CurioCity Childcare

Children’s interests set the direction at CurioCity Childcare: projects grow from their ideas, cooking uses ingredients grown by the nursery, and weekly outings take learning beyond the setting. This Islington nursery has capacity for 45 children, with an accepted age range of 3 to 60 months. Its character rests on exploration rather than a day built entirely around adult instructions.

At its May 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and judged safeguarding effective. That dated judgement provides a useful starting point, alongside two teaching priorities: extending children’s discoveries during adult-directed activities and making group learning work better for younger children.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children’s learning, development and care. In May 2022, this took concrete form through songs and stories that developed communication, movement using tunnels and gymnastic rings, and routines such as filling water bottles and serving food that built independence. CurioCity adds a Reggio Emilia inspired approach, expressed here through learning led by children and hands-on experiences involving nature. In The Moment Planning gives this a practical form: children’s interests become the starting point for projects.

There is also a Language Club, which encourages engagement with language and different cultures. Spanish and Mandarin sit alongside cooking club, sports, and yoga and mindfulness club in the activity offer. These give children different ways to participate, from movement to making food, rather than relying on one kind of activity throughout the day.

In May 2022, singing and storytelling were everyday activities, while older children played with letter sounds and searched for objects beginning with a particular sound. Home languages also featured in group learning: children shared counting in French, English and Lithuanian. This gave their existing language knowledge a place in the nursery day.

The same month, a water activity illustrated both the appeal of exploration and the teaching work still needed. Children became interested in filling containers and their measurement markings, but staff did not develop that discovery further. Younger children also spent too long sitting in some group activities and lost interest. The issue was how adults responded to curiosity and adjusted shared activities to children’s ages.

Outdoor and Community Life

Weekly outings include walks and visits to farms, theatres, museums, zoos and London attractions. That makes experiences away from the nursery part of the offer, rather than an occasional special event. Growing ingredients for children to cook with provides another concrete connection between nature and daily activities.

Physical exploration featured in May 2022 too: babies crawled through tunnels, while preschool children used gymnastic rings. These were different challenges for different stages, with opportunities to explore movement as well as language and imaginative play.

In May 2022, key people handled children’s personal care and stayed close as babies settled to sleep. Familiar adults therefore linked play, care and rest. Mealtimes also gave children opportunities to practise doing things themselves: they served food and passed dishes around, while learning to fill their own water bottles helped them manage thirst independently.

At the May 2022 inspection, Ofsted found that communication with parents supported children’s development, links with external professionals helped children needing additional support, and visual prompts and repeated language supported children learning English. These are concrete support mechanisms, rather than a general promise that every need will be met in the same way.

Fresh meals are made daily by a trained cook, with organic ingredients used when possible. The all-inclusive packages cover food and drinks, as well as formula, Pampers nappies and wipes, reducing the everyday supplies families need to bring under those packages.

Sessions and Attendance

Standard opening hours run from 8am to 6pm; the extended option runs from 7:30am to 6:30pm and carries an additional charge. CurioCity operates for 51 weeks each year, closes between Christmas and New Year, and finishes at 1pm on Christmas Eve. The longer opening option gives families another way to accommodate work commitments, while the festive closure still needs planning around.

Getting There

The address is 55 Tealby Court, Georges Road, London, N7 8HY. Telephone enquiries can be made on 02076095577, and a tour-booking route is offered.

Funding and Paid Extras

In May 2022, the nursery provided funded early education for children aged two, three and four. That is a dated funding position, rather than a promise about a family’s entitlement today.

The all-inclusive packages include activities and outings alongside meals, drinks and the care supplies described above. Extended hours have a separate charge. Families should obtain current prices in a written quotation, with the package and attendance hours clearly identified.

• Teaching that follows curiosity. In May 2022, adults missed an opportunity to explore children’s interest in measurements, and some group activities outlasted younger children’s attention. During a visit, ask how staff now extend spontaneous discoveries and adapt group learning for the youngest children.
• Funding and package boundaries. The funded provision described in May 2022 and the all-inclusive packages are different parts of the offer. How would current funded hours, food, consumables and any additional private hours fit together for your child?
• Extended hours and Christmas. The longer opening option costs extra, and Christmas Eve ends at 1pm before the Christmas–New Year closure. These arrangements matter when matching childcare to work and holiday cover.

CurioCity suits families drawn to projects shaped by children’s interests, language activities, cooking and weekly outings. Its standard-hours and extended-hours options serve different working schedules, while all-inclusive packages bring food and everyday care supplies together. The May 2022 Good judgement is balanced by specific teaching improvements, making the response to children’s curiosity and the experience of younger children useful priorities for a visit.