Living / 17 August, 2023 / My Baba
Finding the right nursery school for your child takes time and research. It’s an important decision and there are so many top nurseries in London to choose between. With applications, assessments and waiting lists to contend with, getting a place at the best private nursery for your child can take years of planning. Nursery will be your child’s first learning experience away from home where they will hit some key communication and early learning milestones. Your nursery choice will come down to location and teaching styles but it’s nevertheless important to get your application in early to maximise your chances of a place. Choosing the right nursery school can boost your chances of being accepted into the best pre-prep and junior schools, so it can be crucial to get this first step on your child’s educational journey right.
Our extensive guide of the best preschools in London should help you navigate the world of early years education. For further guidance on London nurseries and education, visit our complete education guide.
Main photo image credit: Parson’s Green Nursery
Many of the best nurseries are still located in Chelsea and Kensington but if you’re based south of the river or in North London, we’ve listed some options outside the central and south London fold. Use the jump-to links below to select your area.
With exceptional facilities and the highest quality early years education, Chelsea Prep Prep is one of the best independent private nurseries in London. The pre-prep nursery encourages children to “thrive and to become lifelong learners, makers, and possibility thinkers” through unique and diverse experiences. Alongside the normal curriculum, this London nursery offers ballet, yoga, performance and storytelling.
Where: Chelsea – St. Andrew’s Church, Park Walk
Contact: 0207 352 4856 or office@chelseapp.com
Website: chelseaapp.com
This Montessori nursery school will help your “children grow into mindful, confident, independent individuals with an enduring love for learning”. Gardens Montessori is a London nursery school that offers tailored learning – different child, different teaching technique. Established over 25 years ago, the school provides the highest standard of nursery education.
Where: Kensington – Victoria Road and Iverna Gardens
Contact: 020 7589 6802
Website: gardensmontessori.com
Located at the top of Kensington High Street, the Kensington Kindergarten is a top choice for families living in Kensington, Holland Park, Brook Green and Notting Hill. This private London nursery “provides a safe and caring environment where children can gain a positive approach to school and learning”. Your child will learn through structured lessons, play and free choice. The nursery also offers weekly forest school, tennis and football.
Where: Kensington
Contact: 0207 371 4848 or info@kensingtonkindergarten.co.uk
Website: kensingtonkindergarten.co.uk
Read also: 10 Reasons To Send Your Child to This New West London Nursery
Sister school to Chelsea Pre-Prep, Kingsland aims to “nurture your children’s understanding of the world and themselves”. Through meaningful and child-centred education, this London nursery school will help your child develop essential aptitudes and skills, as well as turn them into life-long learners.
Where: Kingsland Pre-Prep, 428 Kings Road, SW10 0LJ
Contact: office@kingslandpp.com or 020 3972 6666
Website: kingslandpp.com
Sister school to the Kensington Kindergarten, this Knightsbridge location is ideal for families living in Chelsea, Knightsbridge, Mayfair, Belgravia and Pimlico. With over 20 years of experience, The Knightsbridge Kindergarten is one of the leading nursery schools in London. Children can start at the age of 2 and stay with them until the age of 5. The nursery has bright and spacious classrooms, an outdoor playground, a soft playroom and a sensory room.
Where: Eaton Square
Contact: 0207 371 2306 or info@knightsbridgekindergarten.co.uk
Website: knightsbridgekindergarten.co.uk
Knightsbridge School is suited for children from 3-16 years. The nursery school tailors the EYFS curriculum to cater for each child’s needs and the main focus of the Knightsbridge nursery programme is on playing. What’s more, the school also offers specialist teachers for the younger children to have a head start in modern languages, music, drama and forest school.
Where: Knightsbridge
Contact: 020 7590 9000 or office@knightsbridgeschool.com
Website: knightsbridgeschool.com
At Maryam’s, the importance of family is deeply rooted in everything we do. With over two decades of experience, we’re incredibly proud to offer you our bespoke approach to childcare.
We provide an environment in which your child can be as happy, relaxed and comfortable as they are at home. As soon as they come through our door and put on their Maryam’s socks, they know it’s time for another day of fun and learning.
Healthy and organic nutrition is freshly prepared by our chef in Maryam’s kitchen every day.
Where: Tower Bridge and Great Guildford Street
Contact: +44(0)20 7459 4922
Website: https://maryamsnursery.co.uk/
Miss Daisy’s original aim was to create a “village nursery school in the heart of London”. Due to huge success, Miss Daisy’s now has five locations in South and Central London (Belgravia, Brook Green, Chelsea, Hyde Park and Knightsbridge). Miss Daisy’s takes a “no pressure” approach and encourages children to pursue their own development in a warm and nurturing environment. With an excellent adult-to-child care ratio and balance between learning and play, Miss Daisy’s provides a solid foundation for your child’s education.
