Hopes and Dreams Montessori Old Street

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Staff create a safe and nurturing space where children feel happy and secure.

They build affectionate bonds with children and ensure that they have a strong voice in the setting. For instance, staff provide display boards and picture frames where children can choose which of their artworks to display. They encourage children to vote on which stories they would like at circle time.

This builds children's self-esteem and adds to their sense of belonging. Staff plan the activities around children's interests, which fosters children's eagerness to learn. For instance, staff identify children's curiosity about pumpkins at H...alloween and plan a mathematics activity around this.

Children have fun as they fill, empty and compare the weights of pumpkins, helping to develop their understanding of measurements. Staff implement an ambitious curriculum to help prepare children for their next stages in learning. For example, as children progress through the nursery, staff support them to become increasingly independent with their personal care.

Therefore, older children confidently manage tasks such as putting on their coats and serving their meals, skills which will be useful when they start school. Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour and overall promote this effectively. They encourage children to use good manners and model how to take turns during activities.

Children develop positive relationships and generally behave well.

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

Staff monitor children's progress across all areas of their learning. They provide targeted support to help close any identified gaps in children's learning.

This includes working with parents and with other professionals where needed, promoting continuity for children. This effective partnership working helps all children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to make good progress from their starting points in development.There is good support for children's language and communication skills.

Staff incorporate opportunities for children to practise speaking and listening during the day. This includes lots of singing, stories and lively conversations. Staff have also introduced a lending library to encourage parents to read with children at home.

Children show a great interest in stories and learning new words. They become confident communicators and express themselves effectively.Staff use some shared strategies to support children's good behaviour, such as reminding them to use 'gentle hands' when they play with others.

However, at times, they provide mixed messages about what children can and cannot do. For example, on a trip to the park, some staff allow children to pick flowers while others explain that this is not allowed. Therefore, children are not always sure about the boundaries to help them to regulate their behaviour.

Staff promote healthy lifestyles for children. They provide nutritious meals and snacks and speak to them about the importance of eating well. Staff ensure that children are active during the day.

Although the setting does not have an outdoor space, staff take children on daily walks and outings, including to local parks. They also provide indoor sports and yoga sessions, which encourage children to exercise and develop their larger muscle movements.Children and staff come from diverse backgrounds, which is celebrated in the setting.

Staff sing songs in children's home languages and provide stories and activities to teach them about different cultures. They take them on daily outings, such as to a library, which builds on children's understanding of their local community. This helps children to develop a positive appreciation of their similarities and differences to others.

Leaders value staff and provide good support for their professional practice and personal well-being. They meet with staff individually to discuss their work and provide regular opportunities for additional training. Staff describe how this helps them to consistently improve their childcare knowledge.

For instance, staff in the baby room have strengthened their understanding of safe practice when putting babies down to sleep.Parents are keen to share their views on the setting. They speak highly of the friendly staff, who 'genuinely care about children'.

Parents say that staff know children 'inside out' and provide highly individualised care. They are reassured that their children are happy and safe. Parents describe how staff support them with issues such as children's eating and provide ideas to continue their children's learning at home.

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 staff to provide consistent messages to children about their behaviour, to help them to understand boundaries and begin to regulate their behaviour.