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
Inspection report: 23 June 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 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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.

Expected standard
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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

Inspectors:
Dani Taylor
Amy Whiting
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): 2780059
Address:
Green Lees
Oxcarr Lane, Strensall
York
YO32 5TD
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.
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.
About this inspection
The inspectors spoke with leaders, staff, special educational needs coordinators, children
and parents and carers 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.
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
Registered person: Strensall Montessori Nursery Limited
Register(s): EYR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00
Local authority: York
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 23 June 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
0 to 4
Total number of places
56
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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