Cranbrook Castle Montessori
Good★ 4.6 on GoogleBirth to 5Long established
A pre-school in Ilford for children from birth to 5, open 09:00 to 15:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in September 2023. Open since 2014, with 30 places.
What you might pay
This setting does not publish its fees, and no national dataset holds them. This is what childcare costs across the council, as a starting point for the call.
What childcare usually costs in Redbridge
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Redbridge from the Department for Education's 2025 provider survey. No national data holds what an individual nursery charges, so ring and ask.
Places, hours and the day
Who they take, when they are open, and what a day there includes.
Where it is
IG1 3PGWhat the inspector found
One grade is one visit. A run of them tells you whether it has been good for years or has only just got there.
Ofsted inspector, 28 September 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Staff have an enthusiastic, caring and friendly approach. Children demonstrate they are happy and settled in their company. Staff develop secure attachments with children through, for instance, effective settling-in procedures. Staff are attentive and respond positively to children's interests and needs. They provide children with a range of age-appropriate resources and, overall, plan interesting and challenging activities. Children explore and investigate with curiosity. For instance, younger children are fascinated by play dough as they learn to handle rollers and transport shape cutters. Staff make links with what children are learning as they explore paint and print characters from a story.
Children behave very well. They have good manners and show respect and care for their friends, visitors and staff. This is because staff provide children with clear and fair expectations. They provide children with consistent praise and encouragement.
Staff help children to develop a positive sense of themselves. This supports children's emotional well-being and supports them to feel safe and secure.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- review group activities that are led by staff, ensuring that they are appropriate for all children's needs n develop strategies to help children to focus on activities and their play and concentrate for longer periods of time.
- 28 September 2023Good
- 22 January 2018Good
- 21 July 2014Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Cranbrook Castle Montessori
- What it costs
- Funded hours
- Youngest age taken
- Meals
- Nappies
- Waiting list
No dataset holds any of this. Two parents telling us the same thing puts it on the page for whoever looks next.
What to ask them
None of this is in any national dataset and this setting has not published it, which is exactly why it is worth asking.
- What does it cost, all in? What is on top: meals, nappies, late pick-up, and what happens if you are late.
- Can I use my funded hours here? Whether they stretch them over the year, and the minimum days you have to book.
- Is there a place for my child's age? Baby rooms fill first and waiting lists are common.
- Who would my child's key person be? And how long have the staff been there. No dataset holds this and it matters more than anything above.
- Can I visit at a busy time? Mid-morning on a weekday tells you far more than an empty room after hours.
Pre-schools within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.