Eltham Green School Nursery

A small ramp for climbing and books to borrow gave Eltham Green School Nursery a practical, recognisable character in March 2023: physical exploration sat alongside stories that could continue at home. Today, it has capacity for 30 children aged 3 to 60 months at Teynham House in London.

At its March 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and found safeguarding effective, while identifying two priorities: more room for children to express their ideas and more opportunity to attempt tasks independently. Those are useful questions about everyday adult interaction, rather than extra activities.

In March 2023, children used three age-based rooms, with equipment supporting their play. Babies practised coordination on a small ramp; outdoors, children painted a wall with water and brushes and played in puddles. These were simple opportunities to explore movement and materials.

The early years foundation stage sets expectations for children's learning, development and care, connecting play with communication, physical skills and growing independence. In March 2023, counting had practical uses, including preparing to go outdoors, while stories introduced vocabulary. A lending library let children take books home, extending shared reading beyond the nursery day.

During that month, staff used animal play and songs to encourage speech. Adults sometimes supplied answers themselves or left too little space for conversational turns, however. Children needed longer to put their own thoughts into words. Curriculum changes were also being developed, with staff training supporting that work.

In March 2023, the key-person arrangement connected individual children with adults who supported their next learning steps. A two-week settling period gave staff time to learn about families and children before shaping their care. Familiarity mattered here.

Communication that month included newsletters, parents' evenings, open days and a parents-only social media account. Staff worked with families and external agencies when children needed additional learning support. Managers reviewed training needs termly and demonstrated practice in the rooms.

Also in March 2023, children practised sharing, turn-taking and consideration for others. Adults helped with coats and toileting, but sometimes intervened before children had enough time to try. The improvement priority was clear: support should leave space for effort.

The address is Teynham House, 41 Alderwood Road, London SE9 2LR. Opening hours are 07:45 to 17:30, Monday to Friday, during term time; the nursery closes for school holidays. Holiday childcare therefore needs a separate plan.

• Term-time attendance. School-holiday closure is part of the operating pattern. Families needing continuous childcare should factor those breaks into their arrangements.
• Space to speak and try. The March 2023 improvement priorities concerned conversational turns and independent tasks. These everyday interactions matter when weighing the nursery's approach to learning.
• Planning a place. Which attendance patterns and funded-hour arrangements can you book for a term-time place?

Eltham Green School Nursery suits families whose childcare needs fit term-time opening. Its March 2023 picture combined practical play, home reading and a settling period built around getting to know families. The important qualification is equally concrete: adults needed to give children more time to speak and do things themselves. That balance provides a useful basis for a family's decision.