Fennies South Croydon, St Augustine's Avenue

Fennies Station for pretend play, monthly artist activities and books to borrow give this South Croydon nursery a recognisable character. Fennies South Croydon, St Augustine's Avenue has capacity for 72 children, accepting babies from three months through to five years. Its rooms take children from early sensory exploration to preparation for school.

At its April 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good, finding effective safeguarding and tailored support that helped children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) progress. That judgement needs to be read alongside later safeguarding action: repeated issues involving staff procedures and handling children make the subsequent history material to a family's decision.

Personalised settling sessions and communication through Famly, the parent app, connect home with nursery life. Standard full-day childcare and separately arranged early sessions cater for different working routines.

Rooms and Ages

Explorers Room, for babies aged 3 to 18 months, combines sensory experiences and early movement with familiar routines around sleep and feeding, with one adult to three babies. The practical emphasis is on learning about the surroundings while keeping everyday care predictable.

Discoverers Room, for 18 to 24 months, encourages movement and communication, with mealtime routines and the beginnings of toileting supporting growing independence. Small everyday tasks become part of learning.

Creators Room, for children aged two to three years, brings together role play, sensory activities and early mark-making, with bathroom facilities inside the room supporting toilet training. Children also take on small responsibilities at mealtimes, linking independence with daily routines.

Inventors Room, for three to five years, combines early number work and literacy with STEAM activities and freely accessible resources to support preparation for school. Materials connected with everyday life give children something concrete to explore and discuss.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the framework for learning through play, including communication, physical development and growing independence. Alongside it sits the group-wide Fennies Pedagogy, with an emphasis on curiosity and emotional development. The named approach is only part of the picture; the activities children actually encounter matter more.

A visiting art specialist brings the group-wide Artist of the Month initiative to South Croydon, introducing a different artist each month and activities connected with their work. This gives creative play a recurring subject. The Lending Library lets families borrow books, carrying reading beyond the nursery day rather than keeping it within the setting.

In April 2023, older children made boards to organise their own play choices, while Spanish songs gave them opportunities to recall familiar vocabulary. Floor books prompted conversations about past learning, with children reading captions as they revisited activities. These examples show how choice, memory and language were woven into play at that time; they are dated examples rather than a promise of today's timetable.

Outdoor and Community Life

The garden includes a water feature and Fennies Station, a setting for role play. Outdoor play forms part of daily routines, with opportunities to climb, run and investigate. There is room for both movement and imagination.

In April 2023, children experimented with pumping water, operating levers and directing the flow through pipes, while older children balanced along routes made from crates. The same period brought an important limitation: younger children were sometimes steered away from activities that could have helped them practise judging manageable risks.

Trips include visits to the local library, with the choice and number of outings depending on weather and learning themes. Previous destinations have included shops, farms and fire stations. These are experiences beyond the nursery, rather than a fixed weekly programme.

Relationships and Communication

Settling sessions are adapted to the individual child. Children become familiar with practitioners, routines and spaces gradually, while parents stay involved through contact with their child's key person. That gives families a specific relationship through which to discuss the transition, rather than relying solely on general updates.

Famly carries photographs, milestones, nursery news and information about daily routines. For parents, its value is practical: it connects the details of a child's day with conversations at home. Everyday discussions with practitioners complement the app.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

Regional inclusion support covers children with additional needs and those learning English as an additional language. The specialist team includes an inclusion role alongside education and art support, giving practitioners access to help beyond their immediate room team.

In April 2023, quieter children did not consistently receive enough encouragement during group activities, with more outspoken children drawing staff attention. Improving their confidence to contribute was an explicit development priority. This matters for a child who participates quietly but needs an adult to make space for their voice.

Ofsted's December 2024 outcome covered changes to dietary records, mealtime staff deployment and respectful handling, while its December 2025 outcome addressed repeated safeguarding procedure concerns, including safe handling, and recorded that action had been taken to put matters right. These are dated outcomes, not a new inspection grade or an assurance about current practice.

The kitchen team cooks fresh meals each day, accommodating dietary requirements, and menus change twice a year with the seasons. Food preparation is part of the nursery's daily operation; families managing an allergy should discuss the current arrangements directly during their visit.

Sessions and Attendance

Opening hours are 7:45am to 6:00pm, Monday to Friday. Full-day childcare is offered, with early sessions starting at 7:00am by arrangement with the manager. The earlier start is a separate arrangement, so it should be part of planning a working-day routine.

The nursery operates across the year, closing for bank holidays and the Christmas period. Enrolment can take place throughout the year. Enquiries go through the admissions team at enquiries@fennies.com or 0208 770 3222, and tours can be booked through that route.

Getting There

The address is 1 St. Augustines Avenue, South Croydon, CR2 6BA. Buggy storage and a designated pick-up and drop-off area support families bringing children on foot or by car.

Funding and Paid Extras

Government-funded childcare is accepted, including 15 and 30 hours free childcare for working families, subject to eligibility. Private childcare is also offered, and current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

A non-refundable registration charge applies when securing a place, except for children attending a funded-only placement; a deposit is deducted from the first month's fees. Joining the waiting list carries no charge. These are separate parts of the booking arrangements, so the funded-only registration exception should be kept distinct from the deposit terms.

• Repeated safeguarding action. The December 2024 and December 2025 outcomes both involved handling children and staff practice, with corrective action recorded. On a visit, ask how those changes are checked and maintained across the team.
• Quiet voices and younger explorers. The April 2023 development priorities concerned quieter children's contribution and opportunities for younger children to take manageable risks. Ask to see how practitioners now support both within group and garden activities.
• An early working start. Standard opening begins at 7:45am, while 7:00am sessions require an arrangement with the manager. Include that arrangement in the booking discussion if an early start is essential.
• Dietary needs and the quotation. Meals are prepared daily and tailored to dietary requirements. For an allergy-affected child, confirm current mealtime practice and request one written breakdown covering funded attendance, meals and non-food consumables.

Fennies South Croydon suits families seeking full days or arranged early sessions, with continuity from baby care through to preschool. Its strongest practical attractions are the progression through its rooms, the garden's opportunities for active and imaginative play, and the connection between nursery and home through settling sessions, Famly and borrowed books.

The decision also requires close attention to staff practice. The April 2023 Good judgement sits alongside repeated later safeguarding action, even though corrective steps were recorded. A useful visit should therefore examine how those changes work in daily care, as carefully as it considers the rooms and learning activities.