URN 307154 · Inspected 2026-07-21 · Published 2026-09-08 · Inspector: Lynn Richards
Hazel Tree Montessori Nursery Limited Unique reference number (URN): 307154 Address: 38 Edgeley Road, STOCKPORT, Cheshire, SK3 9NQ Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 11/09/1997 Registers: EYR Registered person: Hazel Tree Montessori Nursery Limited Inspection report: 21 July 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. Strong standard Achievement Strong standard All children including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, children who speak English as an additional language and those who face barriers to learning or wellbeing achieve well. Children are well prepared for transitions and their next stage of learning. They consistently demonstrate knowledge and skills beyond that typically expected for their age. Babies explore items such as ice, flowers and fruits. They delight as they touch, taste and smell each item that they select and erupt into giggles as the ice slips and slides out of their hands. Children are curious, they benefit from time to investigate resources. They watch carefully as a toy lock is opened and closed with a key. Children persevere as they try and repeat the action, celebrating their progress at each attempt. Older children demonstrate increasing responsibility through daily tasks and routines. They concentrate well and they support their friends during the day. For example, pre-school children work together to find items in books. Children develop skills of collaboration that will support their future friendships and learning. Children develop the knowledge, skills and positive attitudes needed for their future success and the next stage of learning. Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face barriers to learning, follow routines confidently and understand what is expected of them. Leaders have high expectations for children. They offer a routine that enables each child to make progress in their own way. Children move between activities seamlessly and this helps them to remain focussed on learning. They show confidence as they take part in the daily routine, demonstrating increasing independence. Young children pour their own drinks and use an open cup. They quickly progress to serving food to their friends at lunch. Well-established routines are known to children, and this ensures children feel secure and ready to learn. Children clearly explain the rules around tidying equipment. They understand this helps them and others move safely between areas. The whole daily routine runs efficiently. This minimises any disruption so that children can continually benefit from learning. Children demonstrate extremely positive attitudes to learning. They sustain concentration, persevere with challenge and take pride in theirs and others achievements. Even young children show deep concentration in activities they have chosen, continuing tasks with support from staff who note each small improvement and give encouragement to keep trying. Children start tasks with eager enthusiasm and a can-do attitude. Their excellent problem solving and negotiation skills supports them to persevere without showing frustration. Children are calm and self-assured. They regulate their behaviour well from an early age. Leaders promote the importance of regular attendance and punctuality and work closely with families where support is needed. This ensures children access learning consistently and build securely on what they already know and can do. Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard Leaders plan for all children, including those who face barriers to learning, to benefit from consistently high-quality care that promotes their welfare and emotional wellbeing. Children and staff form incredibly strong relationships. Staff know children extremely well and respond sensitively to their individual needs. This helps children feel safe, secure and deeply valued. Children confidently seek comfort and reassurance from trusted adults. For example, younger children independently approach staff and ask for 'help please' when they need support. Staff respond with genuine warmth and encouragement. Children to feel emotionally secure and this aids development of confidence and resilience. Healthy lifestyles are promoted effectively through meaningful experiences and strong engagement with families. Children develop a clear understanding of healthy eating. Menus are shared with families to support cooking at home, reinforcing children's learning and encouraging healthy choices. Staff pay close attention to children's physical health and development. Where they observe that some children need extra support, they offer suitable activities and children make swift progress in physical development. Staff complete safe sleep training. They demonstrate secure knowledge of how to put children to sleep safety and they monitor sleeping children regularly. Children are closely supervised when eating. Meals are prepared with careful consideration of each child's needs. For example, robust systems are in place to ensure children do not access foods they are allergic to. This helps to keep children safe. Leaders support children with numerous opportunities to make meaningful choices during the day. At lunch they choose their portion size. Older children take a helper role. They ask their friends questions about what they would like to eat, such as how many slices or scoops of food they would like. Children work in small groups, taking a vote to choose activities. They learn to listen to their friends and consider others needs as well as their own. Leaders ambition to help children learn about their local community is evident. Trips and visits encourage intergenerational experiences. Children show a real understanding of how their support of the local food bank helps those who may otherwise go to bed hungry. Use is made of local resources such as the library and the art gallery. This extends to parents accessing these resources. Children gain excellent knowledge of the wider community and learn there are similarities and differences in theirs and their friends' lives. Curriculum and teaching Strong standard Leaders have designed an ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum that supports children's development across all areas of learning. They place clear emphasis on social and emotional development and building on children's natural curiosity to explore and learn. Staff have a secure understanding of the Montessori approach that is well embedded throughout the setting. Staff carefully plan hands-on experiences and give children time to investigate, develop and practice new skills. They use questioning extremely well and, as a result, older children copy this, asking interesting questions that aid their learning. Children benefit from purposeful experiences and delight in their discoveries. They are eager to learn and show deep engagement in learning from an early age. Teaching is highly effective and responsive. Staff know children extremely well and this helps them to facilitate each child's learning. Children eagerly engage in plan, do, review activities this enables them to build securely on what they already know. As a result, children make progress at their own pace. They introduce rich vocabulary, encourage children to articulate their thinking and provide time for thoughtful responses. As a result, children communicate their ideas and feelings with confidence. Mathematical understanding is developed effectively through meaningful experiences. For example, children use resources to build their knowledge of number. They demonstrate excellent skills of estimating number and then count the beads to check their estimation. Children sustain concentration, persevere when challenged and take pride in their achievements. Physical development is prioritised as children take part in carefully planned obstacle