Life at Ark Start

Lauren: “The staff have made adaptations in the room so that my son can still join in”

17 November 2025

One of our parents at our East Croydon nursery recently shared their experience with Ark Start. Here’s their story:

My son is 18 months old, and he’s been at Ark Start Oval since he was 11 months old. He has additional needs, so choosing the right nursery for him was so important because I wanted to make sure that his needs are understood and listened to.

I had an initial meeting where I discussed his needs at length with Sarah Charlton, the SENCO. She made me feel welcome and listened to.

The nursery has been wonderful in terms of accommodating my son. I can tell how well the staff all know him. He has visual impairment, and they know he likes to look at the lights because he can see them really well. So, they let him look at the lights before they take him in to take him in for breakfast.

The nursery has a personalised plan for him that I’ve been encouraged to be part of at every stage. When he gets new medical information, I pass that on to the staff and it’s updated in his plan really quickly. I can see that all staff have been made aware of that.

The staff have made adaptations in the room that my son’s in so that he can access the same toys and equipment as his peers can, so that he can still join in. It’s lovely to see that he’s still included even though he has the vision difficulties and physical difficulties as well.

We’re currently in the process of applying for an educational healthcare plan for my son. Sarah really took the lead in that process, and she’s been a great advocate for him getting what he needs in the nursery and moving forwards as well.

My son being in nursery for full days means I can work and do my full work day as well. The fact that the wraparound care is available means that I don’t have to worry because I know that he’s cared for and having his three meals at nursery.

As an early years’ teacher, I know how important it is to get the right setting for your child. And as a parent, I feel my views are not just listened to but taken on as well. I know my son feels safe because he’s himself. There’s no difference to how he behaves there as to how he does at home.

The nursery communication is great, so we know how his development is coming along – even if it’s that he’s not meeting milestones. It’s still important to share that because as parents we need to know where our child is and what we can do to support them.

At Ark Start, you know you’re getting practitioners who are not just qualified teachers but are also real specialists in their areas as well. If parents are looking for a nursery that really understand early years and really understand children who may have additional needs, then I think it’s a really good choice – it was a no-brainer for me.