Playhouse Montessori

Playhouse Montessori
Unique reference number (URN): EY339849
Address: 1a Dunbar Avenue, LONDON, SW16 4SB
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 30/10/2006
Registers: EYR
Registered person: Playhouse Montessori Limited
Inspection report: 8 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.

Strong standard
Expected standard
Inclusion Strong standard
Leaders and staff prioritise children's progress, support and individual needs. Through early
identification and intervention, staff make timely referrals and take appropriate action to
support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those with
barriers to learning. For example, through observation and assessment, staff identify
potential barriers. They work in partnership with parents and carers to create consistent and
suitable next steps and methods.
Leaders also work closely with the local authority's special educational needs coordinators
to ensure swift and effective adaptations and support plans are in place. Staff are well
trained at adapting experiences to ensure all children, including those with SEND, are able
to access the same learning opportunities. Using baseline starting points and ongoing
observation, staff create targeted plans that ensure each child is well supported and children
make progress.
Leaders have developed a consistent parent partnership relationship. They offer support
that has excellent outcomes for families. For example, leaders support parents who speak
English as an additional language with funding forms and school applications. As a result of
this, parents from a variety of backgrounds and circumstances feel supported.
Achievement Expected standard
Across the setting, children typically develop age- and stage-appropriate knowledge in all
areas of the curriculum. Children are generally ready for the next stage of learning and have
the appropriate skills. For example, pre-school children demonstrate understanding of early
mathematics and literacy. They learn skills to be ready for school, such as using signing in
boards. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities
(SEND) or with barriers to learning, typically achieve well and make noticeable progress
from their starting points. However, due to inconsistencies in the curriculum delivery, children
do not thrive in all areas of learning at an expected pace. Children are well supported as
staff adapt approaches to ensure that children with SEND and barriers to learning achieve
and learn.
For example, staff use visual cards and adaptations of activities to ensure children are
learning at an appropriate stage. As a result of this, children with SEND achieve
individualised outcomes and develop their skills and knowledge.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard
Leaders and staff typically set high expectations for children's behaviour. As a result,
children commonly behave well and follow age-appropriate rules and boundaries. However,

some inconsistencies in approaches and expectations means children's behaviour is not
consistently addressed in line with expectations. However, staff praise children's positive
behaviour and overall support their behaviour well.
Leaders promote positive attendance. They work closely with parents and carers to ensure
any absences are followed up on. As a result, children's attendance is consistent and they
start to form a positive understanding of school attendance expectations.
Staff celebrate each child as an individual. They encourage one another to do the same,
while showing kindness and fairness to their peers. Staff encourage children to share and
take turns. As a result, children typically play well alongside one another while sharing ideas.
Staff use age- and stage-appropriate methods to support children's behaviour and routines.
Staff create a warm and valuable relationship with the children. As a result, children are
eager and excited to engage in learning opportunities with them. For example, children
excitedly engage in role play by being firefighters and pretending to tackle fires in the
garden.
Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard
Staff are understanding of the varying needs of the families and children from the setting.
Using tailored and adapted approaches, staff support families and children in an appropriate
manner to ensure children are well supported in their learning and development. Leaders
are well informed of family dynamics and using external agencies and guidance. They
implement support which ensures children's wellbeing and welfare are a priority.
Staff and leaders have created an open-plan style setting. Children can freely use the
garden areas and explore, while brining indoor learning outdoors where possible. Staff
support children's hygiene appropriately and care for children. For example, they encourage
children to change wet clothes and wash their hands after using the toilet. Staff typically
encourage the children to be independent through skills, such as self-serving meals,
dressing themselves, washing their hands and pouring water. However, staff do not
consistently embed these opportunities at all times, which means children are not
consistently learning and developing these skills. Staff teach children the importance of
hydration and a healthy diet. As a result, children engage in social mealtimes while enjoying
their meals.
Leaders are reflective and up to date with changes relating to the early years. As a result,
they adapt practice and policy to ensure children's welfare and wellbeing are well supported.
For example, following previous concerns around safer eating and health requirements,
leaders have implemented effective steps consistently to ensure children remain safe.
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Leaders have a clear understanding of the setting's curriculum. For example, they share that
as well as the seven areas of learning, communication and independence are key skills
which they strive to implement. Overall, staff have a secure understanding of the curriculum
and how they can support children to develop in all areas of learning. However, there are
some inconsistencies across the setting. For example, not all staff encourage children's

