Maria Montessori Nursery School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children flourish in this friendly and inclusive nursery.

They form strong attachments with the staff and show that they feel happy and safe as they play. Children demonstrate their enjoyment and knowledge of books as they re-enact a story about three little pigs. They are full of energy and enthusiasm as they work together to build a house.

They show imagination as they extend the story using their own ideas. Children choose their activities and interact confidently. They know what is expected of them and their behaviour is good.

Children follow the familiar daily routines, which support their sense of belong...ing. For instance, on arrival, they change into their indoor shoes and store their belongings on individual coat pegs and in 'cubby-holes'. Staff want all children to do as well as possible, and work hard to meet their individual needs.

Children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive effective support to help them follow routines and access the curriculum. All children make good progress from their initial starting points. Children who speak English as an additional language are happy to be greeted in their home languages.

They receive consistent support to understand and learn new words and quickly become fluent English speakers.

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

The owner and manager work closely together to lead the provision. They constantly reflect on practice, to ensure that they meet the needs of the staff and children.

For instance, they are aware that the COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on some children's personal and emotional development. Therefore, they have focused staff's training and support for children in these areas. Children demonstrate the positive effects of this, as they confidently develop friendships and express their feelings.

Children benefit from a broad and ambitious curriculum. The manager acts with integrity to ensure that all children, including children with SEND and those who receive funding, access their full entitlement to early education. She helps parents to understand the importance of regular attendance, to support their children's progress.

Parents speak highly of the friendly staff. They list the skills and knowledge that children have gained by attending, such as developing confidence and learning good manners. Parents say that staff speak to them daily about their children's care and development and provide photographs of their play via the nursery app.

This helps parents to feel very involved in their children's learning.Staff know children well and plan a good range of experiences, to ignite their enthusiasm. Generally, teaching is of a high standard.

For instance, during activities, staff demonstrate how to use resources, introduce new vocabulary and provide positive praise and encouragement. However, staff are less effective at extending children's knowledge and interests spontaneously, during their self-initiated play.Children show positive attitudes to learning.

For example, younger children display a can-do attitude as they challenge their abilities on the climbing apparatus. They try out their techniques as they learn to scale the climbing net. Older children thoughtfully estimate how many chairs they will need for their group time.

They are confident to express their ideas and show enthusiasm as they count to discover who has guessed correctly.Staff provide large-group activities for children to learn together, such as music and drama sessions and circle times. However, on occasion, these are not organised as well as they could be, to support all children's concentration and participation.

For instance, the noise from lively singing sessions for toddlers sometimes distracts older children who are having discussions.Children develop high levels of independence and self-esteem. They enjoy being helpful and show care and respect for the environment and resources.

For example, children remove their paintings and clean the easel, so that it is ready for the next person.Staff ensure that children play and exercise outdoors each day to support their physical health and well-being. They teach children about different types of food and how these affect their bodies.

Children remember that they must not eat too much fat and that fruit provides vitamins. They are proud to demonstrate that their packed lunches are nutritionally balanced.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The manager and staff attend training and regularly review their safeguarding knowledge. They understand a range of safeguarding issues, such as the impact of domestic violence and the risks of radicalisation. The manager and staff know how to identify signs of abuse and the procedures to follow if they are concerned about a child's welfare.

They understand how to respond if there is an allegation or concern about an adult working with children. Staff assess risks and follow nursery procedures to help maintain a safe and secure environment for children.

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 develop a deeper understanding of how to promote children's learning during their self-initiated play review and improve the organisation of some group activities to support children's consistent engagement and participation more effectively.