Ofsted’s decision to drop a nursery from ‘outstanding’ to ‘good’ is being contested by the Montessori.

Little Learners Montessori Watford said the inspector, who visited on July 22, “did not fully grasp or fairly assess our setting” after the report was published on Wednesday (September 18).

Although Ofsted was full of praise for the setting in Merton Road, West Watford, the sole point for improvement given said it needed to support staff to build on the “quality of their interactions” so that children “benefit from really rich experiences that challenge and extend their learning”.

A spokesperson for Little Learners said: “We are currently contesting the recent Ofsted inspection grade, as we believe the inspector did not fully grasp or fairly assess our setting.

“While we are proud of achieving a ‘good’ rating, we feel that the unique aspects of our Montessori approach were not adequately considered or understood during the inspection by the inspector.”

The nursery says it takes “great pride in being a beacon for the Montessori philosophy” and is committed to the educational method, highlighting that it has a dedicated training centre next-door.

They added: “As with Ofsted inspections, one day, one individual’s opinion, or a single-word grade will not overshadow the exceptional daily work we do to improve outcomes for the children in our care.”

According to Montessori Education UK, the method is based on the philosophy of Maria Montessori and self-directed activities, which enable children to be independent learners working at their own pace and following their curiosity.

The report did acknowledge that staff support children’s independence from an early age and use children’s interests “to create a curriculum that ensures every child has a good start to their education”.

It added that they make good progress in their communication and language and babies “thrive” in the nurturing environment staff create.

Parents were apparently “overwhelmingly positive” about the nursery and staff spoke “very highly” of the manager and leadership team.

Safeguarding arrangements were found to be effective.