The Gower School offers Montessori education for children from birth to the age of eleven years. At the time of the inspection there were 172 children on roll, of whom 95 (full-time equivalent) were under five years. The school is now registered to admit 50 pupils aged from 5 to 11 years; 21 pupils were in Key Stage 1 and 10 in Key Stage 2. The school is in the London Borough of Islington and operates from purpose-built accommodation on two sites about one and a half miles apart. The school started on the North Road site in 2000 as a Nursery. In 2007, the Cynthia Street site was opened and mainly accommodates Reception and Key Stage 1 and 2 pupils. There are three pupils who have statements for special educational needs and are funded by Islington local authority. In addition to these there are 50 children under the age of five for whom the school receives Nursery Education Grant funding from Islington. The school is open for 48 weeks in a year and runs breakfast and after-school clubs. The school uses the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework and the National Curriculum. Its aim is for ‘all children to be happy, confident learners who achieve their potential’. The school has the Islington Quality Assurance Investors in Children award and the Montessori School’s Association accreditation. The Early Years Foundation Stage was inspected by Ofsted Children’s Services in 2007. This is the school’s first inspection.