Alexandra Montessori-Heston

Alexandra Montessori-Heston
Unique reference number (URN): 2814844
Address: 36 Springwell Road, Heston, Houslow, TW5 9EJ
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 17/10/2024
Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR
Registered person: Alexandra Montessori Limited
Inspection report: 11 September 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
Children make rapid and sustained progress from their individual starting points. They
develop age- and stage-appropriate knowledge and skills across all areas of learning.
Children benefit from meaningful next steps in learning to support their progress. Babies
develop increasing confidence and independence through everyday routines. Older children
apply their knowledge and skills through a wide range of experiences.
Children develop breadth and depth through a wide range of experiences and everyday
routines. They use language to describe tastes, textures and colours. Children apply
mathematical ideas through counting and comparison. They develop physical skills outdoors
and build independence through washing hands, serving food, pouring drinks and tidying.
Children who face additional barriers receive support that is adapted to their needs.
Children are well prepared for their next stage. They develop confidence, communication,
social skills, self-care and positive attitudes to learning. Parents and carers describe clear
improvements in children's confidence, independence, communication and social
development. Children who have received additional support have developed their skills and
become more confident in routines and experiences, supported by adapted strategies and
partnership working.
The weakness identified in curriculum and teaching has a limited impact on children's overall
achievement. Although staff occasionally intervene too quickly during messy and sensory
play, children continue to make rapid and sustained progress from their individual starting
points. They benefit from a wide range of experiences that develop their knowledge, skills
and understanding across all areas of learning.
Inclusion Strong standard
Leaders identify children's individual needs through the key-person system, observations,
information from parents and carers and ongoing assessment. They act when emerging
needs or barriers are identified and seek advice from external professionals when required.
Staff make appropriate adaptations to help children participate fully, including children who
speak English as an additional language. For example, staff use children's home languages
alongside English, repetition, simple language and visual support to help children
understand routines and communicate. Leaders work closely with parents and professionals
so that support is coordinated and responsive.
The setting has previously supported children with special educational needs and/or
disabilities. Staff have used advice from the local authority inclusion team and other
professionals, including speech and language therapists and the child development clinic.
They explain how they have adapted support as children's needs become clearer, and
include visual aids, consistent routines and individualised strategies.
Children who have required additional support have made progress from their starting
points. They have developed their communication, increased their eye contact, participated

Expected standard
more successfully in activities and become better able to manage transitions. Leaders also
monitor children's attendance and understand how additional funding could be used to
reduce barriers if eligible children attend. Parents are involved in decisions about support
and receive information to help continue this at home.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard
Children generally behave well and develop positive relationships with staff and each other.
Staff provide warm attention, encouragement and reassurance. Children receive support to
share, take turns and play alongside others. Familiar routines help children to develop
independence and positive attitudes to learning. For example, children wash their hands,
prepare and serve snack, tidy resources and take responsibility for simple tasks.
Staff promote attendance with families and monitor patterns of absence, following up
concerns when necessary. They make appropriate adjustments to support children's
individual circumstances and help children to settle into nursery routines. Children listen to
instructions, join activities and are generally engaged when activities capture their interest.
Staff praise children when they have a go, follow expectations or complete tasks
independently.
Occasionally, staff are not consistent in how they respond to children's behaviour. At times,
staff do not use opportunities to reinforce expectations and help children to understand how
their actions affect others. As a result, children do not develop a consistent understanding of
feelings, behaviour and routines or have the support they need to manage these more
independently.
Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard
Children benefit from a safe and welcoming environment where they feel secure and cared
for. Key-person arrangements support children to settle. Staff understand children's
individual routines, dietary needs and developmental stages. Leaders have appropriate
policies and procedures for children's welfare, health and wellbeing, which staff generally
understand and implement. For example, children independently wash their hands, serve
food using tongs, pour their own water and scrape their plates. This helps to develop
children's independence through everyday routines.
Children have daily opportunities for outdoor play and develop healthy habits through
nutritious food, hygiene and toothbrushing. Children brush their teeth after meals and learn
why this is important for their oral health. Staff talk to children about healthy food and oral
health. They work closely with parents and carers around children's allergies, dietary
requirements and introducing new foods and textures. Staff understand safer sleeping
arrangements and monitor babies' sleep. Children receive encouragement to make healthy
choices and develop positive hygiene habits. Occasionally, staff do not consistently
recognise when children become tired during mealtimes and may need additional support.

