The Ark Children Centre
GoodTakes funded hoursBirth to 8+Long established
A day nursery in Deptford for babies from 9 months up to school age, open 07:30 to 18:00, 5 days a week. £74.00 a day for 2 Years to 3 Years, and they take the funded hours. Rated Good by Ofsted in February 2024. Open since 2015, with 27 places.
What it costs
Prices change without notice. Treat these as what to ask about, not a quote.
51 weeks a year.
| Age | Full day | Session | Weekly | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Months to 2 Years3m to 2y | £75.001 Day | £43.00Afternoon £44.00Morning | £342.005 Full days a week | |
| 2 Years to 3 Years2y to 3y | £74.001 Day | £43.00Afternoon £44.00Morning | £337.005 Full days a week | |
| 3 Years to 5 Years3y to 5y | £73.001 Day | £43.00Afternoon £44.00Morning | £332.005 Full days a week |
Funded hours
15 hours funded childcare, 30 hours funded childcare for eligible working families, 15 Hours Funding for Eligible 2-Year-Olds, Universal 15 Hours Funding for 3 and 4-Year-Olds, 30 Hours Funding for Working Families.
Worth knowing. Term-time basis only. No compulsory top-up fees. No registration fees or deposits for funded places. Optional charges for meals, nappies, extra hours, outings.
What childcare usually costs in Lewisham
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Lewisham 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
SE8 5RBWhat 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, 9 February 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children at this nursery are highly independent and keen to participate in all aspects of the daily routine. They enjoy the activities and experiences that staff plan for them and apply themselves fully to their learning. When it is time to tidy up, line up to go outside or get ready for lunch, children contribute by putting away toys, putting on coats or washing their hands. Children learn to manage their selfcare independently. They learn to use the toilet, wash their hands and wipe their noses by themselves. Children are relaxed, and they have close relationships with staff and their friends, which contribute to their safety and emotional well-being.
Staff make the most of opportunities to bring children of all ages together. Older children behave beautifully with their younger peers. Behaviour is positive and respectful, and children take great care to be gentle with babies. The youngest children watch their older peers intently and mimic their actions when they play together. When it is time for lunch, pre-school children set the table. They do this with very little instruction as they know exactly where everything goes. For example, they make sure that all their friends' water bottles are in the right place and everyone has appropriate cutlery. Children take pride in the completion of the task, and they smile broadly when staff praise their work. Children's experience at nursery helps them to acquire the skills they need for a successful move to the next stage in their learning, including starting school.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: - strengthen supervision arrangements to help staff reflect on their practice, in order to fully enhance their skills and abilities to the highest level.
- 9 February 2024Good
- 13 February 2018Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 2 graded inspections.
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What to ask them
Some of this is above, from the setting or from parents, and it can go out of date. The rest is in no dataset anywhere. Either way it is worth ten minutes on the phone.
- Is £74.00 a day still the rate? What is on top: meals, nappies, late pick-up, and what happens if you are late.
- How do you apply my funded hours? Whether they stretch them over the year, and the minimum days you have to book.
- Do you have a place for a child of my age now? 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.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.