Cookham Montessori School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents

This provision is outstanding • The highly qualified manager and her staff interact very skilfully with children. They focus strongly on sensory exploration, where children explore and learn extremely successfully and make rapid progress.

For example, children discover squashing herbs with a spoon releases a scent, and they make their own potions. • Staff provide exceptionally well-planned transitions from home to nursery, from room to room and on to school. Children form secure attachments and have a strong base for developing their independence.

• The manager oversees the running of the nursery exceptionally well and monitors every aspect of the provision. She is very ...enthusiastic and highly committed to make continuous improvements to ensure children receive the very best possible outcomes. Staff, parents' and children's views are all gathered to help plan exiting experiences.

For instance, highly successful visits to the local adult day centre are now a regular outing for the children, who form wonderful cross-generational friendships. • Partnerships with parents are exemplary. They report they are kept extremely well informed about their children's progress and how they can continue the learning at home.

The parents have regular in-depth meetings to discuss and help set their children's next steps in learning. They are hugely involved in gaining knowledge of what their children learn, for instance, attending open days, training and through accompanying their children on camping weekends. Through these exceptionally successful partnerships, parents are learning extensively how children learn inside and in the natural environment.

• The manager supports her staff's professional development exceptionally well. She sets clear objectives and provides magnificent support. For instance, following speech and language training, staff have an even more in-depth knowledge of how they talk and listen to younger children to help them make rapid progress in their language and communication skills.