URN 144706 · Inspected 2026-06-03 · Published 2026-08-03 · Inspector: Olivia Awolola
Ruskinhouse School Unique reference number (URN): 144706 Address: 48 Herne Hill, London, SE24 9QP Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 18/08/1995 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: First Steps (London) Limited Inspection report: 3 June 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 Children demonstrate notable independence. They successfully manage their toileting, handwashing and organisation of their belongings. Younger children undo and fasten their own bibs and feed themselves independently at mealtimes. Children manage their emotions and behaviours positively in addition to developing their independence skills. They share resources, negotiate turns, and show empathy towards their peers. Children listen actively to others and take turns speaking during group discussions. Older children play harmoniously alongside and with other children to build new friendships. They grasp the concept of games with rules and confidently follow multi-step instructions, such as, 'get a book and sit down,' after tidying up in preparation for lunchtime. Children show they are confident and capable communicators who are highly motivated to learn. For example, babies develop intentional communication skills, as they move from babbling or gesturing with their hands to using single words. Moreover, they demonstrate emotional security and self-assurance as they confidently crawl and toddle away from their key persons to explore across the learning environment. Children develop their early mathematical understanding. They learn to count, recognise numbers and shapes. Children use the language of size and quantity as they play. They learn to follow simple sequenced instructions without constant adult support. Children with special educational needs/and or disabilities make the progress necessary to meet their targets. Children who experience disadvantage or barriers to learning also progress well across the areas of learning. Children are very well prepared for their future learning, despite some inconsistencies in the quality of interactions during breakfast sessions for younger age groups. They confidently articulate their feelings and demonstrate an overall readiness for school. Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard Children play well together and get along with each other. They show kindness as they share toys and take turns during their play. Staff use age-appropriate explanations, so children understand why some of their behaviour is undesirable. This successfully helps children to learn the boundaries and begin to manage their minor conflicts. Across the nursery, children of all ages focus and concentrate well. Staff model positive play and support children's play ideas which promotes their deep engagement. Children curiously explore indoors and outdoors. They enjoy initiating their own play. Older children take risks and confidently engage in active play involving jumping and landing. Leaders promote the importance of punctuality and attendance to parents and carers. They follow up any unexplained absences. This ensures leaders track welfare concerns during attendance dips while promoting positive school attendance habits. Leaders have ensured most of the routines are embedded well across the day. However, they do not ensure that all staff follow their policies and procedures for managing children's breakfast time routines. Therefore, overall, the support for children's positive attitudes towards healthy eating is inconsistent. Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard Across the nursery, children have respectful relationships with each other and staff. Children are keen to share their news from home with staff. Children confidently exert their personal and play preferences during activities. Staff working with babies sensitively respond to their current and emerging needs. Babies build secure attachments to their key persons. They smile and make eye contact with familiar staff and are comforted by their warm cuddles. Staff are committed to consistently promoting healthy lifestyles. Children develop their physical skills, including their overall body strength, coordination and balance from outdoor play opportunities. Staff encourage children's positive attitudes towards healthy eating. At mealtimes, they teach children why some foods make them healthy. Children learn about different fruits and vegetables and why the peel of fruits, such as watermelon, have nutritious value. Furthermore, children have impactful opportunities to learn about the importance of toothbrushing through linked activities, such as playing with model teeth or practising brushing away plaque from mouth templates. Additionally, staff talk to children about tooth decay, read books and explain why sugary foods can be bad for their teeth. Children demonstrate an awareness of their personal safety. For example, older children hold on to the banister and carefully climb up and down the indoor stairwell. Older children are mindful of their younger peers as they move around the nursery and access the outdoor garden. Staff have high standards of hygiene and ensure children wash their hands after playing and before eating. Babies in the early stages of eating solids receive expert support. Additionally, staff manage individual children's allergies and dietary requirements very well. Leaders maintain continuous communication with parents and carers and external professionals. Combined with tailored, predictable routines, this approach promotes emotional security for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or those experiencing disadvantage. This ensures all children's welfare is supported. Curriculum and teaching Expected standard Leaders ensure staff have a clear understanding of what children need to learn and how to teach it. They have devised a broad and interesting curriculum filled with opportunities for children to learn about the world and build their emotional resilience and confidence. Children have meaningful opportunities for creative expression. For example, staff play with babies and encourage them to beat tin drums. Older children enjoy exploring different body movements during circle-time singing activities. There is a particular focus on the promoting children's early mathematical development across the nursery. Staff generally make thoughtful use of spontaneous and planned opportunities to promote children's counting, number and shape recognition during indoor and outdoor activities. Staff make appropriate adjustments and adaptations to activities which supports the learning and development of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Children confidently apply what they have learned at other times, such as, when following a baking recipe and understanding the quantities of different ingredients needed. Staff typically promote children's language and early literacy development well. They narrate and describe babies' actions using clear simple language. Older children develop aspects of early literacy and learn to control writing tools well. Children of all ages develop a love of books and listen attentively when staff read to them. Leaders have ensured the outdoor area is impressively resourced and well organised. Children typically build agile coordination, large muscle control, balance and awareness of space. They confidently use their legs and arm muscles to manoeuvre various ride-on toys. Staff support children well to build sharp hand-eye coordination