Little Plums Nursery Ilkeston

Expected standard

Last inspected May 2026

Ofsted rating for Little Plums Nursery Ilkeston

Last inspected 14 May 2026

What it's like to attend

• Safeguarding standards are met, with leaders fostering an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility.
• Leaders and staff prioritise children's wellbeing, supporting their next steps in learning through consistent strategies.
• Children develop positive bonds with staff and peers, learning to take turns and share.
• Leaders have an ambitious curriculum that is well planned and differentiated for the children in their care.
• Staff adapt their teaching to support children's communication and language development.
• Leaders and staff share daily updates and next steps in learning with parents to support possible home learning.
• Leaders also organise outside agencies to develop children's physical and mental health, for example, through yoga.
• Children enjoy carefully planned visits into the local community, such as trips to local shops to buy ingredients for baking.
• The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding.
• Leaders and staff develop children's mathematical language and understanding through many interactions and routines.
• Parents provide positive feedback on the care and education provided by the setting.
• Children make positive progress in all areas of learning from their starting points.
• Leaders assess behaviour happening in the setting to put in place support and share strategies with staff and parents.
• Leaders work well with families, being flexible with timetables to support their routines.
• Leaders and staff follow up any unexplained absences in a timely manner.
• Leaders support staff in developing their professional development through training and sharing improvements.
• Leaders regularly check in on staff's wellbeing and celebrate staff's strengths.
• Children make positive progress from their starting points, developing a love of reading through daily story times and freely accessing books.
• Children also learn about different cultures and religions through well-known stories and planned activities.
• Children develop their independent skills from a young age, including self-feeding and using open cups and cutlery.
• Children enjoy accessing the outdoors for play and physical development.
• Children also develop their communication and language skills well, enjoying nursery rhymes and developing mathematical language.
• Babies are well supported in developing physical development, including practicing walking and climbing a small slide.
• Leaders and staff adapt their teaching to support the needs of the children, following their lead.
• Leaders foster staff's professional development, sharing visions and implementing improvements, including more outdoor learning opportunities.
• The setting has met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.
• The setting has met the requirements of the voluntary part of Childcare Register.

• 1Leaders should support staff to give children enough time to think and respond to staff's questions to support their communication and language skills.
• 2Leaders should support staff to help babies and young children to listen and attend, particularly during story times.