Lisson Grove Creche

Library outings through a street market gave Lisson Grove Creche's children something concrete to talk about: fruit, journeys and the world beyond their play. That was part of its May 2022 daily life, when community outings featured prominently.

At its 13 May 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated the provision Good, judged safeguarding effective and found that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities received effective support and children made progress from their starting points. The creche has 20 places in total; the children attending in May 2022 were aged 1 to 8.

The early years foundation stage covers learning, development and care: in May 2022, children built vocabulary during craft activities, explored numbers through play and practised climbing and balancing in community play areas. In May 2022, staff organised learning around children's interests and used selected books to build on what children already understood.

Weekly library outings took children through the street market. In May 2022, these journeys prompted conversations about fruit, while other outings sparked discussion of bus numbers and destinations.

Outdoor experiences extended beyond walks. In May 2022, children practised balancing and climbing in community parks and play areas, and visited the canal to watch wildlife and passing boats. Comparing cranes with nearby buildings also brought ideas about size into their play.

In May 2022, younger children formed close relationships with their key person, while older children approached staff to share ideas and achievements. Children also sought comfort from adults, making those relationships useful for reassurance as well as conversation.

Language work included introducing vocabulary during craft activities and using children's home languages alongside English. In May 2022, staff worked with other agencies involved in children's care and learning, and used parents' initial information to plan subsequent learning.

Books travelled home too. In May 2022, parents received information about care routines and regular storybooks, giving families a shared activity beyond the creche day.

The address is Westminster Adult Education Service, 219 Lisson Grove, London, NW8 8LW.

In May 2022, opening hours ran from 9am until 5pm on weekdays, with an early bird session starting at 8.20am. Funding was offered for children aged two, three and four at that time.

• Stretching learning. In May 2022, Ofsted identified missed opportunities to extend children's learning and insufficient communication about their next learning steps. Both matter when judging how everyday activities become purposeful learning.
• Learning beyond the creche. Storybooks went home in May 2022, but sharing the next learning steps needed attention. At a visit, how are those steps now explained to parents?

The May 2022 picture suits families who value community outings, books and close adult relationships. Its weekday opening window and earlier-start session offered different starting arrangements. The strongest decision point is how effectively those everyday experiences are extended into learning and shared with home.