The Learning Experience, East Finchley

The Learning Experience, East Finchley

Unique reference number (URN): 2596384 Address: 250 East End Road, East Finchley, London, N2 8AU Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 19/10/2020 Registers: EYR Registered person: TLE at East Finchley UK Limited

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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 Needs attention

Children's progress across all areas of learning is not consistent. Very young children do not experience enough high-quality back-and-forth interactions or an environment rich in language. As a result, their language and communication development is not consistently supported. Children benefit from some staff engaging in warm and enthusiastic chatter, using eye contact and genuine interest. However, the quality of interactions with very young children is inconsistent.

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Achievement Needs attention

Older children demonstrate imaginative thinking skills that help promote early literacy and mathematical skills. For example, they delight in taking turns moving their fabric vehicles across the large floor mat. Children identify the colours and numbers of the vehicles. They enthusiastically use language, count and sequence numbers with confidence.

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Achievement Needs attention

Children do not consistently have rich opportunities to extend their learning and development. They do not benefit from purposeful questions or support to move on to their next steps for learning. Consequently, children sometimes lose interest quickly when activities lack purpose or no long stimulate their curiosity.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

Staff do not consistently promote a positive attitude to learning. On occasion, staff lack motivation to enthusiastically encourage children to take an active part in activities. Children who are reluctant to join in do not receive sufficient encouragement or support. This does not create an enabling learning environment where children feel confident to contribute and understand the expectations for their behaviour.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

Staff implement routines and behaviour strategies to provide children with emotional support. This helps children to develop secure attachments and increase their confidence. Children build warm relationships with their peers. Some staff encourage children to think about one another's needs effectively. For example, they support children to consider whether everyone has enough space on the carpet at story time or at the snack table. This helps children to develop social awareness and empathy. Leaders and managers understand the importance of children's attendance. They recognise how this contributes to children's safety, learning and development.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

Leaders and managers do not consistently ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, as well as those who face other barriers to their learning, receive effective support. Staff do not consistently provide additional processing time for children who require it. They do not adapt activities to ensure that all children can participate fully and benefit from positive learning experiences. Leaders and managers demonstrate a secure understanding of the importance of working in partnership with parents and carers to support children's experience at nursery. However, staff do not consistently use the information they gather from parents to inform practice or to support children's welfare when required.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

Leaders and managers recognise the need to strengthen some policies and procedures. They have taken steps to address identified weaknesses. For example, monitoring systems during mealtimes and snack times have been improved to ensure children's safety and wellbeing. Children's personal care routines, including toileting and washing hands, are managed appropriately. This supports children to develop the personal independence skills they need in preparation for their eventual transition to school.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

Staff promote children's understanding of emotions by sharing relevant storybooks and engaging them in discussions about their behaviour. Consequently, children develop an age- appropriate awareness of their feelings.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders and managers recognise the need for a meaningful curriculum that begins with the individual learning needs of each child. However, despite this, children spend a significant amount of time engaged in unstructured free play in each room. Some staff provide access to play equipment that interests children and supports their learning. For example, staff encourage children to think about the vegetables and fruits in the role-play shop. Children count the vegetables and think about the texture of the broccoli and lemons. Leaders and managers have started to take appropriate action to address gaps in the curriculum and teaching. However, the expected improvements identified and in progress are not consistent at this stage. Some staff lack the expertise to draw children into purposeful play or sustain their involvement. As a result, children do not receive consistent support to develop enthusiasm to learn or build an active curiosity.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Staff do not receive consistent or effective support to deliver high-quality teaching. Permanent staff are unable to maintain a secure focus on each child's learning because they spend time supervising temporary staff who require additional guidance. Consequently, children's learning and development are not consistently prioritised or supported. Some staff do not have a secure understanding of children's learning needs. This includes children's next steps or planned activities intended to help them progress.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders and managers identify and assess children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), as well as those who experience barriers to their learning. They work closely with parents and carers and professionals to gather information. However, leaders do not consistently use this information to guide decision-making effectively. For example, staffing arrangements at key times, such as mealtimes and free play, do not support all children. Children with SEND and those facing other barriers to learning are often supported by staff who lack a full understanding of their individual needs and who are not fully familiar with routines. As a result, children's welfare and their sense of inclusion are not fully supported. Leaders and managers have started to take appropriate action to strengthen the setting's procedures for supporting all groups of children. They recognise that staffing arrangements

