Excelsior Nursery

Excelsior Nursery has capacity for 50 children aged one to five at Christ Church, St Albans Road, Harlesden. Its first full inspection, in June 2024, judged it Good overall and found safeguarding effective. The strongest picture is of children settling happily with key people who knew them well, alongside a spacious outdoor area built for energetic physical play.

In June 2024, younger children searched for farm-animal pictures while adults modelled sounds, and children made marks with different materials to build early writing. Staff also used routines and comparative language to develop number understanding, helping children meet mathematical ideas in a familiar context. Older children confidently discussed their preferred activities and nursery routines, a sign that they understood the shape of their day. The Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum described at inspection connected communication, early literacy, mathematics and physical development with play and everyday routines. Clear instructions, questions, time to speak and books supported language. That gives children several routes into learning, whether they are listening, talking, counting or making marks.

The same inspection found the planned curriculum was not yet consistently understood across the team. Some activities were not pitched at the right level, and staff interactions during garden free play did not always extend learning. Supervision was present, but opportunities to deepen children’s thinking could be missed. Those are meaningful limits to set beside the Good judgement, because a planned activity only works when practitioners understand its intended learning and adapt it for the child in front of them.

Resources reflected the diversity of the nursery and wider community in June 2024. That supported respect, acceptance and an understanding that people are different. The combination of familiar routines and representative materials gave children both security and a broader social view.

Key-person care was a clear strength in June 2024. Toddlers approached familiar adults with favourite toys, while warm reassurance helped children settle. Staff held high expectations for children with special educational needs and disabilities, planned stimulating activities around children’s interests, and parents reported being well informed about progress. That link between individual knowledge and activity planning is important: support begins with what a child can do and enjoys, rather than a generic programme. It also helps practitioners choose a meaningful next step instead of simply keeping children occupied.

Communication with families was another inspection strength. Parents felt informed about progress, while staff reported approachable management, regular feedback on practice and access to training. For families, that creates a clearer route for understanding development and raising concerns. The next question is whether leaders’ feedback has secured the curriculum improvements Ofsted requested.

Healthy meals supported children’s wellbeing at the time of inspection. Outdoors, climbing, balancing and jumping developed coordination, giving physical skills more scope than table-based activity can provide. Ofsted also found an open, positive safeguarding culture that put children’s interests first. Staff understood signs that may indicate abuse and knew the procedures for recording and reporting concerns.

The nursery is at Christ Church, St Albans Road, Harlesden, London NW10 8UG. It takes children from 12 to 60 months and has 50 places in total. Opening hours do not establish a booking model. Families need the nursery’s current menu of full-day, part-day or flexible patterns, its minimum attendance terms, closure dates, funding arrangements and written quotation before making plans.

• Curriculum consistency. In June 2024, inspectors asked leaders to strengthen staff understanding of what children should learn. Families can test how that improvement work now shapes free play and adult interaction.
• Current practical terms. Obtain the sessions the nursery actually sells, funded-hours delivery, and current treatment of meals and non-food consumables before comparing the full cost and fit.
• Outdoor learning. The spacious garden supported physical development, but adult interaction there was an improvement point. Families can explore how practitioners now extend learning during child-led outdoor play.

Excelsior Nursery's June 2024 inspection presents a warm setting where key people knew children well, communication and early mathematics had visible attention, and the garden gave children room to move. The curriculum-consistency findings matter, so families should test the progress made since inspection and establish whether the current attendance pattern suits them before deciding.