Little Legs Nursery

Little Legs Nursery

Unique reference number (URN): 2820592 Address: St. George's Church, Vancouver Road, LONDON, SE23 2AG Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 18/12/2024 Registers: EYR Registered person: Little Legs Nursery 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 Expected standard

Children make steady progress across all 7 areas of the early years foundation stage curriculum. They learn new skills through purposeful play and meaningful interactions with staff. Children who face barriers to learning develop increasing confidence in expressing themselves and communicating their needs and ideas. For example, staff support children with speech, language and communication needs by providing language-rich songs, stories and opportunities to talk during play.

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Achievement Expected standard

Staff consistently encourage children to develop their independence. Children confidently tidy away resources, access drinking water and put on their own shoes. These everyday experiences help children develop the confidence and self-help skills they need for the next stage of their education, including their transition to school.

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Achievement Expected standard

However, inconsistencies in the quality of staff interactions across the nursery mean that adults do not always extend children's learning effectively. As a result, staff do not consistently maximise children's progress and achievements.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Leaders create a warm, welcoming and calm environment where all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, succeed and thrive. Children develop secure attachments with staff, who consistently model good manners and positive interactions. Overall, children follow the nursery's rules and expectations well and understand what is expected of them. This is evident during free-flow play, outdoor play and lunchtime routines. Children play confidently, independently access food and drink and understand the nursery rules, which means they collaborate well with their friends and trusted adults.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

However, leaders and staff do not consistently communicate the rules and expectations for circle time activities. For example, some children stand up and block the story for others, while others walk away from the group. This is because adults have not clearly established behaviour expectations for circle time or adapted the session to meet the needs of the youngest children.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Leaders promote the importance of regular attendance and punctuality and work closely with parents and carers to reduce barriers to attendance. For example, leaders offer flexible attendance arrangements to support children's individual needs. As a result, children settle quickly and benefit fully from the learning opportunities and experiences the nursery provides.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders and staff ensure the nursery's procedures meet children's individual needs effectively. They provide healthy and nutritious meals and establish routines that promote children's understanding of healthy lifestyles. Children wash their hands after using the bathroom and before meals and understand why good hygiene is important. Staff sit with children during mealtimes to ensure they eat safely, while encouraging meaningful conversations about food choices and wider topics. Children of all ages feed themselves where appropriate, confidently pour their own water and are encouraged to try new foods. Older children understand the importance of staying hydrated during hot weather and explain why healthy food helps their bodies grow and stay well.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children develop warm, trusting relationships with staff across the nursery. Predictable routines help children feel secure and develop a strong sense of belonging. Younger children confidently follow familiar routines, such as preparing for nap time after lunch. Older children understand the need to be considerate of others during this time and enjoy focused one-to-one interactions with staff that further support their development and wellbeing.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders and staff communicate effectively with parents and carers to promote children's wellbeing and development. They operate an open-door policy and maintain regular communication through daily information-sharing, meetings and parent consultations. Staff share children's assessments, developmental progress and next steps so parents can support learning at home. Parents speak highly of the nursery and value its caring, personalised approach, explaining that staff know their children well and provide support that meets their individual needs.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have planned an inclusive curriculum that typically meets the needs of all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They ensure learning covers all 7 areas of the early years foundation stage and organise the curriculum so that children build on what they already know.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff prioritise communication, independence and the development of warm, secure relationships with children. Teaching is generally effective. Practitioners prioritise children's communication and typically model high-quality spoken language to develop children's understanding and speech across the various age ranges at the nursery. However, the quality of interactions and questioning is not consistent. At times, staff do not give children enough time to think before intervening or moving learning on. In addition, some questions lack sufficient precision and challenge to extend children's learning to the next stage.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff promote children's independence well across the curriculum. For example, during a creative activity, some children found it difficult to use age-appropriate scissors to cut coloured card. A practitioner encouraged a child to persevere, modelled the correct technique and held the paper taut to help the child succeed independently. However, at times, the teaching of mathematics requires sharper focus. During the inspection, staff introduced some mathematical discussions about capacity and counting in the outdoor area. Nevertheless, this lacked sufficient planning and progression to ensure children were consistently exposed to age-appropriate mathematical concepts and vocabulary.

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Inclusion Expected standard

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are typically well supported to access all areas of the early years foundation stage. Leaders gather detailed information about children's starting points, working closely with parents to identify any barriers to learning from the outset. Leaders have undertaken bespoke SEND training, enabling them to make appropriate adaptations to teaching, learning and the environment to meet children's individual needs.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Staff adapt their interactions sensitively so that children feel included, valued and able to participate alongside their peers. For example, staff model correct language and sentence structure to support children who are developing their speech and communication skills. Practitioners regularly observe children, work closely with parents to discuss any emerging concerns and use this information to put timely support in place. This helps children to develop confidence, make progress and develop a sense of belonging.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders understand the community they serve and accurately identify the nursery's strengths and areas for development. They conduct regular observations of staff practice and hold regular meetings to discuss any training needs. Well-established systems for safeguarding and safer recruitment ensure children remain safe. Safeguarding is effective. Leaders prioritise staff workload and wellbeing, and staff report that they feel well supported and valued.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders demonstrate a strong commitment to continuous professional development across all areas of the early years foundation stage. They attend local authority training and seek additional external professional development opportunities, including safeguarding and special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders have established effective partnerships with local schools and school-based nurseries to support children as they transition to their next stage of education.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders regularly evaluate all aspects of the nursery and actively seek the views of parents. They support working families by offering flexible start times and communicate effectively through a range of methods to ensure key information is shared promptly.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders are reflective and have identified appropriate priorities for improvement. For example, they are enhancing the outdoor learning environment to broaden children's learning experiences. However, procedures for staff supervision and performance management are not yet fully focused on achieving the highest standards of children's learning and personal development.

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

Children arrive excited to start their day in this warm and nurturing setting. Calm, approachable staff welcome children into the nursery and know them well. Children separate confidently from their carers and quickly settle into their day of learning.

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

Children develop their independence across all areas of the nursery, preparing them well for the next stage of their learning. They confidently choose who and what they would like to play with, understand how to tidy away resources and eagerly share their learning with adults. Children understand the daily routines, which help create a calm, purposeful and well-organised environment. Children of all ages take turns, share resources and play cooperatively alongside and with one another. Skilled staff sensitively support children when needed while encouraging them to solve problems and manage their own play.

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

Children are eager to explore the wide range of activities on offer and enthusiastically share their learning. Staff know children well and plan effectively for all children, including those who experience barriers to learning. For example, children designed an obstacle course in the outdoor area. Staff thoughtfully adapted the activity so that every child could participate successfully, including the youngest children. Older children demonstrated kindness and empathy by recognising when younger children needed extra time and adapted the course so they could join in successfully.

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

Staff create a nurturing environment where children feel safe to express their feelings and emotions. They provide comfort and reassurance when children need support while also encouraging them to persevere with activities they initially find challenging. As a result, children develop resilience, confidence and a positive attitude towards learning.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure children of all ages are clear of the expectations and rules so they understand what is being asked of them during the entire nursery day. Leaders should ensure the teaching of mathematics has a sharper focus across the curriculum. Leaders should ensure that all staff understand when to move learning forward, when to use precise questioning to deepen understanding and when to step back to assess what children can achieve independently.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders, staff and parents and carers and engaged with children during the inspection.

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Address:

St. George's Church Vancouver Road LONDON SE23 2AG

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Address:

Registered person: Little Legs Nursery Limited

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 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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1 to 3

We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that the provision complies with the statutory framework for children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage.

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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

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

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