Peppermint Nursery

A community-centre setting gives Peppermint Nursery its character. Based at Peppermint Community Centre in Valley Park, Croydon, it combines a term-time timetable with an emphasis on relationships, conversation and learning through practical play. Its capacity is 44 children, with a current age range of 20 to 60 months.

At its February 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good, judged safeguarding effective and found that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) received effective support. The detail behind that judgement matters: staff knew families well, helped children settle gradually and used everyday play to develop communication. There were also clear improvements to make in key-person communication, questioning and oversight of teaching.

Morning, afternoon and term-time day sessions give families different ways to organise attendance.

Rooms and Ages

The 2 Year old Room and 3 and 4 Year old Room separate the younger and older stages of the nursery. That distinction gives parents a useful starting point for understanding their child's day and the move between age groups.

In February 2024, learning was organised around children's existing abilities and what they needed to practise next. Staff used their knowledge of individual children to build on earlier learning, rather than expecting everyone to tackle the same challenge in the same way. This is a useful distinction for children developing at different speeds.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage sets the framework for children's learning, development and care: everyday play supports communication, physical development and relationships alongside wider learning. At Peppermint, the February 2024 emphasis was on those foundations, with staff talking with children during play, including conversations about their families.

Practical activity gave children something concrete to discuss and manipulate. In February 2024, making play dough helped them exercise their hands and arms. Staff also used visual routines and familiar words from children's home languages to help children learning English understand what was happening. These approaches connect language with actions and experiences, rather than relying only on spoken instructions.

The limitation was questioning. In February 2024, staff did not consistently use questions that helped children develop their own explanations and ideas. Conversation was part of the day, but extending children's thinking needed more attention.

Outdoor and Community Life

Outdoor space was used daily in February 2024, with equipment and resources supporting larger movements. The game What's the time, Mr Wolf? brought older children and practitioners together for movement, listening and responding. Outdoor play therefore had a place in the learning day, rather than being treated simply as a break.

The February 2024 account also described visits from local police officers. Meeting people who work in the community gave children an experience beyond their usual nursery relationships. The community-centre address is part of Peppermint's identity; these visits added a direct connection to people working locally.

Relationships and Communication

In February 2024, new children had an introductory visit and settled at a pace suited to them and their parents. Staff interacted gently and children turned to them for reassurance. For a child finding separation difficult, that gradual introduction offers a more personal starting point than an abrupt first session.

Daily conversations with parents covered children's experiences and ways to continue learning at home in February 2024. However, some parents did not understand who their child's key person was or what that role involved. The nursery needed to make that relationship clearer, so families knew which practitioner held particular responsibility for supporting their child.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

In February 2024, the special educational needs coordinator worked with families and outside agencies to arrange professional help promptly. Activities were adapted to children's needs, and information was shared with staff so support could shape everyday practice. Those mechanisms are more useful to understand than a broad promise of inclusion.

Predictable routines also helped children understand expectations in February 2024. Handwashing was practised around eating, toileting and messy activities, linking independence with familiar parts of the day. Children had opportunities to manage these routines themselves with staff encouragement.

Oversight of staff practice remained an improvement point in February 2024. Monitoring needed to become more effective so that teaching was consistently good across the team. Families should weigh that finding alongside the positive account of relationships and individual support.

Sessions and Attendance

Peppermint operates during term time for 38 weeks of the year and closes during school holidays. It also closes on bank holidays and for four training days each year, with training dates communicated at the beginning of the school year. Morning sessions run from 9am to noon; afternoon sessions run from 12.30pm to 3.30pm. The 30 hour spaces use a 9am to 3pm daily pattern, giving a longer term-time option alongside the shorter sessions.

Getting There

The address is Peppermint Community Centre, Franklin Way, Valley Park, Croydon, CR0 4YD. Nursery enquiries go to peppermint-admin@acorns2oaks.net, keeping childcare correspondence separate from bookings for the centre's other uses.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered on a term-time basis, including the 30 hour spaces. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation, which should distinguish the booked attendance pattern from any additional charges.

Families can bring packed lunches, with reheating subject to consent and food-handling requirements; the packed-lunch policy prohibits food sharing and excludes nuts from lunches. For younger children, parents supply wipes, nappies, nappy cream and formula milk, so these items remain part of the family's preparation for nursery.

• Opening time. The handbook's 9am start differs from the brochure's 8am start. Ask which opening time applies to your intended attendance pattern before relying on early care.
• Key-person contact. In February 2024, some parents were unclear about their child's key person. During a visit, ask how that practitioner is introduced and how you will communicate with them.
• Teaching consistency. February 2024 improvement points covered questioning and monitoring staff practice. Ask for examples of how practitioners now encourage children's own ideas and how the manager reviews teaching.
• Lunch and allergies. Packed lunches are supported under rules covering nuts, food sharing and reheating. Allergy-affected families should confirm current handling arrangements and discuss their child's needs before attendance.

Peppermint suits families seeking morning or afternoon nursery sessions, as well as those wanting the longer term-time day pattern. Its community-centre base and February 2024 account of gradual settling, practical play and individual support give it a clear identity.

The balance is positive, with specific reservations. Key-person communication, questioning and monitoring teaching were the areas needing attention in February 2024. For families whose childcare needs follow school terms, the combination of shorter sessions and a longer daytime option makes Peppermint a practical setting to consider.