Purley Children's Nursery

Purley Children's Nursery
Unique reference number (URN): 2735909
Address: 54 Woodcote Valley Road, Purley, CR8 3AJ
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 01/09/2023
Registers: EYR
Registered person: Bright Stars Nursery Group Limited
Inspection report: 3 February 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
Typically, children enjoy learning and achieve well from their individual starting points. They
learn how to play together, indoors and outdoors. Children learn to make independent
choices. All children are supported to develop their communication and language skills.
Children share ideas for making 'blueberry pie' with practitioners during play. They love story
time, where practitioners bring stories alive and children develop their language and
imagination. However, during busy transition times, children find it difficult to concentrate,
and they lose focus, which mean some learning opportunities are not fully maximised.
Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face other barriers
to learning communicate their needs and wants. They point to pictures, use signs and say
words.
Children develop fine motor skills that prepare them for their next stage of learning. They
pretend to be chefs in the café, learning to cut potatoes and lemons with knives in safety.
Children use scissors to cut dough. They sprinkle herbs and roll and manipulate dough
using rolling pins and cutters, patting it with their hands. Children play outside, where they
develop gross motor skills. They ride scooters, bikes and tricycles and climb and balance.
They build with large construction, drink water at the drinks station and create dishes in the
mud kitchen, where they dig in the dirt to collect leaves and herbs to use in the play dough.
Children listen to stories inside a dome and play football with friends. Younger children enjoy
moving to stories and practising yoga poses. They listen well, copying the actions, and
develop gross motor skills. Adults praise children for their efforts.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard
Practitioners encourage children to use polite manners when asking for things, reminding
them 'use your words', 'say please' and 'say thank you'. Leaders and practitioners form
positive relationships with children, staff and parents. Children are happy and learn and play
well together. Practitioners support children to play together by providing opportunities that
involve talking, sharing and turn taking.
Leaders promote the importance of punctuality and attendance in the setting through policy
and practice. Parents share this understanding and bring children to nursery on time. This
prepares children and parents for when children start school.
Practitioners prioritise children's stage of learning and support children to achieve well.
Children of similar stages eat together. This supports their independence, and the transitions
prepare them well for their next stage of learning. Leaders and practitioners encourage
children to form positive friendships. They teach children how to manage their feelings and
behaviour during their play. For example, children say, 'Stop, I don't like that' when other
children are being unkind. This teaches children to be kind, encourages them to become
independent and develops self-help skills, which prepares children for school.

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard
The nursery promotes healthy eating and caters for children's individual dietary needs and
preferences. All meals are freshly prepared onsite by the chef. Parents access weekly
menus online and in the setting. Younger children have a snack in small groups of 3 at a
time. Practitioners display children's pictures on the table to support children with dietary
requirements. Children find their pictures and sit at that space. Children with special
educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face other barriers to learning choose
what they want to eat by pointing to pictures, food choices and/or repeating the food name.
For example, practitioners hold 2 items of fruit and encourage children to point to the one
they want. Children feed themselves. Practitioners ask children questions to encourage
them to express their wants, for example, 'Have you finished?' and 'Do you want a cracker?'
Practitioners peel children's fruit for them. However, this means there are missed
opportunities for younger children to extend fine motor and self-help skills. Practitioners sit
with children at lunchtimes and encourage children to develop independence. They
encourage older children to self-serve, choosing healthy food options that they enjoy, in
preparation for school.
Practitioners talk to children while changing their nappies. This supports language
development, ensuring that children have privacy and are safe. They support older children
to use the toilet independently and encourage children to wash their hands after. This
supports good hygiene routines. Practitioners support children's safer sleep routines
throughout the day, following parental preferences. Practitioners comfort children in times of
distress. They support children to regulate their emotions and teach children how to respond
to unwanted behaviour from others. They teach children how to be kind, share and take
turns in their play.
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Leaders provide a broad and balanced curriculum around children's interests. They know
what they want children to know and do. Practitioners observe children and plan their next
steps. They adapt their teaching in the moment to meet children's individual needs. This
supports all children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities
and those who may face other barriers to learning, to reach their milestones and be ready
for the next stage of learning. Practitioners engage children well in learning. However, during
transition times, children become easily distracted by the movements of children and
practitioners around them. This leads to missed opportunities to extend learning further.
Leaders create a preschool improvement plan to prepare children for school, and they share
this with practitioners. Leaders and practitioners meet parents each term. They talk about
children's progress, next steps and how they are getting children ready for school. They
share home-learning packs with preschool parents to support their transition. Leaders
signpost staff to children who may have barriers to learning and what those barriers might
be. This helps practitioners adapt teaching for each child's needs, so children achieve.
Leaders prioritise children's physical development and their personal, social and emotional
development. They encourage children to form relationships through play. Practitioners
support children to develop mathematical skills, counting, weighing, measuring and finding
numbers. They encourage children's mathematical understanding using words like 'one

