Blossom Montessori School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Staff greet children warmly at this welcoming nursery.

These nurturing interactions are consistent throughout the day and reflect the secure relationships that staff have with children. Staff ensure that children who take time to settle, are offered the support they require. They consistently give children cuddles and provide lots of reassurance to help them to feel safe.

Before children begin in the nursery, staff speak with their parents to gather detailed information about children's likes, dislikes and preferences. Leaders and staff use this information to design a curriculum that seamlessly blends Montessori philo...sophy with the early years foundation stage. They plan activities using Montessori equipment to excite and enthuse children to learn.

For example, children excitedly use their fingers to create letters in sand to help to promote early literacy skills. Children concentrate for long periods, skilfully transferring oats between containers. This helps children to strengthen the small muscles in their hands and develop coordination.

There is a strong focus on independence to prepare children for school. Staff encourage them to complete age-appropriate tasks with minimal assistance. Children illustrate this as they tidy away resources used for activities and confidently put on their coats and shoes before playing outdoors.

Staff are clear and consistent across the nursery with behaviour management strategies. Children cooperate well together and play happily with their friends.

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

All children make good progress with their communication and language skills.

They engage enthusiastically in song and rhyme time, actively participating with props and singing with energy. Staff repeat speech and add new vocabulary as children play. For instance, as children build with construction toys, staff introduce words such as 'machinery'.

This supports children to become effective communicators.Overall, children benefit from opportunities to develop their mathematical skills. For example, when using dough, children are encouraged to count the number of items they have made.

However, the mathematics curriculum is not fully embedded. Some staff do not consistently extend aspects of children's mathematical knowledge and language.Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported extremely well.

Staff offer focused interventions to children who require additional support. They use proven strategies to facilitate children's language development when awaiting formal interventions from other professionals. The setting uses additional funding to ensure that disadvantaged children have access to all activities and have any additional help that they need.

Staff understand that it is important to teach children to be physically active. They plan a range of engaging activities to help develop children's gross motor skills. For instance, children enjoy joining in with action songs, stamping their feet and spinning around.

They build their core strength and balance by navigating an engaging obstacle course outdoors.Partnerships with parents are highly effective. Staff communicate information with parents through verbal handovers and via an online application.

Parents value the daily updates they receive and comment positively on the progress their children make. This helps parents to support their child's continued learning at home.Leaders are clear about how they want the nursery to develop.

They identify strengths and areas for development as a team. Staff value the support, guidance and coaching they receive from knowledgeable leaders. There is a strong focus on upskilling and developing staff's teaching skills and supporting their well-being.

Children are extremely happy, confident and independent when exploring their environment. They understand the routine of the day and what is expected of them. For instance, when children hear the tidy-up song, they know it is time to help tidy up.

Staff teach children the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle. They provide guidance to parents about healthy packed lunches, when children first start at the nursery. Snack and mealtimes are sociable occasions.

Children develop good table manners and independence. Staff successfully use this opportunity to talk about the importance of healthy eating and to develop children's understanding of where food comes from.Diversity is promoted extremely well in the nursery.

For example, staff learn key words in children's home languages and use them in the setting to support children's understanding. They learn about the festivals that children celebrate at home and plan activities around these themes. This helps children to learn about the similarities and differences between themselves and others.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: support all staff to develop confidence in implementing the curriculum for mathematics.

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