URN 2846388 · Inspected 2026-09-03 · Published 2026-10-05 · Inspector: Damiana Cornacchia
RAFAKidz London Unique reference number (URN): 2846388 Address: Ministry of Defence, Mail Centre, Main Building, Horse Guards Avenue, Whitehall, LONDON, SW1A 2HB Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 04/05/2025 Registers: EYR Registered person: Rafa Kidz Limited Inspection report: 3 September 2026 Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement Expected 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. Achievement Expected standard All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those facing barriers to learning, typically make progress across the curriculum. Children demonstrate good communication skills. They are confident to approach visitors to talk about the outings they have experienced. Younger children enjoy using puppets to re-enact familiar stories using key phrases, while older children share ideas with their friends and staff throughout the day. Children generally develop the skills and confidence they need for their next stage in learning, including school. They show increasing independence. For example, children serve themselves and pour gravy at lunchtime. Children confidently explore their environment, choosing what they want to play with. They develop their motor skills as they test their balance and coordination walking on small apparatus. Babies develop their core strength and their grasp as they handle different toys. Children play cooperatively and resolve minor disagreements with increasing independence. Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard Children behave well. Staff set clear and consistent expectations, and reminders such as to use 'kind hands' help children understand boundaries. Staff are good role models for the children and use praise to encourage positive behaviour. Children follow the setting's rules and play cooperatively. For example, children help each other to carry baskets of resources to set up games. Staff know children well and understand their individual needs. They consistently offer reassurance and help children to regulate their emotions. When some children struggle to join certain activities, staff provide alternatives, such as playing together with play dough. This helps children to remain engaged in learning. Overall, children show positive attitudes to learning. They independently choose what they want to play with and engage in a variety of activities. Children learn healthy habits. They enjoy daily fresh air and opportunities to develop their physical skills. Children clean their hands after playing outdoors and before mealtimes. Staff sit with children at lunchtime and snack time to ensure their safety. Children enjoy healthy and nutritious food. However, staff do not consistently use mealtimes and other opportunities to encourage conversations about healthy food and the importance it has for the children's bodies and health. Leaders encourage regular attendance and follow up absences promptly. This supports children to gain good habits for the future. Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard Children are happy at this setting and have positive attachments with the adults who care for them. This helps them feel safe and develop a sense of belonging. Babies enjoy cuddles and being rocked. Older children seek staff for help and reassurance when needed. Staff help children manage their emotions by acknowledging their feelings and responding to their needs. For example, staff understand when children are tired and make sure that they have space to rest. Staff also provide support through stories that use the language of feelings. This helps children to gain a greater awareness of how to express their emotions. Staff promote children's healthy habits. Children enjoy nutritious, home-made meals, and learn about oral hygiene through planned activities. However, staff do not always support children to understand the benefits of healthy food. Children have daily opportunities to enjoy fresh air and playing outdoors. Children learn to keep safe as staff remind them of safety rules during play and outings, such as the rule about making sure to cross the road when it is safe. Sleeping arrangements are well organised, with individual sleep spaces provided. Babies rest in cots, and older children on sleep mats, and regular checks are carried out to ensure children's safety and comfort. Curriculum and teaching Expected standard Leaders have designed a curriculum based around all areas of learning. Staff know children well, and use observations and assessments to identify gaps and next steps in their learning. This knowledge is generally shared effectively with the staff who are acting as key people. However, on occasion, this information is not consistently used to inform practice. As a result, there is some inconsistency in how effectively children's individual needs are supported. Where children have barriers to learning, staff make changes to ensure that they take part in the activities and make progress. For example, they have implemented the use of 'now and next' boards. Staff generally use interactions well to support children's communication skills. During both adult- and child-led activities, they model language clearly and use questioning to extend children's learning. For example, staff encourage children to explore and describe the natural materials they are collecting outdoors, such as leaves and husks, using words such as 'spiky'. Children lead their play as they freely access a variety of resources. This supports their independence and choice. Social skills are promoted through cooperative play and positive interactions. Children are helped to develop their physical skills. Babies enjoy tummy time with the support of familiar adults, and stretch themselves to reach their favourite toys. Younger children test their balance and coordination walking on play equipment, while older children build their strength playing outdoors. In addition, staff provide sensory and mark-making activities that support children's fine motor