Crickets Montessori Nursery School

Crickets Montessori Nursery School

Unique reference number (URN): EY435609 Address: 51a Chatsworth Road, LONDON, NW2 4BL Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 24/10/2011 Registers: EYR, CCR Registered person: Stephenson, Karen Celia

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children achieve extremely well. They show excellent progress in all areas of learning and establish secure foundations for future learning. Children are becoming increasingly confident and independent and show high levels of curiosity as they engage enthusiastically with purposeful activities. They manage their emotions remarkably well, share with their friends and show kindness to others. Children maintain focus for extended periods and persevere when faced with challenges.

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Achievement Strong standard

Children are developing rich vocabulary and communicate with assurance. They collaborate highly effectively with both adults and their peers. Children of all ages are motivated to learn and show a deeper understanding of early mathematics. They problem-solve and show high levels of creativity, such as through imaginative and creative play. Children understand and follow structured routines, which further nurtures independence and school readiness. This ensures that every child leaves the setting equipped with the social, emotional and academic skills necessary for the next stage of their education.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Staff consistently promote positive attitudes and embed clear and well-established routines. They set high expectations for behaviour and model these standards with calm professionals at a level of children's understanding. All children understand what is expected of them and follow routines confidently. On arrival, children demonstrate independence by hanging up their coats, changing into indoor shoes and organising their belongings, showing secure ownership of daily routines.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Staff explicitly teach children strategies to manage their feelings, using sand timers, visual prompts and supportive dialogue. This approach enables all children to regulate their emotions effectively and resolve minor conflicts with increasing confidence. Children collaborate positively, take turns and show genuine consideration for others. Outdoors, children of different age groups remain engaged and negotiate roles. They initiate games and sustain play without disagreements.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Staff ensure that routines are consistent and understood by all children. They support smooth transitions and remind children gently to walk indoors. This reinforces safety and maintains a purposeful atmosphere. Children persevere with tasks, contribute enthusiastically and demonstrate curiosity across activities. This nurturing environment enables children to feel secure, behave extremely well and develop positive attitudes towards learning, preparing them for future success. Staff promote attendance and punctuality through regular communication with parents. This has a positive impact on children's wellbeing, and they show they feel secure and supported in their care.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children receive consistently high-quality care, with their welfare and wellbeing placed firmly at the heart of daily nursery practice. Warm and trusting relationships between staff help children feel secure, confident and able to communicate their needs. Staff are quick to spot concerns, such as changes in eating habits, behaviour or confidence, and act promptly to address these issues. Strong communication with families and outside agencies ensures tailored, effective support for each child. Through consistent modelling, supportive conversations and engaging resources, such as puppets, stories and visual cues, staff teach children to understand and manage their emotions. This empowers children to talk about their feelings and regulate their emotions successfully.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The nursery offers a calm, respectful and organised environment, helping children feel safe, valued and understood. Healthy routines are embedded throughout the day, promoting independence and resilience. Staff sensitively support self-care by adapting toileting, snack times and outdoor play to suit children's individual needs. They carefully monitor physical and emotional health, responding swiftly when extra support is required, so no child's wellbeing is ever overlooked. This responsive and nurturing approach enables children to develop strong emotional security, healthy habits and confidence, which lays the foundation for successful learning and future wellbeing.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Staff meticulously assess children's ongoing progress. They use this information to inform children's next steps, skilfully adapting their teaching and seamlessly integrating mathematical concepts and communication skills into daily activities. For instance, when younger children are engaged in story sessions, staff use purposeful questioning and modelling to introduce counting, sequencing and new vocabulary within the context of a story. This strengthens language development and challenges children to think critically, communicate confidently and grasp early mathematical ideas. For younger children, especially those with emerging language skills, staff create rich interactions, such as singing counting songs and using visual prompts. This helps them build their vocabulary and understanding of numbers.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Reading and singing are important aspects of nursery life, and children develop a natural love for books through regular story sessions, singing activities and purposeful parent engagement. This supports children's physical and emotional development as they dance and express themselves alongside their friends. Family involvement in reading routines nurtures children's enthusiasm, with many sharing favourite stories both at home and in nursery. This targeted approach supports children's emotional wellbeing and fosters a sense of belonging. Staff consistently remove barriers to learning or wellbeing and target children's key learning priorities. This enables all children to make excellent progress

