Maple Montessori Nursery

King George's Park next door, weekly ballet and a Montessori identity give Maple Montessori Nursery a recognisable character. This Wandsworth setting accepts children aged two to five and has capacity for 35 children in total. Its appeal centres on learning through activity, with opportunities for movement and for parents to take part in nursery life.

At its February 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and found safeguarding effective, while asking staff to make more of opportunities to develop younger children's language. That qualification matters alongside the positive judgement: families choosing care for a younger child should pay attention to how conversation develops during play.

Rooms and Ages

Four classes operate in parallel for children aged two to five. This describes the organisation of the nursery, rather than the number of children attending each group. The whole-setting capacity of 35 should be read separately from the class structure.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the framework for children's learning, development and care. In February 2024, learning within that framework included developing language through stories and conversation, exploring foods and changes in nature, and practising physical skills through walks and dance. Montessori is the nursery's named approach alongside that framework.

In February 2024, children could choose activities as well as join experiences organised by adults. Staff planned around children's interests and their next learning steps. That balance gave children room to pursue an idea while also encountering something new.

Story work showed how this operated across ages. In February 2024, younger children explored The Very Hungry Caterpillar through discussion of food, the week and the change from caterpillar to butterfly. Older children used Handa's Surprise to discuss Africa and encounter vocabulary about climate and the savannah. Books became starting points for conversation and knowledge, rather than isolated reading activities.

The same month's observations showed staff questioning older children to encourage their own ideas. With younger children, adults talked alongside play, although some opportunities to deepen language were missed. The useful distinction is between providing commentary and helping a child take the next conversational step.

Outdoor and Community Life

King George's Park is adjacent to the nursery, giving its location a concrete outdoor reference point. In February 2024, the day included walks or park visits each day, alongside a dance class each week. These experiences added movement beyond activities inside the nursery.

Weekly ballet is also part of the nursery's current offer. Coffee Mornings connect parents with nursery life: Monday gatherings at 9.30am centre on preparation for primary school, while Thursday gatherings at 10.30am include watching the ballet lesson. The two occasions give parents different ways to understand what children do.

Observation is central to planning. Each child has an Early Years Profile built from written observations, photographs and examples of work, with families able to contribute photographs from home. Children can contribute too. The profile is updated over time, making it a continuing account of development rather than a single assessment.

Families can view that profile at meetings or at other times. In February 2024, communication included daily information about children's experiences and more detailed discussions at termly meetings. These serve different purposes: one connects home with the immediate day, while the other creates space to discuss development over a longer period.

At the February 2024 inspection, Ofsted found effective support for children with SEND and those learning English as an additional language, including collaboration with speech and language therapists. The nursery also has a SEND and EAL co-ordinator role, with small-group work and interventions among its support mechanisms.

Safeguarding arrangements include lead and deputy roles, staff training and procedures for recording visitors. In February 2024, staff also used play to encourage confidence and were developing ways to help quieter children share their ideas with the group. Participation, as well as behaviour, received attention.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is 3a Neville Gill Close, Wandsworth, SW18 4BS. Opening hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, during term time; the nursery closes for school holidays. This calendar makes the holiday boundary an important part of planning childcare across the year.

Enquiries can be made through the contact form or by telephone. The regular Coffee Mornings offer a separate opportunity to understand nursery activities and meet staff.

Funding and Paid Extras

In February 2024, the nursery received funding for free early education for children aged two, three and four. This is a dated position, rather than a promise of an individual child's entitlement or a particular funded attendance arrangement.

• Younger children's conversation. The February 2024 improvement point concerned extending language during play. At a visit, ask how practitioners turn a child's comment or interest into a longer exchange.
• Term-time calendar. School holidays fall outside the nursery's opening pattern. Families needing childcare throughout the year should weigh this against their working calendar.
• Your attendance pattern. Opening hours describe the operating window. Which booking patterns and funded-hours arrangements would fit your child's intended attendance?

Maple Montessori Nursery suits families seeking term-time childcare for a child aged two to five, with weekly ballet and regular opportunities for parental involvement. Its park-side location and observation-based profiles give families concrete reasons to consider it. The Good judgement in February 2024 provides a positive inspection position; the younger-child language recommendation deserves equal attention when deciding whether the setting fits your child.