Cavendish Lodge Nursery School

Cavendish Lodge Nursery School
Unique reference number (URN): EY338408
Address: 52 Lewin Road, London, SW16 6JT
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 29/01/2007
Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR
Registered person: CLNS Limited
Inspection report: 18 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.

Strong standard
Expected standard
Achievement Strong standard
Children are making positive progress across all the areas of learning. Children's learning
needs are identified early, enabling support that strengthens vocabulary, listening and
attention skills. Parents report improvements in children's speaking abilities and children
talking at home about their learnings. Teachers report a monosyllabic child progressing to
speaking in full sentences. Both teachers and parents said babies had been learning songs.
Leaders and staff use ongoing assessment effectively to adapt planning and teaching based
on children's current abilities. Children with SEND and those who face barriers to learning
receive appropriate adaptations and targeted support, enabling them to make good
progress. Children cultivate solid foundations in all areas of their development supporting
learning in mathematics, communication and language. Older children demonstrate
increasing independence, resilience and confidence. They also develop the knowledge,
skills and positive attitudes needed for their next stage of learning and the transition to
school.
Inclusion Strong standard
Leaders have established a highly inclusive culture where children with special educational
needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified early and supported effectively. Baseline
assessments are completed in partnership with parents to ensure accurate identification of
starting points. Progress is reviewed frequently to identify any emerging gaps. Where
progress slows, targeted interventions are implemented swiftly and reviewed for impact. For
example, staff implement advice from a speech and language therapist including the use of
strategies, such as visual prompts and language activities.
Children with SEND make robust progress from their individual starting points. For instance,
children develop from using single words to speaking in longer sentences and increase their
engagement in activities from brief to longer periods of time. Staff review the impact of
support regularly and adapt strategies to help children continue to make progress in
communication, independence and social skills. Transitions between rooms and into school
are planned and highly effective. Leaders and staff work closely with parents and external
professionals to ensure children's needs are clearly understood. For example, teachers visit
the setting and share detail information about children's development and individual learning
plans. This ensures all children, move confidently and are prepared well for starting school.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard
Leaders have established a positive and inclusive environment where expectations for
behaviour are clearly understood. Children demonstrate high levels of engagement and

cooperate well with peers. They respond positively to praise through strategies such as
'golden rules' and 'helper of the day', which promote resilience and a strong sense of
belonging. Children confidently explain their learning to visitors and sustain attention during
activities such as cooking 'protein bars'.
Relationships between practitioners and children are warm and respectful. Staff adapt their
approaches according to children's age and stage of development by, for example, speaking
appropriately according to the age of the child they interact with. Another example is the use
of sensory books for younger children. Children with special educational needs/or disabilities
are supported sensitively to participate alongside their peers. Leaders maintain clear
expectations for attendance and punctuality, which support children to develop an
understanding of routines, consistency and readiness for learning. Children collaborate
effectively, during tidy-up time and circle time. The children show respect for different
cultures and languages within the setting.
Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard
Children's care and wellbeing are prioritised effectively. Parents speak of the good quality
and variety of food provided, noting positive improvements in children's eating habits.
Opportunities to grow and cook food support children's understanding of healthy lifestyles.
Secure attachments are promoted through a key-person system. Transitions between rooms
and to school are carefully coordinated through meetings with parents and staff, ensuring
starting points and next steps are clearly understood. As a result, children settle quickly and
move on well prepared.
Care routines are responsive to children individual needs. Children with special educational
needs and/or disabilities receive targeted support informed by external professionals,
including speech and language therapist advice and individual learning plans. Regular
review meetings ensure progress is closely monitored. Leaders demonstrate secure
knowledge of statutory requirements, including two-year developmental checks and
developmental monitoring. Accidents are reported promptly and transparently. Leaders
maintain open communication with families through meetings, consultations and digital
platforms, strengthening partnerships and promoting children's emotional security and
wellbeing.
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Leaders have designed a broad and well-sequenced curriculum that reflects the early years
foundation stage and builds progressively on what children know and can do. The provision
is reviewed regularly to ensure learning experiences remain purposeful and responsive to
children's developmental stages including babies, toddlers and older children. Children
access a range of communication and language activities and stories that support the
development of listening, attention and early literacy skills. They confidently learn and use
new words including greetings in different languages that reflect the nursery community.
Mathematical understanding is developed through practical experiences such as counting
dinosaurs and weighing items on scales. This helps children to apply their learning in
meaningful ways.

Leaders and practitioners adapt teaching for children with special educational needs and/or
disabilities, and those with English as an additional language. This ensures an inclusive
approach and secure progress. Physical development is promoted through daily outdoor
experiences, such as climbing, balancing and riding bikes to develop children's strength and
coordination. Children also learn about the natural world through activities including growing
fruit and vegetables. However, the quality of teaching is not yet consistent. Less-
experienced staff do not always recognise or respond to opportunities to extend children's
learning during play. As a result, opportunities to extend children's learning are sometimes
missed.
Leadership and governance Expected standard
Leaders demonstrate a clear and ambitious vision for the nursery with high expectations for
children's learning and wellbeing. Leaders design a thoughtful curriculum. It s regularly
reviewed to ensure it reflects the early years foundation stage requirements and
consequently meets the needs of all children in their care. They use self-evaluation
effectively, including reference to Birth to Five guidance, to identify strengths and areas for
development.
Assessment processes are robust. Starting points are established in partnership with
parents and progress is reviewed regularly. Leaders monitor the completion and accuracy of
two-year checks and supports staff where further guidance is required. Inclusion is a
strength. Leaders work closely with external professionals and attend local authority forums
to ensure children receive timely and appropriate support, and to prepare education health
and care plans requests and transitions to school.
Leaders are mindful of staff workload and provide guidance and support when completing
assessment to ensure expectations remain manageable. There is scope to improve the
monitoring of teaching by less-experienced practitioners due to some inconsistencies in their
response to opportunities to extend children's learning during play.
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 arrive very happy, settled and confident in this nurturing and inclusive environment.
They form strong secure attachments with attentive practitioners who know them well and
respond sensitively to their individual needs. Clear routines and consistent expectations help
children to feel safe and develop a strong sense of belonging. Children enjoy a rich range of
engaging experiences that build on their interests and support their development. They
confidently explore the outdoor areas, take part in creative and messy play, and engage in
meaningful activities such as cooking and planting fruit and vegetables. Staff encourage
children to think, talk and explain their ideas. As a result, children develop rich-
communication skills and can describe well what they are doing.
Children behave well and show positive attitudes to learning. They take responsibility for
small tasks, such as tidying away and helping at snack time. This supports their growing
independence. They learn about healthy lifestyles and different cultures, developing respect
for others. This enables them to understand their community and the world around them.
Children are well prepared for their next stage in life. Children leave the setting with secure
foundations in communication, independence and social skills which support them in school
readiness. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make strong progress
from their starting points due to well targeted and individual support. For example, staff use
strategies, such as visual timetables, tailored communication interventions and close
partnership working with parents and external professionals. As a result, children develop
key skills, such as communication, independence and school readiness skills which narrow
the gap with their peers.

Inspector:
Claudia Castano
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): EY338408
Address:
52 Lewin Road
London
SW16 6JT
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 29/01/2007
Registered person: CLNS Limited
Register(s): EYR, CCR, VCR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 18:00
Local authority: Lambeth
Facts and figures used on inspection
Next steps
Leaders should identify where less-experienced practitioners need training and support
for them to be able to facilitate higher quality interactions with children and extend the
quality of teaching consistently during play outdoors.
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with leaders, parents, staff 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.

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 18 February 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
0 to 4
Total number of places
83
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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