Lullabys at Little Village

In November 2023, coat zips, story characters and growing beanstalks illustrated learning at Lullabys at Little Village built around things children could try for themselves. At its November 2023 inspection, Ofsted judged the nursery Good overall and found safeguarding effective. Practical independence and close contact with parents were central to the nursery day then.

The setting accepts children from 3 to 60 months at Very Young Village in London’s borough of Croydon. In November 2023, its strongest appeal was the attention given to everyday skills, alongside language and relationships.

The early years foundation stage is the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and care; here, the November 2023 activities connected those aims with stories, conversation, physical exploration and self-care. Children used pictures to help retell familiar tales, added their ideas to displays and experimented with ways of growing beanstalks. Stories became something to discuss and investigate.

In November 2023, books were also available for children to choose independently. Songs with actions, objects and signing gave babies and older children different ways to communicate. During group conversations, staff made space for quieter children and encouraged others to listen. Outdoor activities gave children opportunities to explore movement, with gentle reminders about how their actions affected others.

In November 2023, children adjusting to nursery sought comfort from their key person. Staff exchanged information with parents about changes at home and helped children become familiar with routines. That connection matters when a child’s needs change beyond the nursery day.

At the November 2023 inspection, Ofsted found that children with SEND made good progress, with specialist involvement, reviewed teaching support and planned transitions to school. Support also extended to children developing English alongside another home language.

Everyday care had an educational purpose in November 2023: children practised handling cutlery, cutting food and cleaning their teeth. Staff encouraged them to attempt coat fastenings before requesting help and worked with families on toilet training. These are useful steps towards doing more independently.

The address is Very Young Village, 18 Selhurst Place, London SE25 5PY. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday, across the year, with closures for bank holidays and a week at Christmas.

In November 2023, the nursery received funding for free early education for children aged two, three and four. This is a dated funding position, rather than a promise of eligibility for an individual family.

• Shared care arrangements. In November 2023, communication with some other settings children attended needed strengthening. Families combining childcare settings should explore how learning and care information passes between them.
• Staff development. November 2023 improvement priorities included more targeted development for staff with specific responsibilities. During a visit, ask how that development now informs their work.
• Care for the youngest children. The accepted age range begins at 3 months. How are feeding, sleep and settling organised for a baby?

Lullabys at Little Village suits families who value practical independence, language development and close communication about their child. Its November 2023 picture is strongest in the small, useful steps of growing up: joining a conversation, managing clothing and learning daily care skills. Links between childcare settings and development for staff in allocated roles remain the relevant dated improvement points to weigh alongside those strengths.