Danbury Montessori Inspired

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are keen, active and excited learners.

They enter the setting confidently, waving goodbye to parents and carers. Children are greeted by smiling staff who welcome them and ask them how they are. They tell the staff that they are 'good' and quickly engage in play of their choice.

Children are very well behaved. They understand the setting's rules and follow instructions confidently. Children understand about taking turns and sharing.

Staff help them to negotiate minor conflicts and remind them how to speak kindly to each other. Staff show children how to use the sand timers to wait for their turn of a ...favourite toy. Children behave in ways that show that they feel safe and understand how to keep safe.

For example, staff choose children to be 'health and safety' helpers each day. The helpers demonstrate a good understanding of their role, such as checking the toys in the garden to make sure that they are safe and helping to clear away toys that they have finished playing with. Children make good progress in their learning.

Key persons use the information they know about each child to plan effectively for their future development. They plan activities that they know will build on the children's current knowledge. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported.

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

Children enjoy playing in the newly improved role-play area. They spend time making dinner for each other and using the wide range of interesting objects to extend their imaginative play.Children are creative.

They enthusiastically participate in planned craft activities, as well as freely accessing the wide range of design materials available to them. For example, children proficiently draw around a circular object and use their scissor skills to cut out their circle shape. They cut triangles and stick them to the circle to create ears for their Chinese dragon face.

They use brightly coloured crepe paper to create fire breathing from their dragon's mouth. Some of the children name their dragons and talk about them being 'cute'.Children's independence and self-care skills are expertly promoted as staff encourage them to 'have a go' before providing them with support to achieve their chosen task.

The snack helper of the day helps to set out the plates and cups for snack. They proficiently count how many plates are required and choose where their friends will sit at the tables. Children are encouraged to wash their own cups and plates up when they have finished their snack or meal.

Staff plan a wide range of experiences and opportunities for children that help them to make good progress in their learning. They know the children well. However, occasionally, they miss opportunities to follow children's leads and ideas.

At times, staff do not make provision for all children wishing to participate in adult-led activities to do so when they show an interest.Parents generally speak highly of the staff and feel that their children are well cared for. Some parents comment that they have seen a recent improvement in the presentation of the setting and the opportunities that are provided for their children to participate in more focused learning.

Children learn how to link sounds and letters and enthusiastically participate in group activities where they practise using words that begin with a certain letter.Children are very articulate speakers and enjoy chatting between themselves and with staff. They share experiences from home and engage in discussions about their games.

Children become familiar with new words to enhance their vocabulary. For example, they learn a new word each week, such as 'exhausted' and 'ecstatic'.Children enjoy accessing early writing materials in all areas of the provision.

For example, they create shopping lists and use varnished wood to write on with wipe-off pens. Many children write recognisable letters, and some proficiently write their own names.The management team has effective arrangements in place for monitoring and supporting staff, for example through regular supervision meetings.

However, staff's professional development is not always focused enough to help to raise the quality of teaching to a consistently high level.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Managers and staff demonstrate a good knowledge and understanding of their safeguarding responsibilities.

They know the main types of abuse and recognise the signs and symptoms that might suggest that a child's safety or welfare is being compromised. Staff regularly update their safeguarding knowledge, for example through face-to-face and online training. Staff are familiar with the setting's safeguarding procedures and know what action to take if they have concerns about a child's welfare.

Managers have effective recruitment procedures in place to help to ensure that all staff are suitable to work with children. A thorough induction process helps new staff to become familiar with the setting's safeguarding policies.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: follow children's leads and ensure that adult-led activities are organised to allow children to participate when they show an interest make best use of training and professional development opportunities to help to raise the quality of teaching and learning to a consistently high level.