Morning Star Nursery, Lansdowne Road

Sensory play for babies, storytelling for toddlers and theatre trips for preschool children give Morning Star Nursery, Lansdowne Road a clear progression through the early years. The nursery has 33 places in total and accepts children aged 5 to 60 months. Its provision spans the Baby Room, Toddler Room and Pre-School Room. Different stages have different emphases.

Ofsted rated the nursery Good on 21 July 2022 and judged safeguarding effective. That dated assessment gives families a useful starting point, alongside the current room arrangements and preschool outings. The nursery is at 100 Lansdowne Road, London N17 9XX, and opens Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.

Rooms and Ages

The Baby Room, labelled for ages 0 to 2 years, centres its activities on movement, music and sensory exploration, giving younger children ways to communicate and explore before speech becomes their main tool. The setting's accepted age range starts at 5 months.

For children aged 2+ to 3 years, the Toddler Room combines imaginative play and stories with creative activities, messy exploration and music, supporting the move towards greater independence and playing with others. The Pre-School Room, for ages 3+, brings number work, phonics and early writing together with experiences beyond the nursery, connecting preparation for school with the wider world.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage is the framework for children's learning, development and care: here, that means building skills through play, conversation and practical activities. The room progression makes those priorities concrete, from babies exploring sensations to preschool children working with sounds, writing and numbers.

In July 2022, children chose activities indoors and outdoors and spent sustained periods exploring them. Books were within their reach, while songs and rhymes brought repeated language into the day. Older children heard adults describe their actions and introduce vocabulary, giving everyday play a conversational thread.

There were also clear teaching weaknesses in July 2022: opportunities to practise early mathematics were too infrequent, and adults working with the youngest children needed to talk and ask questions more often, especially at lunch. These are useful points to examine alongside the current number activities and baby-room emphasis on communication.

Outdoor and Community Life

The Pre-School Room includes outings to farms, libraries and the theatre. These offer different settings for children to encounter stories and real-world experiences beyond their familiar room.

In July 2022, the outside area and visits to nearby parks and playgrounds gave older children opportunities to climb, jump and run. Babies practised standing and crawling. Physical learning therefore included both larger movements and the smaller skills used in cutting and sticking activities.

At the July 2022 inspection, Ofsted found that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities made good progress, with needs recognised early, prompt referrals and support plans used while external help was pending. That matters because support began during the wait for specialist involvement.

Relationships were built through getting to know children from their first day in July 2022. Staff used children's interests and needs to shape activities, and maintained close contact with families. The manager responded to parental feedback and sought advice from outside the nursery, making family communication part of its development work.

Everyday independence was also visible in July 2022: children managed their footwear after sand play, helped clear up and took responsibility for their chairs. Familiar routines helped them move between activities, while shared behaviour expectations gave them a common basis for playing together.

In July 2022, nine childcare staff worked at the setting, with supervision, coaching and training supporting their practice. Meals at that time accommodated dietary requirements and allergies, and children learnt about eating fruit and vegetables.

Sessions and Attendance

Opening hours are 8am to 6pm on weekdays, and the nursery operates throughout the year. The Lansdowne Road contact numbers are 0790 854 3901 and 0795 642 6878.

Funding and Paid Extras

In July 2022, the nursery provided funded early education for children aged two, three and four. Families considering paid childcare should obtain current prices in the nursery's written quotation.

• Early mathematics. In July 2022, children needed more frequent opportunities to practise number skills. Ask to see how number learning now runs through ordinary play as well as the Pre-School Room's planned activities.
• Communication with babies. Adults working with the youngest children needed to use more spoken language and questions in July 2022, especially during lunch. On a visit, discuss how practitioners use care routines to build communication.
• Planning a visit. Nursery tours include Lansdowne Road and run Monday to Friday between 10am and 11am; bookings require at least four hours' notice or a slot on the next working day. Use the visit to discuss your child's settling arrangements and the written breakdown of funded hours, food and consumables.

Morning Star Nursery, Lansdowne Road suits families seeking care across the baby, toddler and preschool stages, with age-specific rooms and preschool experiences beyond the setting. Its weekday opening window will interest parents organising childcare around work. The Good judgement from July 2022 is useful context, while the two teaching priorities from that visit deserve specific discussion: everyday number learning and richer conversation with the youngest children.