Creative Explorers Nursery & Preschool - Hornsey Branch

Creative Explorers Nursery & Preschool -Hornsey Branch
Unique reference number (URN): 2809541
Address: Unit 1 Granita Court, 9 Cross Lane, London, N8 7GD
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 04/10/2024
Registers: EYR
Registered person: Creative Explorers Hornsey Limited
Inspection report: 30 July 2026
Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement

Strong standard
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.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard
Children demonstrate highly positive attitudes towards their play and learning. They arrive
eager to participate in the exciting experiences available and engage with enthusiasm
throughout the day. Familiar routines provide children with a clear understanding of
expectations and boundaries, enabling them to move confidently between activities and
make purposeful choices in their learning. Staff are excellent role models for language,
communication and respectful relationships. They interact warmly with children and each
other, consistently modelling kindness, good manners and consideration for others. Staff
intervene sensitively during minor disagreements, helping children to express their feelings
and resolve conflicts successfully. Older children are supported to manage disappointment
and overcome challenges, developing resilience and increasing emotional self-regulation.
Children develop high levels of confidence. Daily positive affirmations encourage them to
recognise and celebrate their own character strengths, fostering a positive sense of identity
and belonging. Staff maintain consistently high expectations for all children, including those
with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff create a nurturing environment,
where kindness and respect are valued and reflected in children's interactions. Leaders
promote the importance of regular attendance and punctuality through rigorous procedures
that support families to engage fully with nursery life. Children develop increasing
independence as they confidently manage their personal hygiene routines and everyday
responsibilities, preparing them well for the next stage in their learning.
Inclusion Strong standard
Leaders and staff create a highly inclusive environment, where all children, including those
with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are supported to achieve and thrive. Early
identification of children's emerging needs is prioritised through ongoing monitoring, focused
observations and highly effective partnership working with parents and other professionals.

Robust systems ensure that barriers to learning are identified promptly and the provision is
adapted swiftly to meet children's individual needs, enabling them to make sustained
progress from their starting points. Staff demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of every child.
They adapt teaching, resources and interactions with precision, so that all children fully
access the curriculum and the exciting learning experiences available. For example,
dedicated intervention spaces provide calm, inviting environments. Children use these to
regulate their emotions, develop concentration and receive carefully targeted support to
strengthen key skills and knowledge. Staff make highly effective use of visual timetables,
familiar language and predictable routines. This enables children to develop independence,
understand expectations and participate fully in the setting.
Leaders have consistently high expectations for every child. Additional funding is used
purposefully to meet children's individual needs and support successful transitions, including
providing familiar resources that children can use as they move to their next setting. Leaders
work in close partnership with parents, sharing information and strategies that create a
consistent approach between home and the setting. All children feel valued and become
increasingly confident in their own abilities.
Leadership and governance Strong standard
Leaders and managers are highly committed and passionate. They have established an
ambitious vision for the nursery that is consistently shared by the whole staff team. This
vision underpins all aspects of the provision and creates a culture, where children are
supported to thrive, achieve and feel safe. Staff ongoing professional development is a key
focus. Leaders actively promote regular, high-quality training and encourage staff to
recognise their own value and strengths as practitioners. Leaders identify some
inconsistencies in staff teaching effectively and provide targeted support to strengthen staff
practice. As a result, staff enjoy developing their knowledge, embrace new ideas and
confidently put their learning into practice to benefit children.
Parents speak highly of the nursery and have complete confidence in the care and
education their children receive. They comment on the warm, nurturing and responsive
relationships that staff build with children. They value the new skills, knowledge and
confidence that children develop during their time at the setting. Leaders recognise the
importance of good attendance and punctuality. They implement robust procedures that
encourage families to engage fully with the nursery and help children benefit from the varied
experiences on offer. Leaders demonstrate a firm commitment to continuous improvement.
They regularly evaluate the quality of the provision through careful observation, professional
dialogue and ongoing reflection with staff. This enables them to identify priorities for
development and continually enhance the experiences they provide so that all children
develop confidence, acquire new knowledge and skills and are well prepared for future
learning.

