Located adjacent to the stunning St. George's Square in Pimlico, Young England Kindergarten enjoys free access to this beautiful outdoor space, offering ample opportunities for exploration and play. Housed in a large and well-lit church hall, the nursery boasts an exciting program encompassing Ballet, Music, Little Kickers, Gardening and French. Under the leadership of their Head Teacher Lucinda Byron Evans, and Proprietor, Kay King, who has been running the nursery since 1973 and is now joined by her son Henry, Young England Kindergarten benefits from extensive knowledge, experience, and established links with surrounding junior schools.

While academics are important, the school's focus goes beyond textbooks, emphasizing the development of strong social skills, self-confidence, and good manners. This holistic approach nurtures well-rounded individuals. Earning an 'Outstanding' rating in all areas in the recent Ofsted report, Young England Kindergarten was specifically commended for the "behaviour of the children," the "stimulating and very homely learning environment," and the "highly skilled teaching methods."

To register, scheduling an appointment to view the school and collect a registration form is crucial. Registration is open from birth, as children are accepted on a "first come, first served" basis.

The Caterpillar Session at Young England Kindergarten caters to a smaller group of 25 children aged from two years to three plus. Specifically designed for younger learners, this session offers a high staff-to-pupil ratio, allowing for a less structured yet equally diverse range of activities, including a music class.

Phileas Fox is one of the first new concept bi-lingual nurseries and offers children the option of having native language teachers in Mandarin Chinese, French or Russian. The teaching ethos combines Montessori and governments EYFS teaching principles combined with language immersion from native language teachers. The bilingual aspect is brought in through the child's second language being used alongside English through adult led activities.

English is the main language of the school and children are full immersed into their chose language for one third to half the time they spend at nursery. The décor and equipment are of a similarly high standard to Pippa Popp-ins and the school is located in a detached building with spacious classroom and a large outdoor area.

The nursery offers morning, (9am-12pm) afternoon (12:30pm and 3:30pm) and full school day sessions covering 9am-6pm. Prices include all snacks and freshly prepared lunch and tea every day. Children under two years of age have to attend a minimum of three sessions per week and over two they need a minimum of five sessions.

Miss Perrin has headed up this most recent Miss Daisy's nursery addition to the chain which is now owned by Duke's Education along with Knightsbridge School, Eaton Square, Kindergarten Nurseries. Unofficial plans to allow children attending Dukes' schools to have preference getting places. Officially opened Sept 2019 but was slowed down by Covid.

The space is a real asset with charming low-rise buildings split into two classrooms, slightly smaller one for the 3--4-year-olds (20 children in a class currently with three teachers) and a larger double classroom for 2-3 years olds (currently two groups of 16 children so total of 32). Building work is lined up to streamline the outside and inside space and increase the space in the older children's building.

Wonderful grassy space used for forest school complete with bug hotel, wooden seating area, bucket balance and willow tree dome. Two members of staff are forest school trained. Resources inside the classroom favour natural materials and wood and are stimulating and easy on the eye. Well-qualified staff with most members having qualifications in early years teaching and at least an NVQ level 3.

Busy and calm environment with specialist teachers in bi-lingual beats, yoga, TARKA, Little Kickers and drama. Interesting mixture of nationalities and backgrounds - some American, a lot of French, some Arabic families. Lots of children going onto Wetherby Notting Hill as well as The American School and Queen's College. Also, a sprinkling onto Glendower, Arnold House, Kensington Prep and The Hall.

Chelsea Pre Prep Nursery continues to hold on to its crown as the most popular Chelsea based nursery school. It is located within a large church and is the most traditional of all the nurseries in the pre prep group (Kingsland and Grand West). It has 58 children attending and has made inventive use of the available space to include 6 classrooms, as well as an indoor hall for ballet and P.E.

Children are split into small age-appropriate groups, often with children aged within 6 months of each other. The nursery encourages registration at birth and places are offered a year prior to entry date with priority for siblings of existing pupils. The new reality is, if you are not a sibling you are very unlikely to get one of the coveted morning places.

The ethos is Montessori mixed with learn through play and children have classes led by Chelsea Ballet School, Blueberry Music School, All Sorts Drama School and Little Kickers Sports lessons. In addition, children have specialist teachers in French and Science.

