URN 2752336 · Inspected 2026-04-09 · Published 2026-06-02 · Inspector: Julia Crowley
Little Skippers Nursery Unique reference number (URN): 2752336 Address: 140 Falkland Road, London, N8 0NP Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 25/10/2023 Registers: EYR Registered person: Phinn, Tedessa Inspection report: 9 April 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 Inclusion Strong standard Leaders and staff fully understand the importance of early detection of any barriers to learning. They are quick to identify when children need further support to meet their individual needs. They have strong relationships with other professionals, such as speech and language, occupational therapist and physiotherapists. They confidently use the relevant professionals to understand the best ways to meet individual children's needs and to support them effectively. Staff adapt the activities within the curriculum to enable all children in the group to take part. This includes using funding for additional support staff, as well as specific play resources and activities. For example, visual aids and sensory resources have been purchased to support children's language skills, confidence and emotional wellbeing. Leaders and key person diligently follow other professionals' advice. They closely monitor the children daily, to identify any progress made or emerging areas that need additional focused support. Leaders take prompt action to engage other professionals and support parents through the assessment process. Staff understand the importance of creating an accessible, adaptable environment to enhance children's sense of belonging and to support their mobility and safety. Achievement Expected standard Children develop well and show motivation to learn. They enthusiastically share their thoughts and ideas and explore the setting confidently. Children communicate their pride to staff when they achieve. For example, pre-school children begin to recognise the letters in their name, as they line up the wooden letter blocks to form the word. Children including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities transition into their next stage of learning at the right time within the nursery because staff know when each child is ready and equipped. Babies show growing confidence and are familiar with the staff in the toddler room because they have had opportunities to spend time in the room before transitioning. Pre-school children, in preparation for school, confidently contribute, independently ask questions to confirm their understanding and embrace responsibilities and tasks. They enthusiastically volunteer to set the dinner table and select and organise their book bags. Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard Staff provide a positive role model for children, as they work together as a team with respect and kindness. Children are listened to by attentive staff, who are interested in what they have to say. Children form strong and positive attachments with staff, which creates a calm and happy environment with commonly understood expectations for behaviour. Children follow clear daily routines that help them feel secure and understand what comes next. Visual timetables support all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Children confidently recognise and complete routines, gaining a sense of achievement. They independently follow established hygiene practices, such as handwashing, and dispose of used tissues appropriately. Children come together in the morning and afternoon and are gently reminded by staff of the 'golden rules'. Children are praised for acts of kindness towards their peers. Leaders actively promote children's regular attendance and work closely with parents and carers to identify and reduce any barriers. As a result, children attend consistently and benefit fully from their time in the nursery. Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard Staff ensure that care practices are carefully considered in conjunction with parents to ensure children's needs are met. Staff in the baby room carefully gather information regarding each child's sleeping and feeding routines. Staff vigilantly monitor meal and sleep times to ensure children's needs are met and they are safe. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, who have more detailed care plans, are well supported. Children benefit from healthy and nutritious food. Staff talk to children about healthy options to help them understand what foods are good for them. Children have plenty of space inside the nursery for mobility and exploration. The outdoor space allows small groups of children time to play outside with opportunities for frequent outings to the park. Staff support children well to recognise, express and manage their emotions and develop a sense of emotional wellbeing. For example, children consider at the start of the day and use the feeling poster at circle time and colour mood table to pick out how they feel. Children show a great deal of emotional wellbeing. They regularly go to their key person for hugs or support if they feel sad or worried. Curriculum and teaching Expected standard Leaders provide a curriculum that offers children learning opportunities across all areas of learning and development. The curriculum is inclusive and enables every child to make progress, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or those that face barriers to their learning. Staff adapt their teaching, provide targeted support and create an enabling environment that allows all children to participate fully and achieve their potential. Leaders ongoing evaluation of teaching has enabled them to identify areas where further focused support is needed. This will help staff enhance their practice and plan even more precisely for children's learning. Staff prioritise language and communication, they provide a continuous narrative that helps children connect words with actions. Children are encouraged to talk and are introduced to new vocabulary throughout daily routines. In the toddler room, children prepare fruit for snack time using words, such as 'slice, chop, segments' and 'pieces'. Staff extend learning by adding mathematical language, like 'more, less, large' and 'small'. Children problem solve as they divide and share their fruit fairly across their plates. Children's physical development is prioritised from babies to pre-school to ensure they build strength, coordination and a positive attitude towards physical activity. The outdoor nursery area, as well as local parks, are used purposefully. This is to promote active play and opportunities to develop physical skills, including running, climbing and balancing. Leadership and governance Expected standard Since the last inspection, there has been significant improvements that address the areas previously identified for development. This has strengthened the day-to-day running of the nursery and improved the way areas for further improvement are identified. Leaders have clear plans in place to support their nursery's ongoing development. For example, they have already outlined their intention to provide more focused support for staff, helping them to plan more precisely for children's learning. Leaders continue to provide training to enhance staff's knowledge and skills, particularly in supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They ensure that professional development opportunities are well targeted, enabling staff to meet the needs of children in their care effectively. Leaders and staff build positive relationships with parents and carers. Parents value the daily conversations and regular meetings that keep them well informed about their children's experience and progress. What it's like to be a child at this setting Children enthusiastically greet their peers and staff on arrival. They quickly engage in the activities available to them. Children are encouraged by staff to be kind and considerate by sharing and taking turns. They are encouraged to behave well and manage their feelings. Children confidently choose a colour from the table that matches their mood and share how they feel. Children are keen to take part and contribute to activities, such as circle and singing activities. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those that face barriers to their learning are very much included and take part with support and guidance Inspector: Julia Crowley About this setting Unique reference number (URN): 2752336 from staff. Children find the curriculum meaningful and interesting, because staff observe children throughout the day to inform their decision-making of what to include. For example, children who need additional support are given the time, space and encouragement they require to participate fully in group activities. Children are enabled by staff from the baby room to pre-school to independently achieve goals that are appropriate to their age and stage of development. For example, in the baby room, children use pastry diggers to make marks in play dough to develop their fine motor skills in preparation for independently holding their spoon. Pre-school children, in preparation for school readiness, take responsibility for their book bags and understand that Monday is 'uniform' day. Parents are encouraged by leaders to participate. Parents' contributions are considered important to meet each child's needs. Parent meetings provide an opportunity to exchange knowledge and information about the child. This informs both parents and key person and enables both to support each child's next steps for learning. Parent are kept up to date by the nursery's online app. They also take part in children's activities, such as cooking and reading, as well as social events. Next steps Leaders should continue to strengthen their supervision and coaching for staff, to further ensure good-quality teaching and assessment across the provision. About this inspection The inspector spoke with leaders, staff, the special educational needs coordinator and designated safeguard lead 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. Address: 140 Falkland Road London N8 0NP Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registration date: 25/10/2023 Registered person: Phinn, Tedessa Register(s): EYR Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00 Local authority: Haringey Facts and figures used on inspection This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection. This data is from 9 April 2026 Children numbers Age range of children at the time of inspection 1 to 4 Total number of places 104 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. You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence, write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk. 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