Little Elves Montessori Nursery School

Pouring, polishing and learning to manage everyday tasks give Little Elves Montessori Nursery School its character. The Marylebone setting combines Montessori activities with play, making practical independence a clear part of the day rather than leaving it until children approach school age.

At its September 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and found safeguarding effective. That judgement is dated: it offers a useful assessment of practice at that point, rather than a fresh assessment of today’s provision. The current age range runs from 15 months to five years, with capacity for 30 children; entry from 15 months depends on children walking confidently.

Full-time and part-time attendance can be combined through different sessions, with a minimum booking of three sessions each week. That flexibility sits alongside a clearly defined learning approach and a practical lunch-box arrangement.

Learning and Activities

Montessori here means concrete activities such as pouring, threading and polishing, alongside materials children use to count and compare. It works alongside the EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage), which covers children’s communication, physical development, relationships and learning through play. The statutory framework provides the shared foundation; the Montessori activities shape how children explore it.

Practical Life gives everyday actions a place in learning. Transferring objects and pouring give children something purposeful to practise, with concentration and independence the intended benefits. Sensorial activities involve texture, smell, sound and weight, helping children compare what they notice rather than relying only on verbal explanations.

For mathematics, children handle materials to explore counting, combining and sharing. Language and Literacy introduces alphabet sounds and vocabulary, while a book corner gives reading a physical place in the classroom. Arts, role play, dance and music sit alongside cultural learning through books and imaginative play. These are tangible activities for parents to picture, rather than a curriculum label alone.

Ballet, French, music and jungle gym are additional classes. They broaden the programme beyond the Montessori materials; the everyday learning also includes science and cookery. The learning programme sets out how these activities sit together.

In September 2022, children discussed chicks they had watched hatch and explored contrasting textures while painting. Stories and songs were also prominent in their day. These examples show the combination of conversation, observation and hands-on exploration at that time.

The September 2022 inspection identified uneven staff understanding and delivery of the curriculum, limited professional development opportunities, and early literacy that needed to be more age-appropriate and better aligned with children’s next steps at school. Those concerns matter alongside the Good judgement: a clear curriculum description is useful, but its value depends on consistent teaching.

Practical independence extends beyond learning materials. In September 2022, children fetched painting aprons, put their belongings away and cleared plates after eating. Dressing, toileting and table manners were part of preparation for school. These small routines gave children opportunities to take responsibility for themselves during an ordinary nursery day.

New starters in September 2022 explored the play spaces with familiar adults nearby as they learned the daily routine. Staff used gentle reminders during shared reading, and children talked about kindness through sharing and considerate behaviour. The emphasis was on helping children understand what to do, rather than simply issuing instructions.

Sleep and mealtimes also had their own pace in September 2022. Children could finish eating without being hurried, while those needing sleep received comfort and continuous supervision. The open-plan layout kept adults and children visible to one another, and access to the site required permission.

Parents received information about learning in September 2022 that they could use at home. Current aims also include working with families on children’s learning and giving children with special educational needs access to the educational programme. This is a stated direction for provision, rather than a substitute for discussing an individual child’s support.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is St Edward's Catholic Primary School, Lisson Grove, London NW1 6UH. Opening hours are 8.55am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday, with year-round operation and a two-week summer closure.

Families can choose full-time or part-time attendance and combine sessions, subject to the three-session weekly minimum. The minimum is an important distinction for parents seeking occasional childcare: flexibility concerns the combination of sessions within that booking commitment. Easter, Summer and Christmas holiday activities also form part of the offer.

Funding and Paid Extras

Fees include learning materials and snacks; parents supply lunch boxes for full-day attendance and each child’s own water bottle. The nursery has a policy excluding nuts and chocolate, so allergy-affected families should confirm how their child’s needs will be handled.

Childcare vouchers and online tax-free childcare payments are accepted. Payment plans can be discussed individually, and there is a non-refundable registration charge; current prices should come in a written quotation from the nursery. Registration applications can be made from birth, which is separate from the walking-confidence condition for starting attendance.

Moving on to School

The nursery describes direct links with St George’s (Hanover Square)Primary School and the International Community School. Attendance does not guarantee a school place: families use the local authority admissions process for state schools or the school’s own admissions process for independent schools. The nursery’s address at St Edward's Catholic Primary School likewise gives no guarantee of a Reception place.

• Curriculum delivery. September 2022 concerns covered staff understanding, professional development and early literacy. On a visit, ask how teaching is kept consistent and how early reading activities are matched to children’s stage of development.
• Starting age and attendance. Children can start from 15 months when walking confidently, and bookings require three weekly sessions. Consider whether that starting condition and minimum pattern fit your child and working week.
• Food and allergies. Snacks are included, but full-day lunches and water bottles come from home. Discuss your child’s allergy arrangements alongside the policy excluding nuts and chocolate.
• Funded attendance. For a family planning to use funded entitlement, ask which entitlement and attendance arrangement would apply, including any separate charges.

Little Elves suits families wanting practical Montessori learning and either full-time attendance or a part-time combination of sessions. Pouring, threading, counting materials and a book corner give the approach substance, while the three-session minimum provides a clear boundary to its flexibility.

The September 2022 Good judgement is a useful starting point. Curriculum consistency and early literacy deserve attention alongside the practical independence that characterised the nursery day at that time. For parents comfortable with providing lunches and seeking a learning programme built around purposeful activity, this is a setting with a recognisable approach.