New River Green Childrens Centre

Frogspawn, textured tiles and story maps give New River Green Childrens Centre a recognisable character. In April 2023, children investigated the garden pond while a bear-hunt theme connected babies’ sensory exploration with older children’s understanding of position and direction. Learning had concrete starting points.

Ofsted rated the centre Outstanding on 3 April 2023, finding that children sustained their attention, tackled challenges and made excellent progress, including those with SEND and those learning English as an additional language. The centre is in Islington and accepts children from 6 to 60 months, with 91 places in total.

In April 2023, the curriculum followed children’s interests and stages of development. The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for learning, development and care; here, play and themed activities connected those requirements to things children could explore, discuss and make.

During the bear-hunt theme, babies crawled or walked across tiles with different textures. Older children drew maps and took the story outdoors into the garden. The same starting point therefore supported different experiences according to age, rather than requiring everyone to tackle an identical task.

Conversation was woven into activities in April 2023. Practitioners described what children were doing, posed questions with several possible answers and allowed thinking time. Makaton supported understanding. Visual timetables helped children anticipate routines and changes, making the sequence of the day easier to follow.

Outdoor exploration also had substance in April 2023. Forest-school activities involved investigating living things: children watched plants, insects and birds, examined frogspawn around the pond and made a home for frogs. Helping clear the route to the pond gave them a practical part in caring for their surroundings.

At the April 2023 inspection, Ofsted judged safeguarding effective and SEND support exceptional, with development goals agreed between staff, parents and professionals involved in children’s care. Those goals made support specific to the child.

In April 2023, key persons comforted unsettled children and used their profile books to talk about things they had learnt to do. This linked reassurance with familiar evidence of growing independence. Emotional support was part of the nursery day.

Family services staff were based at the centre in April 2023 and worked with nursery practitioners on targeted help for vulnerable families. Parents were kept informed about children’s development and could turn to staff for advice. For families needing support beyond everyday childcare, that connection between nursery and family services mattered.

The address is 23 Ramsey Walk, London N1 2SX. Opening hours are 7.45am to 5.45pm, Monday to Friday. The centre operates across the year, with closures of one week at Christmas and two weeks in summer, so families need to plan cover for those breaks.

In April 2023, the centre received funding for early education for children aged two, three and four. This is a dated funding position.

• Garden learning. Pond observations and practical outdoor tasks featured in April 2023. On a visit, discuss how these experiences work for your child’s age.
• Individual support. Development goals and links with family services featured in April 2023. Discuss how your child’s needs would shape their care and communication with home.
• Attendance and costs. The opening day runs from 7.45am to 5.45pm, with Christmas and summer closures. Which booking patterns and funded arrangements apply to your child, and how are meals and consumables handled?

New River Green merits consideration for families seeking an Islington nursery with an Outstanding April 2023 judgement and an inspection-era emphasis on individual support, conversation and outdoor investigation. Its weekday opening window and seasonal closures are important practical considerations alongside that educational picture.