Mottingham Hall for Children Nursery, Farm and Forest School

Mottingham Lane, London SE9 4RW
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9.5 61 Reviews
  • Mottingham Hall for Children Nursery, Farm and Forest School, London
Mottingham Hall for Children is a unique setting with 4 acres or land. The nursery environment is an amazing place for children to grow and learn. Included is 1/3 acre of woodlands, a small onsite farm and allotment area.

The onsite Forest school sessions are run by a highly skilled Forest school trained leaders. The woodlands are securely fenced for nursery use only. Children aged from 2 years upwards use the forest daily. All children have access to the woodlands area on a regular basis and beautiful outdoor grounds. There is also a 6 seater buggy bus and children take regular trips out in this or by foot depending on age (parent permission given on admission).

The staff team have a range of qualification ranging from Level 5- to apprenticeships. The nursery goes above statutory staff to child ratios to ensure children have high quality interactions and care. All staff are Paediatric first aid trained and some both indoor and outdoor paediatric first aid trained.

Safeguarding is of paramount importance and compliance with Ofsted regulations are effectively audited regularly.

All food is cooked on the premises by an onsite chef, as well as delicious parent breakfast treats baked by the chef assistant. There is also a parent area where parents can take an on the go bite, as well as make a takeaway tea and coffee. The menus reflect healthy eating using fresh products all of the time. These are reviewed at least once in a year for summer and autumn.

The nursery is a Curiosity Approach accredited setting, Brain injury accredited setting, Day Nurseries Top 10 winners for London 2022, and Forest School association accredited. It has also been awarded a silver Royal Forestry award.

The nursery is located close to the local train station and the A2/A20 covering areas such as Bromley, Chislehurst, Eltham, Sidcup and Lee.
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Type of Service

  • Day Nursery
  • Open all year
  • Full Day Care

Owner

  • Mottingham Hall Ltd
  • Privately Owned

Person in Charge

  • Melanie Pearce (Director)

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 34

Total Places for Children

  • 84

Age Range

  • from 0 years 3 months
  • to 5 years 0 months

Funding & Fees

  • Please contact us for our most up to date fee sheet. Part days not available - FEE 15 & 30 hours registered.

Opening Times

  • Monday 07:30-18:30
    Tuesday 07:30-18:30
    Wednesday 07:30-18:30
    Thursday 07:30-18:30
    Friday 07:30-18:30

When Closed

  • Bank Holidays only

Parking

  • They have on site parking for pick up and drop off. They also have a buggy store for their families who walk to the setting.

Mottingham Hall for Children Nursery, Farm and Forest School Reviews (61)

9.5

Mottingham Hall for Children Nursery, Farm and Forest School has a Review Score of 9.5 (9.487) out of 10, based on 10 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Mottingham Hall for Children Nursery, Farm and Forest School has 61 reviews.

