Orchard Cottage Montessori Nursery Ltd

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Children are extremely settled, happy and content in this Montessori nursery setting.

They form extremely close and caring relationships with the staff and with each other. Children enter the nursery confidently, clearly demonstrating their understanding of the routines and simple rules. They enthusiastically participate in the morning register and circle time, answering clearly to their name, sometimes with a 'bonjour'.

Children are extremely keen and eager learners. They ask their key persons if they can do their 'work' and excitedly write in their books or practise drawing around shapes. Children use advanced... mathematical language, for example they talk about 'cuboids' and 'cylinders'.

They discuss whether any of the wooden blocks and shapes roll. They know that some do not roll because they have sides and corners. Children make exceptional progress from their starting points.

Staff have extremely high expectations for them, based on their knowledge and information about each child. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language are superbly supported. Key persons know the children extremely well and seek appropriate interventions to help them to continue making extensive progress in their learning.

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

Parents speak extremely highly of the nursery and the superb support the staff give them and their children. They comment on how the provider and staff get to know the whole family and support them in ways that go over and above expectations.Children are articulate speakers.

They share conversations about their interests, home life and the things they like doing at the setting. Children engage in purposeful discussions with staff.Children learn the concept of positional language.

For example they practise placing small items on, under, behind and in front of other items. They proficiently follow the staff's directions and answer questions, such as 'where is the dog?'. Children show real pleasure in their achievements as staff praise and encourage them, for both trying and getting it correct.

Children have excellent opportunities to develop their early reading skills. For example, they choose small items from a box and find the appropriate letters to spell the name of the object, such as 'dog' and 'bag'. Staff extend children's understanding and thinking further by adding a description, such as 'black bag' and 'small black bag'.

Children excitedly enjoy a movement activity to music. They follow staff's instructions proficiently, collecting an exercise mat and finding a space to stand so that they can participate freely. They stretch up high, touch their toes and pretend to ride a bicycle, as staff read a story to gentle background music.

The session ends with some mindfulness exercises to relax and calm the children.Children develop a secure understanding of how to keep themselves safe and healthy. They know the importance of washing their hands before touching food and when they have played outside.

Children enjoy fresh air and exercise daily when they play in the extensive garden.Children are provided with rich opportunities to learn about other people's cultures and differing needs. They learn about a range of festivals and special celebrations.

For example, they participate in creative activities and use a range of books to help them to learn about the background to the celebration.Staff help children to express their emotional needs superbly. They use a range of resources to help children to talk about how they are feeling, what things make them happy and why they might be sad.

Some of the resources are colour coded to relate to various emotions, such as red for anger.Children show kindness towards each other. For example, they help each other to reach a piece of equipment on the other side of the table.

Staff help children to solve problems and understand each other's feelings. For example, they encourage them to tell each other how another person's actions make them feel.Staff are superbly supported by an extremely ambitious and professional provider.

They are provided with excellent opportunities to review the quality of their work, for example, through their regular supervision meetings. They undertake a wide range of training to help them to build continuously on their knowledge and expertise.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The provider and staff demonstrate extensive knowledge of safeguarding. They show a thorough understanding of the signs and symptoms of abuse that might alert them to a child's safety being compromised, including radicalisation. Staff update their safeguarding knowledge frequently, for example, through training and research.

The provider stays abreast of changes to safeguarding procedures and guidance. The provider has robust procedures for recruiting new staff and ensuring that appropriate suitability checks are carried out before the person begins working at the setting. New staff also complete a thorough induction programme to ensure that they are knowledgeable about the setting's policies and procedures, including safeguarding.