Ladybird Montessori School

Inspection of Ladybird Montessori School 224 The Scout Hall, Sheldon Avenue, LONDON N6 4ND

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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The provision is good

Staff at Ladybird Montessori Nursery create a warm and welcoming environment for children. They support children's learning and emotional well-being appropriately. The robust key-person system ensures strong relationships with children and families. New starters benefit from gentle support during settling in. Staff offer reassurance as children adjust to routines, helping them feel safe and secure. Children are confident and eager to engage with their peers and activities.

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The provision is good

The curriculum is engaging and child centred, encouraging curiosity and skill development. For example, during forest school sessions, children safely observe campfires, watch popcorn pop and see marshmallows change colour. These experiences support early scientific understanding, and observational skills. Indoor, Montessori resources and practical life activities, such as role play in the home corner, support children to develop their imagination and creative skills. Staff model routines, guide activities and provide praise, fostering confidence, resilience and social skills.

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The provision is good

Children's emotional development is well supported. Staff discuss feelings, support turn-taking, and use visual prompts to help children recognise and manage emotions. Behaviour is consistently promoted through the nursery's 'Golden Rules', encouraging kindness, respect and positive interactions. Children are caring, polite and demonstrate growing curiosity, and confidence in both indoor and outdoor environments.

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need to do better?

n Leaders and staff are passionate about providing high-quality care in a nurturing, home-from-home environment. Staff state they feel valued, that their feedback is considered. They express that they benefit from accessing training. This enables them to support their key children's engagement and progress across all areas of learning. n Staff support children's communication and language development effectively. They narrate children's play, introduce new words and sounds and engage them in stories and songs. Children join in enthusiastically, experimenting with vocabulary and developing confidence in expressing ideas and interacting with others. This helps children become confident communicators. n Leaders support staff to plan a curriculum that build on children's interests and starting points. Children engage in collaborative tasks, such as building ramps with blocks and pipes. This helps strengthen spatial awareness, and teamwork.

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need to do better?

These experiences demonstrate the curriculum's effectiveness in promoting engagement, learning and confidence. n Staff provide opportunities for children to develop gross motor skills through

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need to do better?

23 September 2025 outdoor and forest school activities. Children negotiate rope swings and balance on tree stumps, building strength and risk awareness. Staff promote confidence and support children to develop their key physical skills, including core strength, agility and coordination. n Staff plan activities, such as threading, to support children's fine motor development. However, staff sometimes step in with help too quickly, which reduces opportunities for children to practise manipulating resources and solving problems independently. With more time and freedom to explore for themselves, children can consolidate skills and build greater confidence. n Children access a wide range of experiences that develop understanding of the community and wider world. Staff use discussions, books, role play and resources to foster respect, empathy and awareness of diversity. These experiences also support positive social skills and help children develop a sense

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need to do better?

of belonging. n Partnerships with parents are a key strength of the nursery. Parents describe staff as nurturing and warm and value the enriching experiences provided that help their children thrive. Staff share daily updates verbally and via the online system, keeping parents fully informed about their children's care and learning. This strong partnership supports continuity between home and nursery. n Staff support children in developing early literacy skills through planned, language-rich activities. For example, children explore the sounds and patterns in their own names, experiment with making marks, and handle a variety of books and resources. These experiences help children to develop listening, vocabulary and early mark-making skills, laying strong foundations for later reading and writing, while fostering confidence and enjoyment in literacy. n Leaders and staff consider feedback from parents and children to evaluate the

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need to do better?

effectiveness of the provision on offer. They work collaboratively with external professionals to enhance learning opportunities. This ensures children benefit from targeted support, enriched experiences and improved progress across all areas of the curriculum.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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should:

n provide more opportunities for children to explore and manipulate resources independently, so they can strengthen their problem-solving and fine motor skills.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 140432 Local authority Haringey Inspection number 10398692 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 11 Name of registered person Niclar Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 0208 348 3054 Date of previous inspection 6 November 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Ladybird Montessori School registered in 1990. It is situated in a residential area in Highgate, in the London Borough of Haringey. The nursery operates Monday to Friday from 8.45am to 2.45pm during term time only. They provide part-time sessions for children with morning sessions running from 8.45am to 12.30pm and afternoon sessions from 12.30pm to 2.45pm, Monday to Friday, term time only. The provider employs three permanent staff members, including one with qualified teacher status and another holding an early years teacher qualification. The nursery also offers government funded childcare places for eligible children.

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Inspection activities

n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want the children to learn. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector and manager carried out joint observations of group activities. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation, including the information used by the provider to determine staff suitability.

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Inspection activities

We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage.

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Inspection activities

23 September 2025 regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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