skills. Inclusion Expected standard Staff know children well and create an environment where all children can access and enjoy activities. Staff identify areas where children need extra help. They advise parents to contact other professionals or the health visitor for further guidance. Generally, staff adjust the curriculum to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. For example, they modify visual prompts to meet individual learning needs, and use this alongside other strategies to foster children's language and communication skills. For example, staff use Makaton language to reinforce verbal instructions and ensure that children understand what is expected from them. Staff also share Makaton signs with parents to ensure consistency in children's learning. Leaders and staff typically make appropriate adaptations to support children who face barriers to learning. They encourage children who may find verbal communication challenging in larger groups to take part in small group activities and engaging games, such as 'What's in the box?'. As a result, all children are supported to access the curriculum, make progress and develop a sense of belonging. Although there are no children on roll in receipt of additional funding, leaders consider how they would use this to target the individual needs of children and enhance their learning, such as by ensuring children have resources that interest them and the equipment they need. Leadership and governance Expected standard Leaders understand the setting's context, strengths and areas for development. They are reflective and have made changes to the setting's practice that have had a positive impact on children's outcomes. For example, they now provide books about specific emotions to help children manage their emotions. They have also organised a wider range of outings to broaden children's experiences. That said, leaders do not always ensure that staff deployment and information-sharing enable all staff to have a secure knowledge of children's next steps. Leaders know families well and understand their children's individual needs. They help families to access the support their children need, and work with other professionals when appropriate. Parents and carers are very positive about the setting and are complimentary of the friendly staff. They report that their children love attending. Parents appreciate the daily discussions they have with staff and value the experiences their children have at the setting. Overall, leaders support staff and make sure that their workload is manageable. They help staff to access additional training that is linked to their interests as well as the children's needs. Staff comment that they feel well supported and enjoy working at the setting. Although there are currently no children on roll in receipt of additional funding, leaders demonstrate an understanding of how this would be used to support disadvantaged children. For example, they would provide resources, fund specific experiences or access additional professional support to address gaps in learning. What it's like to be a child at this setting Children arrive happily at the setting. They show a sense of belonging and engage well with one another, staff and visitors. Children's positive bonds with staff help them feel confident and ready to learn. All children, including those with barriers to learning, settle and explore a range of resources and activities. Babies happily explore spiky sensory balls, showing curiosity as they experience different textures and strengthen their leg muscles. Young children are delighted to discover what is hidden beneath flaps in books. Older children enjoy playing with dinosaurs at the sand tray, using their imagination to create their own stories. Overall, staff know children well and generally adapt teaching to support their development. They identify children's individual needs and offer targeted support to children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to ensure that they make progress. Children understand behavioural expectations. Staff are positive role models and encourage children to regulate their behaviour and emotions. For example, they teach them mindful breathing through techniques like 'finger tracing breathing'. As a result, children behave well and play cooperatively. Children take initiatives in their learning and enjoy carrying out small responsibilities, like getting the resources needed to set up games or tidying up after mealtimes. Staff praise children's efforts and achievements, which promotes their self- esteem. Children enjoy talking about their past experiences with visitors and eagerly anticipate what they might see and do during the next outing. Overall, all children, including those with SEND, make suitable progress from their starting points and are typically prepared well for their next stage in learning. Inspector: Damiana Cornacchia About this setting Unique reference number (URN): 2846388 Address: Ministry of Defence, Mail Centre, Main Building Horse Guards Avenue, Whitehall LONDON SW1A 2HB Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registration date: 04/05/2025 Registered person: Rafa Kidz Limited Register(s): EYR Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 18:00 Local authority: Westminster Next steps Leaders should ensure that the established key-person system is consistently implemented and fully effective, enabling all staff to understand children's next steps and further support their progress. Leaders should help staff to support children's understanding of healthy eating choices. About this inspection The inspector spoke with children, the leaders, the special educational needs coordinator, 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. Facts and figures used on inspection This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection. This data is from 3 September 2026 Children numbers Age range of children at the time of inspection 0 to 4 Total number of places 39 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. 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