Le Jardin des Dyvrande

A small, bilingual setting with capacity for 25 children, Le Jardin des Dyvrande takes babies and children from six months to five years. Its April 2023 Ofsted inspection judged it Good, with effective safeguarding. The strongest thread was independence: children managed belongings, helped at mealtimes and persisted with practical tasks.

The nursery is at 45 Ashdown Crescent, London NW5 4QE. It operates in French and English, giving children regular communication opportunities in both languages.

In April 2023, the Early Years Foundation Stage was delivered through a broad curriculum that combined communication, physical development and practical problem-solving. In parent terms, that meant learning through play and routines rather than formal lessons. Children watched a simulated volcanic eruption, cared for the nursery's chickens and worked out how many plates and cups were needed for lunch.

Outdoor play included a climbing wall, trikes and ball skills. Babies chose books, named favourite animals and tackled wooden puzzles, while older children answered questions in both French and English. Ofsted asked staff to extend older children's English vocabulary more consistently and give them more choice over activities.

The detail here was practical as well as educational. Older children set the table and calculated the crockery needed, turning a routine into an exercise in counting and responsibility. Cutting fruit demanded coordination and persistence. These examples matter because independence was practised repeatedly rather than confined to a single planned activity.

Physical development had similar breadth in April 2023. Climbing, jumping, pedalling and ball play gave children different ways to build balance and coordination. Indoors, babies could make choices from accessible books and puzzles. The bilingual exchanges added another layer, although the inspector's vocabulary improvement point shows that hearing two languages did not remove the need for deliberate teaching of new English words.

In April 2023, babies had close bonds with staff and children settled quickly. Key-person arrangements remained effective despite recruitment challenges, and parents received updates about progress. Daily routines built self-care: children changed into slippers for circle time, stored belongings in named containers and sliced fruit at snack time.

Safeguarding arrangements were effective at that inspection. Staff understood signs of abuse or harm and the procedures for reporting concerns, while regular environmental risk assessments supported children's safety.

Behaviour and relationships were another strength in April 2023. Children followed routines, learned kindness and respect, and felt safe and secure. The close bonds described for babies are important for the youngest age group, while named containers and familiar circle-time habits gave older children clear cues about what happened next.

Leadership had moved the setting forward from earlier inadequate inspections in July and December 2022. By April 2023, previous actions had been addressed, staff were being monitored and coached, and all four inspection judgements were Good. That improvement is substantial. The later September 2023 regulatory record still makes current staffing arrangements a sensible area for parents to discuss.

The setting operates across the year and closes for bank holidays and Christmas and Easter holidays. Full-day and half-day patterns are recorded, though exact session windows should be confirmed. Its Ashdown Crescent address places the nursery in Camden. Current nursery-specific prices are supplied in the provider's written quotation.

• English vocabulary. Ofsted asked staff to make better use of opportunities to teach older children key words. Families prioritising English-language development should explore how this has been addressed.
• Choice in play. The April 2023 inspection found that older children needed more opportunities to choose activities and make decisions. This is a useful point to explore during a visit.
• Later staffing action. A September 2023 regulatory visit found that some requirements had not been met, including staffing arrangements, but recorded that action had been taken to put matters right and the provider remained registered.

Le Jardin des Dyvrande suits families seeking a small setting where French and English sit alongside practical independence. Full-day and half-day patterns may suit families needing different lengths of care across a year-round routine, while the inspection detail gives parents unusually concrete examples of children's days. The April 2023 strengths were clear, but families should ask how the two improvement points and later staffing action have shaped current practice.