1st Place at Chumleigh Gardens

Three gardens, access to a sensory room and Burgess Park give 1st Place at Chumleigh Gardens a character shaped by space and outdoor exploration. The nursery occupies a purpose-built Children and Family Centre, with Cobourg Nature Reserve close to its daily surroundings. For families who value opportunities to play beyond a single nursery room, that physical setting is a substantial attraction.

At its May 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good, judged safeguarding effective and found that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities made very good progress. The important qualification concerned consistency: practitioners did not always translate the curriculum's intentions into equally purposeful experiences throughout the day.

The nursery has 66 places in total and accepts children aged 6 to 60 months. Its address is 12 Chumleigh Street, Burgess Park, London, SE5 0RN. The whole-setting capacity should be read as a measure of the nursery's size, rather than the number of children sharing an individual room.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage sets the framework for children's learning, development and care: in everyday terms, learning through play sits alongside support with communication, movement and independence. The May 2024 account gives concrete examples of what that looked like here, rather than relying on a curriculum label alone.

In May 2024, older children explored how dandelions grow, discussed their parts and represented their ideas in drawings. Books, storytelling and tools for making marks provided other routes into early literacy, while group activities included recognising alphabet letters. These examples connect talking, observing and drawing, giving children several ways to express what they understand.

Consistency remained the point requiring attention. In May 2024, some practitioners were uncertain about the intended learning, and children who stayed awake while others slept sometimes had fewer opportunities to learn. The improvement action called for a clearer shared understanding of how to put the curriculum into practice. For parents, the useful distinction is between an interesting planned activity and a day in which learning continues through quieter periods too.

Outdoor and Community Life

The premises combine a substantial indoor area with three gardens, plus access to the centre's beach and sensory room. Those spaces give outdoor play and sensory exploration a physical place in the offer. Burgess Park and access to Cobourg Nature Reserve add a recognisable local setting, rather than an interchangeable description of nursery grounds.

In May 2024, children used the nursery's outdoor area and an off-site forest school, where play and practical exploration took place in a natural setting. Activities included working out a water pump, riding tricycles over uneven ground, pond exploration with a net and building dens. The examples show children tackling practical problems as well as moving their bodies.

Outdoor planning also needed greater precision in May 2024, so that experiences matched individual learning needs more closely. That makes the organisation of outdoor learning a useful subject for a tour: access to interesting spaces matters, but so does what each child is encouraged to do there.

Relationships and Communication

In May 2024, staff visited children at home before they started, gathering information about their existing abilities and building relationships with their families. Younger children who needed help settling received physical comfort and reassurance. Meeting staff in a familiar environment gives that initial relationship a starting point before a child has to manage the nursery day.

Key staff shared children's learning with parents in May 2024, including ways to continue it at home. Staff retention was also high at that time. These are useful details for families who value continuity: communication concerned what children were learning, while familiar adults helped sustain relationships over time.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

The May 2024 SEND finding was supported by specific communication and language work from designated staff, with children taking part in the activities on offer. This is more informative than a broad assurance about inclusion because it identifies the kind of support being used. It remains a dated finding, rather than a promise about every child's experience today.

Everyday independence featured in May 2024 too. Children practised toileting and handwashing, while older children attempted their own outdoor clothing and boots. At meals, children served themselves, making eating another opportunity to practise practical skills.

These details make care and learning closely connected: dressing, washing and eating were occasions for children to do more for themselves. The curriculum concern still matters alongside them, especially during periods when some children need sleep and others remain active.

Sessions and Attendance

Opening hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. The nursery operates across the year, with closures for bank holidays and Christmas. For a family organising work and childcare, those closures belong in the annual plan as well as the daily timetable.

The branch can be contacted at ChumleighGardens@1stplace.uk.com or on 020 7740 8070. These are the direct nursery contact details, keeping an enquiry tied to Chumleigh Gardens.

Getting There

The nursery is at 12 Chumleigh Street within Burgess Park, London, SE5 0RN. Its park setting and access to Cobourg Nature Reserve make the surrounding environment part of the appeal for families who put outdoor experiences high on their priorities.

Funding and Paid Extras

In May 2024, the nursery received funding for early education for children aged two, three and four. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

• Learning throughout the day. The May 2024 improvement action concerned uneven delivery of the curriculum, including quieter periods while other children slept. On a tour, ask how activities now continue for children who remain awake and how practitioners agree the intended learning.
• Outdoor experiences with a purpose. Three gardens and access to Cobourg Nature Reserve are strong physical assets; outdoor planning needed to match individual learning needs more precisely in May 2024. Ask how outdoor experiences are adapted for your child's stage and interests.
• Your attendance and funding package. Opening hours run from 8am to 6pm on weekdays, and funded early education formed part of the May 2024 provision. Which booking pattern would apply to your child, and how would funded hours, private hours, meals and consumables fit into the written quotation?

Chumleigh Gardens suits families who place outdoor exploration and a substantial physical environment high on their nursery priorities. Three gardens, the sensory room and access to Cobourg Nature Reserve give that preference something concrete to rest on. It also merits attention from parents who value the home visits and communication described in May 2024.

The Good judgement provides a clear inspection position, with positive findings on SEND support and safeguarding at that visit. Consistent curriculum delivery is the balancing consideration. The strongest decision will combine the appeal of these spaces with a clear understanding of how practitioners organise learning across the whole day.