Oak Tree Day Nursery

Bicycle races, a rope ladder and apples collected in the garden give Oak Tree Day Nursery’s August 2021 account its character: play combined movement, conversation and practical discovery. Ofsted rated the nursery Good at its 24 August 2021 inspection.

At 46 Bromley Road in Catford, London, SE6 2TP, the nursery has capacity for 60 children aged 0 to 60 months. Its opening hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children’s learning, development and care; in everyday terms, play gives children opportunities to practise communication, independence and new skills. In August 2021, staff used observations of children’s interests to decide what to introduce next. Younger children matched animals with their sounds, while older children worked together on sandcastles and tackled the problem when their construction fell apart.

Language and mathematics ran through those experiences. In August 2021, stories, rhymes and conversations introduced vocabulary; number songs and pop-up toys supported counting. Races gave toddlers a practical introduction to waiting and time, while cutting oranges and filling containers brought mathematical ideas into ordinary activities.

The garden added physical challenges. In August 2021, children practised balance on bicycles and stilts, used swings and tackled a rope ladder. Collecting stones and apples also gave them objects to compare and discuss. These were concrete opportunities to learn through doing.

At the August 2021 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and children making good progress, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, with effective support for children learning English as an additional language.

In August 2021, babies received comfort and staff responded to signs of hunger or tiredness. Information from parents helped staff plan from each child’s existing knowledge, giving settling and learning a shared starting point. Children also practised independence by choosing activities and learned expectations through praise and conversations about behaviour.

Health learning was practical, too. In August 2021, children tried foods, discussed fruit and vegetables, squeezed oranges and used a garden water station. However, feedback to parents and suggestions for learning at home varied across the nursery. Staff monitoring and workload support also needed more precise attention.

The address is 46 Bromley Road, London, SE6 2TP. The nursery opens throughout the year, closing on bank holidays and for one week at Christmas; its weekday opening window is 8am to 6pm. That calendar matters for families arranging care around work and holiday cover.

In August 2021, the nursery provided funded early education for children aged two, three and four. This is a dated participation statement rather than a promise of a funded place.

• Parent communication. In August 2021, detailed updates and home-learning suggestions were inconsistent. During a visit, ask how your child’s progress would be shared and how that exchange works across the nursery.
• Staff support. More precise oversight of practice and help with workloads were August 2021 improvement priorities. Ask how supervision now supports the practitioners caring for your child.
• Attendance planning. The nursery’s weekday opening window runs from 8am to 6pm, with bank-holiday and Christmas closures. Which booking pattern would fit your family’s routine?

Oak Tree suits families seeking year-round weekday childcare in Catford who value play involving language, practical mathematics and physical activity. The August 2021 examples give substance to that educational picture. Parent communication and staff support deserve attention when deciding whether the nursery meets your family’s expectations.