Footprints Montessori Day Nursery

Philosophy: The nursery follows the Montessori philosophy of teaching.

Forest School Sessions: Staff take the children out on regular outings to the woods and within the community. Children thoroughly enjoy the visits to the woods, building dens and learning about the farm animals they see on the way.

Activities: Staff enhance children's problem-solving skills through an excellent range of exciting and challenging activities. For instance, children enjoy pegboards, threading activities, puzzles and lock and key puzzles which all help to support children's fine and gross motor skills.

Skills , Knowledge and Behavior: Staff are exceptionally skillful at extending and consolidating children's skills needed for the next stages in their learning, such as school. Older children learn about personal space and respect, while younger children strengthen their physical skills, enjoying yoga and outdoor play.

Communication: Staff work tremendously hard to create a supportive environment where parents are informed in detail of their child's progress and how to extend their learning at home.

Community Building: Parents are extremely complimentary about the nursery. They say that the staff are exceptionally friendly and supportive. Staff prepare the children for their transition to school and into the next nursery room tremendously well.

Welcoming and Professional Staff: The manager and her staff create an exceptionally friendly and warm atmosphere, where children flourish and get off to a flying start.

Safeguarding Training: Staff receive a rigorous safeguarding training programme. This equips them with excellent detailed knowledge of safeguarding and the wider knowledge needed to understand the signs and symptoms which indicate a child is at risk.

Play and Learning Integration: Staff give the children time to respond to questions and opportunities to try to do activities for themselves, therefore, children become extremely independent learners.

Transition to Primary School: Staff are exceptionally skillful at extending and consolidating children's skills needed for the next stages in their learning, such as school.

Diversity Management: Children learn about cultures and festivals. For instance, children experience Diwali and Guy Fawkes Night through arts and crafts, stories and food tasting.

Child Safety Management: Managers have extremely comprehensive procedures in place for staff to follow to identity and report concerns swiftly.

Children's Safety and Security: The manager and her staff create an exceptionally friendly and warm atmosphere, where children flourish and get off to a flying start.

Teaching Personal Safety: Older children learn about personal space and respect, while younger children strengthen their physical skills, enjoying yoga and outdoor play.

Happiness and Settling: Children are happy and confident, and as a result, their behaviour is exemplary.