Raising Generations Day Nursery

A garden where children grow produce to take home, a mixed-age room called Little Giants, and outings to the Maritime Museum and The Horniman Museum give Raising Generations Day Nursery a recognisable character. This is childcare with a strong outdoor thread: planting, exploring and learning beyond the room sit alongside stories, conversation and self-chosen play.

At its December 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good, found safeguarding effective and judged that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities received effective support through adapted activities and individual plans. The improvement point concerned helping children join in with one another's play. That matters in a setting where younger and older children share space.

The nursery has capacity for 32 children aged two to four, at 2a Gosterwood Street, Deptford, London SE8 5NX. Its family-run approach includes parent workshops and family fun days, extending the relationship beyond the child attending. Flexible sessions are offered; their practical fit needs to be considered alongside the opening arrangements below.

Rooms and Ages

Little Giants is an open-plan room with a stated capacity of 32, direct garden access and an emphasis on independence, confidence and learning alongside children of different ages. Younger children also spend time in smaller groups on activities suited to their stage. The room's capacity describes the space as a whole; it does not establish how many children attend together on a particular day.

Resources are organised around things children can do for themselves. Tape measures, calculators and counting blocks give mathematical ideas a practical setting, while programmable toys introduce opportunities to experiment with instructions. A changing role-play area lets children try different characters and situations. Drawing and early writing materials remain accessible during the day, so making marks can follow a child's interest rather than waiting for a scheduled task.

The physical layout also supports everyday independence. Toilets lead off the main room, with staff nearby to help. A cosy area has a sofa, beanbags and cushions, giving children somewhere to pause or look at books.

Learning and Activities

The EYFS provides the framework for learning, development and care, with play, language, relationships and growing independence woven through the day. It is the common foundation for early-years provision. Here, planned activities start with children's interests, alongside opportunities to choose their own challenges and explore resources indoors and outside.

Group conversation includes recognising a name or photograph, talking about home experiences and listening to other children. Stories and songs introduce word sounds, imaginative storytelling and number songs. Children can move between adult-supported activities and play they initiate themselves.

In December 2023, early language and mathematics were prominent in daily activities. Decorating a Christmas tree became a chance to discuss family celebrations and propose what to add. A bug hunt offered a way for children who were nervous about insects to approach the natural world. These examples show how an ordinary activity could become a conversation or a problem to solve, rather than simply a task to complete.

Outdoor and Community Life

Outdoor play is daily, with access to at least 1.5 hours outdoors. Planting stations and vegetable patches connect that time to growing food, while den-making, water play, balancing and ball games add movement and practical exploration. The garden also has bikes, scooters and climbing frames. Children look after produce in the natural area and can take it home, linking the garden's work with family life.

Beyond the nursery, outings include exhibitions at the Maritime Museum and The Horniman Museum, library visits, playground walks and exploration around Deptford and Greenwich. The nursery aims for an outing once per month; that is an aim, rather than a fixed promise of a monthly museum visit. Weather helps determine the destination, and trips can be a short local walk or a longer excursion.

Written parental permission is required for outings, and trips include a paediatric first aider and a first aid kit. Parents are encouraged to accompany the children.

Relationships and Communication

A key person links the child's daily experiences with home, including conversations about learning and development. The nursery asks parents to put phones away at collection so children can reconnect with them and staff can pass on the day's important information.

Family involvement also takes less formal forms. Parents can contribute photographs, decorations and other items connected with celebrations at home. Workshops and family fun days give families further opportunities to participate.

During December 2023, planning began with what individual children already knew and could do, and parents' views helped shape it. Children shared cultural stories and practised greetings in different languages. The same visit identified occasions when children needed more consistent adult help to start or sustain play with their peers.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

Mattresses are provided at rest times for children who still need a sleep. Everyday independence includes toileting, getting drinks and snacks, and washing hands around meals. These are small, repeated opportunities for children to manage their own needs with support nearby.

Parents supply lunch, nappies and wipes; the nursery supplies snacks, milk, water and toiletries, with snacks prepared on site. Dietary requirements and allergies must be discussed with the manager or key person, and specialist ingredients may sometimes need to come from home.

Sessions and Attendance

Flexible sessions allow attendance to be discussed around family needs. The nursery opens on weekdays, but the opening and holiday arrangements need a clear agreement before a family commits, as set out in Things to Consider.

Entry is considered after a completed registration form has been returned. Fees are paid in advance, with monthly or weekly payment arrangements. Monthly payments fall on the first working day of the month; weekly payments are due at the beginning of the week. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

The attendance terms require four weeks' written notice when withdrawing a child and four weeks' notice when reducing sessions. Payment remains due for booked sessions even when a child does not attend, and sickness or holidays do not bring a refund.

Getting There

The address is 2a Gosterwood Street, Deptford, London SE8 5NX, and contact is possible by telephone, email or an enquiry form.

Free street parking is described around Gosterwood Street and Alverton Street, including opposite the entrance. Public transport options include Canada Water, Deptford and Surrey Quays stations, with nearby buses connecting towards Greenwich, Lewisham and Rotherhithe.

• Opening hours and holidays. Registration gives 7.30am to 6.30pm and 48 weeks a year, while contact details start at 7am and transport information ends at 6pm; the meal terms describe mainly term-time operation with holiday childcare requested in advance. These arrangements conflict, so agree the exact hours and annual calendar in writing before booking.
• Help with shared play. In December 2023, staff did not consistently help every child interact with others, especially children who lacked those skills. During a visit, ask how practitioners help a child enter play in Little Giants and support friendships across ages.
• Lunch and allergies. Lunch comes from home, and dietary needs must be discussed with the manager or key person. Allergy-affected families should confirm current food-handling practice, including any specialist ingredients they need to provide.
• A booking that fits. Flexible sessions sit alongside advance payment and notice requirements. Before completing registration, ask which funded childcare arrangements can be incorporated into the proposed booking.

Raising Generations suits families with children aged two to four who want flexible attendance, substantial outdoor time and learning that follows children's interests. Little Giants, its garden access and the museum outings give that offer concrete substance. The practical responsibilities are equally clear: lunch and nappies come from home, and booked sessions carry payment and notice obligations.

The December 2023 judgement provides a positive inspection position, while the concern about support for shared play deserves attention. Families who value mixed-age experiences and active involvement in nursery life have good reasons to consider it, provided the hours and holiday pattern match their needs.