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Mini Willows Day Nursery

Ofsted: Good
(Oct 2023)
·
5.0(3 parent reviews) ·93 Whitehorse Lane, London, SE25 6RA · Croydon
Number of places
59 places
Age range
0–4 yrs
Last inspected
Oct 2023
Local authority
Croydon

About this day nursery

30pm, Monday to Friday, providing a vibrant and fun environment for children aged 0-4 years. Children arrive happy, settling quickly with warm greetings, hugs, and smiles from staff who build strong relationships with them.

The nursery fosters curiosity, with older babies exploring sand textures and toddlers developing fine motor skills by squishing dough. The manager implements a well-sequenced curriculum, tailored to children's interests, ensuring they build on existing knowledge and are prepared for the next stage of their learning, including toilet training, name recognition, and making choices.

Pre-schoolers engage in outdoor learning, investigating nature in the garden through bug hunts and magnifying glass observations. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive good support, with staff using picture cards for communication and employing strategies for information sharing with parents and professionals to ensure consistent care.

All children communicate confidently with staff, who utilise both verbal and non-verbal methods, including key words in children's home languages and storytelling sessions to expand vocabulary. Parents speak highly of the caring staff and the support they receive, particularly with managing their children's behaviour, and appreciate the family app for progress updates.

The nursery's latest Ofsted inspection on 24th October 2023 rated it as 'Good' overall.

What it's like

Children arrive happy and settle quickly into this vibrant, fun nursery. Staff greet them warmly and give them lots of hugs and smiles, which helps children build good relationships with them. Children play well alongside each other and learn to share toys, and are curious to explore the resources available to them.

Warm and caring staffWell-sequenced curriculumStrong parent partnershipGood SEND provisionOutdoor learning opportunitiesFocus on independence

Key facts

Opening hours

7.30am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday

Established

2019

Ofsted Inspection

Ofsted rating for Mini Willows Day Nursery

Last inspected 24 October 2023 · Kyrstie Gennoe

Safeguarding effective
Overall effectiveness
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good

What it's like to attend

Children arrive happy and settle quickly into this vibrant, fun nursery. Staff greet them warmly and give them lots of hugs and smiles, which helps children build good relationships with them. Children play well alongside each other and learn to share toys, and are curious to explore the resources available to them.

Inspector highlights

  • The manager and staff team have taken positive steps to improve the quality of education.
  • All children have an allocated key person, who knows them well.
  • Staff engage with children in their play and use observations to identify children's developmental stage and interests.
  • The care needs of the youngest children are met well.
  • All children communicate confidently with staff, who support them well using verbal and non-verbal communication.

Areas to develop

  • 1provide even greater support for the youngest children, to fully support their learning and development
  • 2strengthen strategies to support children to fully develop their listening skills.
Inspection #10293327 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report

What parents say

Verbatim quotes recorded in the Ofsted inspection

Parents speak highly of the nursery, in particular the caring staff.

They say they feel well supported, particularly in managing their children's behaviour.

Parents love the family app, which keeps them up to date with their children's progress.

Inclusion & environment

How they support every child

SEND provision

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well. Staff help them to manage their behaviour and use picture cards to support their communication. There are suitable strategies in place that support information sharing between parents and other professionals, which means there is consistency in their care.

Outdoor space

Pre-school children investigate nature in the garden. They enjoy taking part in a bug hunt and use a magnifying glass to notice the features of the various creatures they find.

Parent Reviews of Mini Willows Day Nursery

5.0
(3)
Herbie Gunnis
7 months ago

My daughter went to Mini Willows from 10 months until she entered Reception. The staff are fantastic with a genuine care for the children's wellbeing and development. They work with parents to help children navigate all the difficulties that they face as they grow and learn to share space with others. At her graduation ceremony it was clear that all the children in her group had developed excellent communication skills and were all very confident. The nursery is also committed to making sure children leave with more than the necessary level of literacy and numeracy to thrive as they transition into primary school. I highly recommend this nursery to any parent who wants to be confident that their child will be given the right environment to grow and learn at their own pace, form real friendships and develop a wide range of social skills.

Read on Google
Maresa
2 years ago

This evening my 4yo (autistic) child dropped her treasured pink plastic fish behind the fence at nursery. It's quite leafy and bushy behind there and I couldn't see it, so we had to return home without it 😢 To my utter surprise just after 7pm two of the amazing staff members a mini willows knocked at my door and delivered her toy fish. This is the type of love and care you can expect your children to receive at mini willows by their staff. Even when your children are out of their care they consider their needs and love them. If you are looking for a nursery to send your children in the Thornton Heath/South Norwood area, look no further. Mini Willows is the place for your little ones.

Read on Google

Reviews from Google for Mini Willows Day Nursery. See all on Google Maps

Inspection history

Date: July 2022

  • November 2023Good
  • October 2023Good
  • May 2023Inadequate
  • April 2023Inadequate
  • August 2022Requires improvement
  • July 2022Requires improvement

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