Full-day nursery in Deptford, Lewisham
The Ark Children Centre
Evelyn Street, Deptford, SE8 5RB · Getting there
Is it good?
Read the Ofsted reportOfsted inspection, before November 2025
Good
- Quality of educationGood
- Behaviour and attitudesGood
- Personal developmentGood
- Leadership and managementGood
- SafeguardingEffective
What does this mean?
This grade is from before November 2025, when Ofsted replaced single grades with report cards. The nursery's next inspection will give a report card, with a separate grade for each area instead of one overall grade.
Official records
- Ofsted registrationRegistered since August 2015Reference EY492926Ofsted · checked 30 June 2026
- Inspections on record1 inspectionlatest 9 February 2024Ofsted · checked 30 June 2026
- Registered places27 placesthe most children it may care for at onceOfsted · checked 30 June 2026
- Food hygiene rating5 (Very good)inspected 22 February 2024Food Standards Agency · checked 13 November 2026
Fees
| Age | Per hour |
|---|---|
| All ages | £10 |
From nursery website, November 2026 · see the fees page. Price per hour is the day rate over a 10.5-hour day, from the nursery's opening hours.
- Charge on funded hours
- £5 full day
- Charge on funded hours
- £2.50 half day
Funded hours: From 9 months, 2-year-olds, 30 hours
Hours and ages
- Monday to Friday
- 07:30–18:00
- Ages
- 9 months to 5 years
- Weeks open
- 51 a year
- Sessions
- Per hour
Getting there
Evelyn Street, Deptford, SE8 5RB · More nurseries in SE8
Stations
- Deptford13 min walk · 0.5 miles
- New Cross ELL15 min walk · 0.6 miles
- New Cross15 min walk · 0.6 miles
Buses
5 bus stops within 400 m, including Deptford Fire Station, Abinger Grove and Evelyn Street / Grinstead Road.
Parks and playgrounds
- Sayes Court Park2 min walk
- Pepys Park3 min walk
- Deptford Park5 min walk
- Upper Pepys Park5 min walk
- Evelyn Green6 min walk
- Playground3 min walk
© OpenStreetMap contributors, checked 13 November 2026 · Powered by TfL Open Data, checked 13 November 2026. Walking times are rough, from straight-line distance.
Places and next steps
Spaces: not published yet. Nurseries often fill months ahead, so ask early.
In Lewisham there are about 2.8 children under 5 for every registered nursery place. Places are how many children nurseries may care for, not free spaces, so this is a guide to demand. Source: ONS Census 2021.
What parents say
Reviews on Toddly
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Write a reviewAbout The Ark Children Centre
The Ark Children Centre is a full-day nursery at Evelyn Street, Deptford, SE8 5RB, in Deptford, Lewisham. It is registered for 27 children and takes children aged 9 months to 5 years. It opens 07:30–18:00, Mon–Fri, 51 weeks a year. Ofsted rated it Good at its inspection in February 2024, before report cards replaced single grades in November 2025. It offers funded hours from 9 months, funded places for 2-year-olds and the 30 funded hours for 3 and 4-year-olds, and accepts Tax-Free Childcare. It has a Google rating of 5.0 from 4 reviews (November 2026).
A day here
Our summary of the nursery's website and Ofsted reports. Each feature links to where it came from.
Food
- Allergy-aware kitchenSource: nursery website
- Breakfast providedSource: nursery website
- Parents provide packed lunchSource: nursery website
- Healthy snacks providedSource: nursery website
Outdoors
- Own gardenSource: nursery website
- Daily outdoor playSource: nursery website
- Outdoor classroomSource: nursery website
- Local outings and tripsSource: nursery website
- All-weather outdoor playSource: nursery website
Care and routines
- Key person systemSource: nursery website
- Flexible sessionsSource: nursery website
- Open all yearSource: nursery website
- Early drop-offSource: nursery website
- Half-day sessionsSource: nursery website
- Settling-in sessionsSource: nursery website
Building and safety
- Parent app with daily updatesSource: nursery website
Compare nurseries nearby
| Nursery | Ofsted | Full day from | Hours | Ages | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Ark Children CentreThis nursery | Good | not shared yet | 07:30–18:00 | 9 mo–5 yrs | This nursery |
| Raising Generations Day Nursery LtdFull-day nursery | Good | not shared yet | 07:00–18:30 | 2–5 yrs | under 0.1 miles |
| Hodan Day CareFull-day nursery | Good | not shared yet | 08:30–16:30 | up to 5 yrs | 0.1 miles |
| Bunny Hop Day NurseryFull-day nursery | Good | not shared yet | 08:00–16:30 | not shared yet | 0.3 miles |
| Indo-Chinese Little Rainbow Day NurseryFull-day nursery | Outstanding | not shared yet | not shared yet | not shared yet | 0.3 miles |
| Kiddies ArenaFull-day nursery | Good | not shared yet | 08:00–18:00 | not shared yet | 0.3 miles |
| Totally Kidz Day Nursery LTDFull-day nursery | Report card 2025 | not shared yet | 07:00–18:30 | 3 mo–5 yrs | 0.4 miles |
A dash means the nursery hasn't published it yet. Distances are in a straight line.
