Loving Hands International Nursery School, Leander

Poems to recite, objects to test in water and radishes grown at nursery give Loving Hands Leander a recognisable character. Language and practical discovery run through its activities, from Poetry Basket, which uses learned and recited poems to practise vocabulary and patterns, to STEM experiments that invite children to predict what will float. These are concrete reasons to consider the branch, rather than a promise built around a curriculum label.

At its August 2021 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good overall. That judgement is dated: the most useful detail beneath it concerns relationships, purposeful play and the need to give quieter children more room to participate.

The nursery has 40 places in total and accepts children from birth to five years at 54 Leander Road in Thornton Heath. Its opening window runs from 7.30am to 6pm on weekdays, with care across the year and specified holiday closures.

Rooms and Ages

A baby room, Toddler Room and Pre-School Room form the branch's age-stage organisation. Sensory experiences feature in the baby room, while the preschool STEM activities use water and objects to explore floating and sinking. The useful distinction is the experience attached to each stage, rather than the whole nursery's capacity being mistaken for a room size.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for children's learning, development and care. Here, that means learning through experiences such as talking during play, exploring materials and working with mathematical ideas, alongside support for everyday independence.

Poetry Basket adds a specific language activity: children learn poems and recite them, practising unfamiliar words and remembering patterns. It gives families a clear example of how language work can be enjoyable and repeatable, rather than confined to answering an adult's questions.

STEM in our Pre School brings science, technology, engineering and mathematics into practical activities. In the floating-and-sinking example, children select objects, make predictions and watch what happens in water. The sequence matters: they have an idea first, then test it against something they can observe.

In August 2021, younger children encountered new vocabulary while playing with toy cars on ramps; older children used measuring tapes to investigate their houses. Painting introduced size language too. These examples connected words and mathematics with something children were already doing, giving abstract ideas a practical starting point.

There were limits to that teaching in August 2021. Adults sometimes moved to another question before children had enough thinking time, and older children could take over activities, reducing younger children's confidence to join in. The improvement priorities were therefore specific: allow more reflection and help less confident children participate. Those points matter alongside the appealing activity list.

Outdoor and Community Life

Home-grown radishes and visits to Chrystal palace park feature in the branch's daily activities. Growing food gives children something tangible to follow, while the park visit takes experiences beyond the nursery building; neither example establishes a fixed outings timetable.

The Pancake day competition involves families sharing pictures of their pancake creations and children talking about experiences at home. This is a useful connection between nursery learning and family life: the contribution comes from home, and children have something personal to discuss.

Relationships and Communication

In August 2021, babies received sensitive attention from staff, and children sought adults out when they needed comfort. Key persons observed children's play and used their interests to shape activities and next steps. That made the relationship educational as well as caring: knowing a child helped determine what to introduce next.

Parent communication also had a practical dimension in August 2021. Families received information about healthy eating, and parents and children contributed ideas to the menu, including cultural foods. This connected advice with family preferences rather than treating food as a separate part of nursery life.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the August 2021 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and praised support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, describing early identification of learning gaps, collaboration with parents and help from other professionals. The important mechanism was the combination of observation, family knowledge and targeted intervention, rather than a general promise that every need could be met.

In August 2021, children practised independence through everyday responsibilities: older children acted as room monitors and checked the floor for toys. Staff also helped children manage feelings through explanations and encouragement. Outdoor access gave them opportunities to practise physical skills, making movement part of the nursery day rather than an occasional addition.

Sessions and Attendance

Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. Leander operates for 51 weeks, closing for a week at Christmas and on bank holidays. For families organising work and childcare, those closures are as relevant as the daily opening window.

Getting There

The address is 54 Leander Road, Thornton Heath, CR7 6JU. Branch enquiries use 020 8683 4847 or loving.hands@hotmail.com; the application form can be downloaded and returned by email, and families can request a full application pack through the same address.

Funding and Paid Extras

French lessons take place fortnightly and carry a separate charge; a sports coach also attends fortnightly, with no charge to parents. The different charging arrangements are worth keeping separate when budgeting for activities.

Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation. The Leander fees page directs families to the branch for current fees and funding information.

• Thinking time and participation. The August 2021 improvement priorities concerned rushed questioning and children who were less confident joining activities. On a visit, ask how practitioners now give children time to answer and prevent more confident children from taking over.
• Attendance and the total bill. The branch opens across 51 weeks, and French lessons carry an additional charge. Which booking patterns and funded entitlements fit your intended attendance, and how are meals and non-food consumables treated in the quotation?
• The youngest children's day. Sensory experiences feature in the baby room. During a visit, ask how settling, sleep and the key-person relationship fit around your baby's existing routine.

Loving Hands Leander suits families looking for care across the year with practical preschool exploration and a clear language activity in Poetry Basket. Fortnightly French lessons and sports coaching add further variety, with different cost arrangements. Its August 2021 judgement provides a positive historical assessment, while the questions about thinking time and quieter children's participation deserve attention when assessing the nursery today.