The Willcocks Nursery School

The Willcocks Nursery School

Unique reference number (URN): EY449060 Address: Holy Trinity Church, Prince Consort Road, LONDON, SW7 2BA Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 28/05/2012 Registers: EYR Registered person: The Willcocks Nursery School Limited

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Safeguarding standards not met

Leaders have not ensured that there is an open and positive culture around safeguarding. This puts children at significant risk of harm. Leaders do not consistently follow safer recruitment policies. In some cases, they allow staff to begin work without all required pre- employment checks, including references, when they personally know the individual. This means that children are in contact with adults whose suitability has not been fully checked.

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Safeguarding standards not met

Staff are alert to signs that would indicate children are being abused and understand how to respond promptly. They know what concerns to report to the designated safeguarding lead and the correct reporting procedures to follow. Leaders ensure staff understand their safeguarding responsibilities, provide regular guidance, and check that staff know what to look out for in different situations. Leaders work effectively with other professionals and agencies to support children's welfare and safety.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders and staff understand children's needs well. They identify when extra support is needed in a timely way and put appropriate strategies in place. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive targeted support through purposeful small- group work, one-to-one sessions, and focused activities such as language games. Staff work closely with other professionals, such as speech and language therapists, to create targeted plans which are shared with parents.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Children learning English as an additional language are supported to communicate confidently. Staff use key words from home languages and create opportunities, such as show-and-tell, to encourage speaking and use Makaton signs to help children understand. Daily routines and activities are adapted so all children can participate fully, helping them to engage confidently and make progress in their learning.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders provide staff with regular guidance and training that strengthens their practice and helps them meet children's individual needs consistently. Staff monitor children's development carefully and review support plans to check how well interventions work. Leaders involve parents fully by sharing updates and sending home games and activities so families can support their children's learning at home. As a result, children develop the confidence, communication and skills they need to thrive.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children make steady progress in communication and language. They listen attentively during storytelling and respond to questions about what has taken place. Children learn new words and explain what they see in pictures. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities learn new skills which helps them narrow gaps in learning. For example, staff use Makaton signs to help them to understand routines, such as how to prepare for snack.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop practical skills through purposeful activities. They handle scissors carefully to cut shapes, assemble puzzles, and manipulate construction materials, demonstrating growing coordination and control. Children also practise problem-solving such as matching objects by size.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children are well prepared for school. They manage personal care routines independently. They put on coats, wash their hands, and tidy away their belongings. Children learn to take turns, share, and follow simple instructions, while confidently taking part in discussions and group activities. These experiences support their independence and readiness for the next stage of learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children behave well and show consideration for others. Staff act as positive role models and encourage children to take turns and share. Leaders encourage families to ensure children attend regularly and on time. Staff establish clear routines, and children follow them independently. Children show they feel secure as they ask staff for help when needed.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children demonstrate self-control. For example, they wait patiently for their turn while their friends use equipment like glue sticks. Staff choose a daily helper to promote responsibility and positive behaviour. Staff remind children how their actions affect others. As a result, children are kind to each other.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

On occasion, staff do not consistently support children to understand the behavioural expectations. For instance, they encourage children to raise their hands to answer questions during activities but respond to those who call out first. In addition, staff expect children to walk indoors but are not reminded to do so when they run.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Staff are nurturing and understand what makes each child unique. Children form strong attachments to key people and confidently share their needs, for example asking for help with zipping coats or undoing buttons.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Staff support children to recognise and manage their emotions. They model labelling their emotions and guide children on strategies they can use to calm down when frustrated.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Healthy routines are built into the day. Children brush their teeth after lunch. They chop fruit at snack time with increasing confidence. Staff talk with children about why these routines are important, such as explaining how fruits and vegetables help children grow. Children follow these routines consistently, which helps them develop self-care skills, independence, and a sense of responsibility for their own wellbeing.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Staff promote children's safety, including teaching them how to use technology responsibly and stay safe online. Children practise road safety during outdoor walks, learning to stop, look, and listen. Staff explain why these actions are important, helping children understand potential risks and how to keep themselves and others safe. As a result, children develop

