Cherubins Day Nursery, Chestnut Lodge

A Dance Studio and an on-site Forest School area give Chestnut Lodge a clear identity: movement and outdoor discovery have dedicated spaces here. The nursery occupies a detached Grade II listed building in Lambeth, with a large garden and playground equipment, so its physical setting is a substantial part of the offer.

At its 15 December 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and found safeguarding effective. That dated judgement sits alongside a current offer organised around babies, toddlers and preschool children. Children are accepted from 3 months to 59 months, with the youngest babies cared for in a self-contained unit that includes a separate sleep room.

Full-time preschool care and after-school provision serve different family routines. The important distinction is between nursery attendance for younger children and club arrangements for children already attending school.

Rooms and Ages

The baby room caters for children from 3 to 15 months, with a self-contained layout and a separate sleep room that gives rest its own quiet space. This is a useful physical distinction for families whose baby's sleep remains an important part of the day.

For children between 15 months and two years, the Toddler room uses sensory equipment and natural materials for exploration shaped around individual interests. Unit 2 rooms serve children aged two to three, combining similar exploratory experiences with help using cutlery, getting dressed and toilet training.

Pre-School emphasises confidence and independence through play that children choose themselves as well as activities organised by adults, indoors and outside. These stages connect practical self-care with growing independence rather than treating preparation for school solely as an academic task.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the framework for children's learning, development and care: here, its areas of learning are addressed through play, independent exploration and adult-led activities. This is the common early-years foundation; the additional movement and outdoor opportunities give the nursery day more individual character.

Multi sports brings weekly experiences of football, tennis and rugby, with an additional charge. The Dance Studio provides a separate setting for regular movement to music. Together, these give children different ways to practise physical skills, from handling a ball to experimenting with movement, rather than relying on one kind of active play.

In December 2022, activities included a transport theme introducing hot air balloons, while photographs displayed at children's height helped toddlers revisit their experiences through conversation. Planning also responded to children's needs by adding mathematical resources and organising themes about the wider world. These examples show how everyday interests could become starting points for more sustained learning.

Outdoor and Community Life

Forest School offers children aged two to five regular opportunities for hands-on exploration in a natural setting, combining activities planned by staff with experiences arising from children's own discoveries. Its location within the nursery gives outdoor learning a dedicated base. Regular participation is the offer; it should not be read as a weekly timetable.

In December 2022, children investigated insects and plants in the forest garden and used natural materials in their play. An outdoor kitchen supported imaginative mud-cake making, while the wider outdoor space provided opportunities to balance and climb. An outing to watch pipe-laying also connected a real local activity with learning about water supplies. This was practical discovery, extending children's attention beyond familiar nursery resources.

Relationships and Communication

A Key Person is assigned as the family's main nursery contact and gathers information from parents to help continue the child's care. For a baby starting nursery, that creates a defined relationship through which families can share routines and individual needs.

In December 2022, settling arrangements and social events helped staff build relationships with families, and parents valued feedback about their child's day. Family photographs in some rooms also provided a familiar subject for conversation. These are concrete ways of linking nursery life with home, rather than treating communication as an occasional formal meeting.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the December 2022 inspection, Ofsted found that staff recognised children needing additional help promptly and worked effectively with parents and outside professionals to support progress. That is a dated finding about practice, rather than a guarantee about every child's experience today.

Sleep has a dedicated place in the baby unit. For older children, independence is addressed through everyday routines, including dressing and using cutlery. In December 2022, a nursery cook prepared the menu, and children practised serving themselves; older children also ate in the dining room to become familiar with a school-style lunchtime.

There were practical weaknesses too. In December 2022, waiting before lunch left some toddlers restless, and staff helped children wash their hands without sufficiently explaining the reasons for doing so. Staffing arrangements had also experienced challenges. These details matter because a child's experience depends on how routines work between planned activities as much as on the activities themselves.

Sessions and Attendance

Chestnut Lodge is at 48 Palace Road, London SW2 3NJ. Nursery opening hours are 7.30am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday. Full-time preschool care is offered, and the nursery operates across the year, closing for bank holidays and Christmas.

Afterschool Club runs from 3.30pm to 6pm on weekdays. A separate Lambeth club description covers children aged four to ten, with collection from selected neighbouring schools by minibus or walking taxi, followed by afternoon tea and activities such as cooking, drama and homework help on request.

Cherubins Holiday Club operates during half terms and the Easter and summer holidays, opening from 8.30am to 6pm. Children help shape its menus, activities and outings. This extends the practical offer beyond nursery care, although school collection and nursery attendance remain separate arrangements.

Funding and Paid Extras

In December 2022, the nursery received funding for early education for children aged two, three and four. Multi sports carries an additional charge. Families should assess this activity alongside their intended attendance pattern rather than treating every enrichment opportunity as part of the same payment arrangement.

• Toddler routines. Waiting before lunch disrupted engagement in December 2022. During a visit, ask how staff now manage the change from play to meals and explain handwashing to children.
• The club start time. The Lambeth setting gives a 3.30pm start for Afterschool Club, while its separate club description gives 3pm. Confirm which arrangement applies to your child's school collection.
• Baby care and the written quotation. The baby unit has a separate sleep room and a Key Person. At a visit, discuss how your baby's routines would work and request a quotation separating attendance, meals, consumables and additional activities.

Chestnut Lodge suits families seeking full-time preschool care as well as those needing after-school support for older children. Its strongest practical appeal is the combination of a dedicated baby sleep space, a Dance Studio and on-site Forest School. The December 2022 Good judgement provides a useful dated assessment, while the weaknesses around toddler waiting and hygiene explanations make everyday routines an important part of a visit. The offer has character; choosing it should turn on how those spaces and routines fit your child.