Creative Explorers Preschool - Crouch End

Creative Explorers Preschool - Crouch End
Unique reference number (URN): 2789373
Address: Rear of 101 Tottenham Lane, Broad Lane, London, N8 9BG
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 19/04/2024
Registers: EYR
Registered person: Creative Explorers Crouch End Limited
Inspection report: 6 July 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
All children make significant progress as a result of attending the nursery. They make
excellent progress in relation to their starting points. Children are well prepared and ready
for the next stage in learning and transition to school.
Children communicate confidently and use an increasingly broad vocabulary to express their
ideas, needs and experiences. They listen attentively, engage in meaningful conversations
and develop the communication skills needed for future learning. Children confidently join in
all aspects of the pre-school day and demonstrate positive attitudes to learning.
Children develop independence through everyday routines and confidently manage tasks
appropriate to their age and stage of development. They demonstrate resilience,
concentration and perseverance when faced with new challenges and apply these skills
across their learning. They are well prepared for the next stage in their learning, including
their transition to school.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard
Children flourish in the positive learning environment provided by staff. Leaders and staff
consistently model the high expectations for all attending. Staff are calm and reassuring and
children's behaviour is exemplary. Children thrive on the encouragement and frequent praise
they receive from staff and this also significantly contributes to their confidence and self-
esteem. Children demonstrate a real desire to focus on their learning. They demonstrate
they are confident and eager to contribute their ideas and take an active part in their
learning. For example, they enthusiastically join in discussions about keeping themselves
safe, confidently sharing their own ideas while listening respectfully to the views of others.
Staff anticipate and swiftly identify children who face barriers to their learning and/or
wellbeing. They ensure consistent guidance, time and support is provided so that children
fully participate. Staff help build on children's skills gradually, to help them settle into the
daily routines. Leaders ensure there is a mutually respectful atmosphere throughout.
Children demonstrate good manners and understand the high expectations for behaviour
that are fully embedded in practice. Children have formed friendships with others attending
and are caring toward one another. Staff are skilled in recognising when children need
support to manage conflicts. They thoroughly praise them when they resolve issues
independently.
Leaders work effectively with families to ensure that they understand the importance of
regular attendance. They support families to ensure that children benefit from their time at
the setting. Staff are aware of the policy and procedures in place and take swift and
thoughtful action if needed.

Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard
Leaders and staff consistently recognise and use additional learning opportunities during
everyday routines, such as nappy changing, handwashing and mealtimes. This highly
effective approach supports children to develop key life skills for the future. Staff fully
understand and swiftly identify the unique needs of all children. They adapt care routines to
ensure children are fully supported and that their wellbeing is prioritised. Staff are nurturing,
respectful and maintain children's dignity and privacy during personal care routines.
Ongoing interactions contribute significantly to children's emotional wellbeing.
Children enthusiastically and confidently prepare their own healthy snacks. They proudly put
on their chef's hats and aprons before chopping fresh fruit, pouring their own drinks and
tidying away afterwards. Meaningful conversations help children develop an understanding
of healthy eating, oral health and the importance of vitamins in keeping their bodies healthy.
Children benefit from consistent praise and reassurance and have formed close and trusting
bonds with their key persons.
Leaders provide high-quality learning environments indoors and outdoors. Children
thoroughly enjoy spending time in the nursery garden, where they care for plants, observe
vegetables as they grow, and develop an understanding of healthy lifestyles, nature, and the
importance of physical health and wellbeing.
Curriculum and teaching Strong standard
Leaders ensure learning opportunities ignite children's interest and curiosity and provide all
children with high-quality teaching consistently. Staff provide a well-sequenced and
ambitious curriculum that reflects children's interests and supports their development across
the areas of learning. They understand how children learn, and plan experiences that build
on what children already know and can do. As a result, all children build securely on their
knowledge and skills over time.
Staff provide quality teaching and interactions that are purposeful and build on children's
interests and developmental stages. For example, during a 'mix, make and imagine' activity,
children independently select herbs, petals and natural materials to create their own potions.
They confidently predict what might happen as they mix ingredients together and compare
quantities using mathematical language such as 'more', 'less', 'full' and 'empty'. Children
eagerly share their ideas with staff and their friends. Staff skilfully extend children's thinking
through carefully timed questions, giving children time to think before responding. These
experiences develop children's communication, mathematical understanding and curiosity.
Children's communication and language flourish through engaging experiences throughout
the day. Staff model language well and introduce ambitious vocabulary through stories,
investigations and group discussions. Children confidently recall previous learning, ask
questions, explain their thinking and revisit learning through play, strengthening their
confidence, independence and positive attitudes towards learning.

