Bay Tree Montessori

Philosophy: The nursery follows the Montessori method of teaching.

Activities: Children use their gross-motor skills to stir cake mixture and learn mathematical concepts when weighing and measuring ingredients. Weekly yoga sessions support mindfulness.

Skills , Knowledge and Behavior: Staff have exceptional knowledge of child development and what children need to learn. Staff provide opportunities for babies to support the use of core muscles for sitting and for older children to develop gross-motor movements for pre-writing skills.

Communication: Parents comment positively on the support and updates they receive daily regarding the care and development of their children. During the COVID-19 pandemic, staff remained in contact with families and children through providing pre-recorded stories, songs, and activities.

Programs and Resources: Staff offer home visits for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who speak English as an additional language. Staff work extremely closely with outside agencies to support children's individual needs.

Welcoming and Professional Staff: Staff greet children and families with a warm welcome and a smile. Babies and older children receive supportive settling-in sessions.

Safeguarding Training: Staff demonstrate a strong understanding of their duty to protect children and report any concerns they may have about a child's well-being. Managers have robust, effective and efficient recruitment procedures in place.

Play and Learning Integration: The rich and intriguing environment sparks children's curiosity and wonder, providing them with the motivation to learn.

Transition to Primary School: Phonological awareness is also introduced in preparation for their transition to school.

Diversity Management: Staff recognize that following the COVID-19 pandemic, the prime areas of learning, particularly speech and language, are a priority, so they now have a teaching room where more focused and tailored activities take place. Staff speak a variety of languages, including Polish, Romanian, Turkish and Spanish, and staff share these with children daily.

Child Safety Management: Staff provide outstanding support for children to become highly independent while enabling them to manage age-appropriate risks, for example when children use the climbing wall and climbing frame in the garden.

Happiness and Settling: Babies show strong and trusting attachments with staff, who show a passion for supporting their learning.

Nutritional Menu: Children use their allotment in the garden to grow their own fruit and vegetables. Children learn how to keep the fruit and vegetables alive and pick them when they are ready to eat for snack.