more'. Practitioners support children's communication and language development. They
provide children with words to help them practise actions while playing with dough, such as
'squash', 'pat' and other words that focus on movements to develop fine motor skills.
Practitioners join in children's imaginative play, asking children questions while they pretend
to make sandwiches and blueberry pie. This helps children develop and use communication
and language skills with confidence. Practitioners praise children for their efforts.
Inclusion Expected standard
Leaders prioritise meeting the needs of all children, including children with special
educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who may face other barriers to
learning. For example, leaders ensure that children are in rooms and with practitioners that
are more suited to their physical needs. They liaise with parents to find out what is working
well at home so that the nursery can mirror the environment or strategies used at home.
Leaders organise group sizes to accommodate children's needs so that children settle
quickly, feel happy and are kept safe. Children have personalised settling-in routines that
support their needs and help them to have the best transition. Leaders use funding to
support children with SEND and those who face other barriers to learning to be excited, feel
included and enjoy learning. Children with SEND who were reluctant to come into nursery
now enjoy attending and learning. This prepares children well for their next stage of
learning.
Leaders identify and support the needs of children with SEND and those who may face
other barriers to learning so that they achieve well from their starting points. They liaise with
the local authority and outside agencies to support children's needs, implementing
suggested strategies and continuously monitoring children's progress. Staff support all
children to meet their outcomes, regularly reviewing the impact of provision and sharing next
steps with parents so that they can further support children's needs at home.
Leadership and governance Expected standard
The manager drives improvement that has positive impacts on children's outcomes. She
prioritises ensuring that all children are ready for school. For example, preschool children
and toddlers can learn side by side. This is a recent change, and leaders are monitoring the
impact it has on children's outcomes and school readiness. The manager knows her staff
well and is aware of their strengths. However, leaders should ensure that staff strengths are
evenly distributed across the setting so that teaching is consistently strong across all rooms.
Since taking up her position as manager, she has introduced home visits for new starters.
The manager visits with 2 practitioners from the room that children are joining. Practitioners
take paperwork and toys and talk to parents about dietary requirements, weaning and things
children enjoy. Parents and children attend the setting the following day. This helps to
support children's transition.
The manager cares about children, parents and staff. Staff feel supported to do their jobs
well. The manager accommodates staff's needs and makes adjustments so that staff fulfil
their family needs as well as their role.

The nursery forms strong partnerships with parents. Parents are pleased with the care,
attention, education and communication the nursery provides. The manager introduces
positive experiences for children and their families, such as parents' evenings, special
events to celebrate festivals such as Diwali and visits to the library and other places of
interest, such as the zoo.
The manager prioritises professional learning expertise for staff and encourages them to
take ownership of their learning. All staff have access to an app that informs them when
training is due. The manager encourages staff to switch off and unwind at lunchtimes. She
provides staff with a calm space, which supports staff wellbeing and encourages them to
enjoy their job.
What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children at this nursery are happy and enter keenly with their parents, ready to start the day.
They are warmly greeted by welcoming staff who know children and their families well.
Children form strong bonds with their key persons and other practitioners and learn how to
develop friendships with others. Children learn how to play well together and how to be kind,
polite and have manners. For example, staff encourage children to say 'please' and 'thank
you', especially at mealtimes.
Children at this setting learn to be independent and enjoy learning. They love playing with
their friends in the outdoor area, igniting their curiosity, increasing physical dexterity and
developing mathematical thinking and communication and language skills. For example,
while playing in the outdoor area, children in the mud kitchen explore making 'blueberry pie'.
They dig in the soil, collecting leaves and herbs, and pretend to be chefs. Children work with
practitioners to develop their creativity and imagination skills in readiness for their next stage
of learning.
Children have a sense of belonging. They know the adults well and form strong, caring
relationships. Children learn to follow rules, routines and expectations for behaviour and are
encouraged to behave well.
All children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those
who face other barriers to learning, achieve well from their starting points. Children make
choices that encourage them to meet their milestones. They are well prepared for school
and beyond. Children learn to count, recognise numbers, communicate confidently and ask

Inspector:
Michelle Blake
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): 2735909
Address:
54 Woodcote Valley Road
Purley
CR8 3AJ
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 01/09/2023
Registered person: Bright Stars Nursery Group Limited
Register(s): EYR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:30
for help, and they develop fine motor and gross motor skills and learn how to manage their
feelings and behaviour.
Next steps
Leaders should introduce strategies to ensure that children remain engaged and focused
during busy transition times, so learning opportunities are not missed.
Leaders and practitioners should ensure that babies are consistently supported to
develop independence and self-help skills during daily routines.
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with leaders, practitioners, parents and children 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.

Local authority: Croydon
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 3 February 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
0 to 4
Total number of places
67
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.

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and regulates services that care for children and young people.
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