The Learning Tree Nursery School

A Good Ofsted judgement sits behind The Learning Tree Nursery School's offer in Romford. The setting at 2A Carlisle Road has capacity for 105 children from two months to five years, giving it a broad early-years span from babies through to preschool age.

The June 2023 inspection found secure relationships, kind interactions and effective safeguarding. The strongest practical picture is of care woven into learning: songs during nappy changes, calm sleep arrangements and physical play indoors and outside. The setting publishes full-day care on weekdays from 8am to 6pm throughout the year, closing for bank holidays and Christmas.

The Early Years Foundation Stage provides the educational framework. In everyday terms, that means play and adult guidance are used to develop communication, physical skills, personal and social development, literacy, mathematics, understanding of the world and expressive arts.

At that visit, practitioners linked activities to children's interests and next steps. Babies heard songs during care routines, younger children strengthened fine-motor control with play dough, while older children explored sand and painting. Outdoors, balancing, climbing and water trays extended large-muscle development. This is a varied inspection-time picture, rather than a room-by-room promise about today's timetable. Children also encountered healthy eating in a concrete way: a daily market stall held fruit that children and visitors could take as they left. That small ritual connected food choices with ordinary family routines.

There was also a useful caution. Some group sessions moved on before children had enough time to investigate resources, explain ideas or test solutions. More space for sustained exploration was one of the two formal improvement points.

Relationships were a clear strength in June 2023. Families could stay while children settled, and children were confident speaking with adults. Staff modelled considerate conduct; toddlers pushed chairs in after snack with little prompting, while children shared and took turns kindly. Children were also confident enough to talk with practitioners and visitors. These ordinary examples matter because social development was visible in actions, not confined to an adult-led lesson: tidying a chair, waiting for a turn and speaking comfortably all became part of the day.

Support for additional needs had practical structure. Managers bought sensory resources with additional funding, and the SENCO worked with parents and outside agencies on individual education plans. Key persons regularly relayed children's daily experiences, with events giving families ideas for continuing learning at home. Staff development had a formal rhythm too. Managers met practitioners to build knowledge and skills, while training covered first aid and manual handling. For parents, the implication is a team whose practice was being discussed and developed, not left to individual preference.

Sleep took place in a calm environment, with children waking naturally. Staff understood allergies and dietary needs. Hygiene was less consistent: inspectors saw occasions when younger children needed quicker help with runny noses and more encouragement to manage this themselves. Strengthening those self-help routines was the second improvement point.

The nursery is at 2A Carlisle Road, Romford, RM1 2QP. It is open Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm, all year apart from bank holidays and Christmas. Families should ask which attendance patterns can currently be booked, since opening hours alone do not define the sessions sold.

The nursery takes children from two months to five years and has 105 places in total. Funded early education is offered for eligible two-, three- and four-year-olds. Families need a current written quotation covering private hours, funded delivery, meals and non-food consumables.

• Exploration time. The June 2023 inspection asked staff to allow children longer to investigate materials and work through their own ideas. Ask how sustained play is now protected during group activities.
• Self-help hygiene. The second action sought more consistent support for younger children's nose-wiping and understanding of germs. Ask how independence and prompt care are balanced now.
• Attendance pattern. Weekday opening runs from 8am to 6pm, but families should establish the bookable full- and part-day patterns that fit their week.

The Learning Tree Nursery School's Good judgement rests on warm relationships, purposeful support for children with SEND and a day that connected language, movement and care. It is best suited to Romford families needing year-round weekday provision across the baby-to-preschool years. The two improvement actions are meaningful, so parents should use a visit to test how deeply staff now protect exploratory play and embed self-help hygiene.