Smile & Shine Nursery

Smile & Shine Nursery

Unique reference number (URN): 2772543 Address: Mill Hill Park Pavilion & Bowling Green, Mill Hill Park, Daws Lane, London, NW7 4SE Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 25/01/2024 Registers: EYR, CCR Registered person: Smile & Shine Nursery 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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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders have established a highly inclusive culture where all children are valued and develop a secure sense of belonging. They have an acute understanding of the importance of early help, and staff remain vigilant when checking children's progress. This ensures the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those facing barriers to learning are identified promptly and precisely.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Staff work cohesively with parents as partners from the outset. Together, they establish the children's interests, needs and capabilities. Staff use the information to carefully create individual plans that are sharply focused and precisely targeted to help children to achieve well. They effectively share strategies with parents for consistent support so that children secure the best achievements, both at home and at nursery. External professionals who complement progress, such as speech and language therapists, are purposefully welcomed into the setting. Staff diligently follow agreed strategies, including one-to-one care, to ensure all children participate fully. Highly effective assessment arrangements allow staff to closely review progress and promptly identify emerging needs. These methods ensure children receive timely, collaborative and impactful support to help them achieve.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders place high value on ensuring staff receive necessary training to support disadvantaged children and those facing barriers. Staff are extremely knowledgeable about multi-agency working and the pathways for referrals. They work effectively with all those they need to, so that barriers for children are reduced. Parents speak highly about staff's determined support. They value practical strategies shared, and develop trust in staff's commitment to their children's development. Children increasingly develop their skills and confidence as they participate well alongside their peers. Funding is used appropriately in children's best interests to target support where needed.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children generally achieve well from their starting points. Those who face barriers to their learning benefit from intense support to excel. Overall, children gain effective communication skills. Babies use single words, younger children build simple sentences, and older children typically express themselves with clarity and purpose. For example, they solve simple problems and proudly work out how adding or removing water makes their buckets heavy or light.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children typically learn to move with control and confidence as they navigate the vast outdoor area well. Babies balance and take small steps. Older children show their agility as they hop, run and skip. Children gain a keen interest in mathematics through explicit teaching. They persevere to manoeuvre their car into its allotted space by identifying the matching numeral. Children develop independence and make decisions about their play and learning. Older children generally manage their own care needs throughout the day. For example, they set the table for lunch and clear away afterwards. Occasionally, some children's ideas are not extended to help them remain engaged as the relatively new curriculum is not yet fully embedded in practice. Overall, by the time they are ready to move to the next stage of learning, they are typically equipped with the skills they need to progress.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Leaders create an inviting, inclusive and purposeful environment where children are settled and secure. Staff act as positive role models. For example, they use good manners and remain respectful with their colleagues, setting clear examples for children to follow.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Staff provide caring and calm support when managing children's behaviour. They establish clear expectations for children's behaviour. Older children typically follow simple rules, such as to remember to walk indoors, in the secure knowledge that they can chase their friends during games in the outdoor area. Overall, children typically learn to manage their impulses as staff gently reinforce the rules and guide conversations about feelings. Children generally play cooperatively and learn to share their much-loved resources during planned activities as well as in the moment with support from staff. They develop self-esteem and confidence, as staff praise their achievements and willingness to have a go.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children generally develop positive attitudes to learning. They are motivated and concentrate, and most persevere to complete chosen tasks, such as mixing paints to create new colours. Staff make sensitive adjustments for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face barriers to their learning. This supports them to learn about their own feelings and behaviour. Staff safely escort children to and from the garden, reinforce what is expected of them and supervise them closely. However, occasional variations in organisation mean some routines such as mealtimes are not fluent enough to ensure children remain focused and calm while waiting for the meals. Leaders diligently monitor children's attendance and work closely with parents to ensure children arrive when expected.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children arrive with enthusiasm into a child-centred environment in which staff nurture their welfare and wellbeing. Home visits and carefully planned transitional arrangements help children to settle with ease and form secure bonds with staff. Key staff generally know the individual needs and specific character of the children and respond sensitively to their needs. For example, they know when babies are becoming tired. They offer reassurance and a much-loved story to help them settle for their sleep. Staff share positive interaction with babies and young children during nappy changing to support their emotional wellbeing. Staff supervise children closely while they eat and during sleep times to ensure their safety. The overall calm environment is sometimes altered when staff are organising mealtimes, during which some children become less settled.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Staff work collaboratively with one another and parents to help them respond to children's changing needs, such as readiness for toilet training. They adapt care routines well for children with additional needs, those known to social care and those who face barriers to wellbeing, so that all children feel secure and valued.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The vast outdoor area offers children of all ages daily access to fresh air and much vigorous play to support their physical development and wellbeing. Children learn about sun safety. Staff remind them about the importance of staying hydrated, wearing sun protection and keeping their hats on. Well-balanced, nutritious meals are carefully prepared according to children's individual needs and preferences. Children relish the fresh meals and snacks throughout the day. They typically acquire healthy habits in predictable ways that help them to feel safe and secure.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders typically deliver a curriculum with an ambitious vision for high-quality early education. Leaders have designed a well-considered broad curriculum rooted in care which takes account of what they intend children to learn over time. It centres around communication, language, personal, social and emotional development and physical development. This supports children to acquire important skills they need to progress.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff plan an environment with a range of activities that typically cultivate children's curiosity, confidence and independence. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, disadvantaged children and those known to social care receive specific and tailored support from staff. Activities are very well adjusted, with effective visual aids and specific planned activities, to ensure all can fully participate and progress.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff generally support children to develop their communication and literacy skills through a wide range of opportunities, including through books, stories, songs and group times. These are used to encourage children to express their thoughts and feelings. Staff typically organise activities that intentionally help children to learn to count and notice shapes and patterns as part of building a keen interest in and knowledge of mathematics. Leaders establish links with the local community, such as residential homes, to nurture children's understanding of and care for others. Children develop their physical agility and dexterity from daily play in the extensive outdoor area.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders monitor practice closely. They recognise the quality of teaching is not yet consistently embedded to the high standards they desire. During some activities, staff do not support children's learning as effectively as in others to extend children's thoughts and ideas. At these times, some children do not learn beyond what they already know, and some do not sustain their full interest. Overall, staff support children to enjoy their learning throughout the day.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders are ambitious, with a clear vision and passion for children's overall success. They have created a welcoming and highly inclusive environment for all children.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders are equally keen for staff to do well. They know and understand their responsibilities and maintain useful oversight of the provision. Practice is monitored in several ways. Leaders reflect on what is going well and what needs to be adapted and strive for steady improvements. They make observations and share pertinent feedback for staff to reflect on. Staff appreciate leaders' actions to support their development and consideration of their workload. They value the opportunities for training and professional development to build on their practice, such as in supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Regular team meetings are typically used to promote a shared understanding of expected practice, such as when delivering the routines. Overall, staff work well together to deliver the programme. Leaders focus on continuing to support staff to ensure children consistently receive high-quality interactions and learning.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders cultivate meaningful partnership working with parents and other professionals. Parents highly value the tailored support they receive, which takes account of their children's specific needs and circumstances. Parents access ongoing information about children's care and development. Staff are on hand to exchange important information at the beginning and end of the day. This helps to provide continuity in children's care and learning.

