Olive Tree Nursery School

In May 2026, children at Olive Tree Nursery School combined physical challenge on an indoor climbing structure with opportunities to regroup in quieter sensory spaces. This Upper Tooting Road setting accepts children aged 24 to 60 months.

At its May 2026 inspection, Ofsted judged achievement, behaviour and routines, welfare, curriculum and teaching, inclusion, and leadership to be Strong standard, with safeguarding standards met. Those are separate area judgements, rather than an overall grade.

In May 2026, children practised balance and climbing on the indoor climbing structure, with adults helping them judge risks. Physical challenge had a place within the day, alongside conversation and practical exploration.

The early years foundation stage is the required framework for children's learning, development and care: here, the May 2026 activities brought language, early mathematics and physical skills into play and everyday routines. Children compared amounts and counted while exploring resources; adults extended conversations with questions. Songs brought together actions, repeated words and counting, giving children several ways to join in.

Choices also mattered. During that month, children selected activities and songs and shared their artwork with adults. Everyday tasks, including washing hands and putting resources away, gave them opportunities to practise doing things independently. These are useful experiences for the eventual move to school.

At the May 2026 inspection, Ofsted found that children made consistent progress, including those with SEND and those learning English as an additional language, and that sensitive relationships, adapted support and communication with families helped children participate and feel secure.

In May 2026, staff used visual prompts, signs, repetition and words from children's home languages to make routines easier to understand. Quieter sensory spaces offered somewhere to pause before returning to activities. Adults also worked with families and external professionals so that support strategies could be used consistently.

Health learning was practical that month: children prepared smoothies and healthy snacks, while toothbrushing resources supported discussion of oral care. These activities gave children something to do with the ideas they were learning.

The address is 208 Upper Tooting Road, London, SW17 7EW. Opening hours are 09:00 to 15:00, Monday to Friday, during term time. That makes the opening window a central consideration for families arranging care around work.

In May 2026, leaders worked with families on regular attendance and consistent routines. The emphasis was continuity for children: familiar expectations and repeated experiences across their nursery days.

• Term-time hours. The 09:00 to 15:00 opening window needs to fit the family's working day and arrangements outside term time.
• Support in practice. At a visit, how would the visual prompts and quieter sensory spaces be used for your child's communication or emotional needs?
• Further improvement. The May 2026 next steps called for a greater impact on the experiences and outcomes of disadvantaged children, children with SEND and others facing barriers. Families needing additional support should make this a central discussion point.

Olive Tree suits families whose care arrangements fit a term-time daytime opening window and who value practical play, communication and growing independence. The May 2026 area judgements were consistently Strong standard. The most useful detail is concrete: climbing, language woven into routines, and different ways for children to participate.