URN EY547649 · Inspected 2026-08-20 · Published 2026-09-18 · Inspector: Samantha Thorn
Little Crickets Unique reference number (URN): EY547649 Address: 185b Park Road, London, N8 8JJ Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 06/10/2017 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Play On Kids Limited Inspection report: 20 August 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 Expected standard Achievement Strong standard Children make progress from their starting points. They have the essential knowledge and skills for future success. Some children achieve beyond what would be expected for their age in communication and language skills. Gaps in children's knowledge are swiftly addressed. They develop an understanding of mathematics and readily use this in their independent play. For example, children diligently count the legs and the spots on the ladybirds they find. They compare and contrast quantities as they establish how many more is needed to create a set. Children are motivated and confident to try new things. For example, they experiment with how much more flour is needed to turn their gloopy mix into play dough. They relish in the praise they receive and develop a sense of pride in their achievements. As a result, children display a growing curiosity across all areas of learning. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, benefit from individual support that reduces the barriers to learning that they face. This means that children are well prepared for the next stage in their learning and development. Curriculum and teaching Strong standard Leaders draw upon their knowledge of the families who attend and how young children learn to create a well-designed and progressive curriculum. Children's experiences in the natural world is a priority for leaders. They engage in long periods of focused attention as they explore the growing areas. Practitioners support children to care for living things. They plant, water and tend for fruit and vegetables. Practitioners skilfully adapt their communication to support the individual needs of the children. Children relish the opportunity to fill their own watering cans and harvest the carrots they have planted. As a result, children make sense of and learn about the diverse world we live in. Leaders and practitioners place a strong emphasis on communication and language. They expertly develop children's language skills and their love for reading. For example, practitioners immerse children in an environment that is full of stories, rhymes and high- quality conversations. Children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are able to choose their favourite rhyme and are keen to sing it with their peers. Practitioners carefully consider the children's developmental needs and tailor the activity. The ambitious design of the curriculum, together with high-quality teaching, consistently builds on children's knowledge. Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard Children behave well. Leaders and practitioners have high expectations of behaviour and communicate these with both children and families. On occasion, practitioners do not always explain why a behaviour is unwanted. As a result, some children do not always understand the consequences of their behaviour. Key-person arrangements are effective. Practitioners know their key children well. They carve out protected time to spend with them, building warm, positive relationships. All children, especially the younger children, have secure attachments, supporting them to become increasingly engaged in their learning. Practitioners act as role models. They teach children how to treat all living things with care and kindness. For example, children discuss why it is important to hold the caterpillar gently and place it back in its natural habitat. As a result, children are respectful to each other and the world around them. Children delight in seeing their friends and siblings in the nursery. Leaders and practitioners skilfully plan times where older and younger children join together, building relationships and cooperating in play. They share and take turns often. Older children support younger children to negotiate and manage conflict. Practitioners support children to label their emotions, especially children who have barriers to their learning. As a result, children understand the effects emotions have on their bodies. Leaders actively promote attendance and punctuality. Effective policies ensure that attendance is monitored. This helps to keep children safe and fosters a culture of safeguarding. Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard Leaders and practitioners create a safe and welcoming environment. Older children are independent learners and manage their care routines well. They independently use the toilet, wash their hands and serve themselves food. On occasion, younger children are not given the opportunity to learn how to manage their personal care needs. Leaders are aware of this and have taken action. However, this has not had time to be fully embedded yet. As a result, younger children are not always independent in managing their personal care needs. Children receive healthy, balanced food that is cooked on site. Mealtimes are a social occasion. Older children are keen to set the table for lunch. Practitioners discuss the importance of healthy eating and the impact food has on our bodies. Children discuss the variety of fruit and vegetables they grow at the nursery. As a result, children are able to make reasoned healthy food choices. Routines for eating and sleeping are robust. Children are closely monitored, and food is prepared to minimise choking. Comprehensive policies for supporting children's dietary requirements are in place. This ensures that children stay safe. Children enjoy extended daily access to the outdoors, both within and outside of the nursery. Children, including those who face barriers to their learning, have the space and time to develop physically. As a result, children