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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 arrive with enthusiasm and eager to enjoy the company of their friends. Staff are on hand to greet children warmly and help them settle with ease, ready to learn. Children build warm, trusting relationships with approachable staff, who respond sensitively to their needs.

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

Children are active and motivated learners. They benefit from a broad, balanced curriculum underpinned by much research to secure their progress. Staff are beginning to embrace the curriculum as they plan a range of meaningful activities across both the indoor and outdoor environments. Children typically build on what they already know and can do to continue the momentum of acquiring new knowledge and skills. Occasionally, some children practise the same learning too often, and a few do not sustain their interest as well. Overall, children show curiosity and motivation in their learning. Babies and young children repeat new words staff introduce, such as 'swirl' and 'swish', as they participate in sensory play. Older children develop independence as they proudly dress themselves. They learn about the continents of the world and where well-known animals originate from.

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

Children typically behave well and follow simple instructions. They take pride in their achievements. For instance, children smile and shine in response to staff's consistent praise. They show genuine care for their friends, such as by fetching them a tissue when needed. Inclusive practice is integral to the nursery. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, disadvantaged children and those facing barriers achieve extremely well. Staff conscientiously adapt experiences to meet individual needs and are dedicated to reducing barriers. This helps all children to make good progress.

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

Children are closely supervised when being escorted to the nearby outdoor area and at mealtimes. They are introduced to new foods, including sugar-free options, to support healthy choices. Children learn about hygiene, eat nutritious food and relish daily vigorous play as part of the well-considered approach to staying healthy and safe. Parents understand the importance of their children's regular attendance to help staff support consistent care and learning.

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Next steps

Leaders should review mealtime routines to minimise waiting times so that children remain fully engaged and settled, within the overall calm environment. Leaders should continue to support staff to raise the quality of teaching and delivery of the curriculum, so that it is consistently embedded to deepen children's learning.

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About this inspection

The inspectors spoke with leaders, practitioners, the special educational needs coordinator and parents during the inspection.

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About this inspection

The inspection started on 9 April 2026. Inspectors returned on 29 May 2026 to gather additional evidence in line with Ofsted inspections and visits: Deferring, pausing and gathering additional evidence policy.

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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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Address:

Mill Hill Park Pavilion & Bowling Green Mill Hill Park, Daws Lane London NW7 4SE

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Address:

Registered person: Smile & Shine Nursery Ltd

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 18:00

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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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