Neasden Montessori School

Pouring, fastening buttons and sorting textures give Neasden Montessori School its character. Practical tasks sit alongside reading, number work and creative play, with a grassy outdoor area extending the activities beyond the classroom.

The nursery takes children from the term following their second birthday until age five, at St. Catherines Church on Neasden Lane in Brent. No Ofsted inspection has been published for this setting yet. Morning, afternoon and full-day attendance are offered during term time.

Learning and Activities

Montessori combines freedom and structure, using purpose-designed materials that allow children to recognise and correct mistakes themselves.

Practical Life brings everyday skills into learning: children practise pouring, folding and using dressing frames with fastenings. These activities give them opportunities to rehearse tasks involved in looking after themselves. Sensorial work uses differences in texture, weight, shape and sound to help children compare and classify objects.

Painting, role play and music provide other ways to explore ideas. Reading, writing and arithmetic sit alongside geography, botany and science, giving the day both practical and subject-based activity.

Outdoor and Community Life

A grassy area beside the classroom contains tricycles, stepping stones and a playhouse, as well as a swing and slide. Sand and water trays add opportunities for hands-on exploration outdoors.

World Book Day is an annual celebration involving book-character costumes, stories and character-based art. Some parents take part by reading stories, giving families a concrete way to contribute to the event.

Formal parent meetings sit alongside an online learning journey where families can see observations of their child. Development is monitored across different areas, with the next stage introduced according to the child’s progress.

The staff structure includes a SENCO and a designated safeguarding lead. Staff undertake safeguarding training and hold paediatric first-aid training; these are arrangements for care, rather than an inspection judgement on their effectiveness.

Families supply fruit for snacks and a packed lunch when children stay for lunch; milk and water are provided during the day. Parents also bring nappies or pull-ups and wipes when needed, together with spare clothing.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is St. Catherines Church, Neasden Lane, London NW10 1QB. Opening hours are 9am to 3pm, Monday to Friday, across 38 weeks, with holiday breaks between and within terms.

Morning sessions run from 9am to noon, while full-day sessions run from 9am to 3pm. Afternoon sessions finish at 3pm. Families can submit an online interest form with their intended starting month and attendance requirements.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded options include 15 hours for eligible disadvantaged two-year-olds, the universal 15-hour entitlement for three- and four-year-olds, and 30 hours for eligible working families with two- and three-year-olds. Funding follows the term-time schedule. Private places for two-year-olds and paid sessions beyond the 15-hour entitlement are also offered.

Fully funded children have no registration charge; private places carry a non-refundable registration charge. Fruit, packed lunches and necessary nappies and wipes remain parent-provided, including during funded attendance. Withdrawal requires written notice of a full term, or payment instead.

• Holiday cover. Attendance follows a 38-week calendar with half-term breaks. Families needing care during holidays will need a separate arrangement.
• Afternoon timing. The timetable gives a midnight start, but the afternoon entry arrangements specify noon. Confirm the afternoon starting time before choosing this pattern.
• Settling and additional support. A SENCO is part of the staff structure. At a visit, how would settling and any additional support be organised for your child?

Neasden Montessori School suits families seeking either shorter morning or afternoon attendance, or a full day within a term-time calendar. Its recognisable offer is practical Montessori activity, sensory materials and outdoor play, supported by formal progress meetings and an online learning journey. The holiday pattern and parent-supplied food are central practical considerations.