, they have not consistently implemented teaching methods that help the children to understand the meaning of numbers. Therefore, at times, the mathematical curriculum is not always carefully sequenced.
• The provider carries out regular supervision sessions and encourages staff's professional development. Staff say that they enjoy working at the nursery and feel valued by the manager and provider.
• Partnership working with parents is positive. Parents value the regular communication between home and nursery. Staff work collaboratively with parents to support children's development and learning. For example, when children are ready to be toilet trained and when pre-school children transition to school. This has a positive impact on their next stage in their learning and development.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop a fully consistent approach to teaching younger children independence skills
• strengthen the sequencing of the mathematics curriculum to consistently deliver learning opportunities closely matched to children's stage of development.