Little Nest Nursery Ltd

Little Nest Nursery Ltd
Unique reference number (URN): 2819176
Address: 43 Albyn Road, London, SE8 4EG
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 22/11/2024
Registers: EYR
Registered person: Little Nest Nursery Ltd
Inspection report: 14 May 2026
Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
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.
How we evaluate safeguarding
When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:
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.

Expected standard
Achievement Expected standard
Typically, children make positive progress from their starting points across the curriculum,
particularly in communication and language. Children learn new skills through their play and
meaningful interactions. Children who face barriers to their learning develop increasing
confidence in expressing themselves and communicating their needs and ideas. For
instance, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) use
progressively longer sentences to communicate their needs and ideas. During group
activities, children confidently talk about their experiences, answer questions and use a
growing range of vocabulary.
Children, including those who experience barriers to learning or wellbeing and those with
SEND, demonstrate sustained focus and concentration during play and activities. For
instance, children ride wheeled toys outdoors and correctly identify and count vegetables,
such as carrots, cucumbers and broccoli. Children demonstrate growing independence in
daily routines. They dress themselves before going outdoors, feed themselves at mealtimes
and wash their hands after using the toilet. Children develop the skills they need for the next
stages in their learning, including school. However, inconsistencies in the quality of teaching
mean that children's achievements are not always fully maximised.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard
Leaders create a welcoming environment and set high expectations for children's behaviour.
Staff build warm and caring relationships with children. This helps children to feel safe,
secure and valued. For instance, children invite staff to join in their play and seek
reassurance from familiar adults. Overall, children follow instructions and behave well. Staff
act as positive role models and generally support children's behaviour through rules, praise
and gentle reminders. However, they do not consistently help children fully understand the
impact of their behaviour on themselves and others. For example, staff remind children to
walk indoors, but they do not always explain the reasons linked to safety and consideration
for others. This does not help children to understand the reasons for the expectations on
their behaviour.
Key-person arrangements support children to develop secure attachments and positive
attitudes towards learning. Children work collaboratively with their peers. For example,
children take turns using paint to print different shapes on card and proudly display their
artwork in the classroom. Staff praise children's efforts and achievements, which develops
their confidence and sense of belonging.
Leaders promote the importance of regular attendance and work closely with parents and
carers to reduce barriers to their children attending. For example, leaders offer flexible
attendance arrangements for children, including those with special educational needs and/or
disabilities and those who face barriers to learning. This helps children to settle quickly and
fully benefit from the experiences provided by the nursery.

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard
Leaders and staff implement procedures effectively to meet all children's individual needs.
For example, snacks and meals are healthy, balanced and nutritious. Children wash their
hands after using the toilet and before eating their meals. Staff sit with children during
mealtimes to supervise and keep them safe. They encourage children to feed themselves
and pour their own water. Staff generally talk to children about how healthy foods help their
bodies grow and stay healthy. This supports children's understanding of healthy lifestyles.
Children develop warm and trusting relationships with staff. For instance, staff follow
hygienic procedures during personal care routines and encourage children to participate in
the process. This helps children to feel respected and increasingly independent in managing
their own personal care needs. Staff help children to recognise and manage their emotions
through warm interactions, reassurance and predictable routines. This supports children's
emotional wellbeing and sense of self.
Leaders and staff know children's interests and use this knowledge to provide stimulating
learning experiences for children, including children with special educational needs and/or
disabilities and those who face barriers to learning. Children access outdoor play daily and
enjoy physical activities such as using climbing equipment, playing ball games and planting
seeds. These experiences help children to develop their muscles, coordination, confidence
and an understanding of nature.
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Leaders and staff demonstrate a secure understanding of child development. Staff observe
children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who
face barriers to learning, to identify the next steps they want children to achieve in their
learning and development. Leaders provide a broad and engaging curriculum that offers
children stimulating learning experiences. For example, children visit parks, shops and
museums. Staff use these experiences to help children to learn about their local and wider
communities. These experiences support children to develop self-confidence and an
understanding of the world around them.
Staff recognise the importance of promoting children's language skills. They encourage a
love of stories by providing fiction, non-fiction and bilingual books. They use expressive
intonation during storytelling sessions to capture children's attention and engagement.
Children are confident communicators. Staff introduce mathematical language and concepts
progressively. Babies count blocks while building towers, and toddlers sing counting rhymes.
Pre-school children learn vocabulary linked to shapes, such as 'sides' and 'corners'.
Leaders prioritise children's communication, physical development, and personal, social and
emotional development throughout the curriculum. For example, children participate in
weekly sports sessions. They follow instructions, move in different ways, navigate around
obstacles and kick balls. This helps to develop their coordination, spatial awareness and
stamina.
Overall, children progress well across all areas of learning in the early years foundation
stage. However, staff do not consistently demonstrate a precise understanding of the

