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Early years · Report card

Sheen Montessori Nursery

Inspected 12 Mar 2026 · URN 2810444

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Summary

No overall grade in this frameworkSafeguarding met

Deborah Orchard

What we read, and from where

Click a reading to see it highlighted in the report.

  • Achievement verified

    Strong standard

  • Behaviour, attitudes and routines verified

    Strong standard

  • Children's welfare and wellbeing verified

    Strong standard

  • Curriculum and teaching verified

    Strong standard

  • Inclusion verified

    Strong standard

  • Leadership and governance verified

    Strong standard

  • Framework verified

    Report card

  • Group verified

    Smart Southfields Limited

  • Inspection datesingle source

    12 Mar 2026

  • Inspectors verified

    Deborah Orchard

  • Postcode verified

    SW14 8RE

  • Name on report verified

    Sheen Montessori Nursery

  • Safeguarding verified

    Met

  • URN verified

    2810444

Page 1 of 8
Page 1 of the report

Deep dive

What this report says

In plain English

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Grade profile

Each judgement on its scale, weakest to strongest.

  • AchievementStrong
  • Behaviour, attitudes and routinesStrong
  • Children's welfare and wellbeingStrong
  • Curriculum and teachingStrong
  • InclusionStrong
  • Leadership and governanceStrong

Tone of the report

How positive or critical the inspectors' language is, from the words they chose. No AI involved.

+91Very positivemore positive than 91% of reports of this type

Reads more warmly than most reports of this type.

Praisevery welleffectivelyconsistentlyenjoypositivehigh-qualityambitioussecure
Criticismconcernslimitedgaps

How the report reads, start to finish

Every paragraph in order, sized by length. Tap one to see it on the page.

FindingsSafeguardingAbout the inspectionLeadershipWhat needs to improve positive critical
  • Findings1447w+93
  • Leadership208w+82
  • Safeguarding51w−11
  • What needs to improve63w0

Strengths

Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.

Concerns

Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.

No strong criticism found.

Next steps

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What the report dwells on

Topics by how often they come up, coloured by how they are described. Open one for an example.

Anatomy of the report

How the report is built, against others of the same type and grade.

Pages
8
Words of findings
1,767
about usual (typical 1698)
Reading level
Hard
Flesch 44, typical 43
Average sentence
15 words
Next steps
2
typical 3
Hedged sentences
1%
“some”, “not always”, “most”…

Where the words go

Findings 67%Leadership 10%Safeguarding 2%What needs to improve 3%About the inspection 18%

Full report text

Sheen Montessori Nursery

Unique reference number (URN): 2810444 Address: Palewell Cottage, Palewell Common Drive, LONDON, SW14 8RE Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 18/10/2024 Registers: EYR Registered person: Smart Southfields Limited

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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 have a wonderful time at the setting, engaging very well in activities and showing high levels of curiosity and interest. Children are confident to try new experiences and develop their self-esteem. Children concentrate and persevere when learning new skills, such as using scissors. Older children support younger children. For example, they help them to work out how to fill jars. Children are proud when they master new skills. All children, including those with special education needs and/or disabilities, make secure progress from their starting points across all areas of their learning and development. Children build solid foundations for their future learning and are very well prepared for their eventual move on to school. Children's language skills rapidly develop. They communicate very well and express their thoughts and feelings confidently.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children are happy and very secure in this welcoming and homely setting. Children share very positive relationships with staff and each other. Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour. They are positive role models, are respectful and consistently explain things clearly to children. Staff are skilled in helping children understand the impact of their behaviour. Children's behaviour is managed very effectively, and staff consider children's age and stage of development and individual needs well when supporting them to meet expectations.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Leaders work with families to implement targeted adjustments for children with special educational needs and or/disabilities. This has a highly positive impact on children's engagement. Leaders explain the importance of being punctual and attending regularly to support children's learning. They work with parents and carers to establish appropriate eating and personal care routines. This helps children to develop effective and mature self- care skills and positive patterns for their future.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children learn and play with others of different ages, which creates a real family feel in the setting. Older children model behaviours such as being polite and kind, which has a positive impact on younger children. This supports older children to develop responsibility and younger children to rapidly understand how to behave. Staff help children regulate their emotions, using pictures and discussions to help them explore their feelings. Children of all ages understand routines and show care for the environment. They put away resources, for example, before they move on to the next activity.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders and staff provide a very secure and trusting environment, where children are happy and relaxed. Staff take time to introduce visitors and explain the purpose of their visit. This helps all children to feel safe. Children are supported well to express and manage their emotions. They approach staff with ease, who provide them with reassurance and comfort. Leaders and staff consistently prioritise children's welfare. Robust policies and procedures underpin practice and are regularly reviewed. For example, healthcare plans and adjustments to routines are in place where children have additional needs or require any long-term medication. Medication is regularly checked to ensure that it is in date, and health needs are reviewed and discussed with parents and carers. Children form secure attachments with their key staff, who meet their individual needs very effectively. These secure relationships support children's wellbeing and emotional security well. Children are

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

supported effectively to help settle in and quickly become confident with the daily routines.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children learn to make healthy choices as healthy habits are embedded in daily routines. Staff work with parents to provide ideas for healthy lunch boxes. Staff use lunchtimes and activities such as providing real fruit and vegetables in the play shop to support children's understanding of the benefits of a healthy diet. Children participate in tooth-brushing activities and enjoy daily outdoor play. They follow hygiene routines and develop self-care skills effectively..

