Camberwell Grove Nursery & Pre-School

At its September 2022 inspection, garden allotment activities and children's planning meetings gave Camberwell Grove Nursery & Pre-School a recognisable character. In September 2022, vegetable growing sat alongside preschool planning meetings: children had opportunities both to investigate the natural world and to decide what they wanted to explore next. These are useful examples for parents who want learning to grow from children's interests.

Ofsted rated the nursery Outstanding on 9 September 2022. That judgement gives a strong starting point for choosing it, while the date matters when weighing the daily experiences described below.

The nursery accepts children from birth to five and has 81 places in total. Its address is 195e Camberwell Grove, London, SE5 8JU. Full-day bookings run across the year, with a minimum attendance pattern that families should weigh against their working week.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care. For parents, this means learning through everyday play and interaction, with attention to children's development as well as their care needs.

In September 2022, activities gave children practical problems to solve. Babies repeatedly tried pushing pipe cleaners into flowerpot holes, while older children worked with scissors and tape to assemble paper creations. Staff sometimes helped and sometimes allowed children to keep trying independently. The useful distinction is between completing something for a child and giving them time to work it out.

Toddlers explored size by making dough caterpillars and comparing their lengths. Preschool children investigated mixtures of foam, oil and food colouring, with staff introducing vocabulary connected to what was happening. These examples brought mathematical ideas and language into hands-on play, rather than treating them as separate lessons.

Children also used chairs and boxes to construct an imaginary train. Favourite books were shared, and preschool children held planning meetings to choose activities for the following week. Their choices had a practical place in the programme: adults could build activities around subjects that already interested them.

Outdoor and Community Life

In September 2022, children used the large garden daily and helped cultivate vegetables in the nursery allotment. Toddlers investigated snails, while preschool children created books about the small creatures they discovered. Outdoor exploration therefore connected with writing and conversation as well as exercise.

The allotment gave children something to tend and observe in September 2022; making books about garden discoveries took those experiences back into creative work. Both examples help parents understand how the outdoor space was used, beyond simply having somewhere to play.

Relationships and Communication

In September 2022, babies explored their surroundings and returned to their key person for comfort when they needed it. Staff balanced reassurance with opportunities for independent play. For families choosing care for a baby, that relationship is an important part of understanding how the nursery day works.

Parents received updates about their child's development and suggestions for activities at home. This made communication useful beyond a description of the day's events: families could continue an interest or practise a developing skill together. The key question for a visit is how that exchange works for an individual child now.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the September 2022 inspection, Ofsted found effective safeguarding and strong support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, with the SEND coordinator working alongside families and professionals to arrange support and help staff adapt activities. This provides a dated assessment of both protective arrangements and the practical work behind individual support.

In September 2022, safeguarding arrangements included controlled access, recruitment checks, staff training and emergency exercises. These were concrete procedures rather than a general promise of safety.

The chef discussed children's dietary requirements with parents and offered advice in September 2022. That direct conversation gave families a way to explain food needs to the person responsible for meals.

Sessions and Attendance

Full Days run from 7.30am to 6.30pm. All-year-round plans include bookings for two, three or five days, and full-day plans require at least two consecutive days with a Monday or Friday included. That condition matters for parents whose work is concentrated in the middle of the week.

Opening hours are 7.30am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday. The nursery operates across the year, closing for bank holidays and Christmas. Families therefore need to allow for those closures when arranging their wider childcare.

Funding and Paid Extras

Both private childcare and funded hours are offered. The funding routes include Working Parent funded hours, the Two Year Old Offer, Universal funded hours and Extended Entitlement funded hours, subject to the relevant eligibility requirements. For all-year-round bookings, funded hours are spread across 51 weeks: the 15-hour schemes provide 11 hours weekly and the 30-hour scheme provides 22.

Breakfast, lunch, tea and snacks are included in the booking-plan fees, including the plans combining funding with paid hours. A private-place offer requires a deposit and a non-refundable registration charge on acceptance; the deposit is returned if cancellation happens at least six weeks before the agreed start, and is credited to the fees account when attendance ends. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

• Consecutive-day requirement. Full-day plans must include at least two consecutive days and a Monday or Friday. Compare that pattern with your working week before accepting a place.
• Baby care in practice. The September 2022 account describes babies seeking comfort from their key person. During a visit, ask how settling, sleep and continuity of that relationship work for your child.
• Funded hours across the year. Funding is stretched over 51 weeks for all-year-round bookings. Compare the funded portion with your booked hours, and ask which non-food consumables you need to supply.

Camberwell Grove merits consideration for families drawn to practical exploration, garden learning and children having a say in their activities. Its Outstanding judgement dates to September 2022; the allotment, science play and key-person relationships give substance to that assessment. The current booking structure suits families seeking either part-week attendance across the year or a five-day pattern, provided the consecutive-day requirement fits their routine.