The Lodge Preschool and Nursery

Five rooms, a separate base for children under two and the Curiosity Approach give this Southborough Road nursery a clear shape. The named approach asks children to lead their development while practitioners support them, rather than imposing a fixed topic from above. It sits alongside the Early Years Foundation Stage, which gives each child a play-led day across the areas of learning expected in England.

The August 2021 inspection judged overall effectiveness and education Good, with behaviour and attitudes and personal development Outstanding; safeguarding arrangements were effective at that time. A later safeguarding and welfare event is important context. In January 2024, a late notification of a significant event led to a Welfare Requirements Notice about designated safeguarding lead procedures and notification timescales. By 25 January, the required actions had been met.

Rooms and Ages

The nursery describes five spacious rooms designed around different age groups and activities. Its current baby-and-toddler policy gives children under two a separate base room and says they are cared for in small groups. That is a more useful distinction for a family with a baby than a generic claim about a mixed-age nursery: the youngest children have their own home base while settling into care.

Learning and Named Experiences

The Early Years Foundation Stage is England's statutory early-years framework. In practical terms, it means children learn through play, conversation, movement and carefully chosen experiences, while practitioners use what they notice to plan a child's next steps. The Lodge layers the Curiosity Approach on top: children take the lead in their development and staff support them along the way.

In August 2021, the curriculum was planned from children's development and home experiences, with a calm space for younger children, language built into play and cosy reading areas. Children developed physical skills through tummy time, including outdoor painting for older children, and through tending a vegetable patch. These are inspection-time observations, not a promise that each activity remains on the current timetable.

Outdoor and Community Life

Outdoor play is provided in all weathers in areas within the nursery grounds. A mud kitchen and nature trail give the garden a more purposeful role than simply letting children outside between activities. In August 2021, children also had regular outdoor access to practise physical skills, a useful indication of how the site was being used at that date.

Relationships and Communication

The Lodge says it does not limit settling time and works to reduce changes of key person during a child's time there. That matters because a stable relationship is what makes handovers, routines and reassurance meaningful to a young child rather than procedural. In August 2021, children had secure bonds with their key person and familiar staff, while parents were positive about support from settling through to preparation for school.

For sleep, the baby-and-toddler policy sets out baby-monitor supervision and visual checks every 10 minutes, with more frequent checks for younger or newly settled babies. That gives a family with a particular sleep routine a precise routine to compare with its own needs.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

The SEND policy assigns a SENCO role and uses an assess-plan-do-review cycle with parents and relevant professionals. In August 2021, children with additional needs were supported effectively and children learning English as an additional language could listen to stories and songs in their home language. The policy structure gives a family a concrete route into discussing support; the dated inspection evidence shows how inclusion was put into practice then.

Food is part of the full-day arrangement: the nursery's current fees information includes breakfast, two snacks, lunch and afternoon tea. Its nutrition policy describes a rotating menu with allergens displayed alongside it. Families managing allergies will need the current menu and handling arrangements in writing.

Sessions and Attendance

Full-day care runs Monday to Friday from 7.30am to 6pm, across 51 weeks of the year. The nursery closes for Bank and Public Holidays, one week at Christmas and two training days each year. Its published plans cover one to five full days, while its usual booking rule is at least two days a week unless the manager exercises discretion.

Funding and Paid Extras

Government-funded childcare is accepted subject to availability. The funding policy describes a 50-week stretched offer, with funded weekday blocks for under-twos, two-year-olds and three- and four-year-olds. Food and non-food additional charges are shown as not applicable in that funded-offer table. Current nursery-specific prices are supplied in the provider's written quotation.

The nursery is at 88 Southborough Road, Bromley, BR1 2EN.

• The January 2024 welfare action. A late notification of a significant event resulted in a Welfare Requirements Notice on safeguarding-lead procedures and notification timescales. The actions were met by 25 January 2024. This is a resolved event, but it is later than the Good inspection and deserves a direct explanation of how safeguarding training and escalation procedures are kept current.
• Booking pattern. The published fees table includes a one-day plan for Monday or Friday, while the FAQs normally set a two-day weekly minimum except at manager discretion. Families needing only one day need the applicable rule confirmed before committing.
• Baby routines. The separate under-two base, small-group care and scheduled sleep checks make the baby offer specific enough to test against a child's own routine. Feeds, sleep and settling arrangements are the practical decision points.

The Lodge has a recognisable early-years offer rather than a generic one: five rooms, an under-two base, outdoor play in all weathers and the Curiosity Approach give families tangible things to weigh. The 2021 inspection was positive about relationships, language and physical development, but the later 2024 safeguarding and welfare action is essential context even though the required actions were met.

It is best suited to families who want full weekdays from 7.30am to 6pm across most of the year and can use a regular two-to-five-day pattern. It may also work for a Monday or Friday one-day arrangement if the nursery confirms that option under its current booking rule. Families with babies will find the separate base room and detailed sleep policy especially relevant.