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders have built a setting where inclusion is integral, and every child's uniqueness is recognised and supported. Staff are skilled at identifying individual needs early, through careful observation, ongoing assessment and close engagement with families. When a child faces difficulties, such as with transitions or communication, staff collaborate closely with parents and other professionals to develop tailored strategies. This ensures that children feel secure and able to progress. Meticulous ongoing assessment ensures that support remains responsive and highly effective, helping children move forward from their own starting points.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Barriers to learning and wellbeing are addressed proactively, with leaders implementing reasonable adjustments and inclusive practices. Children who find managing their emotions difficult benefit from visual timetables and picture cues, fostering independence and confidence. The ongoing training for staff consistently reflects children's specific learning needs. This enables staff to adapt teaching when needed, with skill and sensitivity.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Partnerships with families are secure, with regular reviews and practical strategies shared to support learning at home. Leaders engage promptly with external agencies when needed, ensuring that support is well matched and holistic. No children are currently receiving early years pupil premium or special educational needs and/or disabilities support. Robust systems and past experience show a sustained commitment to inclusion and reducing disadvantage. Leaders are vigilant and ready to respond quickly so all children can participate fully in nursery life.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders maintain a clear, ambitious vision for the setting and act decisively to secure high- quality outcomes for children. They know the provision remarkably well, evaluate practice with rigour and use their deep understanding of the community to drive continual improvement. Leaders establish a culture of high expectations where children's safety, learning and wellbeing are always prioritised. They communicate this vision clearly, enabling staff to work with consistency and a shared purpose.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Staff feel valued and well supported. Leaders provide focused professional development that strengthens knowledge and practice, ensuring that teaching remains of high quality across all rooms. Workload is managed thoughtfully, contributing to a positive and collaborative staff culture. Leaders monitor the curriculum closely, ensuring that it remains ambitious, responsive to children's needs and aligned with the setting's priorities.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Partnerships with families are a significant strength. Parents consistently describe feeling informed, welcomed and included in their children's learning. Leaders work proactively with external agencies and local organisations to enhance opportunities and provide targeted support when required.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Through reflective, dedicated and forward-thinking leadership, the setting continues to improve and sustain high standards. Children benefit from an environment where staff are skilled, confident and united in their ambition for every child to thrive.

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Compulsory Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.

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Register

When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children arrive at the setting eager and ready to begin their day. They settle quickly due to clear and familiar routines that build independence and a secure sense of belonging. They confidently hang up their coats, change into indoor shoes and organise their belongings, demonstrating security and ownership of their environment. Staff implement planned settling-in sessions for new starters, guiding them through routines and supporting them to locate pegs and shoes. This approach ensures that each child develops confidence at their own pace. Warm, nurturing relationships underpin this process. Staff know each child well and respond to individual needs, enabling even anxious children to relax swiftly.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Staff deliver a curriculum that is meaningful and linked to children's interests. Children investigate floating and sinking. They participate in language sessions and immerse themselves in imaginative dinosaur play, developing communication and early mathematical skills. Staff adapt activities to nurture curiosity. For example, they build on children's interest in dinosaurs and introduce a group game of 'Dinosaur Bingo'. They encourage problem- solving with resources such as elastic bands and a jar of water.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Staff prioritise children's wellbeing, acting promptly to address emerging needs. They monitor children closely, working in partnership with families to address concerns, such as changes in eating habits or behaviour. Staff explicitly teach strategies for turn-taking and emotional regulation, modelling sand timers and picture cues, which children access independently to build self-control and resilience.

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About this setting

Unique reference number (URN): EY435609 Children feel included and secure. Staff welcome families, encouraging engagement through weekly 'Mystery Reader' events, sharing stories and family photos, and involving parents in birthday walks. These activities reflect children's identities and reinforce the strong home–nursery partnership. Children work and play confidently with their peers, forming positive relationships and ensuring full inclusion for all.

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About this setting

Across the setting, children thrive socially, emotionally and academically. Staff celebrate each child's uniqueness. For instance, children who previously communicated through gestures are now speaking confidently in full sentences. Children show independence in self-care, select resources from open shelves and tidy up after themselves. They persevere with tasks, supported by staff who skilfully scaffold learning. These experiences build resilience, self-confidence and the secure foundations needed for the next stage of education.

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Next steps

Leaders and those responsible for governance should sustain their work to ensure continued improvement and high standards. They should focus on creating a transformational impact on the outcomes and experiences of disadvantaged children, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who are known (or previously known) to children's social care and those who may face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the manager, deputy manager, staff, parents and children during the inspection.

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About this inspection

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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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Address:

Registered person: Stephenson, Karen Celia

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:30 - 15:00

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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