The Gower School

Montessori means children make choices from prepared activities and build independence at The Gower School. This Islington nursery combines that approach with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), whose areas of learning cover communication, physical and personal development as well as early literacy and mathematics, plus Forest School and baby signing. Ofsted judged it Outstanding in every area in March 2025, with effective safeguarding.

The setting cares for children from three months to four years at 18 North Road and has 120 places. Its published attendance menu is unusually broad: full days, two lengths of morning, afternoons and an evening extension all feature. That flexibility sits alongside a clear educational identity rather than replacing it.

Rooms and Ages

The nursery's named room roster moves from Les Nounours baby room through mixed-age toddler rooms to Les Papillons pre-primary classroom. The public material does not give dependable age bands for every named room, so the useful dividing points come from the attendance terms: part days begin at 18 months, while children may join Les Papillons from the term after their third birthday.

Babies and toddlers received close attention in the March 2025 inspection. Natural materials were placed within reach so younger children could explore independently, while staff joined their role play and used baby signing to help them express needs such as wanting more food or a drink. This is practical communication support, not a decorative extra.

Learning and Named Experiences

The EYFS sets the areas of learning and developmental goals; here, Montessori practice shapes how children work towards them. Staff prepare choices, sequence the curriculum around individual needs and encourage children to persist independently. Inspectors saw adults extend thinking through open questions and new vocabulary, with activities ranging from puppet-led discussion of everyday situations to exploring how rain and sunlight create rainbows.

Creativity and communication run through the day. Books held children's attention, older children wrote and drew with purpose, and number work prompted genuine problem-solving. The usual private fee includes specialist tuition in Montessori activities, baby signing, yoga, IT, French, football, singing, drama, guitar, dance and movement. Forest School adds structured learning about nature, sustainability and caring for the environment, led by staff trained in the approach.

Outdoor and Community Life

Physical development is active and confident. Older children climbed and balanced on equipment during the inspection, and singled out sport and dance as favourite activities. Forest School gives outdoor learning a further purpose: children investigate nature and discuss how to protect it rather than simply spending time outside.

Relationships and Communication

Warm relationships are a defining strength. Staff listened carefully, responded to children's ideas and praised kindness, helping children feel secure enough to speak and collaborate. The nursery's classroom promises turn expectations into concrete habits: children learn respect, tidy resources for others and can preserve unfinished work on individual playmats. That protects concentration and gives independence a practical form.

Parents praised professional communication, organised spaces and inclusive practice. Shared breakfasts also bring families into nursery life.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

Support for additional needs is purposeful. Staff work with outside professionals, put interventions in place and use signing or visual prompts to make routines easier to understand. Leaders also invest in staff learning, including training on children's brain development, while some staff are trained in mental-health first aid to support colleagues and parents.

Food education covers both health and safety. Children learn why allergies matter and how their choices can protect friends. Home-cooked meals, organic milk, filtered water and Real Washable Nappies are provided; families supply formula milk for babies. On usual private hours, food, drink and the listed specialist programme are included. Funded patterns treat meals, consumables and activities as optional paid extras, so families should compare the two structures rather than assume the same inclusions apply.

Sessions and Attendance

Full days run from 8am to 6pm. For children aged 18 months to three years, the nursery publishes Short Mornings from 9am to 12.30pm and Long Mornings from 9am to 2.15pm, generally booked for three to five mornings. Funded afternoon patterns run from 12.15pm to 5pm, and extended care is offered from 6pm to 6.30pm. Les Papillons requires at least six sessions each week from the term after a child's third birthday.

Fees are calculated across 48 open weeks, with five staff-training closure days. Families can apply online or arrange a nursery visit.

Funding and Paid Extras

The nursery participates in government-funded childcare for eligible children from nine months to four years, including the universal entitlement from the term after a child's third birthday. It stretches 38-week funding across its 48-week year. Tax-Free Childcare, childcare vouchers and workplace nursery schemes are accepted.

Exact charges change, so families need a current quotation from the nursery fees page. The important structural point is that funded attendance can carry optional daily charges for meals, consumables and activities, while formula milk remains family-provided. Registration and deposit categories also apply to some private patterns.

Getting There and Moving On

The nursery is at 18 North Road, Islington, London N7 9EY. The Gower School also runs an independent primary school at a separate address, and its admissions material presents Reception as a separate entry point. Nursery attendance does not itself secure a primary place; families must complete the primary school's own admissions process.

• Attendance commitment. Les Papillons has a six-session weekly minimum, while younger part-day patterns generally start at three mornings. Compare that commitment with the rhythm your child needs.
• Funded-hour extras. Meals, consumables and specialist activities can be optional paid additions on funded patterns, unlike the inclusions within usual private fees. Ask for a written illustration for your intended week.
• Formula and allergies. Families provide formula milk for babies, and the nursery teaches children about food allergies. Allergy-affected families should confirm the current menu and handling arrangements directly.
• Separate primary admissions. The shared Gower name does not make progression automatic. Families considering the primary school need to plan for its separate application route.

The Gower School suits families who want Montessori practice to shape everyday learning while retaining the developmental breadth of the EYFS. The March 2025 Outstanding judgement is backed by specific strengths: attentive relationships, ambitious teaching, baby signing, Forest School and effective support for additional needs.

It is also practical for more than one family pattern. Full-day users can add evening care, while children from 18 months can attend short or long mornings and eligible families can consider funded afternoons. The main decision is not whether the offer has depth, but whether its minimum attendance and funded-extras structure fit the week you actually need.