URN EY535903 · Inspected 2026-01-12 · Published 2026-02-27 · Inspector: Geetha Ramesh
Witty Kiddies Sydenham Unique reference number (URN): EY535903 Address: Sydenham Lawn Tennis Club, Lawrie Park Road, London, SE26 6ET Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 08/07/2016 Registers: EYR, CCR Registered person: Witty Kiddies Nurseries Ltd Inspection report: 12 January 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. Needs attention Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention Leaders do not ensure that key persons share information effectively with parents and professionals to meet the needs of individual children. They do not ensure that staff plan the curriculum effectively to motivate all children to participate and benefit from the learning opportunities that staff provide. For example, some children are not supported as well as others to participate and focus during some group activities. This impacts individual children's attitudes to their learning. Staff provide consistent prompts to children to help them remember what is expected of their behaviour. They are calm and gentle as they support children to learn to share and take turns during play. Staff teach children about emotions and provide opportunities for older children to describe different emotions and learn to take account of the needs of others. This helps to equip them to develop positive interactions with their peers. Most parents provide positive feedback regarding staff's support for their children's behaviour. Staff praise children for their achievements. Children benefit from positive interactions with staff and develop confidence in their abilities. Overall, leaders take appropriate steps to monitor and support children's attendance, taking account of the needs of children and their families. Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention Leaders do not ensure that the key-person system is effective. They have failed to ensure that all parents know who their child's key person is in nursery. Furthermore, leaders have not ensured that staff inform parents of their child's next steps in their learning. Leaders do not ensure that they work effectively enough with parents of children who speak English as an additional language. As a result, children are not supported to continue their learning as they move between the home environment and the setting. Staff introduce children to activities that help children to learn the importance of toothbrushing and learn to use the toilet independently. Although these activities are planned for the group, leaders do not ensure that staff adapt the plans effectively for children who need additional support to learn these routines. Staff are friendly and positive in their interactions with children. They get down to children's level when they speak with them. Staff provide clear instructions to children to help them learn hygiene routines, such as handwashing. Staff teach children to keep themselves safe. For instance, older children learn to use child-safety knives to cut fruit in preparation for snack time. Staff support children's independence. For example, toddlers learn to use the tongs to serve themselves fruit. Children respond well to staff instructions to follow the routines at the setting. Overall, staff promote children's attachments and children are emotionally settled. Urgent improvement Achievement Urgent improvement Leaders have failed to identify and understand the needs of children who fall behind in their learning and development. Children who need support with their communication and language skills, including those who speak English as an additional language, are not prepared well for next stages in their learning. Leaders do not ensure that gaps in children's learning, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged children, are addressed swiftly. Older children know to say numbers in sequence, for instance, as they count their claps. They demonstrate independence as they dispense soap by themselves and wash their hands. Young children show an interest in exploring with their senses. Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement Leaders do not have sufficient oversight of the curriculum to identify any weaknesses and improve its effectiveness. Staff do not know how to assess children's progress and use this information to inform planning. While they plan some activities that stimulate children's interests, the curriculum is not planned and sequenced effectively to support children's progress over time. Weak partnerships with parents and professionals mean that there are delays in securing early help for children who need support with their communication and language development. During some group activities, toddlers who transition to the preschool room are not supported effectively to engage with their peers and contribute to discussions. During book reading activities, while some children are eager to contribute their views, some children are not encouraged to participate. As a result, not all children receive the support they need to build secure foundations for future learning. Staff provide opportunities for children to explore different textures with their senses. Older children experiment with coloured slime and staff encourage them to comment on the texture. Staff teach children to share and take turns during activities. Staff provide regular opportunities for children to play outdoors. They provide opportunities for older children to cut fruit in preparation for snack time. These learning experiences promote children's physical skills. Inclusion Urgent improvement Leaders do not monitor individual children's progress effectively. They are not aware of gaps in children's learning. Weaknesses in the systems for assessing children's progress mean that children's needs are not identified at an early stage. The curriculum is poor and is not tailored to meet the needs of different groups of children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged children. Although leaders use additional funding to buy resources for children's learning, they do not ensure that staff plan and implement the curriculum effectively to improve outcomes for all children. As a result, individual children, including those who need support with their communication and language development, are not supported to catch up with their peers. Children who speak English as an additional language are not supported to make