Essendene Lodge Nursery

Essendene Lodge Nursery
Unique reference number (URN): 2859248
Address: Essendene Lodge School, Essendene Road, Caterham, CR3 5PB
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 16/09/2025
Registers: EYR
Registered person: Essendene Lodge School Limited
Inspection report: 17 September 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
Inclusion Strong standard
Leaders and staff include all children, including those who face barriers to their learning and
those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They work alongside parents and
gather a wealth of information when children start. This helps staff to make swift adaptations
in their practice to support children's next steps of learning. For example, staff plan targeted
teaching activities that they continually reflect on. This helps them get to know children's
starting points when they first start and build on what they know and can do. Staff
consistently review children's progress to ensure they are benefiting from the strategies in
place.
Leaders plan precise training for staff to further their understanding of how to support
children. For example, staff have completed training on how to develop children's
communication and language skills, including the use of visual aids. This helps children
make rapid progress from their starting points. Leaders have a secure understanding of how
to refer to other professionals so that children receive the support they are entitled to,
including any additional funding. This helps children to access their early years free
entitlement. Children benefit highly from staff's consistent inclusive approach.
Leadership and governance Strong standard
Leaders create an inclusive environment where children feel happy, valued and safe. They
are highly reflective and continue to evaluate the nursery provision. This enables leaders to
swiftly identify any areas they want to strengthen. For instance, they have recently opened a
baby room at the nursery. However, leaders have not yet considered how to support staff to
improve transitions for children in the toddler room. Leaders have ensured that all staff have
completed training to support the care of babies, including safe sleeping requirements.
Leaders are visible and regularly observe staff's practice. This helps them provide targeted
support and training that continually improves the learning and experiences for the children
at this nursery. As such, staff report positively on the regular kind and professional support
from leaders. They say that daily discussions and planned supervisions helps them to
identify any areas of development within their practice. This helps staff continue to deepen
their knowledge and teaching skills.
Partnership with parents is a real strength of this nursery. Leaders take their time through
their well-developed induction process to understand each child's individual needs, including
their care routines. Parents speak very positively about the daily communication throughout
the day whilst their children are settling. Parents of children who may need some additional
support say that leaders are open and honest. They appreciate the early support that their
children receive to help them benefit from any support from other professionals.

Expected standard
Achievement Expected standard
Generally, children build on their next steps of learning, including children with special
educational needs and/or disabilities, in readiness for their eventual move to school. Babies
are developing their early communication skills as they listen intently to their familiar person,
offering gestures and babbling. Older children recall some letter sounds, such as 'g', and
relate this to objects, such as 'glasses'. They talk with growing confidence and play well
alongside their friends. Children scoop and use one-handed tools as they explore well-
planned tuff trays. They run, jump and ride small bikes. This helps children practise and
develop their physical abilities. Children count objects and compare how shapes are
different. This helps children's early mathematics. Children learn about hygiene and know to
wash their hands before mealtimes. Typically, routines help children develop their
independence.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard
Leaders have high expectations of children's behaviour. Staff are skilful in adult planned
activities as they use strategies to help children engage in their learning experiences,
including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Children generally listen
well and respond positively to staff's guidance. Staff are kind in their interactions as children
play. They model with children how to take turns and gently remind children to say 'please'
and 'thank you'. This helps promote children's social skills and manners.
Staff generally embed routines to support children's learning opportunities. Babies' care
routines are carefully followed with the guidance of their parents. This helps them develop
trusting bonds with their key person. As a result of the newly opened baby room, and recent
staff changes, staff are not consistently clear of their roles to support children's engagement
at transition times. This means that the environment becomes disorganised as children wait
to be guided as to what is expected of them and why.
Leaders monitor children's attendance and share their expectations with parents. This helps
keep children safe and also supports children in readiness for their eventual move to school.
Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard
Leaders and staff are passionate at developing relationships with all children and families
that attend the nursery. Staff place high importance on the key-person approach. They know
their children's likes and dislikes well and use this to support children's emotional wellbeing.
For example, when children start at the nursery, they are greeted by their key person, who
ensures that they stay close by as children settle into their new environment. This helps
children feel safe and secure.
Staff typically support children to develop their independence, such as washing their hands
before mealtimes. However, children do not have regular opportunities to practise with other
aspects of their self-care. For example, staff put children's shoes and coats on and do not