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Inclusion Needs attention

must be addressed to minimise barriers to children's learning and wellbeing. Leaders' early action reflects this understanding. However, this work remains at an early stage. Staff do not yet demonstrate the required levels of knowledge or expertise. As a result, children who require additional support and sensitive interaction do not consistently receive it. Some staff are unable to provide clear information about individual children's development or identify the focused activities needed to help them make progress.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

There have been significant changes to the leadership and staffing arrangements of the setting since the last inspection. The new leaders and managers demonstrate a focused commitment to providing high-quality education and care. However, the changes are yet to have a consistent impact across the setting. Leaders acknowledge that there are still areas that need improvement.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders and managers recognise that recruitment remains a challenge. They work with the local authority, make action plans and have started to embed a new curriculum. Staff have regular supervision meetings with their managers, and they attend a range of training. However, this support is not yet closely linked to the staff's individual understanding of the curriculum or their teaching skills. As a result, staff are not fully aware of what they need to do to improve their personal effectiveness. This negatively impacts the overall quality of education.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders and managers have prioritised staff's wellbeing. Staff report that they feel well supported by leaders and enjoy working at the setting. Leaders engage positively with parents and carers and other professionals, helping children to settle confidently into the nursery. Parents express satisfaction with the care their children receive and with the management of the setting.

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

Although children enjoy their time in the nursery, there are weaknesses in the delivery of the curriculum. This impacts on children's overall learning outcomes. Children's learning and development are not supported consistently or effectively by all staff. This does not help children to make consistent progress across all areas of learning. For example, there are high numbers of temporary staff who are unfamiliar with individual children's needs and do not always respond promptly to children's questions, comments and requests. Leaders and managers recognise the need for a meaningful curriculum that is adapted to meet the needs of each child. However, while this is their intention, the implementation of the curriculum is not effective enough to secure the necessary impact. For example, the setting has not achieved an appropriate balance between meaningful and focused activities and well- planned free play that meets the individual needs of children.

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

Children show they feel safe and secure as they confidently leave their parents and carers and join their friends. Staff greet children with a 'good morning' and model positive behaviour. This helps everyone to feel welcomed and included. All children benefit from familiar routines. For example, older children know to place their belongings in their individual boxes on arrival. Children show enthusiasm and motivation to take part. However, this is not consistently matched by the necessary support from staff.

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

Leaders and managers establish secure relationships with families and the wider community. For example, parents stay well informed about their child's development through regular face-to-face meetings with their child's key person, as well as ongoing updates shared via the nursery app. This creates a welcoming and collaborative environment. This ensures consistent communication between home and nursery.

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Next steps

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

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Action Completion Date

improve and embed an ambitious educational programme that consistently engages and clearly supports what individual children need to learn next and builds on what they know and can do 02/07/2026

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Action Completion Date

develop effective systems for support, coaching and training for staff to ensure that they have a full understanding of their roles and responsibilities and that any inconsistencies in practice are swiftly addressed 02/07/2026

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Action Completion Date

provide opportunities for younger children to experience an environment rich in language to increase their vocabulary as well as their understanding 02/07/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure that information obtained from parents and carers is used effectively so that children's individual needs are safely met 02/07/2026

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Address:

250 East End Road East Finchley London N2 8AU

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Address:

Registered person: TLE at East Finchley UK Limited

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Address:

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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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders, managers, staff, the special educational needs coordinator and designated safeguarding leads 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

We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information we received about the provider. The provider will be able to give parents further information about this. This data is from 2 June 2026

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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. 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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