steady progress from their starting points. Although parents share a list of words in the child's home language, staff do not make use of these effectively to support children's needs. Some staff have had relevant training to support children with additional needs. Staff plan some learning experiences that reflect children's backgrounds. For example, they provide coloured rice for toddlers to explore, reflecting children's experience of having Jollof rice as part of family meals. Leadership and governance Urgent improvement Leaders do not demonstrate a clear understanding of the setting's strengths and areas for improvement. Leaders have failed to comply with the actions raised at their previous inspection. They do not ensure that staff are fully trained to carry out accurate assessments of children's learning and development needs. This means that staff do not have a clear understanding of what children know and can do. They do not plan effectively to meet the needs of children of different ages and abilities, including disadvantaged children and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Furthermore, leaders do not check the practice of staff effectively. They do not identify staff's training needs to ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills to promote children's progress from their starting points. Partnerships with parents and professionals is not effective to meet the needs of individual children. Leaders fail to ensure that all parents are aware of their child's key person. Additionally, they do not make certain that staff complete the necessary progress check at age 2 years for all children and that this is shared with parents. These weaknesses have a significant impact on the early identification of children who need additional support to catch up with their peers. Leaders and managers focus well on staff welfare and wellbeing, and this is reflected in the happy and friendly interactions that staff have with children. Most parents provide positive views about the relationships between the staff and their children. Leaders ensure that staff understand their responsibilities to keep children safe in their care. Compulsory Childcare Register requirements This setting has not 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 What it's like to be a child at this setting Leaders have failed to exercise adequate oversight of the quality of learning and teaching they provide for children. Children who are disadvantaged and those who need additional support with their learning do not benefit from consistent opportunities to make steady progress from their starting points. Leaders have failed to ensure that staff check the progress of disadvantaged children and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) effectively. This means that staff do not accurately identify or plan for areas in which children need further support. As a result, children's learning needs are not met. Leaders do not make certain that staff understand how to support children with communication and language delay effectively to engage in group activities. As a result, children with SEND do not make steady progress from their starting points. Leaders have not ensured that staff plan activities effectively to support children's learning and development across the curriculum. Children do not have consistent opportunities to build on what they already know as staff do not sequence their learning effectively to support their progress. Overall, children benefit from activities that staff plan based on their observations of children's interests. Toddlers enjoy the sensory experience of exploring wet and coloured rice. They explore textures, for example, as they rub their palms to release the rice that sticks to their hands. Children build on their creativity as they engage in role play. For example, they pretend to speak with their parent by telephone. Children who are confident to communicate chat happily with staff as they play. Children build on their independence. They learn to get their coats and shoes on in preparation for outdoor activities. Children demonstrate an understanding of what is expected of them. For example, they learn to wait for their turn as staff support them to explore the objects in the 'treasure basket'. Older children learn to describe emotions. For example, during a discussion about happy and sad emotions, they relate falling over to a 'sad face'. Staff interactions with children are generally positive, which supports children to feel valued. Next steps To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage and Childcare register the provider must take the following actions by the assigned date: Action Completion Date ensure that staff practice is monitored effectively to identify weaknesses in practice and to continually support staff to improve their personal effectiveness 30/01/2026 ensure that the key-person system is effective to build relationships with parents and to work closely with them to meet children's needs 30/01/2026 ensure that effective systems are in place to meet the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities 30/01/2026 ensure that assessments of children's progress, including the progress check at age 2, are effective to identify and plan support for individual children's progress, including their communication and language development 30/01/2026 ensure that planning is informed by the next steps in children's learning and implemented effectively to meet the needs of all children, including children who speak English as an additional language. 30/01/2026 About this inspection The inspector spoke with leaders, practitioners and the special educational needs coordinator 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: Geetha Ramesh About this setting Unique reference number (URN): EY535903 Address: Sydenham Lawn Tennis Club Lawrie Park Road London SE26 6ET Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registration date: 08/07/2016 Registered person: Witty Kiddies Nurseries Ltd Register(s): EYR, CCR Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 18:00 Local authority: Bromley Facts and figures used on inspection This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection. This data is from 12 January 2026 Children numbers Age range of children at the time of inspection 2 to 4 Total number of places 28 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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