Where: Belgravia, Knightsbridge, Chelsea and Brook Green
Contact: +44 (0) 20 7730 5797
Website: missdaisynursery.com
Parsons Green Nursery, affectionately known as PGN is a family-owned and operated nursery school with two sites situated either side of Parsons Green in Fulham. With strong links to many of London’s most sought-after Primary Schools, this nursery is a first choice for many local families.
A modern nursery with traditional values, PGN has a contemporary approach to Early Years Education while upholding a strong focus on good manners and respect for others. The Nursery has a broad and rich curriculum delivered by a team of long-standing staff and specialist teachers who deliver extra-mural classes including French, Ballet, Music, Football and Cookery.
Registration pre-birth is strongly encouraged to beat the waiting lists.
Where: Parsons Green Nursery, 630 Fulham Road, London SW6 5RS.
Contact: admissions@parsonsgreennursery.com or 020 3943 4678
Website: www.parsonsgreennursery.com
If you’re looking for a London preschool that “supports curiosity, wonder and fun”, Sloane Pre-School is the place. This London nursery’s curriculum covers a wide range of topics: Physical education, literacy and language, maths, science, cookery, art, music, personal, social and emotional development. Activities are created and tailored to suit individual child’s needs to make sure your little one can make the most out of their nursery education.
Where: 15a Ives Street, Chelsea, London, SW3 2ND
Contact: admissions@sloanepreschool.co.uk or 020 793 77435
Website: sloanepreschool.co.uk
Dubbed ‘the best-kept secret in Notting Hill’, this nursery has an outstanding Ofsted rating and rumour has it that registration forms are often couriered over hours after the birth, according to Tatler. The Notting Hill nursery is a unique place for “children flourish and grow in an environment of love, care, creativity, fun and academic excellence”.
Where: Notting Hill
Contact: 020 7727 8363 or mail@strawberryfields.london
Website: strawberryfields.london
With over 40 years of experience Tadpoles Nursery is one of the leading schools in the country for young children that shows a strong passion for the importance of early learning. They believe that “we do not stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing”.
Where: Chelsea
Contact: 0207 352 9757 or tadpolesnursery@gmail.com
Website: tadpolesnursery.com
Home to some of the most luxurious London nursery schools, these are our picks of the most-sought after nurseries to start your child’s education.
Founded in the 1960’s, Young England Kindergarten (‘YEK’) is one of London’s most established nursery schools. YEK is a family run, sessional nursery for children aged 2 – 5 years old, located in the heart of Pimlico.
The setting has its own courtyard and is situated alongside a beautiful garden which is used for daily sport and learning about nature.
An experienced team of staff help to create a happy, safe and inclusive environment where children can explore their potential, developing social skills and self-confidence. Children leave with a real enthusiasm for learning and are well prepared for the next stage of their education.
Rated ‘Outstanding’ by OFSTED.
Where: Pimlico
Contact: 020 7834 3171 or lucinda@youngenglandkindergarten.co.uk
Website: www.youngenglandkindergarten.co.uk
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The Acorn Nursery School, founded in 1977 in Notting Hill, welcomes children aged 2 ½ to 5 years old. Located in Lansdowne Crescent, the school occupies spacious Victorian premises with two large classrooms and multi-sensory play areas. A charming private garden and proximity to Lansdowne Crescent communal gardens provide ample outdoor play opportunities. The school’s mission is to create a nurturing ‘home away from home,’ fostering curiosity and love for learning through creative activities, allowing each child to develop at their own pace. The focus is on promoting independence, confidence, and consideration for others, providing a solid foundation for their future school journey.
Where: 2 Lansdowne Crescent, London W11 2NH
Contact: 020 7727 2122 or admin@theacornnursery.co.uk
Website: https://theacornnursery.co.uk/
The concept of Home from Home is that children can feel at home in their educational surroundings. Home from Home encourages children to develop and learn ‘at their own pace’. They only accept a maximum of twelve children daily because they believe that this benefits the children and encourages the same traditions and values, as they would have at home.
Where: Kensington
Contact: 0207 352 2630 or Chelseahomefromhome@gmail.com
Website: homefromhomechelsea.co.uk
Miss Delaney’s is a gorgeous refurbished house in a private corner of Avondale Park. The tranquil space with its own private secure gardens is designed with young children in mind. The main aim of the nursery is to provide a calm, secure, and stimulating environment where children have the freedom to develop at their own pace.
Where: Holland Park
Contact: 0207 603 6095
Website: missdelaneys.co.uk
The Minors Nursery School believes that a child’s first experience of “school” is crucial for laying the foundations on which they build their future education. They provide a stimulating environment where learning and fun go hand-in-hand.
