Strensall Montessori Nursery LTD

Strensall Montessori Nursery LTD

Unique reference number (URN): 2780059 Address: Green Lees, Oxcarr Lane, Strensall, York, YO32 5TD Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 14/03/2024 Registers: EYR Registered person: Strensall Montessori Nursery 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

All children, including those with barriers to their learning, achieve well across the curriculum. Babies show concentration and enjoyment as they practise their coordination skills in the water tray, exploring how to fill and empty containers. Toddlers listen intently to favourite stories and 'sit smartly' on the carpet to take part in circle time. They put their practical life skills into action, such as noticing when tables need to be wiped. They carry out these helpful tasks with minimal support and show pride in caring for their learning environment. Older children showcase their excellent learning behaviours as they calmly complete self-chosen activities with high levels of focus and perseverance. They carefully use scissors to achieve an end goal and show great pride in completing drawings. Before mealtimes, children are industrious in ensuring the classroom is clean and tidy. They understand where all the items belong and use a dustpan and brush to sweep up, showing

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Achievement Strong standard

how much they value keeping their environment clean and organised. They show responsibility and care for others as they carefully set the table for lunch, making sure to check and count that everyone has a plate, cutlery and a glass. When mealtimes begin, children sit well at the table, showing their impressive table manners.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Leaders have established a harmonious and respectful culture across the nursery. They consistently promote high expectations for children's behaviour, and staff demonstrate positive interactions. Staff have forged caring and supportive relationships with their key children, and this is a key focus from the moment children arrive. Staff take particular care to help new children feel safe and settle into the daily routines. They are responsive to all children's individual needs, and their detailed knowledge of each child helps them to understand exactly what approach is needed to provide the most effective support.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The highly impactful teaching of desired behaviours and routines ensures staff provide a calm and focused learning environment. This helps children to develop very positive learning behaviours and social skills, as well as responding well to teaching and activities. For instance, staff take time to explain the daily routines and the activities that are on offer. This helps children begin each day with a settled start.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Staff are observant, identifying when children need help learning to take turns. They sensitively model language and sentence structure, such as how to ask for a turn. They provide time and encouragement for children to practise using the words. This helps children understand how to positively interact with others during independent play. Leaders promote consistent attendance with parents and carers and work with families to support this effectively.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders consistently prioritise children's welfare and wellbeing. They ensure the setting is safe for all children and support staff to implement policies and procedures that support children's wellbeing and welfare. This includes adapting plans and routines in response to high temperatures and extreme weather.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Staff demonstrate comprehensive understanding of the children they care for. They use this knowledge to adapt and respond to the needs of all children and families, ensuring that the setting provides every opportunity for children to thrive in their development.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

The well-structured routines are well embedded into daily life and help children feel very secure and comfortable as the day progresses. Children understand how to participate in these routines and show pride and enjoyment as they help look after their classrooms. They have regular opportunities to practise life skills such as helping to keep their classrooms clean and tidy and setting tables for mealtimes. Toddlers learn where to find a flannel to clean their face and put it in the laundry basket when finished.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Staff support children's personal care needs to ensure their wellbeing is maintained throughout the day. This includes carrying out nappy-changing routines with care and ensuring safe sleep requirements are followed at nap times.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Leaders have expertly implemented an accredited Montessori curriculum that enables children to access an extremely broad, balanced and ambitious programme of learning. The curriculum is meticulously designed to promote sustained and meaningful progress across all areas of learning, while fostering children's independence, curiosity and resilience. A deeply embedded culture of inclusion underpins every aspect of the curriculum and teaching, ensuring that all children, regardless of their starting points, benefit from consistently high expectations and extremely high-quality teaching.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The learning environment is thoughtfully and purposefully organised to maximise children's independence. Resources are carefully presented and readily accessible. Children confidently select, use and return materials that inspire purposeful, self-directed exploration. Staff place immense value on every interaction, expertly using spontaneous moments to extend children's thinking and deepen their understanding. Through highly skilled observation and assessment, staff gain a precise understanding of each child's development, swiftly identifying where additional support or challenge is required. Teaching is seamlessly adapted to meet children's individual needs, ensuring that every child makes substantial progress from their starting points.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Staff demonstrate an expert understanding of the curriculum aims and learning intentions for the children they teach. They have created a highly aspirational culture in which curiosity is actively nurtured and children are empowered to become confident, motivated and independent learners. Staff respond enthusiastically and skilfully to children's emerging fascinations, using their extensive curriculum knowledge to deepen learning across multiple areas of the curriculum. For example, after observing children's growing interest in minibeasts during outdoor play, staff expertly plan a rich follow-up investigation indoors. Children explore habitats, compare living things and confidently classify minibeasts and other animals, deepening their scientific understanding while significantly extending their vocabulary, thinking and communication skills.