The Nursery was rated consistently outstanding by Ofsted and has been set up by the current headmaster who is an experienced Early Years teacher. The school sends children to many of the most popular prep and primary schools (with a record number often being accepted at Falkner House Girls) and the head aims to prepare children for the 4+ assessment requirements. The nursery school is the only school in Chelsea to have been graded consistently 'outstanding ' by Ofsted since its opening in 2009. Kingsland Nursery is next door and applications can be made to both nurseries simultaneously to increase the chance of gaining a place.

This Ofsted 'Outstanding' Nursery is the sister Nursery to The Knightsbridge Kindergarten. Kensington Kindergarten benefits from a recently renovated bright, modern and attractive space which recreates the feel of many of the junior schools in the area. This impression is further supported by the smart red and blue uniform the children wear.

There is a wonderful multi-sensory space, well sized classrooms and several communal areas, including an unexpectedly large, padded soft playroom. There is a small but functional outside space which is ideal for the small groups that use it every day. Children are split into age groups and are given copious opportunities to develop key skills in communication, problem solving and crucially both their gross and fine motor skills.

The Nursery subscribes to a challenging curriculum which provides opportunities to go beyond expectations in phonics, mark making and knowledge and understanding of the world. Specialist teachers in dance, music, French, sport and musical theatre throughout the week with Tuesday morning given over to multi sports sessions in Kensington Gardens.

STEM focus activities on a Thursday afternoon. A maximum of 8 children in a group throughout the nursery with an adult to child ratio of 1:4 for the little ones. Highly qualified and motivated staff led by the experienced and charming headmistress, Jo Stephenson (previously long-term head of Pooh Corner Kindergarten Nursery). Children gaining places in many of the competitive entrance local schools with many going onto nearby Thomas Kensington, Glendower, Falkner House Girls and Boys, Garden House, Kensington Prep and Francis Holland.

Pangbourne House opened in September 2015 and follows a Montessori ethos. It's headmistress Sophia Russell-Cobb is a well-known figure, having previously run Ladbroke Square Nursery for over 30 years and creates a warm, supportive and happy learning environment. This nursery benefits from her experience, as well as from spacious and well-designed learning area on two levels. This includes covered outdoor provision, an indoor hall and dedicated art room. The nursery is warm and friendly and provides a stimulating environment as well as excellent teaching following the Montessori ethos.

The recent 2024 Ofsted report awarded the nursery 'Outstanding' in all areas and they were especially impressed with the 'exceptionally ambitious curriculum' and fantastically confident and well-behaved children demonstrating both great empathy and politeness. Children with special educational needs are very well supported and there is a dedicated multi-sensory room to provide a calm, quiet space. Specialist teachers in French, Spanish, Ballet and Yoga.

The children come out with very high levels of development, especially in early reading, writing and number. Classes are mixed age in keeping with the Montessori ethos and there are 3 intakes, September, January and April. Children attending for full day need to bring their own packed lunches. There are 2 fully qualified teachers on staff and the other 8 members of staff hold appropriate early years qualifications. Most children go onto local independent schools (Notting Hill Prep, Wetherby, Pembridge, Norland Place) and state schools (Colville, Thomas Jones, Fox).

The first of Rozzy Hyslop's excellent nurseries north of the river. Marmalade Duck opened in 2021. Rozzy has a great following south of the river with early registration needed for the very popular Marmalade Cat (opened in 2004), Marmalade Caterpillar, Marmalade Owl and Marmalade Bear. Marmalade Duck is located in Chelsea, within St Barnabas church hall.

The nursery benefits from a large open plan classroom with plenty of space to incorporate all seven areas of learning. There are also two further learning spaces for group work and a lovely, grassy outdoor play area. Rozzy is hugely experienced in how young children learn and incorporates elements of Montessori as well as the EYFS curriculum.

The Marmalade chain of nursery schools are known for getting the best out of all the children attending, with a strong record for competitive 4+ assessment results within her south London nurseries. Rozzy herself is an experienced early years teacher and has a specialism in supporting children with Special Educational Needs (SEN).