independence and communication. As a result of this, children do not always demonstrate
the same skills as they move between the rooms. For instance, toddlers are encouraged to
self-serve their own snack and water, but older children do not have the same opportunity
consistently. The curriculum however is inclusive and it offers every child, including those
with special educational needs and/or disabilities, high-quality learning and teaching
opportunities.
Through observation, supervision and discussion, leaders ensure that the curriculum is
typically delivered well and the key focus areas are implemented. Leaders acknowledge that
there are some inconsistencies but, overall, the curriculum is fair, accessible and staff teach
it well. Staff adapt the curriculum to ensure every child receives high-quality teaching. For
example, staff in the baby room focus on babies' personal and emotional development as
new babies join. They encourage them to form attachments and social skills. Staff invite
children to engage in fun and animated story times. As a result, children across the setting
have a love for books. Children across all ages have ample of opportunities to develop their
physical skills in the well-designed 3 garden areas.
Leadership and governance Expected standard
Leaders have a secure understanding of the setting's context and families' circumstances.
Through partnership with other professionals and parent partnerships, leaders remain up to
date with changes and adaptations required. Leaders are responsive and open. They
demonstrate ambition to continue to deliver high-quality care and education. For example,
leaders identify there are some inconsistencies in the curriculum delivery and are working to
fully embed this.
Leaders provide ongoing support and training to all staff to ensure staff are well equipped
and knowledgeable to deliver care and education in line with their expectations. For
example, apprentices' comment on the positive and ongoing support from leaders during
their placement. As a result, they feel prepared in their roles and able to fulfil their duties.
Leaders use ongoing supervision sessions and training sessions to support staff, check on
their wellbeing and ensure their workloads remain manageable. Leaders spend times in the
rooms with the staff and children. They offer ongoing guidance and positive role modelling.
As a result, leaders are well aware of the setting's strengths, areas for improvement and any
identified training needs within the staffing team.
Leaders engage well with other agencies, such as health professionals and the local
authority. They attend scheduled meetings and book onto training courses. Staff work in
partnership to ensure the children in their care receive the most accurate and suitable care
and education. Leaders also work with parents and carers and local schools. They conduct
visits and make introduction packs to ensure children are ready for the transition to primary
school and parents are following the correct processes for school applications.

What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children are calm, polite and they enjoy spending time together. While engaging in a range
of stimulating activities indoors and outdoors, children develop their social skills and
curiosity. For example, outdoors, babies explore sensory opportunities. Older children
engage in art and craft activities, such as glueing and play dough. Children are safe and
staff care for children, meeting their individual needs and celebrating each child as an
individual.
Children demonstrate a curious and enthusiastic approach to learning. For example, older
children excitedly explore the resources while staff engage children in a range of planned
activities that meet their personalised next steps. Children are achieving and developing
skills in each area of learning. They demonstrate an age-appropriate readiness for the next
stage of learning. However, due to some inconsistencies in the curriculum, staff do not
consistently provide learning experiences that may help prepare children for the next room.
For instance, staff do not encourage children's independence skills across the age groups,
such as self-serving meals. Staff plan carefully and use ongoing assessment and
observation to deliver appropriate targeted activities which support all children's next steps,
including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). For example, staff
provide visual timetables and frequently planned focus activities for children with SEND to
support their understanding and concentration skills.
Children form positive relationships with staff. They demonstrate secure attachments to all
staff, including leaders and key people. Parents and carers highlight the support that they
feel from the setting. They comment on their children's positive progress and the consistent
parent partnership. All children are celebrated as a unique individuals. Staff identify
children's individual needs and areas for support. For example, staff ask parents to provide
key words in children's home language to ensure that while the child is learning English,
they can still share their thoughts and needs. As a result of this, children are confident,
secure, well cared for and well settled.
Next steps
Leaders should implement a consistent approach that is used across the setting to
support children's behaviour in line with expectations.
Leaders should continue to embed the curriculum across all age groups to ensure
consistency in children's learning.
Staff should support children to develop their independence skills consistently across all
age groups.

Inspector:
Louise Mackay
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): EY339849
Address:
1a Dunbar Avenue
LONDON
SW16 4SB
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 30/10/2006
Registered person: Playhouse Montessori Limited
Register(s): EYR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:45 - 18:00
Local authority: Croydon
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 8 May 2026
Children numbers
About this 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 inspector spoke with leaders, staff and the special educational needs coordinator during
the inspection.

Age range of children at the time of inspection
1 to 4
Total number of places
50
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