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Review from Natalie H (Mother of Child) published on 21 April 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We have felt supported by staff looking after our daughter, and been very impressed by the communication of the entire nursery team. All staff are dedicated to looking after the children, and take a genuine interest in their care and development. The forest school is simply incredible and far exceeds
any expectations you might have. We feel incredibly fortunate that our daughter is able to attend Mottingham Hall, and have recommended it to all our friends and family.
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Review from Siobhan H (Mother of Child) published on 21 April 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Mottingham Hall for children has been a fantastic, nurturing environment for our son, who started there when he was 8 months old. We love the confidence he has built during his time there and are always impressed by the wide range of creative activities he takes part in each week. Staff there are kind,
friendly and genuinely care about the children.
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Review from Anna H (Mother of Child) published on 20 April 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Wonderful nursery my son has been attending since February this year. A lot of thought has gone into the day to day running making it seamless and filled with fun activities for the children. Specific projects like growing food for the children in an allotment, looking after the forest, event days making
it a rich experience for the children. The staff are caring and engaged.
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Review from Shalini G (Mother of Child) published on 18 November 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our son has been attending Mottingham Hall since September 2020. After not having much interaction with anyone other than my husband and myself due to the lockdown we were worried about how he would settle. But we had nothing to worry about as the staff at the nursery are amazing. He quickly settled
into the nursery and the tears at drop off soon turned into excitement to be there. In just a few months, we have seen significant development in our son. The nursery teachers are very supportive and caring. The bubbly and positive nature of the staff also brings out this quality in our son. The facilities at the nursery are brilliant, and the space and greenery provide such a calming environment for the children. We would definitely recommend the nursery to any parent and feel very lucky that our son is attending.
Reply from Melanie Pearce, Director at Mottingham Hall for Children Nursery, Farm and Forest School
Thank you for sharing such a lovely review. We are so glad to hear your son has settled in well, and it means a lot to the team to have such kind feedback.
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Review from Shell H (Mother of Child) published on 28 October 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My 2-year-old has been attending Mottingham Hall for over a year now, she thoroughly enjoys her time here and is excited to return each morning. The staff are very caring and build strong bonds with the children so I can see she is so happy and is cared for. She has been spending time in the forest
recently and this has been a wonderful experience for her. Thank you to all the staff for helping her grow and learn in such a wonderful setting.
Reply from Melanie Pearce, Director at Mottingham Hall for Children Nursery, Farm and Forest School
Thank you for taking the time to review the nursery. We are so glad to read such positive feedback, and really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience of the setting.
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Review from G F (Father of Child) published on 16 December 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Great staff and setting, kids love it. The nursery invests in their business so always making improvements and has a year-round list of activities for the children to enjoy.
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Review from L P (Mother of Child) published on 29 October 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
A wonderful nursery setting where my son is thriving through the warm and loving care that the staff here provide. An open-door policy has built trust and means that no query is too trivial. The staff here actively work with parents to bridge the gap between home and nursery so that your child has a
fun and enriching experience whilst in childcare. The outdoor space and facilities are superb and you will not find another nursery in this area that offers such a large natural outdoor setting. We feel very lucky to be able to send our son here and are grateful to all the hardworking staff here.
Reply from Emma Savage at Mottingham Hall for Children Nursery, Farm and Forest School
Thank you for your lovely comment! We're so glad that your son is thriving at our setting and very grateful you have taken the time to review the nursey for other prospective parents.
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Review from Madeleine M (Mother of Child) published on 5 February 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter is really happy here. When we pull up in the car in the morning she smiles and points at the building, sometimes claps her hands. It seems like all the staff know her name and say hello. It is a really caring environment with lots of lovely little touches (the multiple-seats pushchair;
the breakfast for parents in a hurry..) and such trouble taken to feedback about your child and notice how they are progressing and how their day has been. There is a different room for each year group and real care with the transition from one stage to another. Lots of outdoors time in the summer and trips to the forest! They also do lots of other activities like a bird event or carols on the weekends. Really happy to have her here while I work - she is thriving.
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Review from Katherine C (Mother of Child) published on 20 February 2017 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
A lovely family orientated nursery. It's welcoming, homely, safe, and clean. The staff are very caring and focused on developing our babies and children, with varied activities indoors and outdoors. The forest school development plans are particularly exciting. Our daughter has settled well and is
happy and thriving there.
A happy, caring nursery with healthy fresh food, and a real family centred approach.
I would highly recommend.
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Review from Reena (Mother of Child) published on 19 December 2016 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
Mottingham Hall for children is such a wonderful place and care for kids. It is very cosy and heartwarming place with well-trained staff members. I wish all success for the organisation and its development.
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Review from LH (Mother of Child) published on 19 October 2016 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our Daughter started nursery 4wks ago. There were a few tears at first but her Key Worker was fantastic and stepped in right from the first moment to comfort my Daughter and to let her know that nursery was a safe, comfortable and fun place to be! The nursery staff are very friendly and welcoming, which
has helped our Daughter settle quickly, she now runs up the path excitedly!


There has been a noticeable improvement with her speech development.


