Nursery Advice
Claim Your Nursery

Little Elms Daycare Catford

Ofsted: Good
(Feb 2023)
·
4.4(43 parent reviews) ·50 Muirkirk Road, London, SE6 1BU · Lewisham
Number of places
64 places
Age range
0–4 yrs
Last inspected
Feb 2023
Local authority
Lewisham

About this day nursery

Little Elms Catford is an established nursery in London, UK, opened in 2016, providing care for children aged 3 months to 5 years. Located in a converted Victorian property near Catford Bridge and Catford Station, it offers a nurturing and stimulating atmosphere with dedicated spaces for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers across two floors.

The nursery focuses on tailored teaching and learning programmes, offering captivating activities that interweave diverse topics with each child's interests. Facilities include well-equipped indoor spaces, an Astroturf outdoor area for year-round play, weekly Musical Bumps sessions, and football sessions for preschoolers.

The preschool room also features an interactive whiteboard for phonics and other engaging activities. A full-time Kitchen Assistant, supervised by a qualified Chef, provides balanced meals and snacks.

The nursery aims to help children reach their maximum potential and fosters strong partnerships with parents.

Our ethos

The nursery focuses on tailored teaching and learning programmes, offering captivating activities that interweave diverse topics with each child's interests to help children reach their maximum potential.

What it's like

Children are happy and settled in their well-organised and welcoming learning environment. Older children build strong friendships and develop good social skills. Babies and toddlers show secure bonds with staff and feel safe and secure.

Homely environmentTailored learning programmesOutdoor Astroturf areaBalanced meals and snacks

Pricing & funding

Fees are billed monthly in advance, calculated using an annualised average of contracted weekly sessions. Fees include all meals, snacks, standard and extracurricular activities, and formula milk for under-ones. Additional service charges apply weekly for funded hours but are optional.

Funding accepted

15 hours — working parents (9 months–2 yrs)15 hours — eligible 2-year-olds15 hours — universal (3–4 yrs)30 hours — working parents (3–4 yrs)Tax-Free Childcare

Good to know

  • A deposit is required upon application, with a portion credited to the first month's fees.
  • Free waiting list, but registration fee is required once a place is offered.
  • Minimum attendance of 2 sessions or 1 day per week is required.
  • Fees are paid monthly in advance by the last working day of the month.
  • No refunds or reductions for sickness, holidays, bank holidays, inset days, or Christmas Eve early closure.
  • Includes all meals, snacks, standard and extracurricular activities, plus formula milk for under-ones.

Key facts

Food

All meals and snacks, and formula milk for children under 1 year old are included in the fees.

Opening hours

7:30 AM - 6:00 PM

Age range

3 months to 5 years

Term time / All Year

All Year

Session types

Half Day AM, Half Day PM, Full Day

Ofsted Inspection

Ofsted rating for Little Elms Daycare Catford

Last inspected 23 February 2023

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

Children are happy and settled in their well-organised and welcoming learning environment. Older children build strong friendships and develop good social skills. Babies and toddlers show secure bonds with staff and feel safe and secure.

Inspector highlights

  • Staff implement effective teamwork throughout the day to promote children's health and safety.
  • Staff have improved their understanding of risk assessments and supervision, especially regarding end-of-day routines.
  • Staff support children who have emerging additional needs very well, working closely with parents and using communication aids.
  • Older children develop good personal independence, making choices and preparing for the next stage of education.
  • Effective key-person systems are embedded, with staff focusing on individual learning needs and interests.

Areas to develop

  • 1strengthen the planning of group sessions, especially for babies, so they are more focused and organised to fully enhance children's learning experiences
  • 2review risk assessments of resources to ensure books in all group rooms are in good condition to promote children's ongoing interest and enjoyment of books.
Inspection #10276906 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report

What parents say

Verbatim quotes recorded in the Ofsted inspection

Parents say that communication is good.

Parents say their children's language and communication skills have improved, as staff sing lots of songs with them.

They value that staff support their children's individual needs and feel their children are prepared to move on to school.

Inclusion & environment

How they support every child

SEND provision

Staff support children who have emerging additional needs very well. They work closely with parents to share information and initiate assessment processes. Staff are calm and know the best ways to respond to children's behaviours, for example if they are upset. They use signs and picture cards to aid communication. As a result, children who have additional needs join in activities well and have made good progress from their starting points.

Outdoor space

Older children build strong friendships. They play cooperatively while playing imaginative games in the home corner or during outside play. They confidently put on their coats and line up to go out to play.

Parent Reviews of Little Elms Daycare Catford

4.4
(43)
CRISTINA C
a year ago

I had a very negative experience with this nursery and feel the need to share it so other parents can make informed decisions. My child started in November with a part-time schedule (three days a week), but from the beginning, things felt wrong. The settling-in process was poorly handled, and communication was a constant struggle — many of the staff did not speak or understand English properly, which raised serious safety and wellbeing concerns. What affected me most as a parent was how terrified my child became. He would cry, scream, and run away when it was time to get dressed for nursery. He repeatedly said he didn’t want to go, and I had to chase him around the house trying to calm him down. No child should feel that scared about going to a place that’s supposed to be caring and supportive. The management was unhelpful and disorganised throughout. I ultimately made the decision to withdraw my child very early on, as I felt his emotional wellbeing was at risk. To make matters worse, I later received a letter asking for a large payment, even though the nursery failed to provide proper care or support during the short time my child was enrolled. I do not believe this charge is fair or justified. Sadly, I would not recommend this nursery to anyone. A safe and nurturing environment is the minimum a parent expects — and that was clearly lacking here.

Read on Google
Lizzy Ragib
5 years ago

Lovely nursery. Staff are passionate in their roles and amazing communication. Run by fantastic managers. They play a crucial role In our lives supporting our daughter with special needs and I can honestly say we don’t know where we would be without them. My 10 month month old has now recently joined LE and the care is amazing. Highly recommend ❤️❤️

Read on Google
Ewelina Winiczenko
4 years ago

Our daughter loves her nursery. She is happy to go there every day. Staff members are friendly and polite. I have no issues with the communication. Overall happy for my daughter to attend that nursery. Thank you Little Elms.

Read on Google
Willow Elias-Stagg
3 years ago

We are really happy with Little Elms Catford. Our son has settled in really well and enjoys going to nursery. The staff have a great relationship with him and he looks forward to seeing them each day. He loves the food, activities and playing in the garden. We couldn’t ask for mores from a nursery. Willow & Joe

Read on Google
Harriet Beesley / Ferguson
5 years ago

Our daughter loves Little Elms, it's got a friendly, family feel! The class sizes are just right, not overwhelming at all. The staff are all super passionate and caring, with great attention to detail, we feel very comfortable leaving our daughter in their capable hands. COVID precautions are taken seriously, which is so reassuring. Happy baby = happy parents, thanks Little Elms!

Read on Google

Reviews from Google for Little Elms Daycare Catford. See all on Google Maps

Inspection history

Date: May 2018

  • February 2023Good
  • May 2018Good

Frequently asked about Little Elms Daycare Catford

Nearby day nurseries in London

Other Ofsted-registered day nurseries close to Little Elms Daycare Catford.

Are you the owner of this nursery? Claim this listing to manage photos, hours and contact details.

Claim listing

Share this nursery

Send to a partner, friend or family member.

This listing has been compiled from official Ofsted records, the nursery's own website, details provided directly by the nursery where available, and other trusted public sources. We regularly review and update listings to keep the information as accurate as possible. Learn more