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1st Choice Day Nursery

Ofsted: Good
(May 2025)
·
4.9(9 parent reviews) ·186 Peckham High Street, London, SE15 5EG · Southwark
Number of places
48 places
Age range
1–4 yrs
Last inspected
May 2025
Local authority
Southwark

About this day nursery

1st Choice Day Nursery, drawing on a decade of expertise, adopts the Curiosity Approach and heuristic play to cultivate a child's natural inquisitiveness and creativity. The nursery provides an enriching environment, carefully curated with natural materials and open-ended learning opportunities, encouraging hands-on exploration.

Their dedicated team of educators are adept at facilitating sensory-rich activities to spark imagination and problem-solving skills in children. The curriculum, inspired by the EYFS framework, is tailored to individual needs, ensuring each child is appropriately challenged and stimulated to reach developmental milestones through a balance of group activities, small-group interactions, and one-on-one attention.

Both indoor and outdoor spaces are designed to foster exploration and discovery, with a strong emphasis on connecting with nature to nurture environmentally conscious individuals. The nursery offers a comprehensive meal plan, and also supports families with various government funding options to ease childcare expenses.

Our ethos

1st Choice Day Nursery embraces the Curiosity Approach and heuristic play, utilising natural materials and sensory-rich activities to foster natural inquisitiveness, creativity, imagination, and problem-solving skills. Their curriculum, inspired by the EYFS framework, is individually tailored to stimulate each child's development through a blend of activities and providing children with opportunities to connect with nature.

What it's like

Leaders and managers know the children and their families well and form close partnerships with parents to support individual children's learning. Children enjoy regular outings to the park, behave well, and demonstrate an understanding of rules and boundaries.

Curiosity ApproachHeuristic PlayEYFS CurriculumCommunity-focusedHealthy Meals

Pricing & funding

Fees include all daily meals, including breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, supper, and pudding. Parents are required to provide their own nappies, wipes, and a change of clothes. The nursery offers discounts for siblings and referrals.

Funding accepted

Tax-Free Childcare15 hours — eligible 2-year-olds15 hours — universal (3–4 yrs)30 hours — working parents (3–4 yrs)
  • Jumper£15
  • T-shirt£5
  • Bag£8

Good to know

  • Fees include breakfast, home-cooked lunch, afternoon snack, home-cooked supper, and pudding.
  • Parents must provide nappies, wipes, and an extra set of clothes.
  • Siblings receive a 10% discount on the family account.
  • Referrals receive a 10% discount on the family account.

Key facts

Opening hours

All year round, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm

Food

Breakfast, home-cooked lunch, afternoon snack, home-cooked supper, and home-cooked pudding are all included in the fees.

Age range

3 months to 5 years

Term time / All Year

All Year

Established

2014

Ofsted Inspection

Ofsted rating for 1st Choice Day Nursery

Last inspected 20 May 2025 · Geetha Ramesh

Safeguarding effective
Overall effectiveness
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good

What it's like to attend

Leaders and managers know the children and their families well and form close partnerships with parents to support individual children's learning. Children enjoy regular outings to the park, behave well, and demonstrate an understanding of rules and boundaries.

Inspector highlights

  • Leaders and managers know the children and their families well and form close partnerships with parents.
  • The setting plans an ambitious curriculum to address gaps in learning; children with English as an additional language and those needing communication support make good progress.
  • Children thoroughly enjoy regular outings to the park and demonstrate understanding of rules and safety.
  • Staff promote children's creativity, independence, and provide healthy meals; mealtimes are calm and organised.
  • Self-evaluation is effective and leaders identify areas needing improvement.

Areas to develop

  • 1strengthen opportunities for children to develop a consistent understanding of handwashing routines, particularly at snack times
  • 2strengthen the quality of staff interactions with children, particularly at the start of the day, so that children's play and learning are extended consistently
Inspection #10402203 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report

Inclusion & environment

How they support every child

SEND provisionPositive

Children who speak English as an additional language and those who need support with their communication and language development make good progress; leaders provide appropriate training for staff to meet the needs of children who need additional support.

Outdoor space

Children thoroughly enjoy the regular outings to the park. Older children demonstrate an understanding of how to keep safe when using climbing equipment, for example transferring to a pole and sliding down confidently.

EAL / language support

Children who speak English as an additional language make good progress.

Parent Reviews of 1st Choice Day Nursery

4.9
(9)
Njiru
a year ago

1st Choice was a blessing to my son. He got the best start and was Reception ready when he moved to primary school. He was able to write his name and count to 20. They cared for him every way and he carried this headstart into primary school and is now thriving and happy and performing at greater depth as he approaches secondary school. Thank you so much 1st choice.

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Naz khan
a year ago

Best place ever my daughter comeing ❤️❤️ here and she loved it . 🥰 They are very kind and helpful . Definitely recommend. Now they started helping people fresh food veggies bread flowers. They are very kind and helpful. Lots of prayers for them keep doing the good work bless them . Thank you so much 🤲🏻

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Koko Njiru
9 years ago

Best place you could take a baby. Very sad I now live too far away to take my little one here. It is a wonderful place that sees the children happy and thriving, everyone there loves the children. You precious one is in great hands.

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mike
8 years ago

Ive Been using it this nursery for a few years now and i will say the staff are friendly, Facilities are clean, there's a good structure of activities and learning. Very Good Nursery.

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Susan Geraghty
a year ago

Thank you the free food really helped and they are very friendly 😊

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Reviews from Google for 1st Choice Day Nursery. See all on Google Maps

Inspection history

Date: November 2021

  • May 2025Good
  • November 2021Good

Frequently asked about 1st Choice Day Nursery

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