Imagination Preschool: Battersea Park

Inspection of Imagination Preschool: Battersea Park St. Marys School, 7 St Josephs Street, London, Wandsworth SW8 4EN

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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The provision is good

Staff place children at the heart of everything they do at this inclusive and welcoming nursery. Children enter with confidence and settle at activities that interest them. They form good bonds with staff, who know their individual needs and interests. Younger children show that they feel secure as they approach staff for cuddles and reassurance when needed. Children are respectful and consistently display positive behaviours. They demonstrate a sense of belonging at the nursery.

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The provision is good

Staff design a highly ambitious curriculum that is tailored for each age group of children. It sequentially builds up to prepare children for their transition on to school. The curriculum has a focus on children's communication and language. Children enjoy small language groups and activities to support their listening skills as part of their language development.

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The provision is good

Children keenly explore the environment and what is on offer. They make choices and lead their own play. Staff provide teaching moments during children's play and adult-led activities to help children to embed their learning. For instance, children are keen to use tools in the construction area as they build and fix their creations. Staff provide resources and media for children to be creative and imaginative. Leaders provide an inclusive environment for all children to make good progress from their starting points in development.

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need to do better?

n Leaders and staff are passionate about fulfilling their roles. They strive to provide every child with the best possible early education experience. The nursery's curriculum is well designed and focuses on preparing children to gain the knowledge and skills to become ready for the next stage in their learning. Staff share this vision. Overall, they plan and provide activities that support children to make progress in their learning. n Children develop good language skills as they enjoy looking at and listening to stories. Younger children hear language and new words to enhance their skills. Older children hold back-and-forth conversations with staff, eagerly sharing what they know. All children make good progress in their language skills. n Children enjoy regular time outdoors. Staff provide a vast range of opportunities to extend children's physical development. Children enjoy activities developing

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need to do better?

their ball skills and working as a team. However, daily routines and transitions can, at times, be disorganised. This impacts on children's understanding of what is expected of them. At these times, children become distracted and staff do not ensure that children are engaged in learning opportunities. n Staff are good role models and, overall, their teaching is good. Staff plan activities around themes and children's abilities. For example, younger children

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need to do better?

6 August 2025 eagerly use paint to learn about colours as they paint a rainbow. However, staff's implementation of some planned group activities does not consistently promote or extend individual children's learning effectively. This means that, occasionally, group activities are dominated by children that are less engaged or focused on the activity. At these times, children do not benefit fully from the intended learning. n Children have opportunities to develop their mathematical skills. Children keenly count how many animals they have. Staff encourage mathematical language as they talk to children about shapes and size. Older children talk about capacity as they fill cylinders in the sand. This supports all children to develop their mathematical awareness. n Partnerships with parents and carers are good. Parents speak highly about the care, support and education their children receive. They say that the nursery has

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need to do better?

a 'welcoming and nurturing feel'. Communication is very good. Staff share activities that parents can carry on with at home to support their children's learning. n Staff report that they receive good levels of support in their roles. They feel that leaders are always approachable. Leaders regularly observe staff's teaching and practice. They provide constructive feedback and training opportunities to help staff to continually develop their teaching skills. Staff say they feel very well supported. n The leadership team is highly reflective and takes steps to continuously improve the quality of care. Staff receive clear guidance and training for their roles, as well as when new initiatives are being introduced.

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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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should:

n enhance staff's communication during the organisation of daily routines to use all opportunities for children's learning and support children to understand expectations n support staff to adapt their organisation of planned group activities, so that children remain engaged and meet the learning intentions for all children.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2551881 Local authority Wandsworth Inspection number 10414604 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 60 Number of children on roll 58 Name of registered person Imagination Pre-School Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 02074986455 Date of previous inspection 16 August 2022

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Information about this early years setting

Imagination Preschool: Battersea Park registered in 2018. It is independently run and is situated in the grounds of St. Marys School, located in the London Borough of Wandsworth. The nursery is open all year round, from 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. It employs 18 staff, 14 of whom hold relevant childcare qualifications at level 2 and above. The nursery offers government funded childcare.

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Inspection activities

n A learning walk was conducted by the manager and inspector to discuss the nursery's curriculum for children. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact on children's learning. n The inspector and manager carried out a joint observation of a focus activity. n The inspector spoke to parents during the inspection and sampled written feedback to take account of their views. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery and risk assessments and polices.

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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

6 August 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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