Ladybird Montessori School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

The dedicated leadership team has worked hard to raise the quality of the provision. They have put in place assessment of the children's learning and progress and now follow safer recruitment procedures. Children are happy and secure at the nursery.

They build strong relationships with the staff and settle into the day quickly. Staff are nurturing and kind and offer children reassurance when they need it. The staff work in partnership with parents to ensure that the children make good progress in their development both at home and at nursery.

Staff know the children well. When children start staff use the information g...athered from parents to understand children's prior learning and interests to help them settle and support their development further. Children behave well and play cooperatively with their friends.

They learn about rules and what it means to be kind to one another. They benefit from staff being positive role models.Children enjoy their time at the nursery.

They are inquisitive and explore the wide variety of resources available to them. They quickly become engrossed, demonstrating increasing levels of concentration. Staff support children's understanding of how to live a healthy lifestyle.

Children enjoy the outdoors and benefit from fresh air and exercise. Staff use snack time to talk about foods which are healthy. Staff support children to understand how to take safe risks.

They do this in their forest school area, where they help children identify items in the environment which may be dangerous and learn how to use tools safety.

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

Managers have now established systems to monitor children's progress and development in learning. However, these procedures are not yet fully embedded.

The manager gives staff regular feedback on their performance through observation and supervision. She provides staff with training and coaching to improve their professional development.The managers evaluate the nursery's effectiveness well.

They take staff and children's views into account when doing this. They complete observations of teaching to review what training or support staff may require to develop their already strong teaching skills.The curriculum is implemented well through good-quality teaching.

Adults skilfully use open-ended questioning and key words to encourage children to make connections and develop their language skills.Children are making good progress from their starting points.Children demonstrate that they have a good sense of belonging and positive levels of well-being.

Staff regularly praise the children for their individual achievements.Children are curious and ask questions. They show a keen interest in the natural world.

They use pictures, globes and books to understand more about the world.Independence is encouraged; children pour their own water and have a go at putting their shoes and coats on when they go outdoors. Children can make choices and direct their own play and learning.

This helps to support their confidence in their own abilities.Children thoroughly enjoy the wide range of activities and resources provided to support their learning. However, staff do not always provide children with opportunities to develop their understanding of everyday technology.

Staff encourage children to handle and learn from books. They read to children in a way that encourages them to participate. They encourage the children to recall and predict what may happen next.

These opportunities help to introduce children to new ideas and challenge their thinking.Staff provide opportunities for children to develop their mathematics and counting skills. For example, children enjoy rolling a ball down the slide in the garden to knock cones over.

They excitedly count how many they have managed to knock down.Parents speak highly of the care and support families receive from the staff at the nursery. They feel they are informed of their child's progress.

Staff help parents to support their children's learning and development at home, such as toilet training and early literacy skills.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Managers and staff have attended safeguarding training and have a good understanding of how to keep children safe.

They are aware of the signs and symptoms of abuse and wider safeguarding issues. They know the procedures to follow should they have a concern for a child's welfare. The manager has now implemented safer recruitment procedures.

She completes rigorous checks to ensure that only those suitable to work with children do so. Staff complete daily risk assessments to check the indoor and outdoor environment is safe.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: fully embed the newly established assessment procedures to monitor children's progress and learning provide more opportunities for children to develop their skills in using technology.