Adventures Day Nursery

A converted house, a large garden and playrooms decorated individually give Adventures Day Nursery its domestic character. Based in Newbury Park, Ilford, it cares for children from birth to five and has capacity for 42 children. The appeal is concrete: outdoor play every day, cooking in the nursery kitchen and care routines that make room for a baby's familiar habits.

At its August 2023 inspection, Ofsted judged Adventures Outstanding overall, found safeguarding effective and recognised teaching planned around children's existing knowledge and next steps.

Tapestry, an online journal sharing photographs and observations, complements daily conversations about care. Full-day attendance and a term-time funded pattern serve different family routines.

Rooms and Ages

Babies (0–1 year) follow familiar home routines in a calm room, with an individual cot for each child under 12 months. Toddlers (1–2 years) emphasises exploration and growing independence through play. Pre-school (3–4 years) concentrates on language, curiosity and confidence. Rising 5s (4–5 years) uses play to prepare children for school life.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage provides the framework for learning and care, with play and activities planned around each child's needs and interests. It is the common foundation for early-years provision; Adventures puts it into practice through child-led choices, practical exploration and opportunities to build everyday skills.

Daily messy play uses sand, dough, paint and water for experimentation and making things. Aprons are provided; spare clothes allow children to get involved.

In August 2023, a tea-making activity brought together citrus fruit, fruit teabags and china crockery. Children investigated flavours and asked how fruit travelled from a tree to a shop. Exploring ingredients and flavours developed hand control, vocabulary and turn-taking.

In August 2023, children revisited invented animal stories over several days, practising recall and vocabulary. Younger children shared familiar books and photographs with adults.

Outdoor and Community Life

The large garden is used daily, including in wet weather, and outings into the surrounding community take place when possible. Outdoor learning is therefore part of the ordinary day, rather than an occasional reward. Warm clothing, wellington boots and waterproof clothing help children participate through the colder months.

In August 2023, outdoor play included climbing, running and balancing on beams. Children considered risks with staff, learning how to play safely while still attempting physical challenges. That combination matters: adults supported judgement as well as movement, rather than simply removing every challenge.

Relationships and Communication

Each child's key person observes development and adapts activities and care to individual needs. Staff are allocated to rooms, aiming to maintain familiar adults across daily routines.

Free settling visits give families time to adjust before attendance begins. Parents stay initially, then leave for gradually increasing periods as their child becomes familiar with nursery.

Daily conversations cover food, sleep and activities, supported by a written record sheet. Parents can telephone during the day for an update from their child's room, and room communication books provide a place to pass on messages. Tapestry adds photographs and observations, with parents able to contribute from home; a monthly newsletter covers wider nursery news.

In August 2023, children helped select activity resources and older children handled minor disagreements independently, practising choice and cooperation.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the August 2023 inspection, Ofsted found that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities made excellent progress, supported by a SENCO who regularly reviewed ambitious targets with staff. Current arrangements include an on-site SENCO, discussions with parents and individual development planning where needed.

Disabled access extends throughout. Parents and the key person agree learning priorities to guide activities and care; external professional advice can also be sought.

Rest arrangements distinguish babies from older children. Under-12-months have their own cot, while other children have individual sleep mats and blankets; staff supervise sleep and record its duration. Children who remain awake can take part in quiet activities, so rest does not require every child to sleep.

Meals are freshly prepared by the nursery chef in its own kitchen, using a two-week menu rotation, and individual dietary or cultural requirements are accommodated where possible. The cook also sometimes joins children for activities involving unfamiliar fruit and vegetables, smoothies and fruit cocktails, linking food with sensory exploration.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is 1 Spearpoint Gardens, Newbury Park, Ilford, IG2 7SX. Opening hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. Full-day sessions run from 8am to 6pm, with a minimum booking of two full days a week.

A separate term-time funded pattern comprises two days a week, each lasting 7.5 hours. Additional paid hours can extend that attendance to a full day.

The nursery closes for bank holidays and a week between Christmas and New Year, with up to two further closure days for training or maintenance. Written notice of one month applies when reducing hours, changing the attendance pattern or leaving. A one-off registration charge applies, and the deposit is returned through the final invoice when the notice condition is met.

The enquiry form takes children's ages and the intended start date, alongside contact details. Visits can be arranged through the nursery. Current prices should be obtained in a written quotation, with the chosen attendance pattern and any extras set out together.

Getting There

Two drop-off spots sit directly outside; surrounding roads have no parking restrictions but are busy around school collection times. Newbury Park station is 10 minutes away, with access from the A12 also convenient for families travelling by car.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare includes 30-hour working-parent entitlements for children aged nine months to two years, two-year-olds, and three- and four-year-olds, alongside the universal 15-hour entitlement for three- and four-year-olds. Funding starts in the term after the relevant age milestone, subject to eligibility. Working parents must obtain their code before the applicable term deadline and keep it valid.

Funding can be stretched across 52 weeks: the 15-hour entitlement becomes 11 hours each week, and the 30-hour entitlement becomes 22. The term-time attendance option provides another pattern. Hours beyond the funded allocation are paid for separately and identified on invoices.

During funded attendance, meals and non-food consumables are separate, opt-in charges agreed each term. The consumables package covers items such as wipes, nappies, sun cream and bedding, alongside Tapestry and additional activities; preschool celebrations include Diwali and Pancake Day, occasions included among the package's special-event activities.

Parents can decline these extras without losing access to funded hours, supplying meals, personal-care items, clean bedding and requested activity materials themselves. Funded meals are charged separately when parents opt in; those opting out supply food under the nursery's food-from-home policy, which prohibits nuts and nut products and excludes heating. Families moving from the paid package to supplying their own items must give four weeks' notice before the term ends.

• Full days or term time. The minimum ordinary booking is two full days, while the funded term-time option uses two shorter days. At a visit, discuss which pattern fits your child's routine and your working week.
• Choosing the funded extras. Meals and consumables are charged separately during funded attendance, with a right to supply the required items instead. Weigh the daily preparation involved, including bedding and activity materials, against the convenience of the opt-in package.
• Dietary needs. Individual diets are accommodated where possible, and food from home must follow specific rules. Allergy-affected families should confirm current practice and agree the arrangements for their child.
• Room progression. Babies, Toddlers, Pre-school and Rising 5s describe different stages of care and learning. During a visit, ask how room moves are planned around your child's development and relationships with familiar adults.

Adventures suits families seeking either regular full-day attendance or a shorter, term-time funded pattern, with practical care and learning closely connected. The converted house, daily garden use, individual sleep arrangements and parent communication give the offer substance.

The August 2023 examples of tea-making, sustained storytelling and children making choices are persuasive illustrations of purposeful play. The main practical decisions concern attendance and the funded extras: choosing a pattern and deciding who supplies meals and consumables will shape both the family's routine and its bill.