Al Falah The Sunflower Nursery

Al Falah The Sunflower Nursery
Unique reference number (URN): 2808864
Address: 57 Empress Avenue, Ilford, IG1 3DE
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 12/09/2024
Registers: EYR
Registered person: Al-Falah The Sunflower Nursery Ltd
Inspection report: 24 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.

Strong standard
Achievement Strong standard
Children enjoy the broad range of play and learning experiences, and as a result, make
excellent progress from their individual starting points. Children with special educational
needs and/or disabilities (SEND) those who are disadvantaged and those known to
children's social care make rapid progress. For instance, children who were previously
nonverbal or withdrawn now engage in interactions, use language and participate
confidently in group activities.
Babies and toddlers delight in stories, songs and rhymes, which effectively support their
emerging communication and language skills. Older children demonstrate increasing
confidence as communicators. They engage in sustained conversations with their peers
during play and confidently take turns in back-and-forth interactions with staff. Children are
curious and motivated to learn. They confidently select resources and make choices in their
play. They concentrate well and engage in their learning independently and alongside each
other.
Children move confidently between rooms and age groups, supported by well planned and
carefully managed transitions that promote continuity and progression in learning. Over
time, children develop the key knowledge and skills they need for their ongoing development
within the nursery. Older children, are well prepared for their eventual transition on to school.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard
Children's behaviour and attitudes are impressive. They thrive in a respectful, calm and
purposeful environment where routines are well established, expectations are clear and
adults consistently show kindness, patience and empathy. Staff know each child extremely
well and create a nurturing environment where children's emotional needs are recognised
and understood. Staff model positive interactions, teamwork and respectful communication,
providing excellent role modelling for children. As a result, children's interactions with one
another are of very high quality. They are kind, considerate and supportive in their play.
Children are given meaningful opportunities to take on responsibility and demonstrate
growing awareness of their role within the nursery community. For example, children
volunteer to act as helpers at lunchtime, serving food to their peers, wiping tables and
sweeping up once meals have finished. This helps children to develop independence,
cooperation and a sense of responsibility, while also promoting respect for others and their
environment.
Attendance levels are high and are closely monitored by leaders. They work closely with
families to establish consistent routines and address any barriers, ensuring children attend
regularly and engage in learning. Where needed, leaders provide targeted support to
families and offer flexibility around sessions. This ensures that children continue to access
the nursery consistently, even during periods of change in family circumstances.

Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard
Children's health and wellbeing are given high priority. Leaders and staff complete thorough
risk assessments, for instance, in response to extreme temperatures, and implement
effective measures to minimise potential risks to children. Staff ensure that drinking water is
readily available throughout the day and regularly remind children to stay hydrated. Outdoor
play is carefully planned to take place early in the morning, before the sun becomes too
strong, enabling children to continue to benefit from fresh air and physical activity in a safe
way.
Staff actively teach children about sun safety, including the importance of wearing sunhats,
applying sun protection and drinking regularly from their water bottles. This supports
children to begin to understand the risks associated with the sun and heat. Children are also
offered cooling snacks, such as cucumber, to help prevent dehydration. Babies take part in
water-play activities, to help keep them cool and comfortable. They sleep in a room with air
conditioning and are always placed in safe-sleeping positions. Staff demonstrate a secure
understanding of sleep safety and follow consistent, secure routines. As a result, children
remain comfortable, safe and well cared for at all times.
Secure attachments are a key strength of the provision. Key persons build warm, responsive
relationships with children, helping them to feel safe and emotionally secure. Consequently,
children engage confidently in their learning and form positive relationships with others. Staff
support children to recognise and manage their emotions effectively and, through consistent
routines and targeted strategies, children develop self-regulation and growing confidence.
Curriculum and teaching Strong standard
Teaching is thoughtfully designed, drawing on ongoing observations and assessments to
meet children's individual needs and stages of development. Staff successfully combine
adult-initiated experiences with children's own interests to deliver an ambitious and
responsive curriculum for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or
disabilities.
Staff support children effectively in their learning across all age groups. In the pre-school
room, they work with small groups, ensuring that each child receives meaningful,
individualised attention. For example, as children learn about planets, staff provide a
creative painting activity where children design their own planets. Children are encouraged
to compare their creations with visual prompts, considering similarities in size and colour,
which supports their observational and thinking skills.
In the toddler room, a well-resourced, coffee-shop themed role-play area provides a rich and
stimulating environment. Children engage enthusiastically in imaginative play with their
peers. Staff maintain a sensitive presence, observing closely and intervening appropriately
to extend learning without disrupting children's play.
Babies experience engaging interactions, such as interactive storytelling sessions. Staff use
animal resources effectively to capture and sustain babies' attention. Babies show high
levels of interest and enjoyment, becoming deeply engaged and begin to join in with
repeated phrases, demonstrating early communication and language development.

