Montessori & Me Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Relationships between children and staff are warm and caring at this nursery.

Children behave well, and staff use praise effectively to support them to understand how their behaviour can help others and why this is important. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported here. Staff implement strategies, such as using objects of reference and visual reminders of routines, to support children to move between activities.

This has a positive impact on the smooth running of the day for all children.Children love to spend time learning outside and really enjoy the opportunity to play with ch...ildren of other ages in this area. The time they spend outside supports their emotional and physical well-being.

Staff encourage children to notice the effects that exercise has on different parts of their bodies, and children talk excitedly about learning 'left' and 'right' when they are practising yoga with an adult.Opportunities to further develop children's early literacy and mathematics skills are threaded throughout the everyday activities. For example, staff encourage children to notice the initial sound in words, such as 'Friday' and 'mash'.

This helps to support children to be ready for the next stage in learning to read and write as they are able to tune into the individual sounds in words.

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

Leaders and staff have engaged effectively with training since the previous inspection. This has had a positive impact on the quality of teaching and interactions with children.

Staff are encouraged to be reflective on their practice, and this drives continuous improvement. Regular systems are in place for staff to meet with leaders, and the nursery engages effectively with support from the local authority.The manager has a clear vision for planning and deployment of staff to enable children to have good experiences and for their learning to develop.

The curriculum shows clear progression, and staff have high expectations for children as they move through the nursery. Staff know children and their families well. All children make good progress because staff plan focused learning opportunities to support their next steps in learning.

In addition, they follow children's lead and interests with spontaneous activities they provide throughout the day.Activities are differentiated to support children to develop their skills and challenge themselves. For example, a range of tools are provided for children to paint a 'Gruffalo' face.

These tools include sponges, cotton buds and a selection of paintbrushes. The resulting creations are all different from each other, and children's individual creativity is recognised and celebrated by staff and children.Overall, staff support children's communication skills effectively.

They encourage children to engage in lots of chat throughout the day and pose effective questions. For example, at lunchtime, staff ask children about the texture of their food, and a discussion follows about whether they like to mix the foods on their plate or keep them separate. However, sometimes, staff do not allow sufficient time for children to think about their answers and respond before moving the conversation along.

Parents speak extremely positively about the nursery. They praise the directors and staff and feel that communication is good. Parents report that staff are approachable, and they are confident they can contact staff with any questions they may have about their child.

The nursery provides strategies for parents to use in the home if needed, to support their child with any difficulties they may be having, such as with eating or communication.Staff feel their well-being is valued by leaders. There are opportunities for regular supervision meetings as well as social events planned for staff to spend time together outside of the nursery.

They enjoy attending training as a team and are encouraged to request additional training to further their continuous professional development. More-experienced staff are good role models for newer staff, and there is a supportive ethos throughout the nursery.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff are confident to talk about their safeguarding responsibilities. They can describe what might cause them to be concerned about the safety and welfare of a child and are able to explain the process to report these concerns if needed. Staff support parents with discussions around how to keep their children safe when using technology in the home, offering suggestions such as using parental controls on devices used by their children.

Leaders make sure that checks are in place to ensure staff are safe to work with children. All staff attend annual paediatric first-aid training to ensure they are able to deal with emergencies.

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 further develop children's thinking skills by ensuring they allow sufficient time for children to think about their answers and respond to staff's questions.