The most recent addition, Marmalade Hedgehog, is located in Fulham and opened its doors in 2022. The nursery has taken over from Bishops Park Montessori and benefits from lots of fantastic outdoor space.

Based near Portobello, there is no sign on the door to alert you of the existence of this very popular nursery. Well-organised and attractive facilities, within a church hall space, are immediately eye catching and there is a calm and focused atmosphere to the learning. There is no outdoor area but there is a substantial indoor hall used for a range of extra-curricular classes and extensive daily opportunities for gross motor development through dance, sport and outside learning.

Strawberry Fields is run by experienced and warm head and proprietor, Maureen Turner who priorities and pays for the highest quality staff with an impressively high number of fully qualified teachers. It shows- the result is a happy nursery with a proactive parent community and an excellent reputation for preparing for competitive 4+ assessments.

There are over 14 clubs available during the school day including outdoor adventure, French club, SF Engineers, tennis, drama, gardening, science and swimming. The youngest children there are in a group with a maximum of 16 with 3 teachers. The older children (3 years) can expand to up to 20 in a group with three teachers, however there are also specialist teacher coming in and two fully qualified teachers out of classes who float in and out when needed. Strawberry Fields Nursery needs early registration and again likely to offer an afternoon place for non-siblings.

The Beanstalk Montessori is a family-run nursery which has been going for over 30 years and is situated within St Peter's Church in Hammersmith. The nursery has a reputation for being kind and caring as well as consistently Ofsted 'Outstanding' (the latest report was 2022). The nursery has a large garden which is used every day by children no matter what the weather and a commitment to a forest school philosophy.

Beanstalk nursery follows the Montessori ethos- children area allowed to develop at their own pace and following their own interests. Children go onto a range of local schools with many attending the popular state school of St Peter's, but a good percentage gaining places in assessment-based Ravenscourt Park Prep as well as Orchard House, Bute House and The Falcon's school for boys. The glowing Ofsted report highlighted the exceptionally good progress children attending made in their learning and development and how well prepared they were for Reception class.

To register, call the nursery directly and pay the non-refundable £50 fee. Parents will then receive a letter confirming a place/or waiting list place at the school and a year before your child is due to start you will be asked to send a deposit (£300) to confirm your place. Places are given on a first come/first served basis, although there is a sibling policy operating.

Stepping Stones Nursery School registered in 2012 and is located in the very popular Askew Road area. It has been rated consistently 'Outstanding' by ofsted since it first started. It is a bright, friendly and well-organised nursery which operates over three floors of a converted house with children starting as young as 2 years old.

The nursery has recently changed its focus to offer more flexibility for working parents and full year coverage. There are extended days throughout the week 8:45-6pm and possible attendance 46 weeks a year. It has a small enclosed indoor/outdoor area for outdoor play which children access daily. They are also taken to nearby Wendell Park on a regular basis.

There are 20 members of staff and most staff are well qualified- there are also specialist teachers in French and PE, as well as extra-curricular activities including yoga, music and drama. There is a refreshing commitment to accommodating children with a range of special educational needs managed by Bryony herself in her role as SENCO (Special Needs Co-ordinator).

The nursery concentrates on building confidence in children and therefore they are very well prepared well for the transition to Reception. The head teacher, Bryony, was previously Deputy Head at Fox Primary (one of the best performing state schools in the UK) and is well aware of the expectations at Reception level. Children go onto Ravenscourt Park Prep, Orchard House, Chiswick and Bedford, Bute House, The Falcons Boys' School, as well as a range of local state schools.

The extremely successful chain of Ready Steady Nurseries has schools in Camden, St John's Wood, Primrose Hill and Fitzroy Road and started in 1988. The St John's Wood located nursery, and the Camden location are judged to be 'Outstanding' nurseries and both follow the EYFS government curriculum. The third location in Primrose Hill has a section specifically designed for little ones starting from 2 years old and has gained an 'Outstanding' in the last few Ofsted reports.

The Camden site is in a self-contained building with a fully enclosed garden available for outdoor play. The pre-school employs six members of staff and of these four hold appropriate early years qualifications and two are working towards a qualification. The St John's Wood nursery operates from a converted church premises with access to a large open plan area with secure outside play. There are 12 members of staff and 2 for with fully qualified teacher status and a further 9 with appropriate early years qualifications. The Primrose Hill site has the use of a garden and out of the five members of staff there is one fully qualified early years professional as well as 3 extras who are trained up to NVQ level 3 standard.

