New Park Primary Academy School & Nursery

This is a small, Montessori-influenced setting for children aged three to five at 67 Highbury New Park, London N5 2EU. At the 2022 visit, that meant child-led activity supported by concrete learning resources, rather than a curriculum name left unexplained. Ofsted rated the provision Outstanding in May 2022, under the name New Park Nursery and Montessori School, and found each graded area Outstanding. The matching Highbury address ties that report to this setting.

The strongest picture from that inspection is of children steering purposeful learning with adults who knew them closely. Those detailed examples are now more than three years old, so they are a valuable snapshot rather than a promise about today's routine.

In May 2022, the curriculum followed children's interests while adults carefully sequenced what came next. A snail found in the garden became an investigation: children asked questions, listened to one another and voted on its name. That is a clear example of curiosity becoming language, social negotiation and early science in one activity.

The Early Years Foundation Stage was the statutory framework at the inspection. In plain language, that means children learned through play and planned experiences across communication, physical, personal, social and broader early development. Alongside it, Montessori shaped the setting's educational ethos. In practice at this setting, that meant children could take the lead in purposeful activity and use concrete resources: older children calculated with beads, while younger children counted body parts through play.

Language had unusual breadth at that visit. Children heard songs and stories in their home languages, then shared words for hands in Spanish and Hebrew. Books were chosen to develop understanding of diversity, inclusion and feelings. Outdoors, children used tricycles, played rugby and tried fencing, giving physical development more variety than routine garden play alone. Independence also had a practical edge. Children put on coats, changed into outdoor shoes and helped clear after meals, building useful habits before school.

Relationships were a major strength in May 2022. Staff greeted children in their home languages, and children formed secure bonds with adults and peers. Younger children practised turn-taking; older children used polite language independently and took care not to interrupt one another's activities.

The inspection found support worked well for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and for children learning English as an additional language. Adults were described as knowing each child closely and adapting learning to individual next steps. That matters in a mixed community: support was not presented as a separate intervention but as part of ordinary teaching and conversation. Parents reported feeling well informed about learning. Safeguarding arrangements were judged effective, with staff alert to small changes in behaviour and children taught to notice hazards and act safely. A spilled drink, for example, became a prompt for children to clean the floor rather than leave a risk for someone else.

The provision covers ages three to five and is recorded as full day care during term time. Its current booking pattern and session times are points for the setting to confirm.

At the May 2022 inspection, the provider received funded early education for three- and four-year-olds. A current written quotation and funding explanation are essential before comparing costs, including any additional hours, meals or consumables.

• Current identity and offer. The 2022 inspection used a different nursery name, although the Highbury address matches. The setting can clarify its day-to-day name and provide a current prospectus.
• Attendance patterns. Full day care and term-time opening are recorded, but the current session menu needs checking. The practical comparison needs bookable days, start and finish times, and any minimum attendance.
• Inspection age. The detailed practice comes from May 2022. Their present form is a useful question for a visit.
• Costs and inclusions. One written quotation should cover funded and privately paid hours, meals, consumables and any other extras.

The May 2022 evidence presents an intellectually lively nursery where Montessori practice, multilingual communication and adventurous physical activity fitted together coherently. Its Outstanding judgement was backed by specific examples rather than labels alone. The limitation is freshness: practical arrangements and inspection-time routines need direct confirmation. This setting is best suited to families seeking term-time care for a three- or four-year-old who value child-led learning and a strong language focus. It will suit them only if the nursery's current attendance pattern fits their week.