Nursery School

Rooftops Nursery

Priestly House, Athlone Steet, Kentish Town, London, NW5 4LN·Camden council·Ofsted URN: 100608
Full day care
Nursery School
1 year 9 months to 5 years
32 places
10 childcare staff
Registered 7 Jan 1994
Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register
FMS Inspection Score
Good
7/10
Nursery official?Claim Profile

Last reviewed: August 2026 · Inspection data and key information above update regularly, however, this review below is refreshed bi-annually and may not reflect recent changes. Contact the nursery directly to confirm current arrangements. If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.

Rooftops Nursery

At a Glance

Warm relationships and a child-centred curriculum define Rooftops Nursery. The Kentish Town setting has capacity for 32 children aged 21 months to 5 years. Ofsted judged it Good in October 2023, with Good judgements across education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management.

Children were excited to attend, formed friendships and learned to take turns. Familiar songs, nursery rhymes, books and deliberate vocabulary teaching gave the curriculum a clear communication thread. This is a small setting with a strong inspection-era picture of attentive care. Polite behaviour was not treated as a rule sheet: friendships, turn-taking and respectful exchanges grew through the routines of the day, giving children repeated practice in living alongside others.

The Nursery Experience

The Early Years Foundation Stage shapes learning through play, conversation, routines and experiences across children's development, rather than through school-style lessons. In October 2023, staff used familiar songs and books to build language and encouraged questions, curiosity, listening and following instructions.

Outdoor play had real substance. Children used a well-organised outdoor area, rode bikes and scooters, and joined chasing games. Indoors, they concentrated on varied resources and confidently sought adult help. Staff modelled helpfulness, encouraged curiosity and taught children to listen, follow instructions and respect one another. These are ordinary moments used deliberately: language, self-control and social habits develop together rather than sitting in separate activities. Shared mealtimes also became learning opportunities: children found their place mats, sat with peers, practised cutlery skills and talked about where food comes from.

Care and Support

Attentive staff established strong bonds and kept predictable routines in October 2023. Children spoke about their feelings, while adults modelled emotional regulation and helped them build resilience. Those with special educational needs and disabilities made good progress at that inspection.

Safeguarding arrangements were effective in October 2023. Staff knew the children well, supervised them throughout the day, recognised changes in mood or behaviour, managed allergy and dietary information, checked risks and had relevant safeguarding training. Parents described a family-oriented, home-from-home atmosphere, and regular staff supervision supported a team that worked well together. Daily routines also strengthened independence. Children practised hygiene, toileting and self-care, while healthy eating was woven into the day rather than treated as a stand-alone topic.

The inspection picture was strongest where care and learning met. Adults recognised changes in children's moods, children could express feelings, and predictable routines helped them know what would happen next. For a child still building confidence away from home, that combination has practical value: emotional security supports participation in play and conversation.

There was one clear development point. Ofsted asked leaders to monitor the impact of training and coaching more closely so that staff learning is applied consistently across the provision.

Practical Information

Rooftops Nursery is at Priestly House, Athlone Steet, Kentish Town, London NW5 4LN. It operates during term time and closes for school holidays and bank holidays. The recorded weekday opening window is 8am to 4pm, Monday to Friday; the exact bookable attendance pattern is a key point for families to establish.

The setting's age range begins at 21 months and runs to 5 years. Current nursery-specific prices should be obtained in a written quotation.

Things to Consider

  • Attendance pattern. Full-day and half-day care are recorded, but the exact session boundaries and any minimum weekly commitment need establishing before joining. This determines whether the term-time offer fits work and family routines.
  • Training consistency. Leaders' current method for measuring whether coaching changes practice across the whole team is the central quality point to explore. This directly follows the improvement point from October 2023.
  • Visit priorities. The indoor resources, outdoor area, meals and arrangements for allergies or dietary needs deserve attention in relation to your child's age. These practical details can matter as much as the overall inspection grade.

The Verdict

Rooftops Nursery is best suited to families seeking term-time care in a small Kentish Town setting, with warm adult-child bonds, purposeful language work and active outdoor play. Its Good 2023 inspection offers a positive, detailed picture, especially for relationships, SEND progress and safeguarding. Families needing either full-day or part-day attendance need clarity on the exact bookable pattern before deciding, while leaders' response to the training-monitoring point is the most useful quality question to raise.

FAQs

Ofsted judged Rooftops Nursery Good in October 2023. Education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management were all judged Good.

The recorded age range is 21 months to 5 years, and the setting has capacity for 32 children.

The curriculum is child-centred. In October 2023, familiar songs, nursery rhymes, books and vocabulary teaching supported communication, alongside outdoor bikes, scooters and chasing games.

At the October 2023 inspection, children with special educational needs and disabilities made good progress. Staff modelled emotional regulation and helped children build resilience.

It operates in term time, closing for school holidays and bank holidays, with a recorded weekday opening window of 8am to 4pm.

Opening Hours

Fri
08:00-16:00
Mon
08:00-16:00
Tue
08:00-16:00
Thu
08:00-16:00
Wed
08:00-16:00
Opening schedule
Open term time
Full days
Available
Half-day sessions
Offered

Closed: School Holidays & Bank Holidays

Contact Information

Get in touch with the nursery directly

Priestly House, Athlone Steet, Kentish Town, London, NW5 4LN

Manager

Terri Steele and Kim O'Leary (Co-Managers)

Ofsted Inspection

Inspection outcome and judgement breakdown

7/10

FMS Inspection Score

Good

Based on 4 subcategory ratings

Official Ofsted Grade

Good

Inspected: 26 October 2023

Safeguarding: Yes

Inspection History

26 Oct 2023Most recent full inspectionGood
20 Mar 2018Previous full inspectionGood
3 Nov 2015Earlier full inspectionGood

Inspection Judgements

Quality of education

Good

Behaviour and attitudes

Good

Personal development

Good

Effectiveness of leadership and management

Good

Disclaimer: The FMS Inspection Score is an independent analysis by FindMySchool. It is not endorsed by or affiliated with Ofsted. Always refer to the official Ofsted report for the full picture of a setting’s inspection outcome.

Disclaimer

Information on this page is compiled, analysed, and processed from publicly available sources including Ofsted early years registration and inspection data, local authority records, and the setting’s own published material.

FMS Inspection Scores and any assessment on this page are derived from that data using our own methodologies. They are our independent analysis and are not official Ofsted ratings or standings.

While we strive for accuracy, we cannot guarantee that all information is current, complete, or error-free. Places, opening arrangements, session patterns, funding eligibility, and fees change without notice, and the nursery and/or local authority should be contacted directly to verify any details before making decisions.

FindMySchool does not endorse any particular nursery, and scores reflect specific inspection evidence rather than overall quality.

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