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Leaders provide an ambitious, high-quality curriculum. They tailor activities to meet each child's unique needs and interests, including for those who face any barriers to learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Activities consistently enable all children to enjoy new challenges and help them make rapid progress. Staff assess children's development and build on what children know and can do. Leaders have oversight of the quality of the curriculum and teaching and work with staff to ensure that decisions they make bring about improvements.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

All children become engrossed in activities and are very well prepared for their next stage of learning, including school. Children develop confidence and independence in dressing and toileting. Children's personal, social and emotional development is supported well. They enjoy group activities and build positive relationships.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Children become highly engrossed in science activities as they explore soluble and insoluble substances and observe which dissolve. Knowledgeable staff make the most of learning opportunities to deepen children's learning and relate it to their own experiences. For example, when substances do not dissolve and form a cloudy liquid, staff help children link this to the weather and how the sky looks on a cloudy day. Children enjoy being physically active. They explore nature areas and learn about the benefits of exercise.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Staff focus on developing children's communication skills. Children are confident in their speech, are curious and ask questions. They show great interest during show-and-tell sessions and tell their friends how much they like the things they have shared. Children listen to stories about Ramadan and relate this to familiar experiences at home. Children's mathematical skills and language are well developed. They count number rods in sequence and calculate the cost of items in their pretend shop.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders and staff consistently and effectively monitor children's progress to ensure that any support children may need is quickly identified and introduced. Leaders and staff consistently collaborate with parents and carers and other professionals involved in children's care and learning to ensure that any barriers are overcome. Every child receives the support they need to make rapid progress and to thrive. Leaders understand how to complete statutory assessment in relation to any social care needs if these arise.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders and staff carefully plan and adapt activities to meet children's individual needs and stages of development. For instance, they break down instructions into smaller steps and provide small-group activities that promote learning well. This enables all children to fully engage in the experiences on offer. Staff who have received training to support children with additional needs share their knowledge with the rest of the team, ensuring that every child benefits. Leaders monitor individual plans for children effectively to ensure that their changing needs are quickly addressed.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders understand how to identify families who may be entitled to additional funding and know how to help parents access funding. Leaders understand how to use any additional funding by providing targeted plans to support children's needs.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The leadership team is ambitious and continually provides high-quality education to improve the lives of all children in its care. Leaders are highly reflective and are committed to continuous improvement. For example, they continually develop opportunities for outdoor learning to enhance children's experiences even further. They work closely with staff, families and children to ensure that everyone's views are heard and considered.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The setting works effectively with parents and carers, who speak very highly of leaders and staff. They comment that their children enjoy attending and are very well supported. Parents say their children make secure progress and that they receive regular information about their progress. Leaders work collaboratively with other agencies and schools that children may move on to. This helps to ensure continuity in children's care and learning.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders support and value their staff. They provide social opportunities and training days. Leaders ensure that staff have manageable workloads and time for planning and assessment. Staff have plenty of opportunities for professional development, which is well targeted to enhance their skills. Regular supervision, team meetings, mentoring and training ensures that staff have high-quality support in their roles. Staff receive guidance around supporting children who face barriers to their learning and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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

Children thrive and are happy in this warm and very welcoming setting. They arrive with big smiles, eager to see their friends and staff who care for them. They quickly develop their social skills, enjoy talking about their experiences and show their friends items they bring from home. All parents and carers are welcomed, and regular attendance is supported in the inclusive setting. Parents of children already attending help welcome new families into the setting. They organise social events, for instance, which help support new families and embed a real feeling of belonging. The highly effective key-person system enables children to form very close attachments with staff and ensures that their individual needs are recognised and consistently met. Children show a real sense of belonging, feel secure and separate from their main carers with ease.

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

All children thoroughly enjoy their time in the setting. They are eager to join the highly engaging and meaningful activities. For example, they become engrossed in imaginary play in the mud kitchen as they pretend to make food and potions. Leaders and staff identify children's unique needs and interests through careful assessment. Early intervention and tailored support help ensure that any gaps in children's learning are rapidly closed. Focused activities are carefully sequenced to build on what children know and can do. Learning in small groups helps to support children's communication, listening and language skills. Children benefit from consistently high-quality teaching of the ambitious curriculum, which covers all areas of learning and is organised around a Montessori ethos.

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

Staff interactions are meaningful and well timed. Staff ask questions and give children time to think and respond, which supports their communication skills effectively. Children are continually offered further challenge, which helps ensure that they can make secure progress from their starting points. Staff encourage children to have a go and try new experiences, offering frequent encouragement. This helps develop children's confidence and self-esteem and prepares them well for their next stage of learning, including for school.

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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 leaders, staff, children and parents and carers during the inspection.

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Address:

Palewell Cottage Palewell Common Drive LONDON SW14 8RE

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Address:

Registered person: Smart Southfields Limited

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:30 - 18:00

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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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2 to 4

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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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

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Urgent improvement

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk . Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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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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