At drop off last week, two members of staff who work in one of the other rooms greeted my Daughter by name, evidence that the staff care for all the children attending and not just the children directly in their care.

We were impressed that the nursery allows visits by prospective parents at any time of the day, so you know that what you see during your visit is a true reflection of how the nursery runs on a day to day basis.


The nursery feels secure with good security measures in place.


I would very much recommend the nursery to other parents.

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Review from Anna (Mother of Child) published on 15 September 2016 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
My child attended Mottingham Hall between the ages of 1 and 2. We only left because we moved further away. I chose Mottingham Hall over other nurseries in the area because it felt the most like an extension of the home environment and it had a good family vibe about it. They were very accommodating
and managed to place my child quickly. Learning is done through free play, structured activities, songs and a lovely outdoor area. I could tell my child had fun because she would smile and be happy at the end of each day. Home/nursery communication is good as a book goes back and forth so that you can outline any new learning or issues. The staff follow your lead with things such as naps and potty training and are flexible and accommodating. The food was healthy and varied, much better than the food she gets at home! Feedback is important to staff so you feel like you can approach them with any questions or suggestions. I would recommend viewing Mottingham Hall to see what you think.
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Review from Sarah W (Mother of Child) published on 7 September 2016 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son has attended Mottingham Hall since he was 8 months old and it has been an absolute pleasure working with the team since day one. He is now 2 years old and continues to thrive at a nursery which I think offers fantastic facilities in a fabulous setting with lots of outside space.


The team

are all very friendly and welcoming, updates are regular and consistent and improvements are always being made.
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Review from Paul M (Father of Child) published on 30 August 2016 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Great nursery, have used several in the area, but this is definitely the best by far. Both my son and daughter have been there. Currently, son is back there for two days a week. I have worked in an Education setting myself, in Independent Schools with integrated nurseries, and this is up there with
them. Caring and supportive staff and a lovely atmosphere. Would recommend.
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Review from Samson O (Father of Child) published on 25 August 2016 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Very good environment for the children for learning, I will really recommend the nursery to my relatives and friends. Both their staff and management are good, professional, they are very serious about their jobs
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Review from Esther A (Mother of Child) published on 29 February 2016 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The nursery has a lovely friendly family feel. All of the staff and children know each other regardless of which room they are usually in. The staff are all very caring and helped my son to settle in really quickly. After a few weeks he clearly felt like it was a second home!


He loves the food,

which seems to be of a high quality. It is all freshly made (and smells delicious!), and there is a good variety.


The outdoor space is already good, with plenty of toys and activities, and there are exciting plans to develop it further. They also take regular trips out to the park, and to feed the ducks etc. The nursery feels very secluded and secure, with a fingerprint entry system and CCTV.


Finally the opening hours have been massively helpful. They are open a little bit earlier in the morning and later in the evening than most other nurseries we looked at, which allows us much greater flexibility, and means we don't have to panic when we're running a little late in the evenings!

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Review from P. W (Mother of Child) published on 29 February 2016 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter was apprehensive at first, but now she really looks forward to seeing her friends and also counts several of the staff among them. The staff were very welcoming and the fact that our daughter talks enthusiastically about 'nursie' and has made such progress there, makes us feel happy that
we've chosen the right place for her.
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Review from M C (Mother of Child) published on 11 December 2015 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I have a very close bond with my son so I knew it would be hard to give him up for daycare when I went back to work part-time. Mottingham Hall have done an amazing job helping him settle in and paired him up with a great key worker who he absolutely loves. The nurse takes pride in early years curriculum
and they are very clean.
Children are well looked after and, what is very important for me, their food is freshly prepared from seasonal ingredients. Cottage pie, lasagne, jacket potatoes are just some of the meals that my little ones has grown to love. The nursery has got an amazing garden and the area is covered by CCTV with additional security ensuring only the parents/carers can get in.
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Review from Claire B (Mother of Child) published on 3 December 2015 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
A really good nursery that is caring & nurturing. My child has been coming her for a year and I am very happy with how he has developed. The Nursery is growing and the outside space is being developed which will be fantastic when it is done.