encourage them to have a go. This means children do not have the opportunity to practise
these self-care skills.
Leaders have recently reviewed the menu to ensure that it is healthy and nutritious. Staff sit
with the children at mealtimes and have conversations about the benefits of the healthy
foods on their bodies. Children benefit from planned opportunities to develop their physical
skills through exercise and planned activities. This helps children develop healthy habits for
the future. Children who require additional support, including those with special educational
needs and/or disabilities, receive individualised approaches to meet their individual needs.
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Leaders and staff have developed an ambitious curriculum that is focused on building
children's knowledge and skills across all areas of learning, including children with potential
barriers to their learning. They provide children with a balance of adult-led activities that
builds on children's interests and supports their next steps of learning.
Staff use robust observations to assess children's progress to identify what they need to
learn next. Staff adapt their teaching to meet children's individual needs. For example, at
group times, staff adapt resources to help promote children's engagement. This promotes
an inclusive culture. However, sometimes, daily routines are not highly embedded to
promote children's independence.
Staff focus on children's communication and language skills. Children eagerly join in with
familiar stories and learn about the different emotions. Staff engage children in meaningful
conversations and teach them new vocabulary through repetition and discussion. This
supports children's understanding and vocabulary. Staff weave in opportunities to promote
children's mathematical development. For instance, staff repeat early counting which is age-
and stage-appropriate. This helps children to learn the concepts of early counting and
shapes within their play. Staff ensure children benefit from daily exercise in the well-planned
outside environment. This helps children develop their muscle groups for later learning, such
as writing.
What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children thrive in the care of the staff at this nurturing nursery. Babies and children are met
by their familiar person at the start of the day. This helps children leave their parents with

ease. Children demonstrate they feel safe and secure as they settle in for their nutritious
breakfast, and babies' care routines are adapted to meet their individual needs.
Children develop their communication and language skills. They listen well to the staff as
they take part in planned activities, including children who may face barriers to their
learning. Children learn new vocabulary such as 'car wash'. They show an interest in stories
and learn new vocabulary, such as 'excited', as they look at the different pictures of
emotions. This helps children develop an understanding of their own emotions as they offer
ideas of what makes them feel excited. Babies babble as staff use mirrors and use simple
words. They sing warmly to babies throughout their day. This helps children become
confident communicators. Young children develop their counting, babies explore wooden
shapes and listen to rhymes with numbers. This helps children develop their early
mathematics.
Children have ample opportunity to develop their muscle groups for later learning. They dab
paintbrushes in foam as they make patterns. This helps develop the muscles in their hands
for later writing. Older children run, and babies are encouraged as they sit to reach and
grasp for items. This helps babies develop their core muscles and balance for later walking.
Children typically develop their independence as they learn to wash their hands before
mealtimes and feed themselves using cutlery. Babies snuggle in as they enjoy their morning
bottles with the caring staff. They quickly settle for their morning sleep and are monitored by
the staff. Generally, routines support children's positive behaviour. They take turns playing
with footballs and catch their friends and staff. Children benefit from punctual attendance at
the start of the day. Leaders share their expectations of children's attendance with parents,
which they monitor. This helps keep children safe.
Next steps
Leaders should continue to coach and support staff to help them consistently develop
children's independence.
Leaders should strengthen the routines in the toddler room so that children continue the
planned learning at these times.
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.

Inspector:
Kelly Lane
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): 2859248
Address:
Essendene Lodge School
Essendene Road
Caterham
CR3 5PB
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 16/09/2025
Registered person: Essendene Lodge School Limited
Register(s): EYR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 18:00
Local authority: Surrey
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 17 September 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
0 to 2
Total number of places
44

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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