Little Chiefs, Paint Pots Day Nursery & Pre-School

A suspension changes the decision here. Little Chiefs, Paint Pots Day Nursery & Pre-School in Croft received a Good judgement at its 19 February 2025 Ofsted inspection, which also recognised effective support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). That judgement must be read alongside the later safeguarding action.

On 20 July 2026, Ofsted suspended the nursery’s registration because it considered children potentially at risk of harm, and served a welfare requirements notice following a regulatory visit. The latest published position is the outcome dated 29 July 2026: childcare requiring registration cannot be provided while the suspension is in place.

The setting’s address is 3 Riverside Court, Croft, Leicester, LE9 3HG. Its age range is 3 to 60 months. For parents, the immediate issue is the regulatory position rather than the appeal of the activities described below.

The February 2025 account gives a clear picture of play with practical purpose. In the garden, children used planks and crates to devise a crossing during an imaginary muddy predicament. This brought movement, collaboration and problem-solving into the same activity. Indoors, choosing a story by voting introduced the idea that other children’s preferences count too.

The early years foundation stage is the required framework for children’s learning, development and care. In everyday terms, it connects play with developing language, physical skills and independence. The February 2025 examples make that connection tangible: babies explored hats while staff paired words with objects, and older children carried vocabulary from a book about rockets into their pretend play.

Activities drew on children’s interests and experiences at home. Conversations gave children opportunities to explain their ideas, with adults responding to what they said. These were ordinary interactions with an educational purpose, rather than learning confined to a formal group session.

Group teaching was the qualification to that picture. In February 2025, staff sometimes lacked a clear learning purpose when children gathered for planned activities. Their interactions consequently missed opportunities to develop understanding further. The improvement requested was greater clarity about what each group activity should teach, so an engaging task also has a deliberate next step.

Local walks and shopping for activity ingredients connected play with the surrounding community in February 2025. Chinese New Year and Diwali activities introduced cultural differences, while books represented families with two mothers or two fathers. These examples gave children concrete ways to encounter lives beyond their own household; no particular frequency is attached to them.

In February 2025, children sought adults out and included them in their play, reflecting familiar relationships. Staff responded to individual needs, and children settled into activities they enjoyed. The examples matter because they describe how relationships worked during the day, rather than simply applying a reassuring adjective to the setting.

Independence was practised in small, useful steps. Younger children worked on using spoons, while older children handled cutlery to cut their food. Getting their own drinks and putting on coats also formed part of the February 2025 routine. These skills supported preparation for school through everyday self-care, rather than through a claim about admission to a particular school.

Parent involvement included stay-and-play opportunities in February 2025, helping families understand their children’s interests and continue activities at home. Bonfire Night celebrations and Christmas crafts also brought families into nursery life. Progress updates formed another link between home and the setting.

The later safeguarding action carries greater weight for a current decision. In February 2026, policies had been reviewed following concerns about safeguarding, risk assessment and notifications. The July 2026 notice then required stronger leadership oversight, consistent handling of safeguarding concerns, reviews of concerns about children’s home circumstances and absences, and clearer procedures shared with families. It also required staff to understand safeguarding policies and procedures and apply them consistently in practice. Those requirements concern the protection of children, not simply administrative tidiness.

The nursery is at 3 Riverside Court in Croft, Leicester, LE9 3HG. The July 2026 outcome takes precedence over an ordinary account of opening hours or attendance: while suspended, the provider cannot deliver childcare that requires registration.

In February 2025, funded early education was offered for children aged two, three and four. That is a dated description of provision, rather than a basis for assuming a funded place can now be taken up. The regulatory restriction is the decisive practical consideration for families planning childcare.

• Suspension and legal restrictions. The outcome dated 29 July 2026 records suspension from 20 July 2026. Before making childcare arrangements, establish the current regulatory position and whether provision is permitted.
• Safeguarding oversight. The July 2026 notice required changes to leadership oversight, escalation of concerns and absence procedures, with actions due by 17 August 2026. Ask how those requirements have been addressed and demonstrated.
• Purposeful group learning. The February 2025 improvement point concerned staff understanding of planned group activities. If a visit becomes appropriate, ask how staff now identify and extend the learning intended in those sessions.

The February 2025 picture will appeal to families who value practical play, language-rich conversation and everyday independence. Garden construction, community shopping and family participation gave that nursery day substance.

However, the July 2026 suspension is the controlling consideration. The earlier Good judgement does not settle whether childcare can lawfully resume or whether the later safeguarding requirements have been satisfied. For a family choosing care now, establishing that position must come before weighing the setting’s educational appeal.