Lilliput Montessori Day Nursery Coalville

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are happy to see staff when they arrive at nursery and settle quickly.

Babies put their arms out to staff, who welcome them warmly with a cuddle as they say goodbye to their parents. Children develop secure and positive relationships with staff. Children are confident to ask staff for assistance if they need it, and they enjoy staff's positive involvement in their play.

For example, pre-school children show delight and anticipation as they make buildings and towers with bricks, giggling with their friends as the tower wobbles and falls over. Toddlers who are less confident are reassured by staff, who encourage... them to play peekaboo. This makes the children laugh and helps them to relax and play.

The positive relationships contribute to children's feelings of well-being and belonging at nursery.Children benefit from the effective curriculum that staff plan for them. Children are eager to explore the activities, and they are encouraged to extend their own play.

For example, children who show an interest in construction are provided with a range of bricks, tools, dressing-up hard hats and high-visibility jackets. Children work together well, cooperating with one another. When they talk about needing sand for construction, staff provide this for them, resulting in lively conversations about what they are doing.

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

The leadership team work very well with staff, who feel valued and supported in their role. Since the last inspection, the team has continued to develop and improve staff confidence. This helps staff to convey their understanding of how they use assessment to identify appropriate next steps in learning for children and how they value the languages children speak at home.

Staff provide targeted support for children who speak English as an additional language and for those who are less confident in their speaking and social skills. For example, children play games together. They roll a ball to their friends, saying the name of the person they are rolling the ball to.

The children are eager to play another game where they work together to pass an inflated balloon around the circle, trying to keep as much air inside as possible. Children thoroughly enjoy these games, laughing as they encourage each other to join in. Staff comment on the positive impact the games have on children's confidence and speaking skills.

Staff speak to children about what they are doing as they play. They use descriptive words when talking about Christmas decorations, such as 'shiny and soft', helping to extend children's vocabulary. Some children are excited to use words they already know, including 'sparkly and glittery'.

However, sometimes, staff ask children lots of questions in quick succession, which interrupts conversation and limits children's time to think about their answer.Staff know what children's interests are, and they speak confidently about what children already know. They take account of this information to plan activities that help children make progress in their learning.

Overall, they plan activities effectively. However, occasionally, during activities, staff follow their own ideas about what they want children to do rather than supporting the children's spontaneous ideas and suggestions.Staff provide children with activities that widen their experience and knowledge of the world around them.

Children take part in outdoor forest school activities. Under close supervision from suitably qualified staff, children learn to use tools and explore natural materials. They learn how to use flints to make sparks to light the fire pit.

Children are busy, demonstrating sustained periods of concentration as they play. Staff offer children activities that they are interested and motivated to take part in. Children's behaviour is good.

Staff follow a positive approach, gently but clearly reminding children to share and consider others.Staff work closely with children's parents. They seek detailed information about any specific requirements to help them meet children's individual needs effectively.

Babies look at staff intently and smile as they play with them. This consistent approach and the effective key-person system contributes to children feeling emotionally secure at nursery.Children are encouraged to be independent.

Toddlers and pre-school children learn to serve themselves at mealtimes, and staff talk to them about how to use the large spoon. Older babies practise using a spoon to feed themselves and use their fingers also. Children can choose toys from the low-level shelves, and they are eager to help tidy away when they have finished playing.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff understand how to keep children safe and protect their welfare. Staff speak confidently about how to recognise changes in children's well-being or demeanour that could indicate abuse.

They know how to record and report concerns. Thorough recruitment procedures and ongoing checks ensure staff are and remain suitable to work with children. Risk assessments are effective in helping to keep children safe.

All parents and visitors are greeted at the door by staff, and the premises is secure. Staff supervise children well as they play, and they stay close by when children are sleeping, to make regular checks.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nimprove staff's knowledge about how to promote and encourage children's conversational skills rather than interrupting with questions during play develop staff's understanding of how to consistently provide support for children to follow their own creative ideas during play and activities.