Unique Child Montessori Nursery

Unique Child Montessori Nursery
Unique reference number (URN): 2721031
Address: Stockwell Methodist Church, 44-55 Jeffrey's Road, Stockwell, London, SW4 6QX
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 25/02/2023
Registers: EYR
Registered person: Unique Child Day Nursery Limited
Inspection report: 1 May 2026
Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
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.
How we evaluate safeguarding
When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:
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.

Expected standard
Achievement Expected standard
Children make progress from their starting points across areas of learning. They become
more confident in exploring the environment and taking part in activities, with children
increasingly able to follow routines and engage in adult-led and child-initiated play. They
develop communication skills through through daily interactions and conversations with staff
where staff model vocabulary, repeat key words and use songs, signs and visual prompts.
For example, during activities where children unwrap objects, staff introduce new vocabulary
and encourage children to describe what they see and feel, extending their language in
context.
Children develop independence through daily routines such as serving food, pouring drinks,
and helping to tidy resources. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities
make progress towards individual targets through small-step support and repetition.
Children who speak English as an additional language are generally supported through
visuals. As a result, children develop the skills and confidence needed for the next stage of
their learning.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard
Children behave well and respond positively to familiar expectations and daily routines
within the setting. They build secure relationships with staff, which helps them feel settled
and confident. Staff generally provide calm and consistent guidance, supporting children to
understand expectations during play and group times. Children are encouraged to be kind to
one another, share resources, and take turns. For example, children wait for their turn when
using outdoor equipment and share materials during creative activities. Staff support
children to begin to recognise and talk about feelings, helping them manage emotions such
as frustration or excitement during interactions with others.
Children show positive attitudes to learning and are engaged in activities that reflect their
interests. They listen to instructions, follow simple rules, and join in with group experiences.
For example, children respond to reminders about expected behaviour during group time
and show perseverance when tasks are challenging. Staff use praise and encouragement to
reinforce positive behaviour, helping children develop confidence and motivation.
Attendance and punctuality routines are promoted through regular communication with
families. Leaders monitor attendance patterns and work with parents where needed to
encourage consistent attendance and timely arrival. This helps ensure children are able to
access learning regularly and benefit from continuity in their experiences.
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Leaders prioritise children learning about the world around them through practical, hands-on
experiences that build curiosity and understanding. The curriculum enables children to
explore living things, natural materials, and everyday objects in ways that are meaningful to

them, with staff responding to what children show interest in during play and building on this
through their interactions.
Children develop communication as staff talk with them about what they are doing and
introduce new vocabulary linked to their experiences. For example, in real fruit and
vegetable role play, staff encourage children to name items, talk about textures, and
describe what they can see and smell, helping them connect words to real objects. Early
mathematical skills are developed through practical experiences across the setting. For
example, children count the playdough worms, talk about how many they have made, and
move objects into containers while using language such as 'more' and 'less'. They also
explore size and quantity when filling buckets with sand, soil, or water.
Children's strength and balance are developed through a range of active experiences that
support coordination and control. For example, children dig, scoop, pour, and use tools such
as scissors and pipettes, building strength and physical confidence. Staff generally adapt
interactions and resources so that children with different starting points, including those with
special educational needs and/or disabilities and those learning English as an additional
language, can participate and access learning alongside their peers.
Inclusion Expected standard
Leaders identify children who may need extra help and work closely with parents and
outside professionals to make sure support is in place early. Staff observe children carefully
and use what they notice, along with simple assessments, to plan next steps that help
children make progress, especially in speaking, independence, and social skills. They adapt
activities and daily routines so all children can join in, using approaches such as simple
language, signs, visual prompts, and step-by-step guidance. Leaders also use additional
funding to provide resources such as sensory equipment and adapted tools, and they make
sure staff receive training to support children with special educational needs and/or
disabilities. This helps children take part in activities and build their skills over time.
Leaders also work with other professionals, such as speech and language therapists, and
local specialists, to support children who need extra help. Where children are known to
social care services, leaders share information, attend meetings, and work with families to
support children's wellbeing and stability at home and in the setting.
Children who speak English as an additional language are welcomed through books, songs,
pictures, and activities that reflect their home cultures and languages. Staff use visual
support and simple instructions to help children understand and join in. However, staff do
not always find out key words from children's home languages, which means support for
communication is not always consistent.
Leadership and governance Expected standard
Leaders provide a clear vision for the setting, focused on creating a nurturing environment
where children develop independence, communication, and confidence. Since the last
inspection, they have implemented a range of changes to develop practice and provision,
including reorganising learning environments and routines, helping staff deepen their
understanding of the curriculum, and increasing management oversight across the setting.

