LITTLE CURIOSITIES

Little Curiosities is a 25-place sessional setting in the Holy Trinity Church Rooms on Church Lane, Bromley. Its March 2023 Ofsted inspection judged it Good across overall effectiveness, education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. Safeguarding arrangements were effective at that visit.

The report's strongest thread is purposeful preparation for children's next stage. Staff encouraged manageable tasks that built independence, while books, songs and rhymes helped children make rapid progress in speaking, including children learning English as an additional language.

In March 2023, children chose freely from coloured rice and water activities designed to strengthen their hands. Outdoors, ride-on toys and balancing steps extended physical play. Group time brought counting, sorting, weekend news and songs about days and months together, giving children repeated reasons to talk, listen and recall.

The setting works within England's Early Years Foundation Stage, which combines learning, development and care through play and adult-guided experiences. In March 2023, staff built on children's interests and considered the knowledge and skills needed next.

Creative provision was less consistent. Inspectors found that play dough, sand and water were available, but some planned activities gave children too little freedom to explore art materials and develop their own ideas.

Relationships were warm and practical in March 2023. Children received cuddles and reassurance as they separated from their main carers, and staff used praise and encouragement to support emotional wellbeing and good behaviour. Parents valued approachable staff and daily updates that connected learning at the setting and at home.

Support for children needing additional help was strong. Practitioners noticed emerging needs through children's day-to-day learning, then brought in further help promptly when it was needed. Their knowledge of family backgrounds, cultures and words used at home also shaped a more personal welcome for each child.

Safeguarding was effective at the inspection. Ofsted's judgement reflected a team ready to act on welfare concerns and management systems covering staff suitability, children's supervision and accurate attendance records. Ofsted asked leaders to sharpen their monitoring of staff performance so that professional practice improves further.

The setting is registered at Holy Trinity Church Rooms, Church Lane, Bromley BR2 8LB, with capacity for 25 places. The official record describes childcare on non-domestic premises and sessional day care.

The sessional classification matters because it should not be read as a published full-day or long-day offer. Current nursery-specific prices belong in the provider's written quotation.

• Sessional fit. The registration identifies sessional day care, so families should establish the current attendance patterns and clock times before planning work or travel around a place.
• Creative choice. The March 2023 inspection called for more opportunities to explore materials and use imagination. Ask how open-ended art and creative play have developed since then.
• Staff development. Leaders were asked to sharpen performance monitoring. A visit can clarify how coaching and oversight now translate into consistent practice.

Little Curiosities suits families seeking a small, sessional setting where talk, songs, books, independence and emotional security were all clear strengths at the 2023 inspection. Its capacity of 25 gives useful context, but not a promise about daily group size. The best fit will be for families seeking sessional rather than assumed long-day care, where a sessional pattern matches family needs, and who want to understand how leaders have addressed the two inspection priorities around creative choice and staff monitoring.