Riverside Nursery Schools - St Margaret’s Montessori

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Children's love and curiosity of learning are evident to see at this inspiring nursery. They persevere when tasks are difficult and show impressive concentration. This is particularly evident when children use a wealth of Montessori resources to complete practical life tasks.

They happily work alone or with their friends, showing excellent behaviour for their age. Children's uniqueness is cherished by staff. This helps children to feel safe and secure.

In addition, the two key-person approach is particularly effective in supporting children's emotional well-being. Children experience a rich and vibrant range of ...activities within the learning environments. They become really excited as they listen to stories, sing songs or test their superb mathematical skills.

Children use their impressive abilities to take risks and use equipment safely. For example, they use mallets and saws confidently to create their individual pieces of work. Children test and improve their strengths on a climbing frame and when balancing on wooden beams.

They manage their personal needs independently and eat nutritious snacks and meals, which give them the energy needed to be physically active. All children thrive and are well motivated to learn. This is because staff have exceptionally high expectations for children's learning.

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

The extremely committed manager has inspired and motivated her staff to provide children with the highest quality of care and learning. As a result, children, including those who are disadvantaged, make excellent progress from their various starting points.Staff morale is very high because they receive targeted levels of support and guidance from the management team.

They greatly appreciate the strong focus on their well-being, which creates positive working environments. Staff have outstanding opportunities to enhance their teaching practice. Recently, staff have strengthened their knowledge of how to support children's creativity and imagination further.

This has increased children's curiosity to explore various media and materials.Staff observe and monitor children's progress accurately, which enables them to identify children who might be at risk of falling behind. They work tirelessly with other professionals, such as occupational therapists, to address any gaps in children's learning.

Consequently, children receive extra support to help them keep up with their peers. For example, children who had limited speech have developed and extended their vocabulary. Those who struggled to separate from their parents are now able to wave goodbye to them and socialise with others.

Staff deliver a well understood and ambitious curriculum. The curriculum for communication and language, for example, features highly in the educational programmes and is promoted very well. In addition, staff offer children a broad and exciting range of extra-curricular activities, such as forest school, yoga and dance.

They also involve children in a community project which further enriches children's understanding of, and respect for, similarities and differences between people.Staff involve parents in various ways to support children's learning in the nursery and at home. They welcome parents into the nursery to share their expertise with the children.

For example, parents talk to children about their cultures and read stories in their home languages. The verbal and written comments from parents are extremely positive. Parents find staff 'amazing' and 'nurturing', which gives them much needed reassurance.

This excellent partnership between parents and staff greatly benefits children's learning.Staff are excellent role models. They give clear and consistent messages to children, which supports children's understanding of how to behave very well.

This gives children a great sense of confidence, for example, to take on age-appropriate responsibilities, such as at mealtimes.The manager has successfully addressed the recommendations set at the last inspection. She continues to be proactive in seeking and working with other professionals, as well as parents, to evaluate their practice.

This enables the manager to develop the very best practice possible.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The manager ensures that staff are extremely well trained to protect children's safety and well-being.

She follows rigorous processes to ensure staff understand their roles and responsibilities very well. Staff are highly confident in explaining the signs and symptoms, which could indicate that a child is at risk of harm. This includes if a child becomes a victim of extremist views or is being exploited by gangs.

Staff have a full understanding of how to report any concerns to relevant agencies. Staff deployment is highly effective. This enables staff to protect children's welfare and meet their individual needs.