Baldersby Park Montessori Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children show enjoyment and happiness at the nursery. They are keen and enthusiastic to join in with activities and explore their surroundings. Overall, staff have a clear curriculum for children which helps them to build secure foundations for their learning.

For example, babies and young children enjoy a circle time and copy words, actions and numeral names from staff. This is enhanced for older children, who vote for the activity they would like to choose for that session and count accurately to see which is the winner. Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour.

They are good role models and offer lots o...f praise. Children's behaviour is very positive. They show pride when they receive a 'kindness heart' for being caring towards others.

The manager has carefully considered the ongoing impact of the pandemic on children's development. Although the setting's ethos is based on Montessori teaching, staff have adjusted experiences and activities so they are more child-led. Staff follow children's interests and teach them through play.

Children show high levels of engagement. Staff promote children's good health and ensure they have plenty of fresh air and drinks throughout the day. There are robust procedures to support children with allergies or dietary requirements.

Parents say they are impressed with how the staff provide alternatives to ensure that children are still included in special celebrations, such as the Easter egg hunt.

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

Staff focus their teaching to help children make good progress in their communication and language development. They ask open questions to encourage children to think deeply and share their knowledge.

Older children talk about the different weather and discuss how it makes them feel. Babies and young children enjoy singing, and staff model key words to them as they explore in the 'blue' sensory tray.Children thoroughly enjoy exploring the woodland area.

They have a good understanding of how things grow and describe the things they see. For instance, older children know that tree roots help the tree to find water. Other children play imaginatively in the mud kitchen to make 'pies'.

Staff talk to children about safety. For example, children feel the bark of the tree and staff explain why they cannot climb today.Mathematics is a strong area of the curriculum.

Staff use number names and size language consistently for all children. For example, they ask which number young children would like to count to at circle time., and clap to help children understand 'how many'.

Older children talk about how their wheelbarrow is full, and staff challenge their understanding of heavy and light. Children make excellent progress in this area of their learning.Overall, staff know children well and make accurate assessments of their progress.

This helps key persons to plan specific next steps for their learning. However, there are times when staff are not aware of children's prior knowledge and experiences. In addition, there is a delay in gathering words in children's home language, for example for those who speak English as an additional language or are bi-lingual.

Children have close bonds with their key person. This helps them to feel settled, safe and secure. For example, young babies look to their key person for reassurance and enjoy one-to-one interaction.

Staff hold them close to have their bottle and are very nurturing. Staff work hard to support new children to settle-in. They offer lots of visits and reassure parents regularly.

The manager is professional and friendly. She has a robust knowledge of the Montessori curriculum and is well qualified. The staff are highly qualified and are encouraged to access training which meets the needs of the children they work with.

For instance, staff attend specific baby training, which they say has been very beneficial for their practice. They have regular meetings and one-to-one opportunities to discuss any concerns or issues.The manager has established good partnerships with other professionals and parents.

Teachers visit the nursery to help children prepare to move on. This has a positive impact on children's emotional well-being. Parents are keen to provide feedback about the nursery.

They say staff are incredible and they have seen a big difference in their children's development.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff know how to keep children safe.

The manager ensures that staff access basic safeguarding training on a regular basis. She supports them to maintain a robust and up-to-date knowledge of child protection issues. Staff know how to record and report concerns about children.

They know what to do if they need to report concerns about a colleague and have access to a range of relevant contact names and telephone numbers. The provider follows safer recruitment processes to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children. The manager checks staff's ongoing suitability through discussions, and by using the enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check updates.

Staff complete regular risk assessments with children. This helps children to know and understand any risks in the environment and how to keep themselves safe.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nenhance the information gathered when children join the nursery, to help staff know as much as they can to support all children's learning right from the start.

Also at this postcode