Marmalade Duck

Inspection of Marmalade Duck 23 Addison Road, London W14 8LH

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not applicable

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The provision is outstanding

Children thrive in this rich learning environment. The inspiring and ambitious curriculum is well embedded and effective. Leaders and staff provide a wealth of motivating learning experiences, to ensure that all children build firm foundations for their future learning. This includes weekly 'clubs', which introduce children to cooking, gardening, sports and ballet, providing exceptional opportunities for them to develop their interests and talents. The highly skilled staff guide children with respect and understanding. They support children's curiosity and engagement through carefully planned activities, which foster a keen desire to learn. Children understand staff's high expectations and their behaviour is exemplary. They explain how they follow the setting's 'bee code', which teaches them to be kind, helpful and thoughtful towards others.

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The provision is outstanding

Staff are extremely caring and nurturing. They do everything they can to foster children's emotional well-being and ensure that they feel safe and secure. Staff visit children in their own homes before they start at the setting, to build relationships and find out about families' home lives and experiences. This gives staff extensive knowledge of each child, to help provide them with the best start to their education. The individual care and attention for children is second to none. This includes tailored support for parents on matters, such as children's behaviour, communication and toilet training. Children make remarkable progress, which has a positive effect on their learning and on their home lives too.

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need to do better?

n Leaders and staff constantly strive for excellence throughout all aspects of the provision. They respond swiftly to the differing needs of children and are keen to explore new ideas to promote children's learning and well-being. For instance, staff have identified a need to further support some children's emotional development. Therefore, they have introduced a 'welcome table', which encourages children to identify their emotions as they arrive. This helps staff to recognise where children may benefit from talking through their feelings, to help them to settle or regulate their behaviour. n There is a real passion to extend children's language skills. Staff think carefully about the words that they want children to know. They provide fun and interesting ways for children to hear and practise using new vocabulary. For example, younger children pretend that coloured scarves are 'buzzy bees', which must fly onto the different body parts called out by staff. They giggle as they try

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need to do better?

to remember where their shoulders are and are keen to call out their own suggestions. n Staff instil children with a love of literacy and help them to build excellent foundations for reading and writing. They read and sing with children frequently,

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need to do better?

7 March 2025 introducing them to a rich variety of books, songs and poems. Staff make recordings of children's favourites, which parents can access online. This enables them to share in their children's learning. Children delight in developing their own characters and storylines, using props such as 'story stones'. Staff support them to record their ideas in words and pictures, so that they can be shared with others later. n Children develop a deep understanding of their own uniqueness. Staff provide a safe and nurturing space for them to explore the similarities and differences of their family structures, languages and cultures. Parents and carers play an active role in helping children to explore events, such as Lunar New Year and Hanukkah, coming into the setting to share food, stories and artefacts. This gives children and staff a real insight into families' traditions and ways of life. Children show a positive appreciation of different communities as they excitedly

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need to do better?

recall how to say hello in other languages. n Leaders and staff are committed to providing a sustainable and 'ecologically friendly' setting. They teach children to be conscious about looking after their local area and the wider world. Learning opportunities are motivating and interesting, such as learning about recycling by visiting a local charity shop. Children show that they are passionate about taking care of the planet and the wildlife they share it with, as they create 'bug houses' and bird feeders for their garden. n Partnerships with parents are exceptional. Parents unanimously praise the setting. They appreciate that staff do everything possible to ensure their children are happy and safe. Parents comment on the excellent communication and say that they feel completely involved in their children's 'educational journey'. They recognise that this united approach helps children to make the best possible

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2702403 Local authority Kensington and Chelsea Inspection number 10368650 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 40 Number of children on roll 19 Name of registered person Marmalade Schools Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 07434896938 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Marmalade Duck re-registered in 2022, following a company restructure. The setting is in Holland Park in the London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It operates during term time, from 8.45am to 4pm, Monday to Friday. The provider employs four members of childcare staff, three of whom have early years qualifications ranging from level 2 to qualified teacher status. The setting offers government funded childcare for children aged two, three and four years.

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Inspection activities

n Leaders showed the inspector around the childcare premises. They explained the curriculum and how the provision is organised to promote children's welfare and learning. n The inspector observed the quality of the education and considered the impact on children's learning. This included a joint observation with the manager. n Leaders met with the inspector to discuss matters, such as staff recruitment, supervision and training. They ensured that relevant documents were available for the inspector to view. n Parents, staff and children shared their views and experiences with the inspector at appropriate times during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage.

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Inspection activities

7 March 2025 regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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