Little Londoners Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff warmly greet children at the start of the day. Children arrive happy and excited to learn in this nursery's warm and inspiring environment. Staff work hard to offer each child the 'home-from-home' experience. They know children and their families exceptionally well. The close partnership between nursery and home is highly valued by parents and carers. Children benefit from well-structured and familiar routines. They enjoy the well-planned and thought-out activities. They are deeply engrossed in what they do. Staff have excellent understanding of the needs of young children and are passionate about their roles in nurturing and teaching them. This helps children feel safe in their care. Whatever their starting points, children are exceptionally well supported in their learning. They are extremely well prepared for their move to school.

The exceptionally well-designed garden promotes children's curiosity and development in understanding the world around them. For example, children find unique species of bugs as they explore the grounds and learn the life cycle of the stick insects which they have adopted and named. They express excitement and pride when they see the fruits they have helped to cultivate. Experienced and knowledgeable staff set high expectations. They role model through positive and respectful interactions with each other. They teach children to be kind and to behave in an exemplary way.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

• Passionate leaders have a very clear and ambitious vision for providing high-quality, inclusive care and education to all. This is realised through strong shared values, policies and practice. They ensure that staff receive focused and highly effective professional development to develop their knowledge over time, consistently improving the learning that children receive.
• Dedicated leaders are sensitive and constructive in the way they manage staff to avoid any unnecessary burdens on them. Staff comment on feeling extremely valued and supported.
• The impact of the curriculum on what children know and remember is highly effective. Children demonstrate this through being deeply engaged in their work and play and sustaining high levels of concentration.
• Every activity is used by staff to model the use of language. They skilfully engage in developing back-and-forth conversations. Adults ensure that their own speaking, listening and reading of English enables children to hear and develop their own language and vocabulary very well. Adults read to children in a way that thoroughly excites and engages them, introducing new ideas, concepts and vocabulary.
• Children enjoy playing and learning in a highly stimulating environment indoors and outdoors. For instance, they have fun counting little teddy bears and matching letters while they play. They begin to understand the concept of linking sounds of letters to their names and establish connection to words and labels around them.
• Staff are highly vigilant to identify any children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff work very closely with families and, when appropriate, external agencies to put the right support in place for children.
• The extremely robust and effective care practices of staff promote and support children's emotional security and development. Children are gaining a deep understanding of what makes them unique.
• The learning environment promotes children's confidence, resilience and independence. Adults teach children to take appropriate risks and challenges as they play and learn.
• Staff go beyond the expected to develop children's talents and interests through a rich set of experiences. For example, children explore with recycling materials to make their own paper. Staff arrange for visitors to come to the nursery to enhance children's experiences. This raises children's self-confidence and broadens their understanding of the world around them.
• Children are highly motivated and are very eager to join in, share and cooperate with each other. They have consistently positive attitudes to their play and learning.
• Throughout the day, children show high levels of independence by selecting their own activities and resources. They are proud to do things for themselves, such as washing and drying their hands. The routine of snack and lunch times allows children to try new foods and engage in positive social interactions with adults and peers.