Halfmoon Montessori Nursery

Halfmoon Montessori Nursery
Unique reference number (URN): EY251250
Address: Methodist Church Hall, 155 Half Moon Lane, London, SE24 9HU
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 24/03/2003
Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR
Registered person: Meehan, Aisling Marion
Inspection report: 24 February 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, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND),
demonstrate high levels of engagement and make strong progress from their individual
starting points. They are curious, resilient learners who communicate confidently using
expressive language to share ideas during both structured and imaginative play.
Due to a highly responsive curriculum and staff who make in-the-moment environmental
adjustments, children develop the independence and social and emotional security needed
for successful transitions. For example, rather than just being present, children with SEND
actively participate in small-group activities. Progress is seen in their ability to take turns or
respond to a peer's initiation of play, facilitated by the swift adjustments made to the
environment.
Leaders and staff support children to behave with kindness and remain deeply focused.
They consistently acquire the foundational skills required for the next stage of their
education.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard
Children arrive at the nursery with notable confidence, separating from parents with
increasing independence to settle into purposeful play. This seamless transition is bolstered
by the positive promotion of attendance and punctuality, which equips children with a robust
foundation for success as they transition to school and future learning. These high levels of
engagement are rooted in warm, nurturing relationships with staff, allowing children to feel
secure, seek comfort appropriately and sustain a deep focus in their chosen activities.
Leaders and staff maintain clear expectations that help all children, including those with
special educational needs and/or disabilities, to establish secure routines quickly. This
further supports children's wellbeing and active participation. Because staff explicitly model
social language for sharing and expressing emotions, routines are so well embedded that
children require almost no reminders. For example, children take the initiative to tidy
resources when they have finished playing with them, before getting a new activity out.
Children consistently demonstrate good attitudes to learning, characterised by deep
curiosity and resilience. Rather than just following instructions, they independently navigate
challenges, such as persisting with a difficult puzzle for extended periods without giving up
or encouraging a peer to try again when a block tower falls. Their enthusiastic engagement
in sports and outdoor play provides vital opportunities to practise active listening and
collaborate effectively with others. This high level social interaction demonstrates a
sophisticated ability to negotiate and problem-solve during group games, showing a maturity
beyond their years.

Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard
Children form secure, responsive relationships with staff, which directly foster their
emotional security and a profound sense of belonging. This supportive atmosphere is
reflected in the feedback from parents and carers, who are exceptionally positive about the
provision. They consistently highlight their children's happiness, wellbeing and the rapid
progress they observe.
In daily routines, children display high levels of independence and self-assurance. They
independently and confidently manage their personal belongings, master thorough
handwashing techniques, and complete everyday tasks without needing much adult
intervention. Where children require additional support to reach these milestones, staff
provide precise, targeted guidance and reassurance, ensuring that every child can
participate fully and successfully.
Physical development is a core strength of the curriculum, with children engaging in daily,
high-energy challenges. Beyond structured ball games, children refine their gross motor
skills by navigating trikes and scooters with increasing coordination. These outdoor
experiences are matched by a sophisticated understanding of personal safety and healthy
living. For example, children are taught to assess risks while using equipment and
understand why physical activity is vital for their bodies.
The nursery's approach to nutrition is both practical and educational. During snack and
lunchtimes, children make thoughtful, healthy choices, often discussing the benefits of the
nutritious food they bring from home. This learning is brought to life in the nursery's
vegetable patch, where children use child-safe trowels and watering cans to grow and
harvest produce. By preparing home-grown fruit and vegetables for snack time, children
make tangible connections between the environment and their own health.
Ultimately, children thrive in this inclusive, well-organised environment. Their emotional
wellbeing is nurtured, allowing them to flourish as independent, confident learners, equipped
with lifelong healthy habits and robust physical skills.
Curriculum and teaching Strong standard
Leaders and staff demonstrate a secure knowledge of child development, which informs a
curriculum built directly around children's evolving interests and fascinations. This child-
centred approach ensures that children are consistently engaged and motivated. For
example, when children show a keen interest in Lego, staff purposefully integrate
mathematical language, such as 'small, tall, balance and steady' into the play. By effectively
identifying starting points through settling observations and transition discussions, staff
adapt their teaching responsively to meet specific developmental needs. This is particularly
impactful for children who speak English as an additional language. Staff use sensory
resources and visual cues to ensure that these children can navigate the curriculum with the
same confidence as their peers.
The quality of interaction between staff and children is a particular strength of the setting.
Staff engage purposefully with children, responding to their ideas and extending learning
through sustained, shared thinking. Children are encouraged to explore, solve problems and