During some of the school holidays the nursery offers play weeks from 10am until 2pm. There are some additional workshops available for nursery children to attend in the afternoon sessions including yoga, French and music. All nurseries are able to support children with English as an additional language and a range of special needs and are considered to be 'highly inspirational and rich learning environments' by Ofsted.

The teaching quality observed on visits was exceptionally high and the curriculum is thought provoking and imaginative. The St John's Wood Nursery also offers children the opportunity to participate in Forest Schools at the local fields and park areas. Children are not specifically prepped for independent school entrance from this chain of nurseries, although many still gain places at competitive entrance at 4 years old. Links to the independent school sector are generally not as developed as somewhere like The Minors but the teaching quality and the progress children make speaks for itself. As the most recent Ofsted stated children are "superbly prepared for the next stage in learning and for moving onto school." For registration form email or contact the school. Destination Schools: Devonshire House, South Hampstead High, Hereward House, Channing as well as a range of local state schools.

St Mark's Nursery operates from a church hall and includes an exciting outdoor area with a playground, lawn and wooded area. It was set up by Sheila Parsons and has historically gained an outstanding in all areas for the last three Ofsted inspections. The old headmistress also gained an OBE for services to nursery education, however she stepped down in 2016. Her deputy head has now taken over the nursery and has been running it since September 2017.

He is running it along roughly the same lines but has renovated the outside area and internal parts of the nursery. The school has been highly regarded for the quality of teaching and creative learning experiences and school activities include: yoga and meditation, drawing and painting, cooking, handicrafts, modelling, collage, movement, music, violin and dance.

While the school does introduce phonics and mathematics, more formal subjects are only introduced when a child is considered developmentally ready: the emphasis is on the teaching being constantly adapted to fit children's needs. Children are always taught in small groups, allowing for individual attention and all staff members are Early Years qualified. The classrooms are in the basement of a church building with a good amount of space suitable for this age group. Children go onto a range of state and independent schools including Connaught House and Devonshire House.

This is London's first full-time (8am-6pm) forest nursery. The registered premises for the nursery is the Picolo Centre on Duke Street, but the only 'classroom' is Chiswick House and Gardens, where 30 children in all-weather gear wander, climb, splash and build till home time. There is a high staffing ratio (1:4 adult-child) with many male members of staff which is rarity, but can be very popular with boys.

The outdoor learning philosophy is captured by owners as 'we wanted our children to learn how the world works through experiences rather than books'. The waiting list is 170 deep (one in eight places for underprivileged children) so early registration is advised. The children start the day at the Piccolo Play Centre with breakfast then go onto Chiswick House and Gardens or Kew Gardens.

Activities can range from treasure hunts, climbing trees, building dens and creative play to reading stories, mark making and mathematics (counting leaves, acorns, feathers, dividing, sharing, combining) in the forest. In the late afternoon children return to Piccolo Play Centre to reflect on day and wait to be picked up.

Sudbrook Nursery is a warm and welcoming environment with an excellent reputation within Richmond. It places itself in the centre of a strong community and has managed to provide exceptional support to families attending. The setting can have a maximum of 45 children aged between 2 and 5 years old and operates Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 12.15pm, with the option of extended afternoons.

The Bear Club offers parents a flexible childcare solution for one-two years olds to stay from 8am-4pm with access to a large garden and sleep area for napping. For working parents there is also the added bonus of a holiday camp onsite operating from 9-12:15 but with option to stay till 4 pm. The nursery employs nine staff all of which work directly with the children. Seven of the staff including the manager, hold appropriate early years qualifications.

The nursery has a secure enclosed outdoor area that children are able to access safely on a daily basis with climbing equipment. Sudbrook has consistently been rated 'Outstanding' and that includes the most recent 2022 report. The nursery school has an impeccable safety record and procedures: "A strong emphasis is placed on children's safety and security, subsequently children play and work feeling safe and secure." Children go onto range of Richmond schools namely Fern Hill, The Old Vicarage, King's House School and Sudbrook School.