Dunelm Grove Pre-School
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A pre-school in London for children from birth to 8+, open 09:00 to 15:30, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in June 2023. Open since 1993, with 20 places.
What you might pay
This setting does not publish its fees, and no national dataset holds them. This is what childcare costs across the council, as a starting point for the call.
What childcare usually costs in Lambeth
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Lambeth from the Department for Education's 2025 provider survey. No national data holds what an individual nursery charges, so ring and ask.
Places, hours and the day
Who they take, when they are open, and what a day there includes.
Where it is
SE27 9JPWhat the inspector found
One grade is one visit. A run of them tells you whether it has been good for years or has only just got there.
Ofsted inspector, 23 June 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are happy and confident in this small, family-like pre-school. Staff know the children well, including their likes and dislikes, and carefully link their interests to activities. Children enjoy close bonds with staff, who interact warmly with them.
Staff have high expectations of children and value each of them.
The curriculum is varied and interesting. Children develop a good understanding of the world. For example, staff teach children about the impact that cutting down forests has on animal habitats. They teach them about people who help us, for instance by organising visits to fire stations. Children have good mathematical skills. Staff use mathematical language to describe size and shape, and children know different shape names. Staff sing counting songs and rhymes and count objects with children as they play. Children develop good physical skills. They practise throwing balls into nets to develop their coordination skills. Children learn to balance on beams and jump in and out of tyres. They learn to share and take turns, for instance as they pour their own drinks. Children have a good understanding about differences. Staff read stories to children that have multicultural and religious characters. Children play with toys and resources that reflect people from diverse backgrounds. Children make good progress and learn useful skills in preparation for school.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- broaden opportunities for more adult-directed play to enhance children's learning, particularly for older children n develop the outdoor area further to reflect areas of learning more fully to support those children who learn best outdoors.
- 23 June 2023Good
- 11 December 2017Good
- 13 December 2016Needs improvement
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Dunelm Grove Pre-School
- What it costs
- Funded hours
- Youngest age taken
- Meals
- Nappies
- Waiting list
No dataset holds any of this. Two parents telling us the same thing puts it on the page for whoever looks next.
What to ask them
None of this is in any national dataset and this setting has not published it, which is exactly why it is worth asking.
- What does it cost, all in? What is on top: meals, nappies, late pick-up, and what happens if you are late.
- Can I use my funded hours here? Whether they stretch them over the year, and the minimum days you have to book.
- Is there a place for my child's age? Baby rooms fill first and waiting lists are common.
- Who would my child's key person be? And how long have the staff been there. No dataset holds this and it matters more than anything above.
- Can I visit at a busy time? Mid-morning on a weekday tells you far more than an empty room after hours.
Pre-schools within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.