As a result, children do not consistently receive timely support when they become tired
during meals.
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Leaders have developed a broad and inclusive approach across all areas of learning and
development. Staff understand what they want children to learn and provide a range of
opportunities to build children's knowledge and skills. The provision reflects the differing
needs of babies, toddlers and older children. Staff link planned experiences to children's
interests, starting points and next steps. They use observations and staff discussions to
identify areas for development. Staff use Romanian alongside English to support children
who speak English as an additional language. For example, older children explore different
tastes and textures during a practical science activity while learning words, such as 'grainy',
'sticky', 'sour' and 'runny'. Staff interact warmly with children and use open-ended questions,
introduce new vocabulary and encourage children to have a go.
Children benefit from practical experiences, role play, creative activities, sensory play and
outdoor learning. Staff incorporate mathematics naturally into children's play. They support
communication and language through conversations, songs, stories and first-hand
experiences. For example, children learn to count steps, scoops of sand and foam bricks
and use mathematical language, such as 'full', 'half', 'taller' and 'shorter'. Staff use
assessment and knowledge of children's starting points to identify their next steps. However,
staff occasionally intervene too quickly during messy and sensory play, focusing on
preventing spills or mess. This can reduce opportunities for children to explore freely,
experiment, solve problems and develop their own ideas. As a result, children do not
consistently have sufficient opportunities to lead their exploration and extend their learning
through play.
Leadership and governance Expected standard
Leaders understand the setting's context, strengths and areas for development. They take
action to maintain and improve the quality of education and care. Leaders use observations,
supervision sessions, appraisals, staff meetings and discussions to monitor practice. They
have priorities to improve outdoor provision, including free-flow opportunities and developing
forest school experiences. Leaders have strengthened staff understanding of policies
through fact sheets, discussions, quizzes and wallet cards. Leaders have recently reviewed
and updated policies to reflect changes to statutory requirements. They manage resources
appropriately to support provision.
Leaders include feedback from children, parents and carers, staff and the local authority in
their self-evaluation. They also consider children's interests and views as part of this
reflection. Leaders also collect parents' feedback through regular questionnaires and
frequent verbal feedback. They use this information alongside observations to identify
priorities for improvement. Occasionally, self-evaluation and coaching do not identify precise
improvements in teaching practice or check that agreed approaches are implemented
consistently. As a result, agreed improvements are not always embedded consistently in
practice.

Leaders support staff wellbeing through supervision sessions, communication and regular
professional development. Staff describe leaders as approachable and supportive. Staff
receive regular training to develop and maintain their knowledge and skills. Leaders also
maintain their own professional knowledge through training and discussions with managers
and the regional directors.
Parents receive regular information through daily discussions at drop-off and collection,
parents' meetings, online journals and home-learning opportunities. Leaders work positively
with parents and external professionals. They provide workshops on behaviour, healthy
eating, online safety and school readiness. The setting has started to support a school in a
deprived area of India through fundraising and sending resources.
Compulsory Childcare Register requirements
This setting has met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.
How we check if a provider meets the requirements of the Compulsory Childcare
Register
When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can
have the following outcomes:
Met
Not met
Voluntary Childcare Register requirements
This setting has met the requirements of the voluntary part of Childcare Register.
How we check if a provider meets the requirements of the Voluntary Childcare
Register
When we check if settings meet the Voluntary Childcare Register requirements, they can
have the following outcomes:
Met
Not met

What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children are happy, settled and confident at this welcoming nursery. They form positive
relationships with staff, who provide warmth, attention and reassurance. Babies benefit from
experiences that reflect their individual stages of development. Toddlers and older children
become increasingly comfortable in their surroundings. Children separate from their parents
and carers confidently. They enjoy making choices about what they want to do. Children
receive encouragement to play alongside others, share resources and take turns. Families
are welcomed and kept informed about their children's experiences and progress.
Children achieve well from their individual starting points. They develop a wide range of
knowledge and skills through play, practical experiences and everyday routines. For
example, children count scoops of sand, compare the height of towers and use
mathematical language, such as 'full', 'half', 'taller' and 'shorter'. They develop their
vocabulary through conversations about animals, colours, tastes and textures. Children who
speak English as an additional language receive support to develop their English while
continuing to use their home languages. Children enjoy exploring themes and activities that
build their knowledge of the world and give them opportunities to follow their interests.
Children feel secure and valued because they benefit from a safe and caring environment
where their individual needs are understood. They have daily opportunities to play outdoors,
develop healthy habits and become increasingly independent. Children learn about their
feelings, relationships and how to keep themselves healthy and safe. Staff support children
to feel secure, develop independence and take part confidently in routines and experiences.
Leaders monitor attendance and work with families when concerns arise. Children who have
additional needs receive tailored support and benefit from partnership working with parents
and other professionals. Overall, children develop the knowledge, skills and confidence they
need for their next stage. They become increasingly confident in making choices, joining in
with others and taking part in routines and experiences. This supports children to feel secure
and included.
Next steps
Leaders should strengthen staff practice to support children to manage their feelings and
behaviour consistently and understand how their actions affect others.
Leaders should strengthen practices at mealtimes so staff consistently recognise when
children become tired and provide appropriate support to promote their welfare and
wellbeing.
Leaders should strengthen self-evaluation and coaching so staff consistently give children
time to explore, experiment and lead their play, particularly during messy and sensory
experiences.

Inspector:
Rizwana Nagoor
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): 2814844
Address:
36 Springwell Road
Heston
Houslow
TW5 9EJ
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 17/10/2024
Registered person: Alexandra Montessori Limited
Register(s): EYR, CCR, VCR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 18:00
Local authority: Hounslow
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 11 September 2026
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with, leaders, staff, parents and carers 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.

Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
1 to 3
Total number of places
110
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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