Cherry Blossoms Montessori Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are welcomed into this inclusive, nurturing and homely setting. They are greeted warmly and excited to start their day. The environment is well organised and children enjoy exploring the space area, cosy corner and water play.

They benefit from clear and structured routines and good relationships with staff and friends. Children learn their own and each other's names as they sing a hello song each morning and find their name on a pebble. Children are confident and independent.

They enjoy standing at the front during circle time and choose favourite songs to sing. Children develop skills of responsibility. For ...example, they hand out the bowls at snack time and clear their things away when they have finished.

Babies have warm relationships with their key person. They go to staff for reassurance and comfort, and benefit from a cosy playroom with their favourite resources to select. Children speak clearly and confidently.

They enjoy sharing their own ideas and initiate conversations. Children learn new words quickly and repeat new vocabulary that staff model. They demonstrate concentration and remain engaged for good periods of time as they stack objects to build towers, use magnetic rods to catch fish and use switches and buttons on fidget boards.

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

Staff know children well. They use information from children's starting points in development to monitor their progress and plan for what they need to learn next. The curriculum covers all areas of learning and is well sequenced.

In particular, staff support children's early literacy and mathematical understanding well. Children enjoy counting and sing alphabet songs and to explore initial sounds.Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour.

Children are aware of the boundaries at nursery. They share their ideas when reading a story about how to be kind. Children explain how they need to share, help each other and give their friend a hug if they feel sad.

Children are excited and motivated to learn. They follow instructions well as they add food colouring to their play dough and are eager to watch it change. Children develop their fine-motor skills by squeezing and pressing to mix the colour.

They demonstrate good skills as they use a variety of tools effectively.The curriculum is ambitious. Children benefit from exciting and carefully planned themes that broaden and enhance their knowledge and understanding.

Each month, children enjoy learning about other cultures and embracing and valuing these traditions. For instance, they learn about sushi, volcanoes and cherry blossom as they discover Japan.Children learn about healthy lifestyles.

They choose from a variety of healthy snack options. Children learn about their body and mind, for example by moving and stretching during yoga and meditation. They keep fit and count to 100 in their daily exercise song.

Children have regular opportunities to access large physical equipment and visit the park, which helps them to develop their motor skills. They learn how to be safe when walking on the road. Children go on trips to local shops to buy produce and observe and discuss the world around them.

The manager is aware of staff's strengths and aspects of their practice that can be developed. However, the recent monitoring of teaching has not been precise enough to identify where some staff need further support and guidance. On occasion, some staff's interactions do not enhance children's learning and play.

Staff have good knowledge of children's individual needs. They adapt teaching and provide small-group activities. This helps all children, including those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as additional language, to make progress.

Staff work closely with other agencies to ensure that children get any extra support they need and that gaps in their development are reduced.Partnerships with parents are strong. They report how pleased they are with the level of support and guidance which they receive.

Leaders and managers are very dedicated and prioritise links with home to ensure the best possible outcomes for children. They share information with parents about the progress their children have made and how they can be supported. Parents receive regular feedback and enjoy photos that are uploaded to an online journal.

They speak highly of children's progress in communication and language.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Safeguarding procedures are robust.

The manager ensures that all staff have the knowledge and skills to be vigilant and identify signs and symptoms of abuse. Staff have regular and in-depth training to ensure that their knowledge is up to date. They are aware of who to contact if they have concerns about children.

Staff know what to do if they have concerns about a member of staff's conduct. They risk assess and are aware of hazards, particularly when going out on visits and teaching children about how to be safe on the road.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: monitor teaching even more closely to identify areas where staff can extend their teaching skills, so that children's learning opportunities and interactions are maximised.

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