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Growing Beans Tooting Preschool

Growing Beans Tooting Preschool is a day nursery in London for children aged 2 to 4, with 25 registered places. Ofsted report card, 30 January 2026: Expected standard in 2 areas, Needs attention in 4 areas; safeguarding standards met.

227 Mitcham Road, London, SW17 9JG

Key facts

Type
Day nursery (Full day care) (Ofsted childcare register, as at 30 June 2026)
Ages
2 to 4 (Ofsted childcare register, as at 30 June 2026)
Registered places
25 (Ofsted childcare register, as at 30 June 2026)
Registered
19 June 2024 (Ofsted childcare register, as at 30 June 2026)

Opening hours

Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:30

Source: Ofsted report, inspection on 30 January 2026

Who runs it

Growing Beans Tooting Preschool is run by Lucky Beans Childcare Limited (Ofsted register).

Latest inspection

  • Inclusion: Needs attention
  • Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention
  • Achievement: Needs attention
  • Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard
  • Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard
  • Leadership and governance: Needs attention
  • Safeguarding standards met

Source: Ofsted, inspection on 30 January 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

What it's like to be a child at this setting

Significant changes in staffing arrangements have led to some gaps in leaders' oversight of the setting. For example, processes to assess and monitor the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or who have barriers to their learning are not fully effective. The acting managers and newly formed staff team have taken prompt action to develop curriculum planning so that children engage in a broad range of activities across all areas of learning. Overall, children make steady progress, although weakness in teaching results in the curriculum planning being less targeted to meet all children's individual learning needs, including their communication and language skills and mathematical development. This hinders children in making the best progress they are capable of.

Staff work with parents and carers to encourage children's regular attendance and share information about children's ongoing progress. Children show a positive attitude towards learning. They follow well-established daily routines and show regard to their learning environment as they help tidy away toys after use. Children follow well-embedded routines that help to keep them safe. For example, they sensibly use the stairs, sit well and enjoy relaxed mealtimes. Children also follow clear safety routines when on outings. They play cooperatively. For example, children actively share and take turns during their play. They show close friendships as they talk, laugh and play together. Staff are attentive and supervise children well, helping them to feel safe and secure.

What Ofsted found in each area

Inclusion: Needs attention

Significant changes in staffing arrangements have led to less oversight of the provision in place to support all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) or who have barriers to their learning. As a result, processes to assess and review any additional support and services that children need have not been completed in a timely manner. Leaders have recently secured additional funding for children who face barriers to their learning. However, the procedures to measure the impact this has on children's learning and development are not fully established.

Staff work closely with parents of children with SEND or barriers to their learning. They share information regarding their progress. However, the planning for activities is too broad. For example, children's learning intentions are not specific enough or targeted to match their individual learning needs. This means that there is not consistent support in place where it is needed most. Staff identify that some children may benefit from using visual aids to support their communication and language skills. However, this is not embedded in staff's practice and limits opportunities for all children to make the progress they are capable of.

Children show positive relationships with each other and staff. Children play cooperatively alongside each other. They show acceptance of their differences and consideration for others. This creates a calm and positive learning environment.

Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention

Staff use their knowledge of children's progress to plan a curriculum that further supports their development across all areas of learning. However, these systems are in their infancy, and the planning for children's next steps is too broad and not always specific enough to support children's individual learning needs, especially regarding their communication and language skills. For instance, staff do not strengthen their interactions with children by considering the use of songs, visual aids or props. Consequently, this limits opportunities for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or those who have barriers to their learning, to make the best progress.

Staff encourage children to make choices and follow their interests during play. They engage children in meaningful discussions that help to sustain their attention and extend their learning. For example, staff encourage children to consider how the train tracks will fit together and discuss the different trains. Staff support children's early mathematical skills as they build and count bricks with children and talk about size and number when children use tape measures. However, they do not specifically plan purposeful experiences that enhance children's mathematical skills during activities and everyday routines.

Children use a range of equipment that promotes development of their physical skills while on outings and visiting the provider's other local nursery. Staff support children well in developing their self-care skills and encourage them to be independent learners. These skills help to prepare children for when they move on in their education.

Achievement: Needs attention

Due to the weaknesses in practice, children do not always make the progress they are capable of in all areas of learning, such as mathematics and their communication skills. Overall, children achieve skills across some areas of learning. They access a broad range of interesting activities and outings, which they enjoy.

Children have positive relationships with staff and each other. They develop effective independence skills as they make choices and follow their own interests during play. Children's physical skills are enhanced during outside play and while using a range of handheld tools. Children actively join in daily routines that promote their self-care skills, including toileting, brushing their teeth and helping themselves to water.

Children enjoy the praise given by staff for their efforts and achievements during play. Children keenly develop their creative skills while using paints and malleable materials to explore different textures. They play imaginatively while dressing up and bathing dolls. They show effective pencil control while drawing and developing their early writing skills. Children sit and share books together, laughing and pointing at the pictures while recalling the storylines. This positively enhances their love of books and their early literacy skills.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Children behave well and show positive relationships with staff and each other. Staff's continuity in approach and embedded routines help all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and children who have barriers to their learning, to understand about the expectations of their behaviour. Consequently, children are happy and settled. They positively engage in play and daily routines.

Children are kind to each other and willingly share and take turns during play. They keenly participate in regular outings to the local nursery run by the provider where they enjoy outside play. Staff embed clear road safety routines. This results in children calmly waiting at the crossing for the green man and walking sensibly together in the busy local environment.

