Julia's Montessori Nursery

A bright church hall, a small library and parents who come in to read stories give Julia's Montessori Nursery a recognisable character. Based at St Mary's Church Hall in Hampton, it accepts children from age two and has capacity for 28 children. Its appeal lies in the combination of space to move, creative play and family participation.

At its September 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and found safeguarding effective. That judgement comes with two clear priorities: more consistent guidance on behaviour and more opportunities for children to manage everyday personal tasks independently. Both matter to the experience of a preschool child, so they deserve attention alongside the strengths.

Morning and full-day sessions run during term time. This is a nursery to consider for families whose childcare needs follow that calendar.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care: in everyday terms, play and practical activity support learning alongside children's wellbeing. Alongside its Montessori identity, the nursery emphasises children's independence, creativity and social understanding, with language, music, movement and preparation for school included in its approach.

The spacious, bright hall provides room for physical play, while the small library gives books a place within the setting. Creative activities sit alongside opportunities to move. For families, that combination offers a day with different kinds of activity rather than an emphasis on seated tasks alone.

In September 2023, children explored weight by putting sand into scales, adjusting the contents and learning the language of comparison. This was practical mathematics: a problem children could change with their own hands. Dough tools, painting autumn leaves and small jigsaw pieces also gave them opportunities to practise the hand movements used later for writing.

Reading had a similarly practical connection to play in September 2023. Books about marine animals supported exploration at the water tray, while children also chose books in a comfortable reading area. A lending library extended reading into family time by allowing books to go home. These examples show how stories, factual information and play could connect across the day.

Outdoor and Community Life

During September 2023, bikes, pedal cars, stepping stones and large building blocks gave children different ways to practise movement and balance. The activities required children to judge space, coordinate their bodies and build things, adding a physical dimension to the learning described above.

Family involvement adds another strand. Book time brings parents into the nursery regularly to read to children of different ages. Father and child days take place annually, with families and staff planning the activities together. These are concrete opportunities for parents to participate in nursery life, beyond receiving updates about it.

Relationships and Communication

Regular exchange with parents and joint planning of celebrations and excursions are part of the nursery's approach. Book time gives that relationship a practical form: family members contribute directly to children's experience of stories. Parents who enjoy participating in activities have a defined way to do so here.

In September 2023, staff used books about emotions to help children discuss feelings, and sand timers made waiting for a turn easier to understand. Children also helped create rainbow rules about consideration for others and sharing. The visual tools gave an abstract social expectation a form a young child could follow.

However, guidance was not applied consistently in September 2023. Children sometimes needed clearer reminders about safe movement, clearing away activities and waiting to speak. Opportunities to manage handwashing, nose wiping and snack preparation also needed further development. For parents, the useful distinction is between children being encouraged to act independently and being given enough everyday practice to do it.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the September 2023 inspection, Ofsted found that external agencies and targeted plans supported children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those learning English as an additional language. This identifies a specific support mechanism, rather than a general promise of individual attention.

Staff undertake continuing training, and staff qualifications include NVQ level 3. These are concrete elements of the team's professional background; they do not establish how staff are deployed on a particular day.

Children who are unwell must remain at home. The nursery's illness policy requires a full day after a fever has ended before returning, and a doctor's note confirming that a child is no longer contagious after an infectious illness. Families need to allow for that policy when organising backup care.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is St Mary's Church Hall, Church Street, Hampton, TW12 2EB. Opening hours are 8am to 3pm, Monday to Friday, during term time.

The booking patterns are more specific: morning sessions run from 8.30am to noon, and full-day sessions from 8.30am to 3pm. Both accept early education funding. The difference matters when fitting childcare around work or other commitments: a morning booking ends at lunchtime, while a full day continues into the afternoon.

Enquiries can be made by telephone, email or contact form. A prospectus can also be requested through the form by including an address.

Funding and Paid Extras

The nursery accepts 15 and 30 hours of early education funding, delivered during term time, with funded attendance between 8.30am and 3pm. Funded hours carry no childcare charge; attendance beyond a child's funded allocation is paid separately. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

Fruit snacks carry an optional termly charge; families who decline it supply fruit from home. This choice also applies when planning the costs around funded attendance, so funded childcare and snack arrangements should be considered separately.

• The end of the day. Opening hours and full-day bookings end at 3pm, but the daily timetable gives a later closure. These timings conflict. At a visit, establish which timetable applies to the intended booking.
• Independence and behaviour. The September 2023 priorities concerned everyday self-care and consistent boundaries. Ask how children now practise preparing snacks and managing personal tasks, and how staff reinforce safe movement and turn-taking.
• Montessori in practice. Independence and creativity are stated priorities. Ask to see how Montessori activities are used with children and how these connect with the wider learning programme.
• The family calendar. Attendance is term-time only, and family participation includes regular Book time and annual Father and child days. Consider how holiday care and involvement in these activities would fit your household.

Julia's Montessori Nursery suits families seeking either morning sessions or full days during term time, with a bright hall setting and opportunities to take part in children's reading and activities. Its September 2023 Good judgement provides a dated quality benchmark, while the concrete priorities on behaviour and self-care give parents useful subjects to explore. The strongest fit is with families who value participation and whose childcare calendar matches the nursery's term-time pattern.