Expected standard
Achievement Expected standard
Children, including those who may face barriers to their learning, make progress from their
individual starting points. They generally develop the knowledge, skills and confidence
needed for the next stage of their learning, including their transition to school. Older children
recognise and express their emotions appropriately and begin to understand the emotional
needs of others. For example, they show care and concern for their friends, offering comfort
and reassurance when they notice that someone is feeling sad. Children become
increasingly independent. Babies make determined attempts to feed themselves, while older
children help to prepare snacks and take responsibility for tidying away after meals.
Children develop communication and language skills through a range of everyday
experiences. They demonstrate curiosity and enthusiasm as they explore the enriching
experiences available. Children develop a sense of belonging within the nursery community
and confidently explore the local area, including taking part in regular litter picking activities.
These experiences help children to develop positive relationships, gain an understanding of
their local community and participate with confidence in their learning.
Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard
Leaders provide healthy, nutritious meals and snacks for all children. Healthy lifestyles are
promoted through sustained periods of daily outdoor play, where children are physically
active both within the garden and the wider community. Children learn healthy hygiene
practices and increasingly manage these independently. Children enjoy the welcoming and
safe environment that leaders have created. Clear policies underpin daily practice and
support children's emotional wellbeing. Children develop an age-appropriate understanding
of how to keep themselves safe. For example, toddlers enthusiastically apply their own sun
cream, while older children learn about the importance of maintaining good oral health.
Staff follow safer eating practices and mealtimes generally provide positive opportunities for
children to develop their independence and social skills. However, routines for babies are
not always organised effectively. At times, babies wait too long for their meals to be served.
Once they have finished eating, they remain seated for extended periods before moving on
to the next part of the routine. This results in some babies becoming unsettled and restless.
Despite this, staff establish warm, responsive relationships with children and remain
sensitive to their individual needs. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities
develop secure attachments with staff and their peers through these nurturing relationships,
supporting their emotional wellbeing and sense of belonging.
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Leaders have a secure understanding of the curriculum and have developed a clear vision
for what they want children to learn. The curriculum is carefully designed to support children
to acquire the knowledge, skills and experiences they need for the next stage of their
learning. Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, access
all areas of the curriculum. Children are introduced to mathematical language and concepts

through everyday routines and play. They benefit from frequent opportunities to develop
their physical skills, including daily visits within the local community.
Communication and language are woven into the curriculum through planned adult-led
sessions, enabling children to develop their vocabulary and confidence in speaking. Staff
support children to understand and manage their emotions, helping them to feel happy,
secure and ready to learn. Typically, staff tailor teaching to children's age, stage of
development and individual next steps. However, the curriculum is not yet implemented
consistently by all staff. During children's play and daily routines, staff do not always use
their interactions effectively to build on what children already know or extend their thinking.
Consequently, opportunities to deepen children's understanding and embed the intended
curriculum are sometimes missed.
What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children and families thoroughly enjoy being part of this welcoming nursery community.
Children arrive eager to begin their day and are warmly greeted by kind, caring and attentive
staff, who know them well. They quickly settle into the thoughtfully planned environment,
where they confidently play, explore and engage in a wide range of experiences. Children
investigate sensory trays, rolling cars through shaving foam, watering flowers and creating
potions using herbs and spices. They also enjoy regular opportunities to explore the local
community, visiting green spaces, feeding ducks and observing trains at the station. Leaders
actively promote core values, encouraging children to be curious, kind, brave and confident.
Children demonstrate high levels of engagement and enthusiasm as they investigate,
discover and make new connections. Staff encourage children to have a go, persevere and
believe in their own abilities. As a result, children develop a positive sense of self and readily
embrace new experiences. Children understand the clear and consistent behaviour
expectations established by staff. They demonstrate kindness and consideration towards
one another. For example, older children thoughtfully nominate a peer to be the daily helper,
explaining their choice with genuine care and respect for others.
Children's safety and wellbeing are embedded throughout the day. They learn to take
increasing responsibility for their own health and self care, including reminding one another
to drink water during hot weather. Parents are included in their children's learning through
regular communication and positive partnerships with the setting. Leaders value parents'
knowledge of their children and use this information to help reduce barriers to learning and
support children's ongoing development. Leaders promote the importance of regular
attendance, enabling children to benefit fully from the rich early years experiences on offer.
Staff and leaders maintain high expectations for every child and adapt support appropriately

Inspector:
Rivka Bick
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): 2809541
Address:
Unit 1 Granita Court
9 Cross Lane
London
N8 7GD
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 04/10/2024
Registered person: Creative Explorers Hornsey Limited
so that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, can
participate and succeed. Children's individual strengths, interests and needs are recognised
and valued, enabling them to develop confidence and flourish within the nursery community.
Next steps
Leaders should build on the already robust performance management procedures to
address the few remaining inconsistencies in teaching and help children attain the highest
levels of achievement.
Leaders should strengthen the planning and organisation of mealtime routines in the baby
room to minimise waiting times, ensuring babies' individual needs are met promptly and
they remain engaged throughout the routine.
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with leaders, staff 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.

Register(s): EYR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 06:00
Local authority: Haringey
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 30 July 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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