In conversation with... Brand new nursery now open at Greenwich Millennium Village

We recently caught up with Eleni Chondrogianni, support manager at N Family Club. The B Corp certified business will soon be opening its doors to a brand new nursery within Greenwich Millennium Village.

Here, we find out more from Eleni about the care and activities provided at by N Family Club, alongside information on the opening of its latest site at Greenwich Millenium Village, and what makes this location such a great place to be around.

Tell us about your nursery?

Our nursery in the Greenwich Millennium Village is a purpose-built, modern space with five naturally-lit family rooms. The building has a specialist garden for each age group, a first floor courtyard, and will also benefit from access to the village’s community spaces and a nearby play park. For parents, there’s a breakfast bar and space to catch up on emails after drop-off or before pick-up, secure buggy storage, and access to our Family Club hosting online parenting talks each month.

What made you choose Greenwich Millennium Village?

We chose the Greenwich Millennium Village because of its strong community atmosphere, as well as proximity to green space to explore! The nursery is a stone's throw from the ecology park offering opportunities for trips to learn about local wildlife, and the building itself is modern and purpose-built, providing the perfect environment for messy, water and sensory play.

How do you describe the area to your friends and family?

It’s a family-friendly area with lots of parks and green spaces. It’s close to London but you don’t need to travel further into the city to experience famous landmarks like the O2, Maritime Museum, the Cutty Sark and of course the cable cars!

What is your favourite thing about working at the nursery?

My favourite thing about working at N Family Club is the inclusive culture we have. We have a team who are truly passionate about offering outstanding experiences for our children and families, and we also have a lot of fun together! This year, we have some exciting enhancements to our N Benefits including increased nursery discount for our team members, an annual ‘me day’, and financial wellbeing platforms such as Wagestream and each person. There really is something for everyone within our benefits.

What is your favourite local secret / hidden gem in the area?

My favourite local gem is definitely the riverside walk where you can go from the O2 into historic Greenwich, and even all the way into Central London if you have time!

For someone new in the community, how would you suggest they get involved?

I’d recommend that anyone new in the community attends local events within the Peninsula. There’s always a range of activities taking place, but in particular I’d recommend the community market held every Saturday & Sunday where you can meet other locals and buy from local businesses too.

What benefits does having a nursery bring to an area like GMV?

Greenwich Millennium Village has been rapidly developing in recent years. We’ve welcomed many new faces to the community and will continue to do so throughout 2024 and beyond. Having a nursery at the heart of this community is a real benefit as it provides a hub for local families to get to know each other. It’s a safe space for children to learn, develop and make friends, and a ‘home from home’ for parents too.

What are the qualities you look for in an area when considering a nursery location?

When considering new locations we look for family-friendly communities with plenty of outdoor space, which will allow us to bring our design-led, neighbourhood nursery to a new location.

What's the best way for a family looking for childcare to contact your nursery?

If you’re interested in find out more about N Greenwich, please head to our website: www.nfamilyclub.com. If you’d like to discuss place availability or have any other questions, please complete the ‘Get in Touch’ form and a member of our Admissions team will be in touch to arrange a call with you.

What hours do you offer at your nursery and what age group do you cover?

Our standard day is 8am - 6pm but you can choose to extend this by an hour each way as and when needed. The nursery is open weekdays for 51 weeks per year, excluding bank holidays and Inset days, and covers ages 3 months - 5 years.

How would you describe the care and activities provided at your nursery?

We’ve developed a bespoke and progressive curriculum formed of learning experiences which are personalised for each child, based on their needs and interests. Designed to prepare children for life in the modern world, our N Curriculum builds on the EYFS and takes inspiration from a variety of learning philosophies, identifying four key pillars of learning: Holistic Health, Self-Expression, Global Responsibility and Inventive Ideas.

As we want to ignite a lifelong love of learning in every child at N, we deliver the bespoke curriculum through a gentle balance of free play and structured learning experiences. Children are free to explore the many resources within their family room and outdoors, such as art areas, dress-up stations and the N Library. As well as this, every day our Educators will lead individual or small-group sessions covering a range of topics, such as Yoga and Cooking. Outdoors, our garden areas support physical activity, water play and Forest-School inspired learning.

How long have you been working in childcare?

I’ve been working in childcare for almost 21 years!