Tots and Scholars Nursery and Preschool, Elstree

Babies and children up to two are the priority at this High Street setting, despite the Preschool in its name. Tots and Scholars Nursery and Preschool, Elstree has capacity for 45 children, with an emphasis on early independence, communication and learning through play. Its youngest children are the subject of the review, rather than the older age groups served elsewhere in the group.

At its March 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Outstanding and found safeguarding effective. The detail beneath that judgement is useful: everyday experiences became opportunities to practise language, coordination and doing things independently. This was education on a young child's scale.

The branch opens on weekdays and operates for 50 weeks of the year, with a breakfast club alongside daytime care.

Learning and Activities

EYFS provides the framework for children's learning, development and care, with play supporting early communication, physical skills and growing independence. The branch combines this with Montessori principles. Spanish and French lessons, together with Dance, Drama and Sports Classes, add opportunities beyond the main curriculum, which is taught in English.

Those additions are worth distinguishing from the small learning moments that filled the day in March 2024. Children used a board for drawing and mark-making while staff introduced colour words. Replacing a pen lid became a problem to solve. A simple activity brought together hand coordination, language and persistence, rather than treating each as a separate lesson.

Farm animals provided another starting point that month. Children named animals and imitated their sounds, giving staff a concrete way to extend vocabulary and knowledge about the world. The interest began with something children could recognise and respond to.

Books also had a place in the March 2024 day. Staff selected a book of the week and drew out more challenging vocabulary, sharing the words with parents. Conversations about story characters encouraged children to look closely and listen. For families, that connection between nursery reading and home conversation gives a practical way to join in with learning.

Outdoor and Community Life

Sensory exploration was evident in March 2024 through playdough, cutting tools, herbs and flowers. Children could manipulate materials, investigate their textures and practise using their hands with increasing control. Words connected to flowers were revisited through songs, linking what children handled with what they heard and said.

Music that month involved choosing a prop from a bag to decide which song to sing. Pretending to be animals brought movement into the activity, while counting was woven into the songs. Children had a choice in what happened next. Participation was active, rather than simply listening to an adult perform.

Relationships and Communication

In March 2024, settling sessions and transition visits were adapted to individual children, giving staff time to learn about them before attendance developed further. That matters for babies: the relationship begins with understanding the child, rather than expecting the child to fit an identical introduction.

At the March 2024 inspection, Ofsted found that these arrangements supported rapid progress, including for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those learning English as an additional language, and praised the partnership with parents. The shared story vocabulary was one concrete example of that partnership in practice.

Independence was encouraged through ordinary routines in March 2024. Younger children practised eating with cutlery, while older children poured drinks themselves. Staff recognised effort and celebrated achievements. These are small steps, but they give a young child opportunities to contribute to their own care.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

Planning in March 2024 took account of children's interests, needs and abilities. Activities were adjusted around the children taking part, with familiar subjects such as animals and stories offering an accessible starting point. This gives parents something more tangible to consider than a broad promise of individual attention.

Staff also received supervision and training in March 2024. The practical significance is support for the adults delivering the day, alongside attention to what children were learning.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is The Liberal Synagogue, Old School, High Street, Borehamwood, WD6 3EY. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday; breakfast club runs from 7.30am to 9am. Full-day attendance is offered.

The nursery operates for 50 weeks annually. Closures include bank holidays, Jewish holidays, a week at Christmas and some inset days, so the calendar matters even for families using care across the year.

Funding and Paid Extras

In March 2024, the nursery offered funded education for two-year-old children. That is a dated funding position, separate from the current attendance arrangements. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

• The age-two boundary. This branch cares for babies and children up to two. Discuss how the next move is planned as your child approaches that stage, including how relationships and routines are carried forward.
• The working-day fit. Breakfast club starts at 7.30am, while the nursery closes at 6pm. Its Jewish holiday and inset-day closures also need to fit the family's care arrangements.
• Learning beyond the main curriculum. Spanish, French, Dance, Drama and Sports Classes form part of the branch's additional offer. During a visit, ask how these experiences are adapted for its youngest children.
• The written cost breakdown. Request a quotation that separates funded and private hours, food, consumables and any activity charges, so the cost of your intended pattern is clear.

Elstree suits families seeking care specifically for babies and children up to two, whether they need full-day attendance or breakfast club. Its strongest case comes from the March 2024 examples: language developed through stories and animals, practical independence through meals, and coordination through hands-on play.

The age boundary and closure calendar deserve attention. For families whose arrangements fit both, the combination of an Outstanding inspection judgement and a day built around small, purposeful experiences makes this a compelling option.