Daffodils Day Nursery, Parchmore Road

Large indoor spaces and an outdoor play area give Daffodils Day Nursery, Parchmore Road its practical character. Beside Tesco in Thornton Heath, the building contains rooms arranged into different areas for play and learning, with activities changed each day. For parents, the useful distinction is between having space and how that space is used: here, both the physical layout and the daily activity arrangements form part of the offer.

The nursery has capacity for 116 children and accepts ages from 3 to 60 months. That is a whole-nursery figure, rather than the number sharing any one room. At its 18 May 2026 inspection, Ofsted assessed all six areas at Expected standard and found safeguarding standards met. This is an area-by-area assessment, which parents should read alongside the practical observations and improvement priorities below.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for children's learning, development and care. In everyday terms, this brings language, early number work, physical activity, creative play and learning to manage daily routines into the child's day.

In May 2026, older children matched words with pictures, discussed letter sounds and practised forming letters. Number learning also happened through play. With younger children, staff used bricks to compare the height of toy dinosaurs, making size and measurement something children could handle and discuss rather than simply hear explained.

Stories and songs gave younger children opportunities to talk about animals and join familiar language patterns. What's the Time, Mr. Wolf?, a counting and movement game played with staff, brought number practice into active play. These examples show how learning could move between conversation, objects and physical activity.

Creative work had a visible place too. In May 2026, children experimented with paint, chalk and collage, while their artwork was displayed across the nursery. Foam play involved making patterns and watching movement. For a child who enjoys making and experimenting, these are concrete routes into exploring materials and expressing ideas.

Outdoor and Community Life

The outdoor area is arranged for children to use throughout the year. That gives outside play a place in the nursery's everyday provision, rather than making it solely a fair-weather extra.

In May 2026, children rode bikes and used climbing apparatus, including managing steps independently. These activities offered practice in balance, movement and judging space. Outdoor equipment, however, is only one part of learning about the world: the same assessment identified too few regular opportunities to investigate natural materials and learn about nature. Parents choosing the nursery for outdoor learning should distinguish physical play from opportunities to explore living things and natural resources.

In May 2026, children sought help from staff and built friendships through shared play. Babies received cuddles, while conversations about feelings helped children put emotions into words. Familiar routines also gave the day structure: children waited at marked stopping points when moving between rooms, the dining hall and outside, including while stairs were being cleared for use.

At the May 2026 inspection, Ofsted found that staff worked with parents and other agencies to identify additional needs, adapted support and helped children with SEND make steady progress. Pictures and props supported communication for children learning English as an additional language. For families needing additional support, the relevant mechanisms are the review of individual needs, adjustments to activities and communication between adults.

Staff movement was a qualification to that picture. In May 2026, changes in which staff were working with younger children sometimes interrupted the continuity of their learning experiences. Improving consistency of practice was therefore a priority, with direct relevance for babies and toddlers who benefit from familiar adults and predictable interactions.

Mealtimes in May 2026 involved home-cooked food, attention to dietary needs and help for younger children developing feeding skills. Children also practised handwashing and toothbrushing as part of daily routines.

Parents received updates about progress and ideas for continuing learning at home in May 2026. Moving towards school involved practising independence, making choices and managing personal care. These are practical preparations for the next stage of education.

Sessions and Attendance

The nursery opens Monday to Friday, from 8am to 6pm, and operates across the year, closing for bank holidays and Christmas. That opening window gives parents a useful boundary when considering work schedules and other family commitments.

Getting There

The address is 23-27 Parchmore Road, Thornton Heath, CR7 8LY, beside Tesco. Thornton Heath station and bus links serve London and Croydon and are less than a 5 minute walk away.

Enquiries can be made by telephone on 0208 768 1212. Families arranging paid childcare should obtain a current written quotation from the nursery before committing.

• Continuity for younger children. Staff movements in May 2026 sometimes made younger children's learning less settled. During a visit, ask how familiar adults are maintained through the day and across changes of activity.
• Nature alongside active play. Bikes and climbing equipment supported movement, but regular exploration of nature needed development in May 2026. Ask how natural materials and learning about living things now feature in the day.
• The attendance and cost arrangement. The 8am to 6pm opening window needs to work with the arrangement your family actually books. Ask for a written outline covering attendance patterns, funded hours, meals and consumables alongside the quotation.

Daffodils suits families seeking care for babies through to older preschool children, with year-round opening and a Thornton Heath location close to rail and bus connections. Its large play spaces and outdoor area are useful practical assets; the May 2026 examples also give substance to the day through stories, creative materials, early number work and routines that encourage independence.

For parents of younger children, continuity of adults deserves particular attention. For those prioritising nature-based learning, the balance between outdoor physical play and exploration of the natural world is equally important. Those two questions offer a clear basis for judging whether this nursery matches a child's needs.