Homemade books, featuring photos of the children celebrating special events such as Eid,
transitions to school and stay-and-play days, are available. Children access these resources
independently, showing enjoyment as they revisit and recall past experiences, which
supports their sense of belonging and memory development. Resources within the nursery
reflect the diverse communities the children come from. This inclusive approach helps to
promote respect, inclusion and an understanding of different cultures and family
backgrounds. Children feel represented and valued within the setting.
Inclusion Strong standard
Staff undertake rigorous observations and assessments of children's learning and
development. They skilfully adapt the curriculum to reduce any barriers that children may
face in their learning and development. They meet regularly to evaluate and reflect on
whether their strategies are having a positive impact on children's overall learning and
wellbeing. The nursery supports disadvantaged children effectively, and leaders use
additional funding wisely.
Staff work extremely closely with parents and carers to understand children's individual
needs to provide the right help at the right time. They welcome external professionals into
the setting to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and
make all reasonable adjustments to create a nurturing and inclusive environment. For
example, staff follow guidance from speech and language services to ensure that they best
support children's communication and language skills and close gaps in learning. Leaders
support staff who take the lead role for SEND, to access a range of training and support.
This deepens expertise, so they identify, monitor and support children's emerging learning
and developmental needs effectively.
Leaders and staff work effectively to support children who speak English as an additional
language. These children benefit from support from staff who, where possible, share and
use their home languages to aid understanding and communication. This helps children to
feel secure, understood and confident in expressing themselves. Children's cultural heritage
is celebrated and all languages are valued, promoting a deep sense of belonging and
respect for diversity within the setting.
Leadership and governance Strong standard
Leaders support staff to carry out their roles extremely well. They have a clear
understanding of staff's strengths and areas for development, and act on these effectively.
Leaders implement well-targeted action plans to continually review and improve all aspects
of the provision. This demonstrates highly reflective and ambitious leadership.
Staff benefit from regular opportunities to discuss their professional development. They meet
frequently with leaders and managers to review their practice and access relevant training.
Leaders place high emphasis on staff wellbeing. Initiatives, such as staff recognition awards,
help to motivate and encourage staff, ensuring they feel valued and respected. Staff speak
positively about the high levels of support they receive from leaders and managers. Leaders
and managers work together and demonstrate their commitment to collaborative working.
They engage effectively with other professionals to ensure children and families receive the
support they need.

Leaders provide workshops for parents and carers on topical issues, such as transitions to
school and internet safety. This helps parents to better support their children's learning,
development and wellbeing at home. Parents speak very highly of the staff team and
leadership. They comment on leaders' in-depth understanding of the local community and
the personalised support they provide. This includes offering additional help to families
experiencing hardship or crisis, which goes beyond expectations. As a result, families feel
well supported and highly valued.
What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children arrive at the nursery to a warm, genuine welcome from staff. They separate
confidently from their parents and carers, demonstrating that they feel safe and secure.
Children are familiar with the nursery routines and the environment, which supports their
sense of belonging.
They benefit from a broad, thoughtfully planned curriculum that is ambitious for all, including
for those who may face barriers to learning. Staff have a clear understanding of what they
want children to learn, and why. Through rich, developmentally appropriate interactions,
children extend their understanding of the world. For example, during the football World
Cup, children create a cardboard football pitch, carefully painting and decorating it with flags
from around the world. Through this experience, children learn about the rules of the game,
taking turns and counting goals scored. They engage in purposeful discussions about
England and other countries, including those represented within the nursery and their
families. This supports children's understanding of the wider world and helps them to
recognise and value similarities and differences between themselves and others. As a
result, children develop a secure sense of inclusion and diversity, alongside their language
and communication skills.
The outdoor play spaces are a hive of activity. A purpose-built shopping street, featuring
different types of shops, provides a highly engaging environment for imaginative play. Each
shop is creatively resourced with an abundance of imaginative materials. Children immerse
themselves in these experiences, developing rich language and an understanding of the
world, within a play-based environment. This helps children to make sense of their own
experiences, practise social interactions and build confidence in communicating their ideas
with others.
Children are motivated and increasingly independent. They take pride in their achievements,
manage their self-care routines effectively and cooperate well with their peers. Leaders
engage positively with families to promote regular attendance and consistent routines that

Inspector:
Anne Maher
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): 2808864
Address:
57 Empress Avenue
Ilford
IG1 3DE
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 12/09/2024
Registered person: Al-Falah The Sunflower Nursery Ltd
Register(s): EYR
support children's wellbeing. Families are welcomed and valued, and as a result, children
flourish socially, emotionally and developmentally.
Next steps
Leaders and those responsible for governance should sustain their work to ensure
continued improvement and high standards. They should focus on creating a
transformational impact on the outcomes and experiences of disadvantaged children,
those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who are known (or
previously known) to children's social care, and those who may face other barriers to their
learning and/or wellbeing.
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with leaders, staff, children, parents and carers 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.

Operating hours:
Local authority: Redbridge
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 24 June 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
1 to 4
Total number of places
65
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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