develop their understanding, receiving the right level of challenge to support their progress.
For instance, when children are role playing being builders in the outdoor area, staff
introduce new vocabulary and encourage meaningful turn-taking, ensuring that
communication is woven into every interaction. This expert modelling helps children to
bridge the gap between their current abilities and their potential.
A robust commitment to inclusion ensures that children with special educational needs
and/or disabilities are very well supported. Staff work with urgency to identify any emerging
delays in development, implementing well-researched teaching strategies that provide
immediate, effective intervention. This support is seamlessly integrated into the daily routine.
For example, if a child struggles with transitions or social boundaries, staff use bespoke
pictures to maintain the child's engagement. By tailoring activities to individual
developmental stages, leaders ensure that all children—regardless of their starting point—
make continuous progress and develop the curiosity and skills necessary to thrive both
socially and academically.
Inclusion Strong standard
Staff demonstrate a deep knowledge of each child's unique requirements, identifying
emerging needs promptly to ensure that any barriers to learning or wellbeing are addressed
quickly. This is particularly evident in the support for children with special educational needs
and/or disabilities, where staff make purposeful adaptations to the environment and daily
routines. For example, the consistent use of visual timetables allows children to navigate
their day with confidence. By tailoring activities to individual starting points, such as adapting
resources for specific children when taking part in a sports session, leaders ensure that all
children can fully access the curriculum and make continuous progress.
Leaders prioritise professional development, providing staff with regular, high-quality training
that directly informs their daily practice. The impact of this training is visible in the confident
and sensitive way that staff interact with children. For instance, after recent speech and
language training, staff now effectively model correct sentence structure to better support
communication. This expertise is further bolstered by close collaboration with external
professionals and agencies. These partnerships ensure that interventions are both timely
and effective, broadening the learning opportunities available and ensuring that children
receive the specialised support they need to thrive.
The setting maintains a proactive partnership with families, consistently consulting with
parents and carers to share observations and offer guidance for home learning. Parents
speak highly of these relationships, noting that their children are happy, safe and receive
highly attentive care. They describe how tailored support, such as helping children to identify
emotions and practise coping strategies, helps their children to flourish both socially and
academically. Furthermore, while no children currently access early years pupil premium
funding, leaders have clear, effective plans for its future use to ensure equitable access and
close any potential gaps for disadvantaged children.
Leadership and governance Strong standard
Leaders provide clear day-to-day oversight, translating an understanding of the early years
foundation stage into a highly effective, well-organised curriculum. Rather than simply

maintaining oversight, leaders have made strategic decisions to restructure the daily routine,
ensuring that transitions are seamless and learning time is maximised. This has resulted in
children being calm, purposeful and deeply engaged in their play.
By fostering an environment of high expectations, leaders have cultivated a culture where
positive behaviour is the norm. Furthermore, the setting actively collaborates with external
agencies—including speech and language therapists and local authority advisers—to
ensure that specialised advice is integrated directly into the children's learning plans.
The nursery's inclusive ethos ensures that all children, particularly those with special
educational needs and/or disabilities, flourish. Leaders have prioritised targeted training,
such as recent speech and language training, which has equipped staff with the specific
tools needed to support children's communication. This has led to a measurable increase in
child-led interactions and a reduction in frustration for children with additional needs. To
maintain this high standard, staff wellbeing is central to the nursery's operations. Through
regular one-to-one supervision and a responsive, approachable leadership style, staff feel
empowered and highly valued. This investment in the workforce directly improves the quality
of teaching, as practitioners feel confident to innovate and refine their safeguarding and
behavioural management practices.
Partnerships with parents and carers are a cornerstone of the setting. Leaders work closely
with families to navigate external challenges, offering both emotional reassurance and
practical guidance on home learning. Parents express significant confidence in the setting,
frequently describing their children as thriving and fully immersed in the nursery's diverse
activities. This level of trust is a direct result of the nursery's transparent communication and
its commitment to an inclusive environment where every child's progress is tracked and
celebrated. The impact of this rigorous leadership is evident in the children's happiness and
their rapid development across all areas of the curriculum.
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 arrive at this welcoming and inclusive nursery with evident enthusiasm. They are
greeted warmly by staff who know them well and take time to tune into each child's
emotional state, interests and individual needs. Children feel safe, secure and ready to
learn, which is reflected in their confidence, engagement and positive behaviour.
Children show a genuine enjoyment of learning. They become deeply engaged in activities
and sustain concentration for extended periods. Staff build learning around children's
interests. For example, they grow beans in the vegetable patch after discussions about
where food comes from, giving children meaningful, real-life experiences.
Children make substantial progress from their individual starting points. Staff understand
each child's prior experiences and plan carefully sequenced next steps so that children build
securely on what they already know and can do. By the time they leave, children are
independent, confident and well prepared for school.
Relationships are a particular strength. Key persons form secure, empathetic connections,
and children readily seek them out for reassurance or to share achievements, demonstrating
a clear sense of belonging. Inclusion is central to practice and all children, including those
who face barriers to learning, are fully involved in nursery life.
Interactions are consistently high quality. Staff engage children in sustained conversations,
extending their thinking and language. During show-and-tell sessions, for example, children
confidently share special items from home while their peers ask thoughtful questions,
developing curiosity and expressive language skills.
Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as
an additional language are well supported through adapted teaching and close partnership
with professionals. Consequently, a rigorous emphasis on communication and physical

Inspector:
Natasha Wood
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): EY251250
Address:
Methodist Church Hall
155 Half Moon Lane
London
SE24 9HU
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 24/03/2003
development ensures that children develop the core skills, resilience and teamwork needed
for future learning.
Children's uniqueness is recognised and celebrated; staff adapt the provision thoughtfully so
that every child can flourish. Children reach high levels of attainment, feel that they belong,
and thrive in a calm, nurturing and ambitious learning environment.
Next steps
Leaders and those responsible for governance should sustain their work to ensure
continued improvement and high standards. They should focus on creating a
transformational impact on the outcomes and experiences of disadvantaged children,
those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may face other
barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing.
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with leaders, practitioners 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.

Registered person: Meehan, Aisling Marion
Register(s): EYR, CCR, VCR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:35 - 15:00
Local authority: Southwark
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 24 February 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
2 to 4
Total number of places
53
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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