Stonecroft Under 5's Centre

Stonecroft Under 5's Centre pairs an ambitious early-years curriculum with unusually concrete creative and practical work. Ofsted rated it Outstanding at its February 2022 inspection, when children filmed and edited their own play, made ravioli and helped create a cookbook for families. Those examples show learning built around real projects rather than isolated exercises.

The Hornsey centre at 100 Priory Road cares for children aged two to four and has capacity for 55 children. Its local-authority ownership and long history in Haringey give it a clear community identity.

In February 2022, Ofsted found that leaders set demanding learning goals and staff adapted teaching to children's individual development. In everyday terms, the EYFS joins communication, physical development, personal growth, literacy, mathematics, expressive work and understanding the world through purposeful play.

The strongest examples were memorable. Children followed spoken instructions and recognised quantities while making ravioli, then contributed to a cookbook shared with parents. They used cameras to record their surroundings and film themselves playing before learning to edit footage with professional support. Story mapping around The Three Billy Goats Gruff developed vocabulary, emotional understanding and alternative endings.

Physical development also had substance. Children used pulleys and ropes to move heavy objects, strengthening core muscles, while small-muscle and mark-making activities prepared them for later writing. Visits to older people at a nearby care home connected learning with Hornsey's wider community.

Children settled confidently at handover and trusted the practitioners caring for them. Practitioners modelled language carefully, helping children with limited vocabulary and those learning English as an additional language to make rapid progress. Staff also supported children with special educational needs and disabilities to progress from their individual starting points.

Safeguarding arrangements were also judged effective. Staff understood child-protection procedures, training was current, risk assessments were detailed and safer recruitment processes were in place. Children also developed independence by putting on coats, tidying after activities and negotiating space safely while building together.

Stonecroft is at 100 Priory Road, Hornsey, London N8 7HR. In February 2022 it offered full-day care from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, for 48 weeks a year. These are dated operating details, so families should check the current full-day pattern before applying.

The 2022 report recorded funded early education for children aged two, three and four. Eligibility depends on the relevant government rules and the centre's current arrangements. Families need a current written quotation for private hours and any charges connected with meals, consumables or activities.

• Current attendance patterns. The 2022 report recorded the daily opening window, but not the session patterns families could book. Ask which full-day or shorter patterns are currently sold and how funded hours can be scheduled.
• Costs around funded hours. Funding participation was recorded in 2022, while the treatment of meals, consumables and optional activities was not set out. Request a written breakdown for the pattern you need.
• Room organisation. The evidence gives the centre-wide age range but no named room structure. During a visit, ask where your child's age group spends its day and how groups are organised.

The 2022 report describes a centre where language, technology, cooking, physical challenge and community contact were woven into children's learning with unusual purpose. The film-making and ravioli projects are the details that make the educational approach memorable, while secure relationships and strong communication practice add depth.

This is a compelling option for Hornsey families seeking care from age two with a strong inspected curriculum. It suits parents who value project-based learning and community experiences, who need a full-day pattern, but the current charge structure needs to be established directly before deciding.