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Urgent improvement

awareness of their surroundings, make safer choices, and gain confidence in managing risks independently.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders plan a broad curriculum that covers all areas of learning. Staff use their knowledge of child development to create purposeful activities that build on children's prior learning. For example, in mathematics, children first sequence simple patterns and then progress to more complex ones. When children make mistakes while counting, staff slow down and point to each object, so they match numbers to the quantities. As a result, children develop a secure understanding of key concepts and develop their mathematical skills.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff promote communication and language well. They use opportunities in the routine, such as snack time, to encourage children to share their ideas. Children describe their thoughts and use new vocabulary as they talk about what they are doing. This helps children develop confidence to take part in conversations.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children learn about the world and the people in it by exploring different cultures. Staff find out from families what children celebrate at home and include these traditions in the setting. Parents share stories in their home languages, helping children learn about different ways of life. Staff use maps to show children different places and talk about what they might see or do there, helping them understand the wider world.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Leaders do not consistently follow safer recruitment procedures. For example, they sometimes allow staff who are personally known to them to begin work before references are obtained. This is breach to the statutory requirements of the early years foundation stage because leaders have not fully checked that adults are suitable to work with children.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Leaders reflect on how the setting runs and make changes to improve children's experiences. They gather information from staff, parents, and other professionals to shape day-to-day decisions. This ensures that all children receive support that is increasingly well matched to their individual needs and circumstances.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Leaders manage staff effectively, offering regular guidance, targeted training and ongoing support to strengthen practice. They ensure that professional development is firmly focused on meeting children's individual needs and improving the quality of education and care. Staff say that leaders listen carefully to their views and offer helpful guidance to support them in their work. As a result, staff feel confident and well supported in their roles.

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

Children arrive happily and are welcomed warmly by staff who know them well. They settle quickly into familiar routines, such as hanging up their coats and choosing where to play. This helps them feel secure. Children form strong, trusting relationships with all staff. This supports their emotional wellbeing. Children are confident to talk about their experiences with staff, such as visiting the dentist. Staff respond sensitively and with genuine interest, which reassures children that their voices matter.

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

Children engage enthusiastically with a wide range of learning experiences. They explore mathematical concepts through sequenced activities, such as ordering train carriages and explaining which number should come before or after. They revisit learning regularly, so they remember more over time. Children practise cutting, sticking and using tools safely, showing growing control and independence. Staff encourage children to make considered choices when selecting colours, choosing what materials to use or designing their own pictures. As a result, children enjoy expressing their ideas.

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

Staff promote inclusion and use different strategies, such as Makaton, to help children participate fully in activities. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make very good progress in relation to their starting points.

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

Children are kind and considerate. They wait patiently for their turn and share resources with each other. Some children offer to fetch water for friends or help pass fruit at snack time. They practise healthy habits, such as washing their hands independently and wiping their own noses when needed.

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

However, safer recruitment processes are not consistently applied. Leaders do not always request references before a staff member starts if they personally know the individual. This means that children come into contact with adults whose suitability has not been fully checked. Leaders have put some controls in place, such as ensuring these staff are never left alone with children, but the risk is not fully eliminated.

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Next steps

To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage the provider must take the following action by the assigned date:

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Address:

Holy Trinity Church Prince Consort Road LONDON SW7 2BA

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Address:

Registered person: The Willcocks Nursery School Limited

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Thursday,Friday : 08:45 - 16:00,Tuesday : 08:45 - 14:00,Wednesday : 08:45 - 12:15

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders, the designated safeguarding lead, practitioners, the special educational needs coordinator, parents and children during the inspection.

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About this inspection

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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About this inspection

A quality assurance visit by an additional inspector was carried out at this inspection.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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