Little Oaks Montessori Nursery

A fire engine to explore, ladybirds to watch developing and practical skills to practise: Little Oaks Montessori Nursery gives its Southgate setting a recognisable character. Children’s learning connects with living things and the work people do around them. The emphasis is on experiences children can take part in, rather than simply hear about.

Little Oaks accepts children aged two to five and has capacity for 28 children in total. At its July 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated it Good overall and found safeguarding effective. That judgement sits alongside two clear priorities for improvement: protecting children’s concentration during routines and developing mathematical understanding beyond counting.

Morning, afternoon and full-day sessions provide different attendance options within a term-time setting. For parents, the combination to weigh is Montessori learning, practical independence and a day that finishes at 3.30pm.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children’s learning, development and care, bringing language, physical development and other areas of learning into everyday play. In July 2024, Little Oaks followed the Montessori method of education, an approach that emphasises independence and practical learning. Here, the useful detail lies in what children actually did.

During that month, children practised managing their own clothing and belongings. They changed into indoor shoes after outdoor play, dealt with coat zips and used their own pegs. These are small tasks with a clear purpose: children have opportunities to do things for themselves, rather than relying on an adult for every step.

Language learning had equally concrete examples in July 2024. Songs, conversations and stories introduced vocabulary that children then used in their play. Dough and oversized toothbrushes became props for discussing tooth decay. Familiar stories invited children to supply missing phrases, giving them an active part in shared reading rather than leaving them only to listen.

Mathematics also grew out of ordinary activities that July. Children counted construction blocks and pieces of fruit and vegetables at snack time. However, opportunities to explore dimensions and shapes were less consistent. Counting was present; extending the conversation into other mathematical ideas needed more attention.

In June 2025, Life cycles - Butterflies and Lifecycles - Ladybirds involved the arrival of caterpillars and ladybird larvae for planned observation of their development. Watching their changes would give children something real to return to and compare, rather than a single discussion about an animal’s life cycle.

Outdoor and Community Life

Southgate Fire Station provides a strong local connection. In May 2025, the Fire Engine Visit followed visits to the station over the preceding few years; this time, firefighters came to the nursery. Children climbed into the engine and tried spraying its hose during a fortnight exploring occupations. The visit linked their learning about firefighters’ work to equipment they could handle.

The Police Visit, also in May 2025, gave children another way to explore an occupation. They asked questions, tried hats and walkie-talkies, and showed the officers their role-play police station. Outside, they took turns sitting in the police car. These were specific past experiences, with a useful connection between imaginative play and people doing the job.

Relationships and Communication

At the July 2024 inspection, Ofsted found that staff formed close relationships with children, gave newcomers additional help to settle, worked effectively with the special needs coordinator to identify and support SEND, and maintained strong communication with parents. For families, this joins up several important parts of care: being known individually, receiving help during the adjustment to nursery and having adults share information about development.

In July 2024, key workers understood the children in their care, and staff took family circumstances into account when building relationships. Parents valued the time devoted to settling. The practical strength was attention to the individual child, rather than expecting everyone to adjust in the same way.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

Daily expectations in July 2024 included looking after belongings, sharing toys and helping with tidying. Adults demonstrated courteous behaviour, and children used polite language with one another. These everyday interactions made social learning part of ordinary play.

School preparation was also considered in July 2024, with the manager and staff planning for children’s eventual move. Independence with clothes, belongings and toileting formed part of that preparation. The value is in practising daily tasks as well as participating in learning activities.

In July 2024, families supplied balanced packed lunches and snacks, while weekly cooking introduced foods such as Vietnamese summer rolls. Preparing and tasting food offered another practical experience, alongside learning about flags and cuisine from different countries.

Sessions and Attendance

Little Oaks operates during term time, Monday to Friday, and closes for school holidays. Morning sessions run from 9am to noon; afternoons run from 12.30pm to 3.30pm. A full day runs from 9am to 3.30pm, with Lunch club between noon and 12.30pm.

The distinction matters when arranging the family day. A morning ends before the afternoon begins, while the full-day option spans both periods. Lunch club occupies the interval between them and carries a separate charge. These are daytime attendance patterns, with the latest finish at 3.30pm.

Getting There

The address is 6th Southgate Scout Hall, Waterfall Road, N14 7JZ; the Southgate contact address uses Walker Cricket Ground on the same road and postcode. Enquiries can be made through the contact form, by telephone on 020 8886 2400 or by email to southgate@littleoaksmontessorinursery.com.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered for two-year-olds and children aged three and over, alongside privately paid attendance. The charge structure distinguishes the age bands: a parent contribution applies to funded attendance for children aged three and over, while the funded two-year-old entry has no parent contribution.

A deposit also applies. Current prices come in the nursery’s written quotation, which gives families a basis for comparing the attendance pattern they want with the relevant funded or private arrangement.

• Concentration during routines. In July 2024, tidying sometimes interrupted children’s engagement with learning. On a visit, ask how routines now protect time for children to finish or develop an activity.
• Mathematics beyond counting. The July 2024 improvement priorities included making better use of opportunities involving shapes and dimensions. Ask for a recent example of how staff extend children’s mathematical thinking during play.
• Term-time attendance and funded contributions. Morning, afternoon and full-day patterns finish by 3.30pm, and school holidays are closure periods. Families needing holiday cover should factor that into their plans; those choosing funded attendance for children aged three and over should account for the parent contribution.

Little Oaks suits families seeking morning or afternoon sessions as well as full-day attendance within a term-time routine. Its most compelling examples are practical: children exploring a fire engine, insects arriving for planned observation and children learning to manage everyday tasks themselves.

The Good judgement from July 2024 provides a clear inspection position, with specific improvement priorities rather than an unqualified endorsement. For parents drawn to Montessori education and hands-on learning, this is a setting worth considering, provided its term-time calendar and 3.30pm finish fit the family’s needs.