Bloomers Day Nursery, Catford

A visiting ukulele player, nature exploration and children brushing their own teeth after lunch give Bloomers Day Nursery, Catford a recognisable character. Practical independence runs through the day, alongside music and sensory play. At its 23 February 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and found safeguarding effective.

The nursery has capacity for 62 children, accepting ages from four months to five years, at Crest Apartments on Doggett Road. Three age-banded rooms take children from their earliest exploration towards preparation for primary school.

Full-day, morning and afternoon bookings give families different attendance patterns, although minimum bookings make this a substantial weekly commitment.

Rooms and Ages

The Baby Room, for four months to two years, combines vocabulary building with sensory exploration, using finger painting, dough tools, blocks and musical instruments, while outdoor movement supports crawling and walking. The July 2024 admissions policy sets baby-room staffing for under-twos at one adult to three children, the statutory minimum.

The Toddler Room, for two to three years, develops independence through dressing practice, toilet-training support and mealtime jobs, with a home corner and chalkboard providing opportunities for imaginative play and mark making.

The Pre-School Room, for three to five years, adds counting and early writing activities, magnetic letters and numbers, traffic games and a mini computer, alongside practice in sharing and resolving disagreements.

Learning and Activities

The EYFS provides the common framework for early learning and care: children develop communication, physical skills and relationships through play, alongside areas such as literacy and mathematics. It is the foundation of the nursery day. At Bloomers, concrete additions include visiting music teaching and opportunities to explore nature.

Jumping Beans visits weekly for an hour of music across the nursery, with babies, toddlers and preschool children having separate sessions in their own rooms. Songs, action rhymes, dancing and a teacher playing the ukulele give children different ways to join in.

At the February 2023 inspection, Ofsted found that staff adapted activities to children's interests and supported spoken language through questions, stories and rhyme. One example involved changing a flour-and-water activity to accommodate different groups across the day.

Outdoor and Community Life

Nature exploration is part of FOREST SCHOOL AT BLOOMERS, while park outings add opportunities for physical development beyond the nursery. Sensory activities and arts and crafts also feature in the Catford day.

In February 2023, children used the garden for games and conversation, and practised getting themselves ready for outdoor activities.

Graduation Morning marks the end of the preschool children's final year.

Relationships and Communication

In February 2023, children had close relationships with the adults caring for them, and staff used conversations and online messages to communicate with parents. Information gathered from families at the outset helped staff understand children's starting points and support settling.

There was also a clear weakness. In February 2023, preparation for room moves was inconsistent: staff needed to involve parents more effectively so children could adjust to the change.

At that time, seven staff worked directly with children; five held relevant early-years qualifications spanning levels 2 to 6. Recruitment difficulties meant age groups were combined early and late in the day to maintain required staffing levels. Planning for those combined groups was less effective, leaving some children with fewer suitable learning opportunities.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

Catford has a SENCO role, with access to disability-awareness training through Lewisham's early-years team and collaboration with the area SENCO. That provides a defined route for coordinating additional support rather than leaving responsibility with an unspecified member of staff.

Toilet-training support sits within the toddler offer, while preschool children practise expressing their needs, dressing and using the bathroom independently. Children also receive help brushing their own teeth after lunch. These small routines connect care with growing independence, and give families concrete examples of the skills children practise away from home.

In February 2023, staff helped children talk through feelings and consider how their actions affected others. Children also moved between play, meals and sleep using a familiar daily sequence. The value was predictability: children knew what came next and could participate in everyday tasks.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Ground Floor, Unit A-C, Crest Apartments, 29 Doggett Road, Catford, SE6 4PZ. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday, but the standard full-day booking ends at 6pm. Keeping that distinction clear matters when matching childcare to work commitments.

Morning sessions run from 7.30am to 1pm; afternoon sessions run from 1pm to 6.30pm. The minimum booking is three full days or five half-day sessions. A shorter session therefore changes the length of each visit, rather than necessarily producing a small weekly booking.

Care runs across the year, with closures on bank holidays and for a week at Christmas. Fees are calculated across 52 weeks and paid in advance each month; bank-holiday closures remain chargeable. Sickness and holidays do not generate exchanges, refunds or credits, so the contracted pattern matters even when a child misses a session.

There is a refundable deposit and a non-refundable registration charge. Ending the contract or reducing attendance requires two months' written notice, a relevant constraint for families whose working arrangements may change.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare includes the 15-hour and 30-hour schemes for eligible children, with entitlement hours offered from nine months to five years. Solely funded attendance uses 38 weeks; where families buy additional hours at the standard rate, funding is spread across 52 weeks. The distinction affects how funded time fits the family's annual childcare needs.

Meals, snacks and drinks made by the nursery chef are included in standard private fees, as are the consumables covered by its all-inclusive rate. For funded sessions, meals and consumables carry separate contributions; families using only funded hours may bring their own food, subject to the nursery's food and allergy policies.

The funded charge structure includes learning resources, weekly music, movement and dance sessions, the Famly App and PPE within its consumables category. The terminology deserves attention because this category extends beyond everyday items such as nappies and wipes.

The additional contribution is waived for funded two-year-olds using the local-authority 15-hour scheme, and may also be waived where individual family circumstances would make payment a financial hardship.

Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation. The Catford fees page sets out the booking and charging structure, and enquiries can be made through the Catford contact form or by email to catford@bloomersdaynursery.co.uk.

• A substantial minimum booking. Three full days or five half-day sessions are required. At a viewing, discuss which pattern matches your working week, including the difference between the full-day finish and closing time.
• Room changes and mixed ages. February 2023 findings identified weaknesses in preparing families for room moves and planning early-day mixed-age activities. Ask how these arrangements now work for your child's age and stage.
• Funded extras need clear terms. The charging table calls consumables non-optional while the wider contribution is labelled voluntary and has waiver provisions. Ask for the applicable terms in writing, including the position on bringing food and current allergy practice.
• Changing attendance takes planning. Two months' written notice applies to reducing days as well as leaving, and missed sessions are not credited. Consider how comfortably that fits likely changes to work or family routines.

Bloomers suits families looking for either full-day attendance or a regular morning or afternoon pattern, with enough weekly childcare need to meet its minimum booking. Jumping Beans music, nature exploration and practical self-care give the current offer substance beyond broad promises about learning through play.

The February 2023 Good judgement provides a dated quality benchmark. Its concerns about room transitions and combined-age planning remain useful points for a visit, while the funding structure requires close reading. For families comfortable with the booking commitment, the appeal is a clear progression from sensory exploration to everyday independence and preparation for school.