OakDin Montessori Kindergarten Ltd

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement The nursery curriculum is planned around the principles of Montessori teaching, independence and practical life skills.

However, children are not always sufficiently challenged to extend their learning and build on what they already know. For example, staff do not consider potential learning opportunities or provide resources to extend learning when planning activities. The routines and organisation of the day also have an impact on children's learning opportunities.

Children initially show an eagerness and enthusiasm to try new things but lose interest and move on. For example, children participate in adult-led painting ...activities. They make polar bears using hand prints guided by staff.

Some conversation takes place during the activity about the habitat of bears, as children show an interest. However, this is not extended to enable children to fully explore and develop their knowledge further. Children can access quality Montessori equipment as this is easily accessible on open shelving.

However, the organisation of the day and planned adult-led activities mean this is not freely used and has an impact on opportunities for children to explore for themselves. Despite this, children appear happy and eager to learn. Staff are welcoming, caring, and attentive towards the children, and offer cuddles and reassurance when needed.

Children are polite, behave well and show kindness towards each other.

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

The management team does not use staff supervision and monitoring systems effectively. Weaknesses in practice are not identified swiftly.

As a result, not all staff have the best knowledge and understanding of how to provide children with rich learning opportunities and challenges to extend their learning. This has an impact on the progress children make.Management do not have a good knowledge and understanding of reporting significant events to Ofsted.

However, in this instance the impact on children is minimal.Parents speak positively about all aspects of the nursery. They say their children are happy to attend.

Parents comment staff keep them updated on their child's progress and communication is good. They comment on their appreciation that children's individual cultural backgrounds are acknowledged, and that they are welcomed into the nursery to participate in the celebrations.Children have formed close bonds with the staff and confidently ask for help when needed.

Children understand the expectations of the nursery. They behave well as the staff are positive role models, who speak respectfully to the children. Children enjoy the praise they receive for their efforts.

Children learn the importance of staying healthy through daily routines. They wash their hands following use of the bathroom and when returning from outdoor play. They enjoy fruits for snack and are encouraged to be independent as they self-serve and wash up afterwards.

However, this is not continued during mealtimes. For example, children sit waiting for some time to be served and, on occasions, children are fed by the staff, rather than encouraged to feed themselves.Children have some opportunities to explore sensory materials, such as dough.

However, children's creative activities are led by staff and children are guided as to how creations should look rather than be encouraged to have a go and express themselves and develop their creativity and imagination.Babies are cared for by caring staff. They are made comfortable at sleep time and can rest peacefully.

However the baby room lacks cosy spaces and opportunities for children to freely explore a variety of sensory and imaginative play opportunities.Children enjoy some opportunities to play outdoors in the garden. They have fun, running, climbing, and learn to negotiate space as they ride bicycles.

They enjoy digging and filling buckets with bark. However, the organisation and routines in place have an impact on children's learning as they often have to stop what they are doing to move on to something else.

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 meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must: Due date improve supervision and monitoring of staff practice and seek professional development opportunities for staff that improves their knowledge about how children learn and how to provide an ambitious and challenging play environment 21/02/2025 improve knowledge of what constitutes a significant event that must be notified to Ofsted.21/02/2025 To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: help staff to provide opportunities for children to develop higher levels of imagination and creativity nimprove opportunities for babies and young children to explore a range of role-play resources and sensory play opportunities to enable them to develop their own play and ideas nimprove the organisation and routines of the day to ensure that all children are fully engaged and play is not interrupted provide children with a balance of adult-led and child-initiated activities that engages them more successfully in purposeful play.