and rich imaginary play skills as they explore sand, water, and the mud kitchen. They know individual children's existing ability and make accurate assessment of children's stages of development. Staff have high expectations for what children can achieve. Children make sustained progress and acquire the independence skills necessary to successfully move on to their next stages in learning. However, some morning mealtime routines are not well embedded. Therefore, children do not experience the quality interactions or encouragement for their positive attitudes towards healthy eating during breakfast as they do at other mealtimes. Inclusion Expected standard Leaders have established a welcoming nursery where all children feel included. Staff value every child as a unique individual, no matter their starting point or specific needs. Staff understand child development well. They spot children's new learning needs quickly. To devise precise learning targets, staff gather information from observations, discussions with parents and carers and external professionals. Children receive effective targeted support when required. This includes individual and small group interventions that successfully help children develop their self-help and social skills. Leaders act quickly to remove barriers to learning. They achieve this by being extremely flexible with childcare arrangements and the timetable for children's learning activities. This successfully ensures all children benefit from full access to the curriculum. Leaders guide staff well. They strategically monitor support plans to see what works and what needs to change. Leader and staff work closely with parents to understand children's emerging needs. This close-knit partnership working ensures that children experience the similar support at home in addition to nursery. Although there are no children on roll in receipt of additional funding, leaders understand their responsibility to spend funds strategically. This helps to narrow the learning gap for disadvantaged children. Therefore, the dedicated approach and commitment leaders adopt when supporting families ensures all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make steady progress. Leadership and governance Expected standard Leaders have successfully built a workforce consisting of a core team and agency staff who they integrate seamlessly. Children benefit from the continuity of care and generally stable daily routines. Nevertheless, leaders do not ensure staff consistently embed routines across all aspects of the day. Particularly, at breakfast times when staff are not deployed effectively and interactions with children are not at the high standard they experience at other times. Leaders ensure children's best interests are at the heart of their decision-making. Effective partnerships with families and external professionals ensure timely, coordinated intervention, particularly for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those experiencing disadvantage. Leaders demonstrate an accurate and responsive understanding of the setting's areas for improvement. They identify which areas to prioritise through regular staff and formal senior leadership meetings. Leaders are committed to sustaining high-quality adult interactions, consistent language modelling and the deeper extension of learning during child-led play. They plan to strengthen staff practice further through coaching, monitoring and professional development training. This helps to ensures the quality of education continues to improve and children acquire the skills necessary for successful transitions to their next stages in learning. Leaders maintain clear and structured systems to monitor and actively support staff's wellbeing and workload management. Furthermore, the leadership team ensures that staff are fully aware of support networks, including confidential therapy services. Staff are also empowered to contribute their own ideas for room activities, fostering an inclusive, collaborative and manageable working environment. Compulsory Childcare Register requirements This setting has met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. How we check if a provider meets the requirements of the Compulsory Childcare Register When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes: Met Not met Voluntary Childcare Register requirements This setting has met the requirements of the voluntary part of Childcare Register. How we check if a provider meets the requirements of the Voluntary Childcare Register When we check if settings meet the Voluntary Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes: Met Not met What it's like to be a child at this setting Children happily arrive and separate well from their parents and carers, who accompany them to the breakfast rooms. Familiar staff are at the door to welcome children individually. Children show they enjoy their morning meals. Across the nursery, children eagerly explore and are keen to learn. Children know and follow the nursery routines well. They happily line up to move around safely. Children confidently choose between playing indoors and outdoors. Children have secure attachments with the staff team. Key-person relationships are kind and respectful. Staff are gentle and treat individual children with sensitivity. Staff listen to children and offer them lots of praise and encouragement. Older children confidently express their wishes, feelings and preferences. They show emotional security, initiate cooperative play and share the toys and resources. Babies smile responsively to staff during their back-and-forth interactions. They delight in sensory water and messy-play activities. Babies curiously handle real-world objects, such as metal-tin drums and wooden spoons. Staff thoughtfully organise the learning space to enable babies' free exploration. Children demonstrate excellent independence skills. For instance, they serve their own snacks, help to tidy areas before lunch and organising their belongings. Staff make a sustained difference to children's opportunities and experiences, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders liaise closely with external agencies and have supportive partnerships with parents. This ensures that all children feel valued and are fully included in life at the nursery. Overall, children happily thrive, grow in confidence, and achieve their very best of their potential at this inclusive nursery. They are well prepared for their next stages in learning. Inspector: Olivia Awolola About this setting Unique reference number (URN): 144706 Address: 48 Herne Hill London SE24 9QP Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registration date: 18/08/1995 Registered person: First Steps (London) Limited Register(s): EYR, CCR, VCR Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:00 - 19:00 Local authority: Lambeth Facts and figures used on inspection Next steps Leaders should strengthen staff deployment and interactions during children's morning mealtimes routines so the support provided to children is of a consistently high quality. About this inspection The inspector spoke with parents and carers, staff, children, the special educational needs coordinator and leaders 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 This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection. This data is from 3 June 2026 Children numbers Age range of children at the time of inspection 0 to 4 Total number of places 80 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. 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