- All nurseries in Deptford10
- All nurseries in Lewisham134
- All nurseries in SE818
- Nurseries near Deptford station
Nearby areas
Schools nearby
- Clyde Nursery School. Nurseryages 2–5has a nursery classOfsted: Goodinspected February 2024 under 0.1 miles
- Deptford Park Primary School Primaryages 4–11Ofsted: School remains Goodinspected December 2022 0.3 miles
- Grinling Gibbons Primary School Primaryages 3–11has a nursery classOfsted: Goodinspected September 2022 0.3 miles
- Twin Oaks Primary School Primaryages 4–11Ofsted: Report cardinspected January 2026 0.4 miles
- Rachel McMillan Nursery School and Children's Centre Nurseryages 2–5has a nursery classOfsted: Quality of education: Outstanding; Behaviour and attitudes: Outstanding; Personal development: Outstanding; Leadership and management: Outstandinginspected March 2025 0.5 miles
- St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Primaryages 4–11Ofsted: Goodinspected June 2023 0.6 miles
- St Edmund's Catholic School Primaryages 3–11has a nursery classOfsted: School remains Goodinspected January 2023 0.6 miles
- Childeric Primary School Primaryages 3–11has a nursery classOfsted: School remains Goodinspected February 2023 0.6 miles
Straight-line distances. Places depend on each school's admissions rules. From the Department for Education and Ofsted.
Questions parents ask
Got a question? Ask and get an answer straight away.
How much does The Ark Children Centre cost?
The Ark Children Centre publishes these fees: per hour £10 for all ages (nursery website, November 2026). Funded hours and Tax-Free Childcare can reduce what you pay.
Does The Ark Children Centre offer 30 funded hours?
Yes. The Ark Children Centre offers the 30 funded hours for eligible 3 and 4-year-olds. It charges £5 full day on funded hours for extras such as meals and activities.
Does The Ark Children Centre take funded 2-year-olds?
Yes. The Ark Children Centre offers funded places for eligible 2-year-olds.
Does The Ark Children Centre offer funded hours from 9 months?
Yes. The Ark Children Centre offers funded hours for eligible children from 9 months.
What are The Ark Children Centre's opening hours?
The Ark Children Centre opens 07:30–18:00, Mon–Fri.
Is The Ark Children Centre open all year?
Yes, The Ark Children Centre is open 51 weeks a year, closing only for short breaks.
What ages does The Ark Children Centre take?
The Ark Children Centre takes children aged 9 months to 5 years.
What is The Ark Children Centre's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted rated The Ark Children Centre Good at its inspection on 9 February 2024, before report cards replaced single grades in November 2025.
How many children can The Ark Children Centre take?
The Ark Children Centre is registered with Ofsted for up to 27 children at any one time.
Are meals included at The Ark Children Centre?
Meals are not included in the fees at The Ark Children Centre.
Does The Ark Children Centre accept Tax-Free Childcare?
Yes. The Ark Children Centre accepts Tax-Free Childcare payments.
Does The Ark Children Centre have outdoor space?
The Ark Children Centre lists: Own garden, Daily outdoor play, Outdoor classroom, Local outings and trips and All-weather outdoor play.
What is the nearest station to The Ark Children Centre?
Deptford is the nearest station we know of, 0.5 miles away in a straight line.
How do I contact The Ark Children Centre?
You can call 020 8692 6789 and visit www.thearkchildrencentre.co.uk.
Tools for parents in Lewisham
- Childcare cost calculatorMonthly cost with funded hours
- Funded hours checkerWhich schemes you qualify for
- Funded hours start dateWhen your child's hours begin
- Tax-Free Childcare calculatorThe 20% top-up on your bill
- Visit checklist for this nurseryPrintable questions, pre-filled
- Cost of nursery in LewishamFees by age in Lewisham
About this information
- Registration and inspections: Ofsted · 30 June 2026
- Fees, hours and features: the nursery's website (www.thearkchildrencentre.co.uk) · 11 November 2026
- Rating and review themes: Google · 11 November 2026
- Schools: DfE Get Information about Schools · 4 November 2026
- Contains Ofsted data licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
- Contains Department for Education data licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
- Contains Ofsted data licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
- Contains National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right; contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right.
- © OpenStreetMap contributors
- Powered by TfL Open Data
- Food hygiene rating from the Food Standards Agency, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
- Source: Office for National Statistics, Census 2021, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
- Read reviews on Google
- From the nursery's website, with the page link and date checked
Last checked 11 November 2026 · Ofsted URN EY492926 · Plain-text version · Report a mistake
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