Staff share information with parents and carers to support children's learning at home. This includes establishing routines and promoting children's regular attendance. This helps to prepare children for when they move on in their education. Staff are effective role models and promote an inclusive environment for all children. As a result, children show consideration of each other's differences. For example, they play alongside each other and talk during their play. Children know that their friends with SEND or barriers to their learning may not have the communication and language skills to actively respond.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Children gain regular exercise and fresh air while on outings and during outside play. They develop their physical skills and coordination while running around. Children confidently use a range of play equipment, such as wheeled toys, see-saws and hoops.

Staff help all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or who have barriers to their learning, to learn general hygiene practice and self-care skills. As a result, children develop effective personal independence, including toileting skills, blowing their nose, brushing their teeth and putting on their coats. This helps to prepare children for when they move on to school. Children enjoy a balanced diet of freshly prepared meals. Well-established mealtime routines support children to develop healthy eating habits. Children serve their own food, make choices of the food they like to eat and clear away their plates when they have finished. Mealtimes are relaxed, enabling children to eat at their own pace. They develop their social skills as they talk to their friends and staff about their food and events of the day.

Staff generally support children well in managing their emotions. They participate in a morning welcome song and talk about how they are feeling today. Children freely approach staff if they need any support. They demonstrate they feel safe and secure.

Leadership and governance: Needs attention

The acting managers and new staff team have made huge strides in a short time. They have reviewed children's progress and incorporate children's next steps in their learning into curriculum planning. However, these systems are in their infancy and are yet to identify more specific targets that match children's individual learning needs, especially regarding children's communication and language skills and mathematical development. In addition, delays in making referrals to other agencies to initiate further support, assessment or funding for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or those who have barriers to their learning have not been completed in a timely manner.

All staff benefit from effective induction and ongoing supervision arrangements. This ensures staff's practice is monitored effectively and opportunities for continuous professional development enhance their understanding of their roles and responsibilities.

Leaders work with other agencies to ensure any concerns are dealt with appropriately. They reflect on their practice and make changes to their procedures to promote children's welfare. For example, staff now review toileting routines as part of their risk assessments prior to any outings. This ensures children's individual needs are supported effectively. Parents and carers share positive comments about the care their children receive and the support offered by staff. Well-established partnerships with parents ensure information is regularly shared about their children's progress. Furthermore, parents have regular opportunities to participate in special events and celebrations at the nursery. This promotes a consistent approach to enhancing children's learning experiences.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider must:

  • ensure staff implement prompt and effective systems to seek advice from specialist or external partners so that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) or who face barriers to their learning, benefit from targeted and effective support that helps them to make the best progress (by 27 February 2026)
  • improve the curriculum and use children's individual next steps in their development to promote learning more effectively, particularly in the area of mathematics (by 27 February 2026)
  • develop consistent opportunities for all children, including those with SEND or who face barriers to their learning, to extend their communication and language skills, and support staff to strengthen their interactions with children (by 27 February 2026)

Ofsted's words, from the report on the inspection on 30 January 2026. Read the full report on the Ofsted website. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Inspection history

  • 30 January 2026: Full inspection, report card: Expected standard in 2, Needs attention in 4

Ofsted report cards (England, from November 2025)

Since 10 November 2025 Ofsted has graded nurseries and pre-schools on a report card. There is no single overall grade. Instead, each of six areas gets one of five grades: Exceptional, Strong standard, Expected standard, Needs attention, Urgent improvement.

The six areas are inclusion; curriculum and teaching; achievement; behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines; children's welfare and wellbeing; leadership and governance. Safeguarding is judged on its own, as met or not met.

Expected standard means the setting does what Ofsted expects of every setting. Strong standard and Exceptional are above that; Needs attention and Urgent improvement mean Ofsted found things the setting has to put right.

Source: Ofsted reports

Funded childcare hours in England

All 3 and 4 year olds in England can get 15 hours of free childcare a week, for 38 weeks of the year.

Working parents of children aged 9 months to 4 years old can get 30 hours of free childcare a week for 38 weeks of the year (Free Childcare for Working Parents), if they meet the earnings rules. You confirm your details every 3 months.

Some 2 year olds can get 15 hours a week when the family gets certain kinds of extra support.

The hours are used at a registered provider that offers them, so ask each nursery how it offers the funded hours.

Source: GOV.UK: Free Childcare for Working Parents, check if you're eligible · GOV.UK: Free childcare and education for 2 to 4 year olds (checked 31 October 2026)

Other nurseries nearby

  • Growing Beans Tooting Nursery and Preschool - Day nursery, Tooting SW17 9NN, ages 0 to 4, 32 places, under 0.1 miles
    Ofsted, 4 October 2022: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Woodlands Nurseries - Day nursery, London SW17 9PG, ages 0 to 4, 70 places, 0.1 miles
    Ofsted, 11 February 2022: Outstanding overall; safeguarding is effective
  • Mundamind Education - Pre-school, London SW17 9SH, 0.2 miles
  • Inteled London - Day nursery, London SW17 9SH, 0.2 miles
  • Toots Day Nursery - Day nursery, London SW17 8TD, ages 0 to 4, 60 places, 0.3 miles
    Ofsted, 3 August 2022: Good overall; safeguarding is effective

Schools nearby

Growing Beans Tooting Preschool on the Ofsted website