Penge East Day Nursery, Sydenham, South London

Fresh, nutritious meals are prepared on site each day by our nursery chef, making food and nutrition an important part of the nursery day. Our garden also provides different spaces for different moments, with plenty of room for active play alongside a quieter area where children can step away from busier activities and enjoy a change of pace.

Strong partnerships with families are an important part of our approach. Through the GrandirUK App, families receive regular updates about their child’s day, including activities and meals, with photos helping them stay connected with their child’s nursery experience.

Our team also works closely with families to share information, answer questions and understand each child’s individual needs, supporting a consistent and inclusive approach throughout their time at nursery.

Boogie Mites sessions and Italian classes, taught by Italian members of our team, bring plenty of variety to the week, alongside age-appropriate activities shaped around children’s individual interests.

Getting out into the local community is an important part of nursery life too. Children regularly visit Penge East station to see the trains, as well as the local park, library, music shop and charity shop, giving them opportunities to explore and become familiar with the people and places around them.

Penge East Day Nursery has four rooms for different ages and stages: a baby room, toddler room, nursery room and preschool room. Each offers age-appropriate activities and experiences, with children moving into their next room when they are developmentally and emotionally ready rather than following a set timetable.

Our preschool room has a quieter area used for storytime, circle time and Italian classes, giving older children a dedicated space for these experiences. One of the nursery’s most distinctive features is the indoor slide in our conservatory, adding another opportunity for movement and play indoors.

Across the nursery, our playrooms are well resourced with equipment and materials chosen to support children’s play, learning and development.

Outdoor space

Our garden offers plenty of different ways to play and explore. Climbing equipment, a mud kitchen, scooters and bikes provide opportunities for active and imaginative play, while the art wall gives children space to get creative outdoors. There is also a quieter area for children who want a change of pace.

A particularly distinctive feature is our viewing platform overlooking the railway. Children can watch trains arrive and leave Penge East station, turning something that is part of the nursery’s everyday surroundings into an opportunity to watch, wonder and explore.

Our team take time to create a warm, welcoming environment where children can become familiar with the people, spaces and routines around them.

By getting to know each child and understanding what helps them feel comfortable, the team can support them as they settle into nursery life at their own pace. These familiar relationships provide a consistent foundation for their time with us.

Our curriculum at Penge East follows the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) through our Learn Through Play Approach. Activities and learning opportunities are shaped around each child’s interests, individual needs and stage of development.

By understanding what children are interested in and identifying their next steps, our team can provide purposeful experiences that support their learning and development, building strong foundations for primary school and future learning.

We believe children learn through play, and at Penge East that shapes every day. Our team build experiences around what interests each child, using those interests to identify their next steps and support their learning through the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).

This individual approach gives children opportunities to explore, make choices and develop their skills at their own pace, building strong foundations for primary school and future learning.

For families with more than one child, having siblings at the same nursery means one drop-off and pick-up, while each child can enjoy a room suited to their own age and stage.

With all four rooms in one building and shared spaces including the garden and train-viewing platform, brothers and sisters have opportunities to see each other and share parts of their nursery day.

Sibling places are subject to availability, but where we have space in the appropriate room, we will always look at the options for welcoming brothers and sisters together.

Led by Nursery Manager Fana, our diverse and experienced team bring a range of knowledge, skills and backgrounds to nursery life at Penge East.

Several members of the team are from Italy and share their language with the children through Italian classes, bringing their own knowledge and experience to the sessions. Our experienced SENCos work closely with children, families and the wider team to provide individual support for children with special educational needs.