St. Thomas More Montessori Pre School
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Saffron Walden for children from birth to 8+, open 8am to 6pm. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in May 2022. Open since 2008, with 34 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 Essex
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Essex 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
CB11 3DWWhat 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, 17 May 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children arrive happy and eager to enter the nursery. They understand the daily routines. On arrival, they choose what they would like to have for lunch and find their name card. Children of all ages enjoy playing outdoors together. This helps younger children to make a smooth move into the pre-school room when the time comes. All children develop good physical skills. Younger children successfully negotiate space, and older children assess their own risks as they balance on raised lengths of wood. Children understand what is expected of them. They confidently select their chosen activity from the rich range of resources and know to return it when they have finished. Older children make visitors feel welcome as they draw pictures for them.
Younger children smile with delight as they explore the texture of dried cereal with their hands. They push toy vehicles through the cereal and are fascinated by the crunching sound. Older children have vivid imaginations. They pretend to cook lunch for their favourite superhero, using real vegetables., and work out how to defrost frozen peas by holding them in their warm hands. Staff's effective use of questioning motivates children to talk about previous experiences and use descriptive language. Younger children eagerly choose a song spoon. They join in with some words and actions to their favourite songs.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- enhance opportunities for children to hear and use their home language n develop partnerships with all other settings that children attend, to promote continuity in children's learning and development.
- 17 May 2022Good
- 13 May 2016Outstanding
- 19 November 2008Outstanding
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for St. Thomas More Montessori Pre School
- 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.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.