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Nursery at Selhurst Nursery School and Children's Centre
Last reviewed: October 2026 · Inspection data and key information above update regularly, however, this review below is refreshed bi-annually and may not reflect recent changes. Contact the nursery directly to confirm current arrangements. If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
A large outdoor learning space and an on-site Forest School give Selhurst’s nursery day a clear outdoor thread. At Dagnall Park in South Norwood, this maintained nursery school shares its site with a Children’s Centre Hub, bringing family support services alongside children’s learning.
Provision includes 78 part-time places for children aged three to four, plus 38 places for two- to three-year-olds. The age groups learn within integrated provision. Selhurst and Crosfield are distinct nursery schools within one federation, sharing an executive headteacher and governing board.
Play carries the learning. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) connects language, physical skills and emotional development with early mathematics, literacy, creativity and understanding the world. Activities respond to individual interests, rather than expecting young children to follow an identical path.
A teacher-led approach combines planned Core Learning Experiences with resources children can reach and choose themselves. Self-registration begins with a name and photograph; later, children try recognising their name alone. Putting materials away, choosing what to make and asking for help turn everyday routines into practice in independence.
Climbing and balancing have concrete equipment behind them: A frames, connecting planks, scooters and bikes. Making and creating includes paint, recycled materials and tools for joining things together. These give children different ways to develop coordination and express an idea. Storytelling moves from sharing books with an adult to using props, taking characters and inventing endings with friends.
Music runs through the day. Core Rhymes include Incy Wincy Spider and Wind the Bobbin Up, and children use rhyme books to lead singing with their peers. Outdoors, the January 2024 inspection described children searching and counting in Panda Wood. It also found that counting small numbers happened during fruit routines, games and other everyday activities.
Curriculum consistency. In January 2024, mathematics and some other curriculum elements still needed further staff training to make delivery consistent. Families should weigh that development need alongside the practical learning opportunities. The same inspection identified exceptional personal development, including dance with a disabled-led group, puppet-based oral health sessions from King’s College London and annual outings such as the Horniman Museum and Gardens.
Each child has a key person throughout nursery, giving families a continuing contact who plans learning and discusses progress. Food preferences, sleep needs and comfort items form part of that relationship. Observations recorded through Tapestry help staff plan what comes next and share children’s development with parents.
Settling is adjusted to the child. Home visits are typically offered at the start of the academic year; children joining at other times can attend a school meeting with their parents. The key person agrees the settling period with the family, so the timetable responds to how the transition is going.
SEND support includes Makaton, PECS and Intensive Interaction. A designated Sensory Room is used daily for small-group work on individual targets. In January 2024, children’s additional needs were recognised promptly and support enabled participation in the curriculum; safeguarding arrangements were effective.
Children staying at lunchtime bring a packed lunch. Food is not reheated, so families wanting to send something hot use a food flask. Breakfast Club includes food, making its earlier start a different arrangement from lunchtime.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application to a primary school through the normal Reception admissions route and meet the normal deadline.
Transition support is a separate matter. Receiving Reception staff are invited to observe children at nursery and discuss their development and support strategies. Assessments and transition information follow the child; where needed, the receiving SENCO joins discussions. Some children use a transition book to become familiar with their new school and adults.
Selhurst opens on weekdays during term time, from 8am to 3.30pm. Morning sessions run from 8.30am to 11.30am; afternoons run from 12.30pm to 3.30pm. Families can request five mornings, five afternoons or full-time patterns. Split-week options include additional lunchtime hours and are limited to certain circumstances.
For eligible families, the 30-hour package runs from 9.30am to 3.30pm with no additional charge, subject to limited places. Starting at 8.30am adds a charge. The universal 15-hour entitlement begins in the term after a child’s third birthday; eligibility for the additional funded hours must be reconfirmed termly. Ask the school for current charges.
Breakfast Club runs from 8am to 8.30am, with limited places requested on the application form. Nursery applications can be emailed or handed in, and administrators help families complete them. Visits are encouraged. Contact Selhurst at admin@scc.croydon.sch.uk or 020 8683 0180.
There are 78 part-time places for three- to four-year-olds and 38 places for two- to three-year-olds, within integrated provision.
Yes. Morning sessions run from 8.30am to 11.30am and afternoon sessions from 12.30pm to 3.30pm. Five-morning and five-afternoon patterns can be requested.
Children staying for lunch bring a packed lunch. The nursery does not heat food; a food flask is suggested for a hot meal.
A key person supports the child and agrees the settling period with parents. Home visits are typically offered at the beginning of the academic year, with school meetings for families joining at other times.
No. Reception requires a separate application through the normal admissions process. Nursery staff support the transition by sharing information and working with receiving schools.
