Little Orchard Montessori Nursery, Lee Mill

Woodland, child-accessible baking space and Montessori activities shape daily life at Little Orchard Montessori Nursery, Lee Mill. The central play space has wooden storage trolleys from which children select activities, while the grounds combine grass, woodland materials and space for wheeled play. Independence has a practical setting here.

At its August 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Outstanding and found that children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), made excellent progress. That is a dated judgement, rather than a description of every aspect of today's provision. The current age range is 3 to 60 months.

Opening hours run from 7.30am to 6pm on weekdays. The Acorn Centre setting brings younger children their own base room while allowing older children to spend time with younger siblings and friends.

Rooms and Ages

The spacious central room has separate activity areas and wooden trolleys holding Montessori resources. Children choose activities themselves, putting the approach's emphasis on independence into practice.

Under-twos have a separate room with activities shaped by the same approach. Older children can visit younger children's areas to be with siblings or friends, so the room arrangement allows contact across ages as well as a separate base for babies. Baking, art and science experiments also feature in the setting's activities.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for children's learning, development and care: play and everyday experiences support their growing skills. Montessori sits alongside that framework, with the branch's accessible equipment and activity choices giving it a concrete expression.

In August 2022, independence extended into ordinary tasks. Babies practised feeding themselves, and older babies used spoons and poured water into china cups. Toddlers and older children handled cutlery and cleared food scraps from their plates. These were useful opportunities to practise coordination and take responsibility for small tasks.

At that time, children's interest in colour and pattern prompted painting with ice on sticks and discussions about colour mixing. They planned constructions together using wooden bricks, guttering and loose materials. Mats marked projects that other children knew to leave intact, linking construction with respect for others' work.

In August 2022, a bucket activity used objects and sounds to hold children's attention, including a wooden instrument and a tube whose sound changed with its shape. Staff connected the exploration to Super Worm, a story the children had recently encountered. That linked listening and discovery with a familiar book, rather than treating story time and hands-on activity as separate experiences.

Outdoor and Community Life

Outdoor toys occupy the lawn, while tyres, logs and natural materials invite exploration in the woodland area. Tarmac accommodates trikes, sand and water play. Birds and insects add opportunities for observation within the industrial-estate setting.

In August 2022, movement was part of exploration indoors and outside. Children investigated sounds using wooden sticks around the nursery, stretching and bending to reach different surfaces. Outdoors, younger children balanced along slack lines while holding an upper rope, and older children used the lines for more demanding movements. The equipment gave different ages different physical challenges.

In August 2022, babies sought cuddles from staff and listened to their key person's singing. Family books, created with parents, helped babies feel emotionally secure at that time. Birthday activities used photographs from birth onwards to help children discuss how they had changed, connecting personal experience with conversation about similarities and differences.

At the August 2022 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and described strong staff understanding of child protection. Practical safety teaching at that time included keeping toothbrushes out of mouths while moving around, noticing tree roots outdoors and considering other children when breaking ice. Safety was explained through the activity taking place, giving children a reason for the precaution.

In August 2022, family support included sessions for weighing babies and SEND support groups. Those examples show that contact with parents extended beyond a brief account of the day, although they belong to that period. Children leaving for school also took part in a graduation ceremony then.

The large kitchen has a separate space where children can bake or observe food preparation, and a chef prepares hot lunches alongside breakfast, snacks and high tea. Families can instead send food from home, giving them a choice about how meals fit their child's day.

Transition support extends to children moving on to different primary schools. The nursery's broad catchment means preparation is for several destinations, rather than a single onward school. That is useful for families whose school plans differ from those of other children in the group.

Sessions and Attendance

The nursery opens Monday to Friday, 7.30am to 6pm, and operates across the year, closing for bank holidays and a week at Christmas. The daily opening window is useful for planning work and travel; the Christmas closure also needs a place in the family's care calendar.

Getting There

The address is The Acorn Centre, 5 Oak Court, Pennant Way, Lee Mill, Ivybridge, PL21 9GP.

For enquiries, telephone 01752 893498 or email leemill@littleorchardmontessori.co.uk.

Funding and Paid Extras

In August 2022, the nursery provided funded early education for children aged two, three and four. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation. Families can supply their child's food from home instead of taking the nursery meals.

• Babies and independence. Under-twos have their own room, while Montessori activity choices run through the setting. On a visit, ask how a baby's individual sleep and settling routine fits that arrangement.
• Outdoor play on an industrial estate. The grounds include grass, woodland materials and tarmac for wheeled and sensory play. A visit can help families judge which spaces their child would use during a typical day.
• Attendance and charges. The weekday opening window stretches from 7.30am to 6pm, with a Christmas closure and a bring-your-own-food option. Ask for the proposed booking pattern and a written breakdown of funded hours, meals and non-food consumables together.

Lee Mill suits families seeking weekday care across the year, with Montessori choices, woodland exploration and opportunities to bake. A separate under-two base and contact between siblings add practical appeal.

The Outstanding judgement dates to August 2022. Examples of babies pouring drinks and children planning constructions give substance to its emphasis on independence.