Fennies Sanderstead, Church Way

A Garden Room, a teepee and a garden area for babies give Fennies Sanderstead, Church Way a recognisable outdoor character. Older children have space to move between indoor learning and the garden, while the youngest have an outdoor area of their own. That separation matters across a nursery accepting children aged 3 to 60 months.

At its 29 August 2025 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and found safeguarding effective, with learning planned in a clear sequence and adapted to include children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The strongest practical attractions are the garden, personalised introductions for new starters and direct communication with a child's key person through the parent app.

Standard days and a paid Early Start option serve families with different morning routines.

Rooms and Ages

Explorers, for children aged 3-18 months, centres on hands-on discovery in a bright room, giving babies opportunities to investigate through play. Inventors, for children aged 3+ years, uses the Garden Room for creative learning, with free-flow access connecting indoor and outdoor activity.

The outdoor layout adds useful variety. A teepee gives the garden a recognisable feature, alongside a dedicated baby area and a water feature. For families comparing environments, the important distinction is between space for the youngest children and the indoor-outdoor connection for older children, rather than treating the garden as one undifferentiated play area.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the framework for learning, development and care: here, children build skills through play and exploration. It is the foundation of the nursery day, rather than an extra programme.

In August 2025, babies investigated sand and mixtures of cornflour and paint, exploring how different materials felt. Older children handled a Giant African land snail, searched for other snails outdoors and linked their discoveries to stories and initial sounds. These examples show how a concrete experience can lead into language and early literacy, rather than keeping those activities separate.

Physical play also had specific equipment behind it in August 2025. Babies practised walking and used steps leading to a slide; older children worked on movement and balance with bicycles, hoops and stepping buckets. Those are useful examples for parents weighing how much of the day involves active exploration.

Outdoor and Community Life

Outings respond to the weather and children's learning, rather than following a fixed frequency. Previous destinations include shops, farms, fire stations and libraries. The practical value is the connection with what children are investigating: an outing extends an interest beyond the nursery rooms.

Relationships and Communication

New starters have personalised settling sessions and a gradual introduction planned with parents. This gives the family a role in building familiar routines from the outset, rather than expecting every child to settle through the same timetable.

In August 2025, key persons gathered detailed information with families before children started, and staff encouraged children to attempt everyday tasks for themselves. Emotional learning included understanding feelings and considering the effect of actions on other children. These are concrete elements of care, alongside the learning activities.

The parent app provides updates during the day about activities and development, with a direct communication channel to the child's key person. Room changes are supported by a structured transition programme and continuing contact with parents. For a family whose child is moving into a new room, that contact offers a way to follow the change rather than hearing about it only afterwards.

At the August 2025 inspection, Ofsted identified two weaknesses: families did not consistently receive sufficiently detailed next steps for learning at home, and baby-room staff did not consistently plan and demonstrate accurate pronunciation. App updates and useful learning guidance are different things. The latter needs to explain what a child is working towards and how parents can help.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

In August 2025, leaders contacted other professionals and made referrals for children needing additional support. Staff also used reminders and their own behaviour to help children manage emotions and share resources; deployment across rooms supported supervision. These describe the arrangements at that time, rather than promising an identical experience for every child today.

Meals are cooked on the premises by the nursery's chef, with drinks, snacks, breakfast, lunch and tea included in private fees. Funded attendance has a separate food supplement, discussed below.

Sessions and Attendance

The standard day runs from 7.45am to 6pm. Early Start is a separately charged addition from 7am to 7.45am, so an earlier morning start changes the charge as well as the routine.

Attendance runs across the year, with closures for bank holidays and the Christmas period. Monthly invoices arrive before the following month, and payment is due before its first day. Fee reviews take place in July, with changes applied to the September invoice, making the timing relevant when comparing quotations for an autumn start.

Getting There

The address is Beech House School, 15 Church Way, South Croydon, CR2 0JT. Dedicated buggy sheds provide a practical option for families bringing a pushchair.

Enquiries go through the admissions team by telephone on 0208 770 3222, email at enquiries@fennies.com or the contact form. The waiting list is free to join; tours are typically offered when a space becomes available, with open days providing another visiting route.

Funding and Paid Extras

The nursery accepts government childcare funding, including 15 and 30 hours free childcare for working families, subject to eligibility. Private attendance is also offered. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

Private fees include food and non-food care items, including wipes, nappies and suncream. For funded attendance, food and consumables attract separate voluntary supplements, already incorporated into the quoted fee structure; families wishing to supply their own items instead arrange a discussion with the manager about the relevant policies.

A deposit is deducted from the first month's fees. The registration charge is non-refundable, but does not apply to children taking a funded-only placement. Late payments attract an administration charge, another reason to compare the payment terms alongside the attendance pattern.

• Baby-room language. Accurate pronunciation during planned activities was an August 2025 improvement point. On a visit, ask how staff now plan language experiences for the youngest children.
• Learning beyond the app. August 2025 findings distinguished everyday updates from guidance for learning at home. Ask to see how a child's next steps are explained to parents.
• Funded attendance costs. Food and consumables have voluntary supplements, with a route to discuss supplying items yourself. Compare a written quotation for your intended pattern, including any Early Start addition.
• Visit timing. Tours are generally tied to a space becoming available, while open days offer another route. Use the admissions enquiry to discuss the visiting options.

Fennies Sanderstead, Church Way suits families seeking garden access, a gradual settling process and contact with a key person through the day. Its standard day and paid Early Start addition accommodate both later and earlier morning starts.

The Garden Room and separate baby garden area give the environment substance. The decision also deserves attention to baby-room language practice and the usefulness of learning guidance sent home, the two August 2025 improvement points. For funded attendance, the quotation needs to be read alongside the food and consumables supplements.