Perfect Start Montessori School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children enjoy their time at this friendly and warm nursery.

They form positive bonds with the caring staff and overall engage busily in a wide range of stimulating and enjoyable experiences. For example, younger children enjoy playing in the role-play kitchen with real fruit and vegetables, and older children enjoy forming letters in oats. Staff use good strategies to support good behaviour and work with parents to support children's behaviour at home.

For example, staff use stories to support children's understanding of emotions and feelings. However, at times, some strategies are not as successful as they could be i...n helping children to manage their feelings. All children, including those who speak English as an additional language and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are supported well, overall.

Staff know the children well and plan meaningful experiences for them across all seven areas of learning.The manager evaluates the quality of her setting well. She uses the views of staff, children and parents to build on the quality of practice and make improvements.

For example, the nursery has recently introduced more physical activities, such as yoga, following feedback from parents. The manager is keen to build on the outside space and offer further opportunities for children who prefer to learn outdoors.

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

The manager and her team work well together to ensure the smooth running of the nursery.

They have a clear vision for the future of the nursery and are ambitious for all children.All children make good progress, including those with SEND. Effective partnerships with other professionals are improving staff's knowledge of how to support this group of children.

Staff complete regular observations and assessments of children's development. They have a clear picture of individual children's progress and work closely with parents to support children's learning at home.Children are becoming independent learners.

For instance, they are encouraged to make choices about their play, carry out small tasks, such as cutting their own fruit for snack, and offer a helping hand to younger children.Overall, children behave well at the nursery. Staff use good behaviour strategies to teach children about expected boundaries and share the importance of good behaviour with parents.

However, some children have difficulty managing their feelings and behaviour independently.Parents provide positive feedback on how well their children enjoy attending the nursery. They comment that children often talk about the nursery and staff when they are at home.

Parents state they are happy with the service they receive and value the secure relationships which children have built with staff. Staff communicate regularly with parents about their children's care and learning. They share information about children's progress and interests.

This ensures that parents are well informed about their children's learning and development.Staff plan different activities for children to meet their needs and interests. They offer group times for children to listen to stories or take part in craft activities, as well as providing accessible resources that children can choose for themselves.

However, group times are sometimes disorganised and children quickly lose concentration and focus.Staff are particularly effective at supporting children's communication and social skills. For example, they model language well as they join in children's play in the role-play kitchen.

Staff ask questions, talk about what children are doing and build on their vocabulary. They use books to encourage the children to use their thinking skills. This fires children's imaginations as they act out the story, repeat lines and talk about the emotions of the characters.

For example, they ask children how they know characters are 'cross'. Children are fully engaged as they extend their learning and make their own books.Children have opportunities to be physically active during the day.

They develop their coordination and build on their large-muscle skills as they run and climb. Despite this, there are missed opportunities for children who prefer to learn outside to further extend their skills and learning.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff have a good understanding of what constitutes a safeguarding concern. They understand the procedures to follow to protect children from harm. The manager ensures staff keep their knowledge up to date.

They attend training courses, access online training and have termly staff meetings. Good recruitment procedures ensure that children are always cared for by suitable adults who have the necessary skills to fulfil their roles in the nursery. Risk assessments are completed to minimise any risks to children.

Children are supervised well in all areas of the nursery. Consequently, they are protected.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen strategies for supporting children to manage their feelings and promote good behaviour nensure the planning, set up and organisation of group activities support all children's engagement so they learn well from the outset build on opportunities for children who prefer to learn outside, to further their skills and learning.

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