courses, developing their balance and co-ordination. Toddlers benefit from frequent, well-planned opportunities to develop their core, which staff know will help their balance, steadiness and control. Inclusion Strong standard Leaders and staff place inclusion firmly at the heart of their work. They celebrate each child's individuality, working closely with families to build a clear understanding of children's strengths, needs and next steps. This includes sensitive support during significant life events and helping children share traditions, such as songs and rhymes, that are reflective of their background and culture. Staff identify any gaps in children's learning swiftly. They effectively adapt resources and use modelling and repetition to support children. As a result, barriers to learning and wellbeing are reduced effectively, and children make secure, consistent and rapid progress from their starting points. Additional funding is used strategically to improve outcomes and reduce barriers to participation. Leaders consider carefully how funding can be used to strengthen children's language. For example, children benefit from thoughtfully selected resources, such as books that have a focus around children's interests. These support engagement and support children's language and communication. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive timely and effective support. Children who speak English as an additional language are supported effectively and make continuous progress speaking English and their home language. Staff routinely review and refine their approaches to ensure support remains inclusive and that it is supporting positive outcomes for children. Leadership and governance Strong standard The setting is led well by passionate and motivated leaders who have consistently high expectations for all children and their families. Self-evaluation is accurate. Leaders have a clear assessment of the strengths of the setting and staff ideas are welcomed when making plans for continued improvements. Leaders place a high priority on staff wellbeing. They ensure that staff have dedicated time to complete paperwork and other tasks. Staff commend leaders for their support. They say they enjoy working at the nursery and they demonstrate high levels of enthusiasm throughout their working day. The nursery benefits from a well-established and consistent staff team. Leaders have embedded a successful programme of professional development, coaching and mentoring for staff. They meet with staff on a regular basis and professional development has a clear focus on helping staff to raise the quality and consistency of their teaching. Leaders spend time role modelling good practice and as a result, staff teaching remains at a consistently high level. Leaders use a robust staff induction and processes are in place to check in on staffs ongoing suitability to work with children. This helps to keep children safe. Leaders know the importance of working with external professionals. They have. created secure links with external professionals who work with children that attend the setting and local schools that children transition to. These links help children to receive timely support from agencies where needed and support a smooth transition to school. Parents and carers are overwhelming supportive of leaders and staff. They are overjoyed with their children's care. They talk about helpful information they receive, including advice about potty training, development and support with behaviour. They also benefit from guidance about healthy eating. Parents value the varied learning opportunities their children experience, such as trips in the local community and event days where children focus on topics such as mathematics or science. Parents say they feel well informed and reassured about their child's development and wellbeing. Leaders have well established links with the local community, making regular use of facilities such as the nearby library and park. They have close links with the Early Years advisors in the local authority and this has enabled them to share some strong practice with other local settings. What it's like to be a child at this setting Children thrive at this warm, inclusive and nurturing nursery that offers a calm and caring embrace as children walk through the door. They arrive happy and settle swiftly into well- established routines. Children benefit from highly positive relationships that help them to feel safe and secure. They manage their own needs exceptionally well from an early age. Children confidently help themselves to breakfast or choose a place to play. Their calm 'can do' approach demonstrates a secure sense of belonging. Children gain valuable experiences as their interests, likes and dislikes are known to staff. Their individual needs are met through precisely targeted support and barriers to learning are reduced. All children thrive in their learning. Inspector: Children who have medical needs, are experiencing changes at home or who are facing other challenges, are supported continually so they can participate fully. Children learn through sharing their unique experiences, cultural events and family celebrations. This helps them to feel valued, accepted and safe. Across the nursery, all children engage with high levels of enthusiasm. They sustain concentration, become deeply involved in their play and demonstrate highly positive attitudes to learning. Children concentrate as they carefully carry a tray laden with items they have chosen to use. When one item drops onto the floor they calmly put the tray down while they consider how they can move all the items to the table. Children demonstrate effective problem solving and they benefit greatly from the time they are given to persevere and to complete tasks. Children confidently share ideas, listen to others and use an increasingly complex vocabulary. They enjoy resources that are carefully selected to match their current interests and help to build their next steps in learning. Books are offered that link to the activities and compliment learning. This further enhances children's language and develops their interest and use of books. Children form strong friendships. They cooperate well and show kindness and respect to each other. Regular attendance supports continuity in children's learning and development. Children make sustained progress in all areas. They have a thoroughly enjoyable time and flourish in the settings care. Children are consistently well prepared for their next stage of learning. Next steps Leaders should ensure continued improvement in their successful teaching about respect and positive attitudes to learning, to realise a transformational and sustained impact on all children's behaviour and attitudes. About this inspection The inspector/inspectors spoke with leaders, staff, children and parents 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. Lynn Richards About this setting Unique reference number (URN): 307154 Address: 38 Edgeley Road STOCKPORT Cheshire SK3 9NQ Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registration date: 11/09/1997 Registered person: Hazel Tree Montessori Nursery Limited Register(s): EYR Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 18:00 Local authority: Stockport Facts and figures used on inspection This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection. This data is from 21 July 2026 Children numbers Age range of children at the time of inspection 0 to 4 Total number of places 55 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. 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. 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. This publication is available at https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk. Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn. Piccadilly Gate Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted © Crown copyright 2026 © Crown copyright