Ofsted has updated the way nurseries are inspected from 2025, with clearer report cards that show simple grades alongside short explanations of what each setting does well and where it can improve.

Nurseries are now graded on a five-point scale,  Exceptional, Strong Standard, Expected Standard, Needs Attention and Urgent Improvement, across key areas such as teaching, early years care, children’s progress, inclusion, leadership, wellbeing, and behaviour.

Monkey Puzzle Battersea’s most recent Ofsted report was published on the 14th May 2026, confirming that safeguarding standards are met and that children’s safety and wellbeing remain a top priority. Inspectors recognised the significant changes leaders and staff have made since the previous inspection, including a stronger curriculum, an embedded culture of inclusion, and improved training and support across the team. Parents and carers can read the full Ofsted report below to see the inspectors’ findings in their own words.

Warm, trusting relationships between staff and children sit at the heart of daily life at the nursery, giving children the emotional security to explore and learn. Staff know the children well and stay attentive to their changing needs, recognising when a child is hungry, tired or simply in need of a cuddle and some reassurance. Parents and carers are kept up to date both in person and through the nursery’s online system, making it easy to share anything that might help staff support a child’s wellbeing.

Children follow established hygiene routines and show growing independence, washing their hands with soap before mealtimes. Staff have completed training in safer eating and safer sleeping, strengthening the arrangements that keep every child safe. Adults sit with children at snack and mealtimes so that everyone is supervised while eating, and food is prepared appropriately for each child’s age and stage of development to avoid potential choking hazards. Meals are nutritious, and children learn why fruit and vegetables matter. Physical activity is encouraged through sessions such as yoga and dance, supporting children’s physical and mental wellbeing, and staff monitor children while they sleep.

Staff support every child to make progress from their own starting point, with children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) benefiting from tailored additional support. This helps them build on what they already know and prepares them for future learning and the eventual move to school.

All children are encouraged to be independent and to try new things for themselves. Children who are less keen to get their hands messy are gently supported to extend their sensory skills through water, soil, shaving foam and cornflour, using their hands and a range of tools to transfer between containers and refine their small muscle control and accuracy.

Children show real resilience. They build towers, watch them fall, and start again with determination. Older children write their own names and proudly share their achievements with staff. Children are encouraged to express their views and talk about the stories they share, and inspectors noted that children in the toddler room would benefit from a little more time to think and respond to questions, further strengthening their communication skills.

The key-person system helps children build positive relationships and develop emotional security. Staff teach children about different emotions and help them understand how their behaviour affects others, using praise, encouragement and positive manners throughout the day. Gentle reminders help children learn to share and take turns, and children with SEND receive additional support to manage their behaviour and regulate their feelings. Staff are respectful during toileting routines and talk to babies before changing their nappies.

Children know the daily routine well and understand what is expected of them. Staff use now-and-next reminders to help children stay focused, and children concentrate well and show a positive attitude to their learning, enjoying activities alongside their peers as they share resources and take turns. Leaders follow up on every absence to check on children’s wellbeing, helping to establish habits that matter for future learning.

Mealtime routines are in place across all rooms and staff understand their roles. Inspectors noted that when plans change, babies can be left waiting too long for their dessert, and this is an area the team is addressing so that mealtimes remain the enjoyable social occasion they should be.

Leaders and staff have improved both the quality and the delivery of the curriculum for all children, including those with SEND, since the last inspection. Staff are clear about what they want children to know and learn, and sequence the curriculum so that each stage builds on what has come before. They observe children at play and track their progress to make sure everyone is ready for the next step in their learning.

Mathematics runs through the curriculum in ways suited to each age and stage. Babies enjoy number rhymes and counting as they share stories, while older children extend their number skills and explore weight, shape and measure through water play, role play and planting vegetables. Children use tools and resources that develop their fine motor skills, and explore a range of celebrations that introduce different religions, languages and cultures, helping them understand others and appreciate what makes each person unique. Physical activity builds children’s balance and coordination.

Staff promote communication and language well, sparking conversations, providing commentary, introducing new words, sharing stories and singing with children. Inspectors identified two areas to develop further: giving children in the toddler room consistent time to think and answer questions, and initiating more back-and-forth interaction with younger babies to encourage babbling and early sounds.

Recent changes at the nursery have embedded a culture of inclusion across the curriculum. Staff have completed training to strengthen their knowledge and skills in supporting children with SEND and those who may face barriers to their learning. Progress checks are completed for all children between the ages of two and three, and staff work with leaders to identify anyone who needs additional help to close gaps in their learning. Referrals to other professionals are now made promptly, and staff plan children’s next steps and produce individual education plans that are shared with parents and carers.

Staff hold high expectations for every child and tailor their teaching and activities so that all children benefit and continue to learn. Children with SEND, and those who need extra help with communication and language, work in small groups with staff to build vocabulary, pronunciation and social interaction, growing in confidence as communicators. Additional funding is used to purchase resources that aid learning for children with SEND and has had a positive impact on their progress.

Leaders have reflected carefully on practice at the nursery and made significant changes since the last inspection. Previous actions have been addressed and safeguarding has been made a clear priority. All staff have completed training and fully understand their roles and responsibilities in keeping children safe, policies and procedures are in place, and every member of the team knows what to do if they have a concern about a child’s welfare. Staff are deployed effectively to maintain ratios, and children are supervised by qualified staff, including those holding a paediatric first-aid qualification.

Safer recruitment procedures are followed, and new staff complete an induction alongside ongoing supervision sessions where they can raise concerns and discuss their professional development. Leaders have strengthened partnership working with parents, carers and other professionals. Parents say they are happy with the service and that staff keep them updated on their children’s next steps, along with ideas for continuing that learning at home.

Leaders support staff wellbeing and have introduced non-contact time to help the team manage their workloads. Inspectors noted this is not yet working as intended in the baby room, where staff would like further help to manage their workloads and fully meet the needs of the additional babies, and leaders are addressing this.

Children arrive happy at this welcoming nursery. Friendly staff greet them at the door and they settle quickly into their rooms to start the day. An effective key-person system helps children form deep attachments and feel safe and secure, and parents and carers are encouraged to share updates so that staff can fully support each child’s wellbeing.

Staff hold high expectations for every child, including those with SEND, and plan a curriculum designed to meet all children’s needs. Children are encouraged to become independent, showing their skills as they take off their coats, feed themselves and manage their own toileting. Babies respond well to encouragement as they take their first steps, shake musical instruments and turn the pages of books.

A wide range of activities supports learning across the curriculum. Older children learn about oral health and limiting sugar, talking with staff about visits to the dentist and practising on model teeth. Younger children develop fine motor skills pouring water between containers and digging in the sand. Babies explore different textures in sensory play and build their physical skills on the steps and slide, while older children balance on blocks and work together on the rockers to develop balance and coordination.

Children develop a genuine love of books and early reading. They choose books independently to share with staff and enjoy taking books home. Staff adapt their teaching to each age and stage, talking about the pictures with babies, encouraging toddlers to join in with repetitive text, and asking older children questions that extend their thinking.