Inclusion Strong standard
Leaders and staff are committed to ensuring children consistently experience inclusive
practice. The nursery is inviting and welcoming for all children. There is an inclusive culture
that is understood by all. Staff complete robust assessments and ongoing observations of
children. Highly skilled staff demonstrate a secure knowledge of child development, enabling
children's individual needs to be swiftly identified. Information gathered from parents,
together with ongoing discussions, ensures precise next steps for learning are in place.
Stringent monitoring enables leaders to evaluate children's progress effectively and ensure
they make strong progress from their starting points.
Staff adhere to personalised routines and implement targeted interventions. Resources,
visual prompts and dedicated sensory spaces, both indoors and outdoors, support all
children to access and succeed from their starting points. Leaders and staff are highly
effective at breaking down barriers to learning, enabling children to participate fully, develop
confidence and achieve positive outcomes.
Leaders ensure staff feel confident in their role and receive ongoing training and support so
they are highly effective in supporting children with special educational needs and/or
disabilities. High priority is given to maintaining a consistent and inclusive approach.
Leaders work closely with families and external professionals to ensure continuity, regularly
review children's progress and secure the best possible outcomes for children.
Leadership and governance Strong standard
Leaders respect and value the contribution that staff make and thoughtfully consider their
wellbeing and workloads. Staff are highly dedicated to providing the best possible outcomes
for children. They comment positively on the support and encouragement leaders provide.
They are motivated and keen to continue to build on their own skills and welcome
opportunities to participate in purposeful professional development. Leaders have a robust
knowledge and understanding of the importance of self-reflection and are highly effective in
identifying areas of strength and areas to develop further. They fully understand how to
provide inspiring, high-quality teaching for all children attending the nursery. This is
successfully achieved through robust monitoring of practice. Leaders seek relevant training
to ensure staff have the knowledge and understanding to meet children's specific and
emerging needs. For example, leaders have prioritised special educational needs and/or
disabilities training, strengthening staff's understanding of meeting children's individual
needs. As a result, staff make timely adaptations to their practice so all children participate
fully in learning.
Leaders ensure children are at the heart of all decisions made and this has a positive impact
on their outcomes. For example, when enhancing the garden, leaders considered children's
preferred ways of learning to ensure they thrive in the outdoor environment. In addition,
leaders provide parents and families with flexibility to effectively promote children's regular
attendance. Leaders are proactive in securing meaningful working relationships with
external professionals so they work collaboratively and provide children with consistent,
high-quality support. Highly effective communication and partnerships with parents, together

with other professionals involved with the family, have a positive impact on children's
wellbeing and enable them to thrive.
What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children arrive at nursery with excitement and enthusiasm to start their day. They are
warmly welcomed by attentive staff and leave their parents with ease. Positive, caring
relationships are formed with their key persons and other staff, and children demonstrate
they feel safe and secure. Children quickly immerse themselves in their chosen activities.
For example, they eagerly revisit their interest in the recent nursery renovations as they
investigate coloured, shaped and textured construction blocks, confidently building towers
together while exploring shape, size and pattern. Outdoors, children delight in caring for the
nursery garden, planting seeds, watering vegetables and proudly talking about what they
have grown.
Children make rapid progress and consistently achieve from their starting points. Staff
strengthen learning by revisiting previous learning and providing meaningful opportunities to
deepen children's knowledge and skills. Children benefit from an ambitious curriculum, and
the importance of attendance for their learning and welfare is promoted. Children are well
prepared for the next stage in learning and transition to school.
Children demonstrate a love of books and stories. They confidently recall previous learning,
eagerly join in with familiar stories and confidently discuss what they have learned. Children
work well together with minimal support from staff. They concentrate, help one another and
make independent choices throughout the day. Children are familiar with the routines and
expectations. They show perseverance and determination to solve problems for themselves,
while attentive staff provide timely support when needed.
Parents speak highly of the care and education provided for their children. They comment
on the support provided and early intervention for children who may have barriers to
learning. They are grateful for the ongoing communication they receive regarding their
child's progress.
Next steps
Leaders should ensure continued improvement in the setting's successful work to remove
barriers for children who need extra help, to realise a transformational impact on all

Inspector:
Rita Dome
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): 2789373
Address:
Rear of 101 Tottenham Lane
Broad Lane
London
N8 9BG
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 19/04/2024
Registered person: Creative Explorers Crouch End Limited
Register(s): EYR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00
Local authority: Haringey
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
children's achievement and wellbeing.
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with leaders, staff, children 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.

This data is from 6 July 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
2 to 4
Total number of places
45
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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