intended learning outcomes of planned activities. As a result, opportunities to extend
children's learning even further through questioning and purposeful interactions are not
consistent, which limits how fully children build on what they already know and can do.
Inclusion Expected standard
Leaders create a welcoming and inclusive culture in which staff identify and support
children's individual needs. Staff gather information from parents and carers during
enrolment through discussions and forms. This helps them to understand children's
interests, developmental needs and any emerging concerns. Staff generally adapt activities
and routines to help children, including children with special educational needs and/or
disabilities (SEND) and those with barriers to learning. This helps these children to access
learning experiences and make progress from their starting points. For example, staff
support children with communication needs through gestures, visual prompts and one-to-
one support. Leaders adapt the learning environment to provide a quieter and calmer space
for children who are sensitive to noise. This supports children's wellbeing and engagement
in learning.
Leaders provide staff with training to enhance their understanding of how to support children
with SEND and those who face barriers to learning. Leaders work with families, the local
authority inclusion team and other external professionals to secure support and funding for
these children. Leaders typically review children's progress through discussions with staff
and parents to assess the impact of support strategies. However, sometimes, staff do not
implement targeted strategies and activities across all age groups. Consequently, although
children make positive progress, inconsistencies in practice mean that children's learning
and development are not always extended further.
Leadership and governance Expected standard
Leaders work proactively to strengthen and maintain high standards of education and care
for children and their families. They demonstrate a clear understanding of the setting's
strengths and areas for development. Staff typically engage in professional development
opportunities to help them implement a step-by-step approach to promote children's
learning, including for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those
who face other barriers to learning. However, leaders do not consistently provide targeted
coaching and support for staff to help them implement high-quality teaching and maximise
outcomes for all children.
Leaders implement robust recruitment and induction procedures to ensure that adults
working with children are suitable and understand their roles and responsibilities. Staff
report that they feel valued, supported and work collaboratively as a team.
Parents and carers speak positively about the nursery and value the warm relationships
staff build with their children. They report that children settle well and make positive
progress. Parents say they benefit from regular communication through discussions,
parents' evenings and the online childcare app. This supports continuity of learning between

home and the nursery. Leaders also work with staff, families and external professionals to
identify children's individual needs and help them to overcome any barriers to their learning.
What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children arrive happily at the nursery. They separate confidently from their parents and
carers with the support of warm greetings from familiar staff. Family photos displayed at the
entrance help children to feel welcomed and valued as part of the close-knit nursery
community. Children know the routine well. They take off their coats, hang them on their
individual pegs, put on their indoor shoes and choose resources that capture their interests.
Children quickly settle into play and explore the stimulating environment. Babies freely
explore sensory resources and climb safely on age-appropriate equipment. They engage in
meaningful interactions with caring staff who respond sensitively to their needs. For
example, staff reassure children through cuddles, conversations and familiar routines.
Children feel emotionally secure and develop close attachments to staff.
Staff know children well and implement activities that reflect their individual needs and
stages of development. In addition, they adapt activities appropriately to support children
with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face barriers to learning.
Children enjoy a broad range of learning experiences within the nursery and the local
community. Staff naturally weave songs and storytelling sessions into daily routines to
promote children's communication skills and understanding of early mathematical concepts.
Babies enthusiastically sing nursery rhymes. Toddlers listen to stories and correctly identify
pictures and characters. Pre-school children talk about the life cycle of a butterfly and use
vocabulary such as 'egg', 'caterpillar', 'chrysalis' and 'butterfly'. Children make positive
progress from their starting points, particularly in their communication and language
development.
Children learn to share and take turns during collaborative play with their peers. For
instance, they use natural materials such as soil, sticks and leaves during imaginative play
in the mud kitchen. Children demonstrate high levels of concentration and attention as they
describe their play and experiences. Children are confident, generally well behaved and
demonstrate well-developed physical skills.
Leaders work with parents to promote the importance of regular attendance. They generally
share information well and value parents' contributions to their children's care and learning.
This collaborative approach supports children's wellbeing, development and overall
progress.

Inspector:
Yemi Afolabi
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): 2819176
Address:
43 Albyn Road
London
SE8 4EG
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 22/11/2024
Registered person: Little Nest Nursery Ltd
Register(s): EYR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 18:00
Next steps
Leaders should strengthen staff confidence and consistency in helping children fully
understand the expectations for their behaviour and how their behaviour affects others.
Leaders should continue to evaluate practice and provide targeted coaching and support
for staff to strengthen the quality of teaching across the setting.
Leaders should support staff to consistently implement targeted strategies and activities
to maximise outcomes for children, including those with special educational needs and/or
disabilities.
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with leaders, the special educational needs coordinator, staff, parents
and carers and children during the 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.

Local authority: Lewisham
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 14 May 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
0 to 4
Total number of places
47
Our grades explained
Exceptional
Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.
Strong standard
The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of
them.
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.
Needs attention
The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary
improvements.
Urgent improvement
The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of
education and/or care.

The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) inspects
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and regulates services that care for children and young people.
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