This year we had Sports day, Photos, Father Christmas

visiting and much more - there is always plenty going on!


It is a great environment for the children.

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Review from Emma (Mother of Child) published on 23 November 2015 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The nursery is housed in a purpose-built building which is light, airy, clean and well-maintained. Despite being located in a busy residential area, it has a real countryside feel, with plenty of trees and open space to the rear. This land belongs to the nursery, and the management have exciting ideas
for development.
The nursery has a real focus on making life easier for busy, working parents; the opening hours are longer than those of many other nurseries, and there is a free 'breakfast on the go' service providing tea/coffee and toast for parents.
There is a good range of ride-on toys and play houses in the garden, and plenty of opportunities for water-play and messy play indoors. Every day there are different activities laid out on the tables, which are always thoughtful and imaginative.
The staff are well trained and have excellent relationships with the children. My son thoroughly enjoys his time at nursery.
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Current Review Score: 9.5 (9.487)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.5 (9.487) out of 10 for Mottingham Hall for Children Nursery, Farm and Forest School is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  1. The Average Rating is 4.9 out of 5 from 10 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 4.6 out of 5 from 10 positive Reviews in the last 24 months.

Detailed Breakdown of Review Score

The maximum Review Score for a Day Nursery is 10, which is made up from the Average Rating of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) and the Number of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) in the last 24 months:

  1. 5 Points are available for the Average Rating from all Reviews in the last 24 months. The Average Rating of 4.892 for Mottingham Hall for Children Nursery, Farm and Forest School is calculated as follows: ( (107 Excellents x 5) + (13 Goods x 4) ) ÷ 120 Ratings = 4.892
  2. 5 Points are available for the number of Positive Reviews in the last 24 months. A Positive Review is defined as any Review with an 'Overall Experience' of '4' or '5' (out of a max rating '5'). The 4.595 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Mottingham Hall for Children Nursery, Farm and Forest School is based on 10 positive Reviews in the last 24 months and is calculated as per below:

    The 5 points available are broken down as follows:

    1. 4 points are available for the first 10 Positive Reviews in the last 24 months; 3 points for the first Positive Review, and then 0.125 Points for each of the next four Positive Reviews and then 0.1 Points for the next five Positive Reviews. (1st = 3.000, 2nd = 0.125, 3rd = 0.125, 4th = 0.125, 5th = 0.125, 6th = 0.100, 7th = 0.100, 8th = 0.100, 9th = 0.100, 10th = 0.100) 3 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 = 4
    2. 1 point is available for the number of Positive Reviews reaching 20% of the number of registered child places in the last 24 months. If this number is partially reached, then that proportion of 1 point is given. eg a Day Nursery registered for a maximum of 50 child places has to reach 10 Positive Reviews to receive 1 point, if it has 7 reviews it will receive 0.7 points. 20% of the 84 number of registered child places is 16.8. 10 Positive Reviews ÷ 16.8 = 0.595
  3. When a Review is submitted by someone who has previously submitted a Review, only the latest Review will count towards the Review Score.
  4. If a Day Nursery does not have a review in the last 24 months, then it will not have a Review Score.

Child Vacancies

Please contact us for latest vacancies.

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Awards / Recognitions (1)

Meet the Team (2)

Melanie

Melanie Pearce

Job Title: Director/Manager Joined: 2014

Melanie is the setting owner she has over 32 years of experience in early years.

Emma

Emma Savage

Job Title: Director/Manager Joined: 2014

Emma has worked at Mottingham Hall for children for 10 years. She is level 5 qualified and currently studying her Early Years Teacher Status.

Information on this page is displayed without responsibility for its accuracy on the part of daynurseries.co.uk. Please contact Mottingham Hall for Children Nursery, Farm and Forest School to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Mottingham Hall for Children Nursery, Farm and Forest School has an Enhanced Service - more info.