Little Robins Nursery & Preschool

Little Robins Nursery & Preschool

Unique reference number (URN): 2510941 Address: 2 Craigdale Road, HORNCHURCH, Essex, RM11 1AE Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 20/09/2019 Registers: EYR, CCR Registered person: Little Robins Nursery & Preschool Ltd

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe.

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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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Achievement Expected standard

Children move confidently and freely within the environment, demonstrating a sense of belonging. They benefit from a wide range of engaging indoor and outdoor learning opportunities. Children demonstrate achievement through activities, such as stories, singing, drawing and painting. Children where there are barriers to their learning receive focused support to strengthen their communication and school readiness. They engage well in self- chosen play and in interactions with staff.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop their physical skills and dexterity as they use age-appropriate tools. Their understanding of mathematics is enhanced as they use language to describe position when playing with the train set. They count and recognise numbers as they play. Children show persistence and growing confidence as they answer questions, attempt tasks independently and work collaboratively in group activities, including building tall towers of blocks. All children, including those with English as an additional language, make good progress, supported through focused workstations, a variety of sensory resources and carefully planned activities based on their starting points and their development needs.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children display consistently positive attitudes to learning within a safe, nurturing and welcoming environment that reflects their individual needs and interests. They show curiosity, enjoyment and motivation as they engage in a wide range of activities. Staff establish effective, age-appropriate routines that help children feel secure and understand what is expected of them. Visual aids used throughout the day, during arrival, play and snack times, support children to follow familiar routines with increasing independence.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Positive behaviour is promoted well through clear, simple expectations. Children respond respectfully to staff and demonstrate politeness and kindness towards one another. Staff create a calm, emotionally supportive atmosphere where children form warm, trusting relationships with their key person. Children's feelings are acknowledged and validated, and strategies such as a 'feelings bag' encourage older children to express emotions. This helps them build their confidence and self-esteem. Younger children are praised often as they feed themselves or reach for books. This reinforces their developing social skills and independence.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Leaders and staff emphasise a caring ethos where routines and guidance align with children's age and stage of development. Cooperative play is encouraged, and staff model positive behaviour throughout the day. Attendance is monitored daily, ensuring that any emerging concerns are addressed swiftly, so children can benefit fully from their learning experiences.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children's welfare and wellbeing are central to the practice in this setting. Leaders and staff successfully create a nurturing, supportive and generally safe environment. They monitor the security of the premises as part of ongoing risk assessment. Children form warm, trusting relationships with their key people, who respond to them respectfully and inclusively. This helps them feel valued and confident in expressing themselves. Emotional development is carefully nurtured right from the settling-in period, with tailored activities that help children transition smoothly and feel secure. Children adapt well to daily routines and develop early independence.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Staff follow consistent care routines that support children's good hygiene and physical health. This helps them understand the importance of regular handwashing after outdoor play and before meals. Children are encouraged to feed themselves, while older children confidently participate in self-serving at mealtimes, developing their confidence and healthy habits. Staff sensitively promote a nutritious, balanced diet and fully adhere to children's dietary needs.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Across the setting, practitioners support communication, language, physical development, oral health and personal safety as essential foundations. Group experiences, such as shared story sessions, singing, and exploratory play, strengthen social skills and a sense of belonging. Overall, children thrive in an environment that fosters trusting relationships, confidence and their overall development.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders create an open, nurturing and inclusive environment where children benefit from an ambitious curriculum. Teaching is purposeful and tailored to meet individual needs. Staff use assessment effectively to understand what children know and can do and what they need to learn next. Staff join in children's play to extend vocabulary, support communication and encourage curiosity. This contributes strongly to children's emotional wellbeing, confidence and physical development.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children experience a balanced range of indoor and outdoor opportunities that promote coordination, physical skills and collaborative play. Staff provide positive encouragement, particularly for babies, and focus on supporting early communication and social interaction. Older children are introduced to positional language and concepts that build creativity, understanding of mathematics and early cognitive skills. Across the setting, children show high levels of engagement, responsiveness and progress in their language and social development.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Although staff provide a range of engaging activities, younger children do not consistently benefit from learning in smaller groups on arrival. Group sizes are too large for staff to interact effectively, particularly with those children. Staff do not always adapt their teaching well enough. This means that younger children do not engage as well as they could and become disinterested.

