Children’s Montessori Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children come into this exciting nursery smiling and ready to start their day. They hang their coat up independently, before putting on 'magic bubbles' to sanitise their hands.

Children find their name, post it in the post box and go and find their friends to play. Children's interactions with each other are kind, they understand the rules of the nursery and follow them well. For example, children play in the home corner and make each other pretend ice cream.

They take turns scooping and handing out cones to their peers and to adults. Children are confident and talk to staff and visitors about what they are doing. Chil...dren are inquisitive and ask questions about others.

Children have opportunities to take ownership of their own learning and use their thinking and problem-solving skills. For example, they select play activities and explore them independently, inviting staff to their play to share their creations. Children laugh and cheer as they dance and sing along to familiar songs during a song-and-dance session.

Children have activities planned for them based on their abilities and individual interests. Children spend time with their key person exploring beads and threading them onto pipe cleaners.

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

Staff have high expectations for all children and understand how they learn and develop.

They make good use of assessments, to plan for individual needs. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who receive additional funding, make good progress. The management work well with other professionals and parents to make sure that all children reach their full potential and are supported well.

Children learn essential skills for later life such as opening and fastening buckles and zips, carrying their own activities and cleaning up after themselves. Children play in water with pipettes, mix colours and talk about what they have made. After they finish, they clear up their mess with a sponge and return the activity to the shelf.

Children learn to be independent and take great pride in their accomplishments. The nursery has formed close links with the local schools to help support a smooth transition, sharing necessary information about children to help with their next stage in learning.Staff understand the importance of building children's vocabulary and modelling new language.

Alongside introducing new words, they clearly explain the meaning, helping to build on the children's knowledge. Children learn about the names of different bones, while looking at pictures of x-rays. However, staff do not always use opportunities to build on language, for example at mealtimes.

Therefore, children do not consistently benefit from meaningful interactions.Children frequently access the stimulating outdoor play areas throughout the day. They want to play outside, as resources and activities are fun and engaging.

Children enjoy using their imagination, as they pretend to be dentists, talking about brushing their teeth. Others use ride-along toys and use mini-gym equipment. This gives them opportunities to spend time in the fresh air and engage in regular physical exercise to contribute towards a healthy lifestyle.

The staff team works very closely together and are committed to providing a quality provision for all children. The manager meets regularly with staff, ensures that staff have access to regular training and monitors their performance. She considers their well-being and offers support where needed.

Staff have good professional development opportunities and say that they feel very well supported by management.Parents are happy with the care provided for their children. They say that they feel 'happy and comfortable' leaving their children 'in such capable hands' and that their children are treated as individuals.

Staff share daily information with parents about what activities their child have been involved in during the day, through an online system that the nursery use.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff demonstrate a good understanding of the procedures in place to report their safeguarding concerns about adults and children in the nursery.

Regular safeguarding training is completed, so that staff's knowledge and understanding are regularly refreshed. Staff also undertake training about wider safeguarding concerns. Thorough recruitment procedures are in place to ensure the suitability of adults who work with children.

Staff undergo a robust induction programme to ensure that they are trained suitably before they begin working with children. Staff carry out effective risk assessments of their environment and teach children about risks, so that they can 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: nincrease the number of meaningful interactions with children to build on their communication and language skills.