Brookhill Children's Centre Creche

Rain, planting and songs give Brookhill's June 2021 account its character: children caught rainfall in containers, took seeds home and used animal props during singing. These are concrete examples of learning through experiences children could explore and talk about. Brookhill Children's Centre Creche has 20 places in total, at Brookhill Childrens & Community Centre in London.

At its June 2021 inspection, Ofsted rated the provision Good and found safeguarding effective. That is a dated judgement. The children attending then were aged 2 to 4.

In June 2021, the early years foundation stage was expressed through activities that developed vocabulary, social confidence and physical skills: children discussed fruit choices, planted seeds and rode bikes. Staff used children's interests and their next learning steps to plan activities, giving everyday experiences a clear educational purpose.

Planting continued beyond the creche. Children took their seeds home and used photographs to revisit what they had done, connecting practical experience with conversation about growth. Weather also became a talking point, with staff drawing attention to thunder and the changes rain made outside.

Children could move between the indoor and outdoor areas in June 2021. A climbing bridge, bikes and parachute activities provided different ways to practise movement and following instructions. Musical instruments and animal props supported participation in songs, although quieter children sometimes needed longer to answer questions.

At the June 2021 inspection, Ofsted found that collaboration with speech and language therapists and health visitors, alongside additional funding and individual sessions in a sensory room, supported children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to make good progress. The physical space mattered: it gave staff somewhere to work individually on a child's next learning steps.

In June 2021, staff knew what their key children needed to learn next, while managers worked with families and other agencies to understand individual needs and support settling. A visual timetable helped children respond to the day's instructions. Families also received learning resources to use at home, including educational bags, extending the connection between home and the creche.

Staff support in June 2021 included supervision, team meetings and observations of practice. Access to broader professional development, including specialist training, remained an improvement priority.

The address is Brookhill Childrens & Community Centre, 130 Brookhill Road, London, SE18 6UZ. Capacity is 20 children in total; that figure is a whole-setting measure.

In June 2021, opening hours were 9.30am to 12.30pm, Monday to Friday, during term time. The creche then received funding for free early education for children aged two, three and four. These arrangements describe the provision at that date.

• Attendance fit. The June 2021 opening pattern was term-time mornings. Ask whether today's hours and attendance arrangements fit your family's routine.
• Quieter children's participation. In June 2021, some children needed more time to answer during group activities. Discuss how staff now make space for those responses.
• Staff development. Broader training access was a June 2021 improvement priority. A visit offers an opportunity to discuss how specialist development informs practice.

Brookhill merits consideration for families who value practical learning, outdoor movement and individual support. Planting, home-learning bags and the sensory room give substance to that picture. The Good judgement belongs to June 2021, and the same account identifies two useful discussion points: time for quieter children to respond and access to staff training.