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Inclusion Expected standard

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or where there are barriers to learning, demonstrate a sense of belonging within a warm, supportive and inclusive environment. Leaders and staff value every child and demonstrate consistent respect for their individual needs, abilities, backgrounds and culture. Children's needs are identified early so that barriers to learning can be reduced swiftly, with effective collaboration between the setting, parents and the local authority's special educational needs coordinator.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Staff use their knowledge well to tailor their support and ensure that children receive targeted help that reflects their developmental starting points. Parents are central to the setting's approach. They engage in regular discussions with staff and other professionals to support children's learning and progress.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Respect and kindness are embedded throughout daily practice. Although the setting does not receive additional funding, children benefit from personalised learning. For example, staff use visual aids, sensory resources and workstation activities to encourage communication and language skills and emotional wellbeing. These approaches help children to build confidence, understand routines and develop secure foundations for future learning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders and staff demonstrate a positive, proactive commitment to supporting all children. They ensure that children feel valued, supported and able to take an active role in their learning. Individualised support strengthens children's confidence and sense of belonging, contributing to positive outcomes for all.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have a secure understanding of their setting and are committed to securing better outcomes for all children. They prioritise children's starting points and create tailored learning opportunities that remove barriers for learning and promote progress. Well- established systems are in place to ensure early identification of need. Leaders work effectively with the local authority special educational needs coordinator to ensure that timely support is in place.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

A clear vision for continuous improvement underpins leaders' approach. They regularly evaluate the curriculum, the safeguarding culture and staff training to maintain high standards. Professional learning is closely monitored, and staff receive targeted support to strengthen their teaching and deepen their understanding of how children learn. Further understanding is needed of how to adapt practice to better support the youngest children in group sessions.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Positive partnerships with parents and external professionals enhance children's experiences. Parents are kept well informed about their children's development. They are involved in decision-making and supported with guidance on healthy routines, such as oral health and nutrition. Across the setting, staff express appreciation for the strong leadership and the training opportunities provided.

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Compulsory Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.

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Register

When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

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

Children experience a calm, nurturing and secure environment where they feel confident, valued and able to express themselves freely. They generally settle quickly and show high levels of emotional security, demonstrating trust in the staff and comfort within their surroundings. Open conversations are encouraged, and children are given opportunities to lead discussions, helping them develop confidence and communication skills. Staff listen attentively, extend children's thinking and model respectful, positive interactions.

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

Staff organise the environment to promote a sense of belonging. Children engage in a balance of self-chosen play and meaningful adult-led activities that support their learning and interests. They have access to a wide range of stimulating resources, such as recyclable materials, blocks, water, sand and malleable play, which spark their curiosity, creativity and problem-solving. Whether building rockets and astronauts or exploring books about space, children make connections between activities and their understanding of the world.

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

Teaching is generally effective. Staff use reading, storytelling and exploratory play to support children's communication and language. They know the children well, understand their interests and plan next steps that build confidence, independence and enjoyment of learning. Positive relationships are evident across the setting, and children benefit from consistent encouragement, praise and gentle guidance.

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

Social development is nurtured through opportunities for turn-taking, sharing and cooperative play. Children behave well and respond positively to clear expectations.

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Address:

2 Craigdale Road HORNCHURCH Essex RM11 1AE

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Address:

Registered person: Little Robins Nursery & Preschool Ltd Physical development is prioritised through both indoor challenges and outdoor exploration. Activities, such as hopping, balancing and using equipment, help build confidence and coordination. Younger children benefit from lots of fun and engaging activities, however sometimes group times are too large for them. This means these younger children do not always get the focused attention they need at their stage of development. This includes those who need extra support with communication, attention or early language.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that staff organise group times effectively so that younger children's learning is fully supported.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders, 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. Register(s): EYR, CCR

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About this inspection

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

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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

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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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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