Toddler Town Montessori

In March 2023, tweezers, pencils and lunchtime salad preparation illustrated Toddler Town Montessori's practical approach: learning through tasks children could try, repeat and master. This Abingdon nursery has capacity for 30 children, with an age range of 3 to 60 months.

At its March 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good, found that children were progressing well and judged safeguarding effective. The strongest examples were everyday ones: children exploring letter sounds, asking questions and taking responsibility for younger children.

In March 2023, the Montessori approach involved repeated practical activities that helped children become more independent. Children practised controlling tweezers and pencils, while familiar sequences gave their work a predictable rhythm. The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for learning, development and care; here, language, movement and practical tasks illustrated how those requirements translated into children's experiences.

Songs brought children together through actions and shared participation. Younger children experimented with running and stopping, developing balance and control, while older children pursued their interests through conversation, including questions about monster trucks. Early literacy also had a personal starting point: recognising letters and sounds in their own names.

Shared mealtimes and gatherings created opportunities to learn from one another. Older children helped younger ones sit down, and younger children watched their older companions. Independence was paired with consideration for others.

At the March 2023 inspection, Ofsted found that key persons understood children well and that SEND support included individual plans, work with other professionals, photographs and signing to help children communicate. Those concrete methods mattered for children who could not yet express their needs through speech.

In March 2023, parents received electronic updates and could talk directly with staff, connecting nursery learning with home. Children helped cut vegetables for lunch and discussed healthy food choices; staff also addressed differences in what people ate.

There were care issues to address. During that same month, dummy straps sometimes allowed comfort items to drag across the floor, creating a hygiene concern. Health and safety knowledge also needed updating so that assessments of risks, including socket covers and wall heaters, reflected current guidance.

The address is Unit 3 Radley Road Industrial Estate, Oxfordshire, OX14 3RY. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, across the year, with closures for bank holidays and Christmas.

In March 2023, the nursery provided funded early education for children aged two, three and four. That is a dated funding position rather than a guarantee of a funded place for an individual family.

• Comfort items and settling. March 2023 brought a specific concern about dummy straps and hygiene. On a visit, ask how comfort items now support settling while being kept clean.
• Risk assessment practice. Health and safety knowledge needed updating in March 2023, including around socket covers and wall heaters. Ask what changes followed and how guidance is kept current.

The March 2023 inspection picture would appeal to families drawn to practical learning, familiar routines and children learning alongside older and younger companions. Its March 2023 picture combines purposeful activities and personal support with specific improvements needed in settling hygiene and risk assessment. Those care details deserve as much weight as the Montessori approach when choosing it.