Purple Jay Lambeth

Daily outdoor play gives Purple Jay Lambeth a clear identity: children have access to a secure play area for exploring nature, moving and following their interests. For a family choosing childcare in an urban setting, that is a practical attraction. The garden is part of the day, rather than simply a space for an occasional activity.

At its February 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and found safeguarding effective. The strongest detail beneath that judgement concerns children's independence, personalised settling and opportunities to learn through play. There was also an improvement point about staff coaching, which deserves attention alongside the positives.

Purple Jay Lambeth accepts children from 3 months to 5 years and has 80 places in total. Full-day and part-day sessions give families different attendance options.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage sets the framework for children's learning, development and care. In everyday language, that means play and relationships are used to develop children's communication, physical skills and understanding, with adults helping learning move forward. It is the shared foundation for nursery education, rather than an extra unique to Purple Jay.

Alongside it sits the group's Compassionate Innovators approach, which places creativity and emotional intelligence together. Its stated emphasis is on children developing ideas while considering themselves, other people and the planet. This is a group-wide approach, not a separate framework replacing the early years foundation stage.

In February 2024, practitioners extended children's interests during play. Talk of pancakes in the mud kitchen prompted a messy activity introducing language and ideas, giving children a way to investigate their conversation further.

Outdoor and Community Life

Daily outdoor access supports nature-based activities. The group-wide Integrating Nature approach prioritises outdoor play and nature in activities; Lambeth's play area gives children space for this each day.

In February 2024, children could move between inside and outside as staff arranged their deployment to support their choices. Children practised putting on their own coats, connecting outdoor play with an everyday independence skill. For parents whose children have little outdoor space at home, the opportunity to explore and move during nursery hours has obvious value.

The baby room's February 2024 routine included climbing and exploration both inside and in the garden. That gives a concrete picture of the youngest children's experience at that time: physical discovery was part of their day too, rather than outdoor activity being reserved for older children.

Relationships and Communication

In February 2024, settling arrangements were tailored to each child using information gathered before they started. Staff shared babies' routines with parents, helping connect home care with nursery life, and supported babies in building a relationship with their key person. For a young child, familiarity with both a routine and an adult can matter as much as the activities on offer.

Daily updates and the group-wide app cover children's routines, including sleep, food and activities. Progress reports and parent meetings provide opportunities for broader discussions about development.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the February 2024 inspection, Ofsted found that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities received support through individual plans developed by the special educational needs coordinator, with parents involved in regular revisions that reflected changing needs and achievements. The practical mechanism matters: activities were adapted using a child's plan, rather than support being treated as a separate experience.

In February 2024, staff helped children recognise feelings, manage their responses and treat others respectfully. Encouragement reinforced expectations for behaviour. These everyday interactions connected emotional learning with preparing for the next stage of education, including school.

Staff supervision needed strengthening in February 2024 so practitioners received more effective coaching and developed confidence in their work. Training and appraisal were in place, but the mentoring element needed further attention. This was a staff development concern, and should remain part of a family's assessment of the nursery.

Fresh meals are cooked on site each day as part of the group-wide food offer used at Lambeth. In February 2024, children served themselves and adults shared the table, using mealtimes to model cutlery use and encourage conversation.

Sessions and Attendance

The nursery is at Longton House, Lambeth Walk, London SE11 6LU. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. Families can book full-day or part-day sessions; the opening window describes the nursery's operating hours, rather than specifying the length of either booking pattern.

It operates across the year, closing for bank holidays and a week at Christmas. That makes the Christmas closure a concrete planning point for families whose work continues during that period. Enquiries can be made by telephone, email or the contact form, which includes a choice of nursery so families can direct their enquiry to Lambeth.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare includes 15 hours from the term after a child's third birthday and 30 hours for eligible families. The eligible 30-hour entitlement is stretched across the full year.

A sibling discount applies to the eldest child attending when more than one child from the family is enrolled. Current prices should be obtained in the nursery's written quotation, allowing families to assess the cost against their intended attendance pattern.

• Full-day or part-day attendance. Both patterns are offered within weekday opening hours of 7.30am to 6pm. At a viewing, ask how the part-day pattern would fit your child's routine and your working day.
• Coaching for practitioners. Staff supervision needed strengthening in February 2024. Ask how coaching now helps practitioners develop their teaching and respond to children's interests.
• The youngest children's day. The February 2024 baby-room account included shared routines, a key person and indoor and garden exploration. During a tour, discuss how settling and rest would be organised for your baby.
• The funded-place quotation. The eligible 30-hour entitlement is stretched across the year. Request an itemised quotation explaining the treatment of meals and non-food consumables alongside your chosen attendance pattern.

Purple Jay Lambeth suits families seeking either full-day or part-day childcare, with daily outdoor access and an approach that gives emotional development space alongside creativity. Its February 2024 account offers useful examples of personalised settling, learning extended from children's interests and practical independence.

Outdoor access, parent communication and individual support give families concrete reasons to consider Lambeth. The February 2024 staff-coaching improvement point remains the qualification to its Good inspection judgement.