“My daughter attended Blooming Years for 3 years and I will be forever thankful for the amazing teachers for fostering a nurturing environment. This has provided her with brilliant foundations, enabling her confidence, curiosity and resilience to flourish. Thank you for loving her so much!”
7-8 Clapham Common South Side, SW4 7AA
A nursery for Abbeville Road families, on Clapham Common
If you live near Abbeville Road, you are probably already familiar with Clapham Common as part of your daily routine, whether that is a weekend walk past the bandstand or a shortcut on the school run. Blooming Years is right on the south side of the Common, which makes it a genuinely easy choice for families in this part of Clapham. We would love to show you around if you want to come and see us.
Why families choose us
Our approach
What tends to strike parents most when they visit is that we are not trying to push children through a programme. We think there is a real difference between teaching a child what to think and teaching them how to think, and everything here is set up around the second of those. The rooms, the activities, the way staff interact with children, it is all designed to build confidence and independence so children leave us genuinely believing in their own ability to work things out.
In practice
On the practical side, we know that handing your child over to a nursery is a big step, and we do not rush it. Every child starts gradually, with sessions building up over time and parents present in those early days. We speak with you every single day during settling in, and we hold termly one-to-ones so you always have a proper conversation, not just a wave at the door. We accept both 15 and 30 hours funded childcare, and our Ofsted rating is Good.
For families in Abbeville Road
Abbeville Road has a particular kind of family life to it. It is a village within a village, with good schools nearby and the kind of neighbourhood where you tend to see the same faces at the same cafes on a Saturday morning. Parents from this pocket of Clapham often tell us that the morning drop-off fits naturally into their route, whether they are heading into town for work or staying local. It suits families who want a nursery that feels like a considered choice, not just the nearest option.
Address
7-8 Clapham Common South Side, SW4 7AA
Phone
020 7720 2424Opening hours
7:30am to 6:30pm, Monday to Friday
Ages
3 months to 5 years
Ofsted
Rated Good
Funding
15 & 30 hours accepted
Getting here
From Abbeville Road, the most straightforward route is along Clapham Park Road, which brings you directly to the south side of Clapham Common in just a few minutes by car. Clapham South tube station is also within easy walking distance of the nursery if you are travelling on foot or combining drop-off with a Northern line commute. Street parking is available nearby if you are driving.
We also serve families from
Ofsted Registered
What London families say
The families already with us can tell you more than we ever could.
“My son went from 1-4 yrs old. He loved it. The staff were patient and kind, offered such a variety of activities, helped him grow in confidence and independence and supported me when I had questions on a few things. He joined reception this year well prepared and ready for his next chapter. Thank you team.”
“Excellent nursery! We are so happy about it. I was so scared about the idea of not finding a good place for my little one. Then I have tried Blooming Years and my baby loves it. The teachers are qualified and they take care of every emotional aspect of the babies. I have visited a lot of nurseries but I never had the same warm feeling.”
Come and visit us
See our nursery for yourself
A visit is the best way to know if we are the right fit for your family. Meet our team, explore our spaces, and ask us anything you like.
Not ready yet?
Things parents ask us
Common questions
From Abbeville Road, Blooming Years Nursery is roughly a 10 to 15 minute walk, heading north through Clapham Common itself, which many families find makes for a pleasant start to the day. You can also hop on a bus or drive, and there is street parking nearby on Clapham Common South Side if you are doing a quick drop-off. The common is right on our doorstep, so families coming from the Abbeville Road area tend to find us very straightforward to reach.
Yes, we accept both the 15 and 30 hours government funded childcare entitlements. The 15 hours is available to all three and four year olds, while the 30 hours is for families who meet the working parent eligibility criteria, which you can check through the Childcare Choices website. We will talk you through how the funded hours apply to your chosen sessions when you come in, as the way funding maps onto our timetable can vary depending on what days and times you need.
We welcome children from 3 months old up to 5 years, so we can support families from early maternity leave return right through to the start of school. Places, particularly for babies, do fill up well in advance, so we would encourage you to get in touch as early as you can, even during pregnancy. We allocate places based on when enquiries come in alongside the age of the child and the sessions available, and we will always be honest with you about timescales rather than keeping you waiting without a clear picture.
An Ofsted rating of Good means that inspectors found the quality of education, care, and leadership at the nursery to be effective and that children are making good progress. In practical terms it means we have been assessed against a national framework and found to be doing well across all the key areas, from how we support children's learning to how we keep them safe. We think it is a useful reference point, but we would always encourage parents to come and see the nursery for themselves, because a visit will tell you far more than a rating alone.
When you visit, you will have a proper look around the nursery, meet some of the team, and have time to ask whatever is on your mind, there is no set script and no pressure. If you decide to go ahead, we use a gradual settling-in process where your child comes in for short sessions to begin with, building up over a couple of weeks at a pace that suits them. We also assign a key person to your child before they start, so there is a familiar face from the very beginning rather than your child arriving to a room full of strangers.