Needs attention
These changes have helped staff develop a clearer understanding of children's learning and
individual needs.
Leaders have improved arrangements for staff development through regular supervision
meetings, training opportunities, and team discussions that focus on practice and children's
needs. Training includes safeguarding updates alongside targeted areas linked to
communication and inclusion. Staff say they feel well supported by leaders, particularly in
relation to behaviour management and meeting the needs of children with special
educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders also consider staff wellbeing through
supportive oversight and flexible approaches where possible.
Leaders maintain positive relationships with parents and carers and seek their views
through ongoing communication and feedback opportunities. Information is shared with
families about children's experiences, and parents are supported through signposting and
advice where needed. Leaders also work to ensure families feel included in the setting's
community and contribute to children's learning and care.
Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention
Children are not always supported through daily care routines in a consistent way. Leaders
do not always ensure that agreed procedures and risk assessments are implemented
effectively by all staff. Safer eating guidance is not always followed consistently. There are
occasions where food is not prepared in line with choking prevention guidance and where
children are not always reminded to remain seated while eating. Hygiene routines are also
not consistently implemented, including inconsistent handwashing between care tasks. This
results in variability in how effectively care procedures are applied across the day. However,
when issues are identified, leaders and staff respond promptly and make immediate
adjustments, such as changing food preparation when expectations are highlighted.
Leaders and staff provide warm, attentive care. Children are settled, emotionally secure,
and form positive relationships with familiar adults who respond sensitively to their needs
throughout the day. Staff generally support children's comfort and emotional wellbeing
effectively, helping them to feel reassured and cared for during daily experiences. For
example, staff comfort babies through close interactions, familiar songs, and soothing
voices, and respond sensitively when children need reassurance or support to settle. Staff
know children's individual preferences well, including their comfort needs, interests, and
stages of development, which helps children feel secure and develop confidence within the
setting.

What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children do not always experience well-managed daily routines. Staff do not always
implement safer eating and hygiene procedures consistently. For example, children are
occasionally allowed to move around while eating, food is not always prepared in line with
safer choking guidance, and hygiene routines are not consistently followed during some
care practices. This means children's safety and wellbeing are not consistently promoted
during all daily routines.
Despite this, children are happy, settled, and enjoy their time at the setting. Babies form
close relationships with familiar staff, who comfort and reassure them through cuddles, eye
contact, and favourite nursery rhymes as they settle into routines. Children confidently
explore the environment and eagerly take part in sensory experiences. Babies climb steps
and scoot downstairs while staff count and praise their achievements. Toddlers and
preschool children enthusiastically explore dinosaurs in mud, real vegetables, sand, water,
insects, and natural materials. Children show curiosity as they learn about life cycles,
examine mealworms and beetles, and use ambitious vocabulary such as 'metamorphosis'
during discussions and play.
Children develop increasing independence through daily routines. They pour their own
drinks, cut fruit for snack, wash and dry their plates, tidy resources, and help prepare beds
for sleep. Staff encourage children to persevere and praise their efforts, helping them
develop confidence and positive attitudes to learning. Children behave well and enjoy calm
routines. They wait patiently during group activities, help one another during play, and take
pride in completing tasks independently. Children with special educational needs and/or
disabilities are included in the life of the setting and receive support that helps them make
progress from their starting points, particularly in communication, independence, and social
development. Parents value the caring relationships staff build with children and appreciate
the support and guidance they receive.
Next steps
To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage the provider must take the
following action by the assigned date:
Action Completion Date
ensure staff implement risk assessments consistently,
especially in relation to care and mealtime routines.
01/06/2026

Inspector:
Jenny Selvakumaran
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): 2721031
Address:
Stockwell Methodist Church
44-55 Jeffrey's Road
Stockwell
London
SW4 6QX
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 25/02/2023
Registered person: Unique Child Day Nursery Limited
Register(s): EYR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 18:00
Local authority: Lambeth
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 1 May 2026
Children numbers
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with leaders, practitioners, parents and children during the 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.

Age range of children at the time of inspection
1 to 4
Total number of places
91
Our grades explained
Exceptional
Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.
Strong standard
The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of
them.
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.
Needs attention
The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary
improvements.
Urgent improvement
The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of
education and/or care.
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) inspects
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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