Armadillos Nursery and Preschool

A water garden, tree house and wigwam give Armadillos Nursery and Preschool a recognisable outdoor character. Children can experiment with flowing water, climb and explore, making the garden part of their learning rather than simply a space for exercise. This Eastlake Road nursery has capacity for 35 children from birth to five.

At its May 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good, found safeguarding effective and judged support positive overall, including for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those learning English as an additional language. That is a dated assessment. The strongest current practical features are the outdoor provision, food prepared on site and play-based learning for babies through to preschool children.

Attendance is organised around full days, with both part-time and five-day patterns and specific minimum bookings for funded childcare.

Rooms and Ages

Babies and toddlers have rooms designed around sensory exploration, with paint, textures, stories and singing among their experiences; preschool children aged three to five have educational resources and access to outdoor play that supports imagination and movement. These are different stages of the nursery day, with younger children exploring materials and older children building independence and readiness for school.

In May 2022, babies could choose resources from baskets and low shelving, using picture labels to recognise what they wanted. The physical arrangement mattered: equipment was within reach, giving babies opportunities to make their own choices. This is a useful example of independence beginning with the room itself, rather than waiting until children are older.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the framework: children learn through play while developing language, movement, relationships, early number skills and creativity. It is the shared early-years foundation. Here, practical examples include exploring paint textures, making things, listening to stories and taking part in movement and dancing.

For toddlers, role play gives imagination a social dimension. Group singing and storytelling sit alongside messier activities, so the day includes both shared experiences and opportunities to investigate materials. Preschool preparation centres on becoming more independent, encountering unfamiliar ideas and asking questions.

In May 2022, children made play dough and investigated patterns, shapes and texture. However, group activities for younger children needed better planning: noise and competing distractions reduced their involvement, and activities did not consistently address their next learning steps. This concern matters alongside the more engaging examples of exploration.

Outdoor and Community Life

The water garden gives children a concrete way to investigate how water moves. A tree house and wigwam add climbing and imaginative play, while cycling, sand and water play broaden the ways children can use the gardens. The open air classroom provides another outdoor learning space. Together, these features make outdoor learning a substantial part of the offer.

In May 2022, preschool children examined snails with magnifying glasses and practised handling living creatures carefully. Toddlers had a digging area and chose fruit and vegetables to plant. Those examples linked curiosity with responsibility: children investigated nature while learning how to care for it.

Relationships and Communication

In May 2022, children who struggled to settle had additional time with their key person and could use familiar comfort objects brought from home. This made settling responsive to the child rather than a single routine applied to everyone. Parents also received photographs and updates about learning, giving them concrete glimpses of the nursery day.

Current communication encourages parents to bring concerns and activity ideas to staff. That gives families a route to contribute what they know about their child, including interests that can be carried into play. Individual pace is part of the learning approach, so the emphasis is on responding to the child rather than expecting everyone to develop identically.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

In May 2022, staff used songs and music with children learning English and gave them opportunities to hear and speak their home language. Staff also worked with parents and other professionals when learning gaps were identified. These are specific mechanisms for support, rather than a broad promise that every need can be met in the same way.

Toddlers eat together, and each child has an individual bed and clean bedding for sleep. In May 2022, babies practised toothbrushing through songs and familiar movements, bringing oral care into an everyday routine.

Meals are prepared in the nursery's own kitchen, and staff work with parents on dietary requirements. Food preparation on site gives the nursery direct involvement in what children eat.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is 23 Eastlake Road, London, SE5 9QJ. Opening hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday; these are the opening window, rather than separately timed session options.

Full-day attendance runs across the year. The standard monthly patterns cover two, three, four or five days, allowing families to choose between part-time attendance and a full working week. Enquiries and tour arrangements use the nursery's contact form or telephone number, 020 7274 8978.

Funding and Paid Extras

Both the 15-hour and 30-hour funding entitlements are offered on a stretched basis over 50 weeks. The 15-hour arrangement provides 11.4 funded hours each week and requires at least two full days of attendance per week throughout the year; the 30-hour arrangement provides 22.8 funded hours weekly and requires at least three full days throughout the year. Part-time patterns under either funded arrangement must include Monday or Friday.

For private attendance, the fee includes food, drinks, consumables and activities. Funded attendance carries separate charges for food, including snacks, drinks and formula milk, non-food consumables and activities; these charges are incorporated into the monthly totals. Sports, art club and maths club are among the activities covered by the funded-day activity charge. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation, with the charge structure explained on its parent information and fees page.

• Younger children's group activities. In May 2022, noise, distractions and planning limited younger children's participation. During a visit, ask how group time now accommodates their developmental stage and keeps them involved.
• Funded attendance commitments. The two funding arrangements require different minimum numbers of full days, and part-time bookings must include Monday or Friday. Consider the whole weekly pattern alongside the funded hours and additional charges.
• Settling and daily routines. Extra key-person time and comfort objects supported settling in May 2022, while toddlers currently have individual beds. Ask how settling and sleep would be arranged for your child.

Armadillos suits families seeking either part-time full-day attendance or a five-day week, with outdoor exploration a clear attraction. The water garden and climbing features give substance to that appeal, while sensory play, stories and movement provide concrete experiences for younger children.

The May 2022 Good judgement is encouraging, but the concern about younger children's group activities deserves attention. For families considering funded childcare, the decisive practical question is whether the minimum attendance pattern and separate charges fit their week.