Little Cakes Montessori School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children benefit from the calm, nurturing and well-organised environment.

They can choose freely from the wide range of Montessori resources. The sessions are well structured, with a good balance of child-initiated and adult-led activities. Staff observe the children and get to know them very well.

This helps them to support all children effectively in their learning. Babies and children show that they feel safe and secure. Staff are very good role models and children behave very well.

Children receive lots of praise and encouragement, and display high levels of self-esteem. Staff have very high expectations o...f all children. They encourage children to be kind, cooperative and have respect for others.

Older children help younger children. For example, they are happy to show them how to complete tasks. Children quickly develop their independence and self-care skills.

They are given time to do things for themselves.The wonderful outdoor spaces surrounding the school provide a wealth of opportunities for physical activity and exploration of the natural world. Each day, children are free to play, explore and learn outdoors.

They learn how to stay safe while they explore the woods. Children love collecting sticks to make a den. These outdoor experiences contribute greatly to their health and well-being.

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

The manager is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic. She supports her staff effectively through regular supervision and observations of their practice. This helps to strengthen their teaching skills and identify training needs.

Staff are valued and respected, and their hard work is recognised with a monthly 'special teacher award'.Parents are very complimentary about the school. They say that their children are keen to attend, and that staff are friendly and approachable.

Families are encouraged to be actively involved. They help with school events, such as sports days and graduation ceremonies. Parents are given ideas to support their children at home.

For example, they are given a folder with suggestions of how they can help their children to prepare for school.Practical activities enable children to handle tools safely and with increasing control. They use pegs and tweezers to help develop their small muscles needed for writing.

Children enjoy polishing mirrors, using spoons and using small jugs to pour water. After messy activities, they confidently use brushes to sweep the floor.Staff support children's understanding of the world in many ways.

Children look at maps and talk about where fruit comes from. They learn about their own community and people who help them. For example, they enjoy visits from fire and police officers, an optician, dentist and doctor.

Children have many opportunities to experience real-life situations, such as using china dishes at mealtimes. They know that they need to handle these carefully. They learn to use a wide range of tools and equipment, such as woodwork tools.

They keep the environment safe as they replace their materials on the shelves, and roll up their mats when they have finished using them.Children are developing a wide range of skills, which help to prepare them for their future learning and school. They make very good progress in their communication and language development.

Children form letters and learn to link sounds to letters. They demonstrate their very good understanding of mathematics as they use a range of equipment, such as counters.The provider demonstrates a clear drive for further developing the school.

She seeks the views of parents, children and outside professionals, such as the local authority. This helps her to continually reflect on what is going well and identify areas to develop further. For example, she has recently introduced a 'modification chart'.

It records the changes made to improve the quality of care and learning offered to the children.Staff have a sound knowledge of how young children learn. They plan a range of stimulating activities throughout the day.

However, some large-group activities are not organised in the best way to fully engage or motivate younger children in their learning.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff have a very good knowledge about their responsibility to safeguard children.

They have a clear understanding of the current procedures to follow should they have any concerns about children's welfare. Effective recruitment processes are carried out to help ensure staff are suitable to work with children. High staff ratios and good deployment help to ensure children are cared for in a safe and secure environment.

Staff supervise children closely when they are using small items that could be a choking hazard. The premises are well maintained, and good attention is given to children's safety and security.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: review and improve the organisation of group times to engage and motivate younger children more fully to enhance their learning.