Andrew Memorial Day Nursery

Strong relationships do the heavy lifting at Andrew Memorial Day Nursery. Ofsted judged it Good in October 2023, finding that staff formed close bonds with children, offered reassurance throughout the day and helped them feel secure enough to learn. The setting cares for children from age two to five and has 34 places in total.

Communication is a clear strength. Inspectors saw stories, props, conversation and new vocabulary used purposefully, including with children who speak English as an additional language. Safeguarding arrangements were effective at the inspection. Children also behaved well and showed a positive attitude to learning. Those findings matter together: secure relationships were not simply comforting, but gave children the confidence to cooperate, listen and take part in planned experiences.

The Early Years Foundation Stage shapes the provision: in practical terms, children learn across communication, physical development, personal and social development, literacy, mathematics, understanding the world and expressive arts through play and guided activities. In October 2023, that broad curriculum was judged ambitious and enabled children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to make good progress.

The inspection gives a vivid example. Children prepared fruit salad with apples, watermelon and bananas, exploring texture and smell, describing round and oval shapes, then sharing the snack. A story session used props to deepen understanding and vocabulary. Outdoors, climbing, a slide, tricycles and cars developed physical control and turn-taking; painting with broad arm movements and shared drawing on large sheets carried that development indoors.

Relationships are the foundation here. In October 2023, children listened, followed instructions and played cooperatively while staff modelled kindness and clear boundaries. Parents praised the settling-in process, staff support and home-learning bags, creating a useful bridge between nursery and home.

Independence is built through ordinary routines. Younger children practised fastening their coats, while children collected and returned their packed-lunch bags themselves. Leaders established starting points with parents and used observations and children's interests to guide planning. Regular supervision helped leaders oversee teaching, while attention to staff workload and wellbeing supported a more settled team around the children. The practical result is a care model that begins with what each child can already do and adapts the next steps from there.

Safeguarding was effective at the October 2023 inspection. Staff recognised signs of abuse and knew referral and whistle-blowing routes; safe recruitment and ongoing suitability checks were also in place. Ofsted nevertheless asked leaders to broaden staff knowledge of relevant safeguarding terminology. It also asked staff to shape activities more closely around two-year-olds' interests so their listening and attention are sustained.

Andrew Memorial Day Nursery is on Glebe Road, London NW10 2JD. It serves children aged two to five and has 34 places in total. The provider record classifies it as full day care. Its full-day pattern runs Monday to Thursday from 08:15 to 17:30 during an all-year opening schedule.

For parents balancing work and care, that Monday-to-Thursday window offers coverage into early evening. It should still be weighed against the family's complete weekly pattern, because the sourced full-day arrangement does not cover Friday afternoon.

• Two-year-old engagement. Ofsted asked the nursery to build activities more closely around these children's interests. Families of younger entrants should explore how current planning holds their attention.
• Safeguarding vocabulary. Practice was effective, but staff training needed broader coverage of relevant terminology. Ask what development has followed since the October 2023 inspection.
• Attendance arrangements. Discuss the exact session pattern, annual calendar and joining process during an enquiry so they can be weighed against family routines.

Andrew Memorial Day Nursery's strongest case rests on warm staff-child bonds, purposeful communication work and practical independence. The October 2023 inspection found children happy, cooperative and making good progress, with effective safeguarding behind the daily routines. The two improvement points are meaningful rather than cosmetic, especially for families of two-year-olds, but they sit within an otherwise consistently Good judgement. This setting best suits families who need full-day care from Monday to Thursday, and value a small nursery for ages two to five, strong settling support and learning built from stories, conversation, physical play and manageable daily tasks.