Lammas Green at Horniman

Growing food, caring for chickens and exploring woodland gave Lammas Green at Horniman a practical, outdoor character in September 2025. These experiences connected children's play with living things and the world beyond the nursery. The setting has capacity for 30 children and is based at Horniman School in London.

At its September 2025 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good overall and found that its curriculum helped children make good progress. Children attending then were aged two to four. The main improvement concerned keeping children engaged as they moved between activities.

In September 2025, learning developed through connected experiences: children sowed seeds, watched plants develop and gathered the food they had grown, then explored those processes further with tools. The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care; here, the dated examples show how play brought learning into everyday tasks.

Outdoor activity had substance. In September 2025, children tackled hills and climbing equipment, cared for chickens and took community trips to a museum and farm, alongside woodland walks. Indoors, parachute games gave them another way to practise movement and listening.

Makaton sign language was being introduced in September 2025 to support communication, with trained staff sharing their learning with colleagues. Sensory exploration also supported conversation: coloured foam in a water tray prompted discussion about texture, smell and size. These were concrete opportunities to connect words with experiences.

At the September 2025 inspection, Ofsted judged safeguarding effective and found that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) received very good support through plans developed with families and other professionals.

In September 2025, staff knew families well, and parents contributed stories and music sessions. Verbal and electronic feedback kept families involved. Children also helped care for Tiny, a local tortoise, through gentle washing and feeding, giving them a practical responsibility to share.

Healthy choices were part of daily learning in September 2025. Children cut fruit for snack kebabs, practising hand control while discussing food and hygiene. Staff helped children recognise emotions and used clear boundaries, although changes between activities sometimes involved waiting that interrupted engagement.

The address is Horniman School, Horniman Drive, London SE23 3BP. Being based at a school does not guarantee a Reception place through nursery attendance.

In September 2025, the nursery opened throughout the year, Monday to Friday, from 8am to 6pm. It also provided government-funded childcare for children aged two, three and four at that time. These are dated operating details rather than a current booking commitment.

• Changes between activities. In September 2025, waiting around meals, group activities and outdoor play sometimes weakened children's engagement. During a visit, ask how staff now organise these changes.
• Outdoor learning. September 2025 activities included hills, chickens and woodland walks. This practical emphasis will appeal to families who value movement and encounters with living things.
• Planning attendance. How would the nursery's current attendance and funded-hours arrangements fit your family's week?

Lammas Green at Horniman suits families drawn to hands-on learning, outdoor activity and close involvement in nursery life. Its September 2025 picture combines purposeful play with individual support. The improvement needed around daily transitions matters: keeping children engaged between activities should match the thought given to the activities themselves.