Hope Montessori School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children arrive happily and settle well into the daily routine. They actively seek out their friends and know who to go to if they are upset or need reassurance. Children build warm relationships with staff and are safe and secure in their care.

Staff know their key children extremely well and have a good understanding of how to support their emotional well-being. This inclusive nursery ensures that children are valued, and their home languages and individual backgrounds are embraced by all. This gives children a sense of belonging and develops their self-esteem.

Children are well behaved and considerate of each other.... They play well together and know how to share and take turns. Good hygiene practices ensure children learn about the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle.

They develop independence as they tidy up and put on their own coats.Staff provide a well-resourced, stimulating play environment, which captures children's interests and supports their development across all areas of the good quality curriculum. Staff have high expectations for all children.

Children thrive as staff successfully implement the principles of Montessori teaching. They allow children to test out their ideas without interrupting or dominating their play. Children make good progress from their starting points.

They develop the key skills they need to prepare them for their future learning, including their move on to school.

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

Leaders are passionate, ambitious, and dedicated. They strive to achieve high-quality learning experiences for all children and clear plans are in place for future developments.

Self-evaluation is accurate and considers the views of parents. Staff receive regular, targeted support and there is a strong emphasis on their continued professional development.Children who are new to the nursery are supported well.

Staff nurture the youngest babies and show high regard for their individual care routines. This helps babies feel safe and secure.Children's individual dietary needs are well supported.

Staff ensure that children with allergies receive food which is safe for them. Children enjoy meals freshly made for them on site. Older children serve their own meals and younger children manage to feed themselves with a spoon.

This supports children to become independent in managing their self-care.Children are keen investigators. They freely explore their environment and relish the opportunities to engage in sensory play activities.

For example, staff encourage children to persevere and think of ways they can get frozen animals out of blocks of ice. This helps to spark their imagination and encourages them to share their thoughts and ideas.Staff develop children's communication and language skills well.

They foster children's love for books and stories. Children listen attentively to familiar stories, and eagerly recall what happens next. Staff use music and songs to enhance children's vocabulary.

For example, during music sessions, children of all ages enthusiastically copy actions and make sounds, while shaking instruments. Staff model language as they play alongside children and introduce new words. However, on occasion during group activities, staff ask questions in quick succession and do not always give children enough time to think and respond to questions.

Nonetheless, children make steady progress in this area of their development.Staff plan activities to support and develop children's physical development. For example, children enjoy dancing, climbing up and down frames and rolling balls to each other.

Children push, squeeze, and pull play dough. This helps them to strengthen the muscles in their hands.Staff liaise with external professionals to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and invite them in to work with children.

This means that children receive the support they need.Staff provide exciting opportunities for children within their local community. For example, children take part in regular trips to local parks, galleries and museums.

This helps children to understand their community and the world around them.Leaders and staff work hard to build strong relationships with parents. Parents speak highly about the warmth of the staff and the feedback that they receive.

Staff communicate daily about how the child's day has been. This helps parents to understand what children have been doing at nursery. Partnership with parents is a strength of the setting.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Leaders and staff have a thorough understanding of safeguarding policies and procedures. For instance, they attend relevant safeguarding training and have a robust knowledge of the signs and symptoms that may indicate a child is at risk of abuse or neglect.

This includes those in danger of being exposed to extreme behaviours or views. This ensures that children are protected from harm. Furthermore, staff deploy themselves effectively and supervise children well.

They carry out daily visual checks of the premises to ensure children play safely. Robust recruitment and vetting procedures ensure that staff and other adults working with children are suitable.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nallow children enough time to think and respond to questions during group activities.