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Inclusion Strong standard

This is an inclusive setting where all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are given the individualised support needed to make progress and thrive in their development. Staff are extremely swift in identifying potential barriers to children's development and in sharing information with parents and carers to ensure referrals are made in a timely manner. They are proactive in ensuring support is in place to significantly reduce gaps in learning and development, whether a physical, developmental or emotional need. Staff develop close bonds with their key children and are the main point of contact for support and communication for families.

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Inclusion Strong standard

When outside agencies become involved in supporting children, staff are very receptive to their feedback and make sure to implement all recommended support strategies while maintaining clear lines of communication with parents. As a result of the dedication of staff and the personalised approach to children's development, children with barriers to learning make rapid and sustained progress, particularly in their greatest areas of need. This is incredibly supportive in preparing children for their next steps in learning as they move through the nursery and on to school.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Staff work closely with families to help give children the best possible start to their education. For instance, staff support families to understand how the regular use of dummies by toddlers who are learning to talk presents a barrier to their speech development. As a result, the use of dummies has reduced, and there is a positive impact on children's speech development as a result.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have a detailed understanding of the setting's strengths and areas for development. They are highly reflective and take a proactive approach to continually enhancing the quality of provision. Through ongoing coaching, professional dialogue and constructive feedback, staff are well supported to refine and strengthen their practice. As a result, children benefit from an extremely high-quality learning environment and receive an excellent start to their education.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Although there were recent weaknesses in relation to staff following the whistleblowing policy, leaders had already identified these issues and taken prompt, effective action to address them prior to the inspection. Staff now demonstrate a secure understanding of whistleblowing procedures, and leaders have strengthened their systems to ensure that safeguarding concerns are escalated without delay and that statutory notification requirements are consistently met. Leaders have also improved their understanding of timely notification of significant events to Ofsted. Consequently, safeguarding practice has been reinforced, and leaders have strengthened their oversight of these processes.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff speak very positively about the support they receive from leaders. They value the extensive programme of professional development, coaching and guidance, which continually enhances their expertise. This is particularly evident in the highly effective support they provide for children who face barriers to learning, ensuring that every child is able to flourish.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have established especially secure partnerships with parents and carers. They are responsive, flexible and highly attuned to the individual needs of families, working collaboratively to provide consistent support for children. This is particularly beneficial for children with additional vulnerabilities and those whose family circumstances require tailored provision, including children whose parents serve in the armed forces.

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

The setting follows a Montessori approach to learning. Leaders ensure that the requirements of the early years foundation stage statutory framework are fully met through a thoughtfully planned Montessori curriculum. This enables children to develop independence, curiosity and a lifelong love of learning.

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

Children settle quickly and happily into the calm, nurturing environment. They confidently embrace familiar daily routines, such as gathering for circle time and joyfully singing their hello song, which warmly welcomes each child into the community. Children demonstrate that they feel safe and secure as they independently explore the environment and learn to manage appropriate risks. For example, children eagerly climb the tree in the outdoor area while attentive staff observe closely, offering support only when needed, allowing children to build confidence and resilience.

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

Warm, trusting relationships with key persons and the wider staff team underpin children's emotional security and wellbeing. As a result, children develop excellent social skills, secure learning behaviours and consistently positive attitudes. They take great pride in their achievements, confidently make choices about their own play and learning and demonstrate impressive levels of independence. Their well-developed play skills enable them to collaborate, negotiate and build meaningful relationships with others. Consequently, children are extremely well prepared for the next stage of their education, including their transition on to school.

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

Children benefit from a broad, ambitious curriculum that enables them to flourish across all areas of learning. Highly skilled and experienced staff have consistently high expectations for every child and deliver teaching of very high quality. Staff place a particular emphasis on developing children's personal, social and emotional development alongside their mathematical understanding, ensuring secure foundations for future learning. The

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Address:

Green Lees Oxcarr Lane, Strensall York YO32 5TD

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises curriculum is highly inclusive, with all children receiving the support they need to succeed. Staff are quick to identify any barriers to learning and work closely with families and other professionals to implement effective strategies. This collaborative approach ensures consistency between home and the setting, helping every child to make significant progress from their individual starting points.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that a culture of high expectations and professionalism is consistently embedded across the setting, with a continued focus on staff implementing all policies and procedures effectively.

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About this inspection

The inspectors spoke with leaders, staff, special educational needs coordinators, children and parents and carers 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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About this inspection

The inspection started on 23 June 2026. Inspectors returned on 11 August 2026 to gather additional evidence in line with Ofsted inspections and visits: Deferring, pausing and gathering additional evidence policy. Registration date: 14/03/2024

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About this inspection

Registered person: Strensall Montessori Nursery Limited

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About this inspection

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 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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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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