Where: Notting Hill
Contact: lis.crossley@minorsnursery.co.uk
Website: www.minorsnursery.co.uk
Pippa Pop-ins now has four nursery schools in the heart of London. Established in 1992, Pippa Pop-ins “give each child the best opportunity to develop both holistically and academically”. Classes are small and offer a wide range of practical and educational activities. Children are accepted in the academic year following their 1st birthday.
Where: Kensington, Notting Hill, Chelsea and Fulham
Contact: 020 7731 1445 or schools@pippapopins.com
Website: pippapopins.com
Does your child have an appetite for learning and discovery? They’ll fit right in at Redcliffe School, a nursery where individuality and independent thinking actively encouraged. The school will take your child right from their early years through to Prep School in a fun and friendly environment where they will thrive and flourish.
Where: Kensington
Contact: 020 7352 9247 or office@redcliffeschool.com
Website: www.redcliffeschool.com
Ringrose Kindergarten is a traditional English nursery school situated in the heart of Chelsea. The London nursery is widely recognised for the thoroughness of its teaching. It prides itself on the fact that their pupils are well-prepared for their next school, having benefited from a varied and well-directed early education.
Where: St Luke’s Church Hall, St Luke’s Street, Chelsea, London. SW3 3RP
Contact: 020 7352 8784
Website: ringrosechelsea.co.uk
The Butterfly Preschool is a traditional London nursery school that will help your child achieve early learning goals and put them on the path to becoming well-rounded individuals. Combing the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum from forest school-style learning, the nursery offers diverse ways for your child to learn and explore.
Where: Clapham and Wimbledon
Contact: 0207 738 0019
Website: thebutterflypreschool.co.uk
Let your child’s imagination run wild at Little Forest Folk nursery. For this outdoor forest nursery, the natural world and physical activity are an integral part of learning. With seven locations, each offers beautiful and magical outdoor space to facilitate your child’s adventure and exploration.
Where: Chiswick, Fulham, Morden, Putney Heath, Twickenham, Wandsworth, Wimbledon
Contact: hannah@littleforestfolk.com
Website: littleforestfolk.com
Described as a “paradise for kids”, The London Acorn School is located in a beautiful National Trust Park in Southwest London. Operating out of a cosy cottage, this London nursery takes an “unhurried approach which limits screen time and emphasises a connection with nature”.
Where: Morden
Contact: 020 8544 9769
Website: thelondonacornschool.co.uk
Maggie & Rose is a global collection of day nurseries and family members’ clubs that has been bringing families together since 2007. Maggie & Rose’s Ofsted-registered day nurseries offer a unique and creative approach to Early Years’ learning, drawing on the natural curiosity of childhood and the very best of Early Years’ principles.
Maggie & Rose understand the needs of parents and young families and strive to make life a little bit easier in all that they do – including offering online classes, crafts, book recommendations, expert advice and features to parents through a digital hub, Maggie & Rose Life
Where: Kensington, Chiswick and Islington.
Contact: 020 7371 2200
Website: maggieandrose.com
The 7,000 sq ft centre is located in Elephant Park, the exciting new mixed-use development area in the heart of Elephant & Castle. The centre welcomes 120 children from 4 months to 12 years, offering a state of the art space to make learning fun and memorable. There are two large and partially covered outdoor play areas, sensory rooms, dedicated crawl spaces as well as sleeping pods.
Where: Elephant & Castle
Contact: 020 3795 7685
Website: https://tigerschildcare.co.uk
Established over 30 years ago, The Willow Nursery offers a combination of traditional teaching and Montessori methods to provide your child with a fun and valuable nursery experience. The nursery school aims to instil your child with confidence, resilience and independence.
Where: Clapham Old Town
Contact: 0207 498 0319 or admin@thewillownursery.com
Website: thewillownursery.co.uk
The Children’s House inspires children to become creative, independent thinkers and competent communicators. Its mission is to help children learn about and take care of the world around them. The nursery school is located in Canonbury. In addition, there’s a related Upper School in Dalston.
Where: Canonbury
Contact: 020 7354 2113
Website: www.childrenshouseschool.co.uk
Keren’s Nursery places a focus on family-style care. The team offer “the home away from home warmth and nurturing” to every child. A big draw is the sense of community and belonging that Keren’s offers. Languages are a big focus, with a different language taught each month and bilingual children are highly welcomed. All branches are Forest School accredited, with the strong belief that time outside, independence and creativity are key for happy children.
Where: Holland Park, Hampstead, and Belsize Park
Website: https://kerensnursery.com/
Introduce a whole new world of fun to their playtime with this incredible personalised wooden doll’s house gift set. Complete with furniture to decorate the living room, kitchen, bedroom, nursery and bathroom, and an adorable wooden family, this set is truly the ultimate doll’s house for little storytellers.
Make this charming doll’s house gift set all theirs by adding a sweet plaque to the front with their name on it.
My Baba Measure / 29 November, 2023
