Grove Park Pre-School and Day Nursery

Cloth nappies, child-chosen play and a kitchen preparing meals on site give Grove Park Pre-School and Day Nursery a recognisable character. At 353 Baring Road in London's Lewisham borough, it has 36 places for children aged three to 60 months. Practical independence runs through the day, from choosing an activity to clearing a plate after lunch.

At its July 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and judged safeguarding effective. Curriculum oversight and parents' input into nursery development needed improvement.

Preschool children choose between the Creative Area, Pretend Room and Quiet Room. Full-day, morning and afternoon sessions offer different attendance patterns; funded-only attendance separates nursery hours from meal charges.

Rooms and Ages

Babies, Tiddlers and Toddlers have separate rooms covering three published age bands: three to 18 months, 18 to 24 months, and two to three years. Accessible books, construction, small-world and sand-and-water activities support exploration; children aged two to three also practise tidying and toilet training. The separation means the youngest children have their own age-based spaces rather than sharing one room throughout the under-three years.

For preschool children, the Creative Area, Pretend Room and Quiet Room provide choices during worktime, with an adult available to help. Children can play together or pursue something alone. Choosing is only part of the routine: putting materials away afterwards makes taking responsibility for the space part of the same experience.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care: here, play, conversation, stories and practical activities give children ways to build skills through the day. Under-three provision combines activities children can select themselves with an adult-planned activity in both the morning and afternoon. These can take place outdoors as well as inside, allowing planned learning to sit alongside children's own interests.

Preschool worktime is followed by a small-group activity and a shared story. The story of the week gives children repeated opportunities to anticipate events, answer questions and join in with familiar passages. At lunch, helping with the tables, serving food and clearing plates turns an everyday routine into practice in doing things independently.

In July 2023, play-dough caterpillars prompted discussion of length, while comparing centipedes and caterpillars developed vocabulary. Matching shapes, using numerals and comparing quantities on number grids brought mathematics into practical play.

Yoga adds another activity to the week. A resident teacher leads yoga and mindfulness classes twice weekly, giving children a recurring session alongside their play-based routine. The nursery also collaborated with Incredible Eggs on a spring duck-hatching project. Watching the ducklings emerge made change and living creatures something children could observe directly; it was a particular project, rather than a promise of an annual event.

Outdoor and Community Life

Garden periods punctuate the under-three day, and preschool children also have scheduled outdoor play.

In July 2023, the youngest children chased bubbles in a secure garden area of their own. Older children used climbing equipment, wheeled toys and a basketball net, while interest in minibeasts continued through drawing caterpillars in sand. The physical opportunities were varied, with space for balancing, riding and ball play as well as quieter investigation.

By the July 2023 inspection, a recent project with the local authority had encouraged families to join their local library. Its value was the connection between nursery stories and books available to families beyond nursery hours, rather than an extra activity confined to the setting.

Relationships and Communication

Parents contribute information about their child's preferences and experiences at home to help staff plan learning. Blossom educational software carries updates on activities, progress, menus and nursery news, while staff are available for conversations at collection and drop-off. This gives families both a digital account of nursery life and opportunities to discuss a concern directly.

In July 2023, staff knew the needs of their key children and used their interests when planning next steps. Babies who were new to the setting received comfort when they needed it, and children were given time to finish their own play before joining a group activity. Those examples put relationships into practical terms: responding to a baby and respecting an older child's concentration required different kinds of attention.

In July 2023, staff shared daily updates and home-learning ideas, but needed to invite more parental input into nursery development. Everyday communication and influence over changes were separate matters.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

In July 2023, children's home languages and cultures were recognised alongside English-language learning. Staff used simple new vocabulary with babies and toddlers, and more extended questions with older children. The approach varied with children's stage, rather than expecting everyone to participate in the same way.

Quiet and sleep periods feature in both the under-three and preschool routines. Preschool children who are awake can play quietly while others sleep. That arrangement makes rest part of the planned day and acknowledges that children do not all need the same afternoon rhythm.

All staff hold paediatric first-aid certificates. The nursery also uses cloth nappies as part of its policy to reduce disposable plastics, so its environmental choices extend into everyday care rather than remaining an occasional learning topic.

Meals are cooked in the nursery's kitchen from fresh ingredients, with alternatives offered for allergies, intolerances and cultural preferences. The menu includes dishes such as vegetarian chilli and chicken wraps, and staff receive food-hygiene and allergy-awareness training.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is 353 Baring Road, London SE12 0EE. Opening hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, across 51 weeks, with closures for bank holidays and a week at Christmas. Families can contact the nursery by telephone or through its contact form.

A full-day session runs from 8am to 6pm; the shorter choices are a morning session from 8am to 1pm or an afternoon session from 1pm to 6pm. Funded-only attendance can be arranged for 15 or 30 hours weekly during term time, and there are also attendance arrangements continuing through the holidays.

Funding and Paid Extras

The nursery offers 15 funded hours from the term after a child's third birthday. Working parents with children from nine months may qualify for 30 funded hours. Eligibility remains a condition of the latter offer; it is not an entitlement for every family with a child of that age.

For funded-only attendance, nursery hours carry no attendance charge, necessary nappies, wipes and formula milk to 12 months are supplied, and neither a deposit nor a registration charge is required. Meals are a separate choice and charge, paid weekly in advance. Families declining nursery meals must supply the appropriate packed lunch or tea when their child attends at mealtimes, meeting the nursery's nutritional standards.

Privately paid fees include cooked meals, nappies and formula milk. Fees are paid monthly in advance, with billing spread over the year and deductions for the Christmas closure and applicable regular bank holidays. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation; the fees and funding arrangements explain the different charge structures.

• Curriculum oversight. In July 2023, gaps in what children were learning were not being picked up promptly enough. On a visit, ask how staff now review coverage and act when something has been missed.
• Parents' influence. The July 2023 improvement point concerned parents helping shape nursery development, rather than everyday updates. Ask how family suggestions now contribute to changes.
• Funded meals. Funded-only attendance separates meals from nursery hours. Decide whether paid nursery meals or packed food meeting its nutritional standards fits your routine.
• Everyday care choices. Cloth nappies are part of nursery care, and menu alternatives address dietary needs. Discuss the nappy routine and, if allergies affect your child, confirm current food-handling practice during a visit.

Grove Park suits families seeking either full-day attendance or shorter morning and afternoon sessions, with a choice between term-time funded-only attendance and arrangements continuing through holidays. Its strongest practical features are concrete: separate under-three rooms, preschool spaces children can choose between, Blossom updates and meals cooked on site.

The July 2023 assessment provides a positive inspection position, but curriculum monitoring and parents' contribution to development deserve attention. For families comfortable with cloth nappies and the funded-meal arrangements, the combination of child-led play, everyday independence and recurring yoga offers a clear basis for judging whether this nursery fits their child.