develop long-lasting healthy habits. Inclusion Expected standard Leaders work hard to create a culture where all children are included and their individual needs are met. Leaders and practitioners typically identify children's emerging needs quickly and accurately. Effective on-entry and ongoing assessments support practitioners to identify children who may need additional support. Settling-in procedures allow practitioners to spend extended periods of time with families. Through these interactions, practitioners develop a clear understanding of the children's current needs and how they can support them to make progress. As a result, children typically make progress from their starting points. Leaders proactively engage with external professionals. They work collaboratively to create individualised support plans, drawing on their specialist guidance. Leaders and practitioners put strategies in place to enable all children to access the curriculum. For example, practitioners use a visual timetable to support children who face barriers to their communication and language development. This enables children to understand what is expected of them and reduces anxiety. Leaders seek additional funding to support individual children's needs. Leaders use this funding to provide training for practitioners. As a result, children receive an appropriate level of support to meet their individual needs. Leadership and governance Expected standard Leaders have a secure understanding of the nursery's strengths and weaknesses. They aspire for all children to make progress and be well prepared for the next stage in their learning. Leaders are reflective and committed to continuous development. They typically take into account the needs of the children and families that attend. They prioritise actions that will have the biggest impact on children. For example, leaders' current plans to extend children's love for the natural world by incorporating it indoors reflects the needs of the children. Practitioners' workload and wellbeing are effectively managed. Leaders build trusting and respectful relationships with the team. They conduct regular supervision and ad-hoc meetings with practitioners. Through these meetings, practitioners typically discuss areas for development. As a result, practitioners feel valued and supported in their roles. Leaders and practitioners pride themselves on having an experienced team. Leaders actively engage with external professionals. For example, leaders invite an early years quality assurance adviser to support with continuous professional development for the nursery. This ensures a culture of continual improvement. Leaders regularly invite families to the nursery to share in their children's learning. Through this partnership working, leaders strive to work in the best interests of the children. 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 are excited to come to this friendly and welcoming nursery. They enter happily and are then immersed in a world of exciting and interesting learning. The rich and vibrant environment ensures that children are keen to explore and learn more. Children experience a broad and balanced curriculum with communication and language being at the heart of all that they do. They discuss with practitioners and their peers what they have been doing in the evening. This supports children's ability to recall past events and think beyond the here and now. Inspector: Samantha Thorn Children benefit from trips out in the local community, including to the fields, fire station and care home. These opportunities develop children's confidence to engage with others. They instil positive attitudes towards the roles these people play in society. Leaders ensure that all children participate in these experiences. Children are attentive and engrossed in their learning because practitioners present learning in exciting and engaging ways. They are able to work collaboratively and demonstrate resilience at overcoming problems or persevering with difficult tasks. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are carefully supported in different ways to ensure that they can access the learning and make progress. Children develop positive relationships with both their peers and practitioners. Younger children have secure attachments with their key person, sharing smiles and giggles. They anchor themselves in that trusting relationship when they are unsure. Older children display confidence to take risks in their play and explore the world around them. They delight in spending time with their families at the nursery. They are proud to show them who their friends are and what they enjoy doing at nursery. This supports children to feel like they belong. Children attend regularly, and this is promoted by all the team. The system for monitoring attendance enables children to stay safe. Through regular attendance, they develop the behaviour and attitudes expected of them, allowing them to thrive. Next steps Leaders should strengthen strategies to ensure that all children develop increasing independence in their personal care routines, in particular younger children. Leaders should ensure that children understand the impact of their behaviour on others. About this inspection The inspector spoke with leaders, practitioners, parents and carers, children, the special educational needs coordinator and the designated safeguarding lead 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. About this setting Unique reference number (URN): EY547649 Address: 185b Park Road London N8 8JJ Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registration date: 06/10/2017 Registered person: Play On Kids Limited Register(s): EYR, CCR, VCR Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 18:00 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 20 August 2026 Children numbers Age range of children at the time of inspection 0 to 4 Total number of places 77 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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