Daffodils Day Nursery

Daffodils Day Nursery
Unique reference number (URN): EY563425
Address: 23-27 Parchmore Road, Thornton Heath, Surrey, CR7 8LY
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 19/12/2018
Registers: EYR
Registered person: Thornton Day Nursery Ltd
Inspection report: 18 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
Older children develop a broad range of skills that help them prepare for their future
learning. They develop their literacy skills while matching pictures and words and talk with
staff about the letter sounds. They confidently draw pictures and recognise and write well-
formed letters. Children count accurately during play and show secure self-care skills.
Children's free creative expression is successfully enhanced as they engage in a wide range
of art, craft and drawing activities. They explore different textures while using paints, chalks
and collage materials. Vast displays of children's artwork throughout the nursery show their
efforts and achievements are valued.
Children develop their physical skills as they excitedly use the bikes in the outside play area
and skilfully navigate the space. They confidently use the climbing apparatus, independently
managing the steps for example. Children are kind and show an awareness of their
differences as they share resources and actively play alongside each other.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard
Children build friendships as they happily play together throughout the day. They build
trusting relationships with staff as they freely approach them if they need help or support. All
children behave well and follow familiar daily routines. For example, during mealtimes, they
sit and eat well together, developing their social skills as they cooperatively take turns to
serve their foods and know to put away their plates when they have finished.
When children's levels of excitement are raised when playing with cars together, staff quickly
distract them to use the cars in different ways. As a result, any disruptions are minimised,
and children's engagement in play is sustained and purposeful.
When children are moving between their group rooms and the dining hall or outside play
area, all children walk sensibly. Staff remind them to wait at the 'stop' signs until others catch
up or until the stairs are clear and ready for them to use. These effective routines help all
children to understand about safety within the premises.
Children are kind and show consideration for others. They share and take turns during play,
developing their personal, social and emotional skills well.
Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard
Leaders and staff are committed to promoting all children's wellbeing. They typically work
closely with parents to ensure that the needs of all children are regularly reviewed. This
especially supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or other
barriers to their learning so that staff make any adjustments to promote their welfare and
any changing needs.

Staff ensure that children's dietary needs are known and respected. They support babies
and younger children in developing their feeding skills and encourage them to try different
foods. Children enjoy a varied diet of home-cooked meals. They talk with staff about the
foods they like to eat, creating sociable and relaxed mealtimes. They develop healthy eating
habits as they make choices of foods and the amount they want to eat. Children's health and
hygiene practice is also enhanced through daily routines such as handwashing and brushing
their teeth. They gain regular exercise during outside play and regular sports activities.
Staff talk to children about their feelings and emotions. Children develop close relationships
with staff and each other. Babies enjoy cuddles that help them feel safe and secure in their
learning environment.
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Older children develop their speaking and listening skills well during group times. They
keenly recite the days of the week and months of the year. Staff skilfully ask questions that
enhance children's learning. Children talk about letters and sounds and number sequences.
They quickly identify that the sound 'M' is for Monday and if they add one more to 17 it
makes 18. Staff skilfully use bricks with younger children to measure their dinosaurs and
discuss which one is the tallest. This supports children's early literacy and mathematical
skills effectively.
Younger children typically enjoy listening to stories read by staff. They develop their
language skills well as they keenly talk about the animals in the story. Staff regularly sing
songs with all children to enhance their language skills further. However, children have fewer
regular opportunities to explore natural resources and learn about nature to fully enhance
their understanding of the world.
Generally, children make choices and follow their own interests during play. Staff monitor all
children's progress well and use this information to plan activities that relate to children's
individual learning needs. As a result, all children, including those with special educational
needs and/or disabilities or other barriers to their learning, make progress and are prepared
for the next stage of their education.
Inclusion Expected standard
Leaders have a positive approach to promoting inclusion for all children. They work closely
with parents and other agencies to ensure the early identification of any special educational
needs and/or disabilities (SEND). As a result, children's individual care and learning needs
are known and respected. Staff are establishing effective systems to ensure that children
gain any additional support that they need. Staff are attentive, caring and attuned to
children's individual behaviours. Consequently, children with SEND or those who face
barriers to their learning are supported well and make steady progress from their starting
points.
Leaders carefully consider how any additional funding is used. They review children's
learning needs and interests and obtain resources aimed at supporting children's
engagement in learning. Children's individual learning needs are regularly reviewed and
adjustments made to ensure that children with SEND are fully supported. High staff ratios

enhance children's engagement in play, creating an inclusive learning environment for all
children.
Generally, staff are mindful of barriers that children face to their learning, including those
who are learning English as an additional language. Staff use pictures and props to support
children's communication skills effectively.
Leadership and governance Expected standard
Leaders understand their role and responsibilities in meeting the early years foundation
stage requirements. Typically, leaders implement changes when needed and regularly
review how staff are embedding any improvements. Leaders ensure that staff have regular
opportunities to participate in supervision meetings. This enables them to discuss any
concerns and review their practice and individual training needs. Generally, leaders have a
clear overview of the nursery. They are developing systems to monitor and develop staff's
consistent practice, although some movements of staff during the day create less settled
learning experiences for younger children.
Leaders and staff have increased their awareness of safeguarding procedures through
training and quizzes, for example. Staff complete regular risk assessments to ensure that
the premises and equipment are suitable for children to promote their welfare. Typically,
leaders work with other agencies and parents to ensure that children's individual needs are
met. They have effective systems in place to monitor children's attendance. They encourage
children's regular attendance so that they benefit from the full curriculum and also follow up
on any absences so that children's welfare is assured.
Leaders and staff show a commitment to working in partnership with parents. They regularly
share information about children's progress and promote children's learning at home. All
children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or other barriers
to their learning, make steady progress and are well prepared for when they move on to
school.
What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children are happy and settled in this welcoming nursery. All children, including those with
special educational needs and/or disabilities or other barriers to their learning, have close
relationships with staff and each other. Children build friendships and play cooperatively
together. They understand about expectations of their behaviour and actively join in the daily

Inspectors:
Jo Geoghegan
Laura Brewer
About this setting
routines. As a result, they engage purposefully in play and develop skills across all areas of
learning.
Younger children actively join in singing familiar songs. They hold hands while playing
games and enthusiastically join in the 'What's the Time, Mr. Wolf?' game with staff. They
count as they take big strides and laugh and giggle when the 'wolf' calls out 'dinner time' and
they try to run away.
Older children are well prepared for when they move on to school. They show increasing
personal development and self-care skills. They make choices during play and follow their
own interests, promoting their learning independence.
Children enjoy arts and craft activities. They explore how foam moves as they make patterns
in the tray and watch the foam as they blow it. Staff count with children during everyday
activities and encourage them to think about how to complete their puzzles and consider
different sizes and shapes. This supports children's early mathematical skills well, and
children show pride in their achievements.
Next steps
Leaders should continue to monitor staff practice to embed a consistent approach so that
all children develop the best outcomes.
Leaders should consider ways to extend opportunities for children to regularly explore
natural resources and learn about nature to further develop their understanding of the
world.
About this inspection
The inspectors spoke with leaders, practitioners, the special educational needs coordinator
and parents 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.

Unique reference number (URN): EY563425
Address:
23-27 Parchmore Road
Thornton Heath
Surrey
CR7 8LY
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 19/12/2018
Registered person: Thornton Day Nursery Ltd
Register(s): EYR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 18:00
Local authority: Croydon
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 18 May 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
0 to 4
Total number of places
116
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
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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