How to choose the best private nursery school for your child
Finding the right nursery school for your child is crucially important when you’re starting to think about finding care for your baby or toddler.
Great nurseries are worth their weight in gold but may be quite hard to get into, depending on your location. They each have different entrance policies, with some having entry by ballot and others having a list you need to sign almost as soon as your baby is born. Many rely on word of mouth for their reputation and of course, those with well-connected families are most popular.
Have think about what kind of education you would like for your child. Montessori education is a more play-based ethos, with children having a lot of fun with arts and crafts and a low emphasis on numeracy and literacy at a very early age. Many parents love this approach as it allows their child to become grounded and good at socialising from an early age.
If you prefer a more academic approach, there are many excellent nursery schools that will start your child on the road to academic success from a very early age. Some of these also practically ensure that your child will be successful in finding a place at a great Prep School.
It’s also worth applying for more than one, as you may not get a place at your first choice but you may find that a back-up place will come through. And of course, some people who put their child down are then unable to take the place, so you may get in at a slightly later date than the start of term.
Sheema Parsons B.Ed OBE, Headmistress of St Mark’s Square Nursery School, gives us some insight into her nursery.
“The staff at St Mark’s Square get to know children incredibly well. Children are treated as true individuals and are allowed to grow and develop at their own pace. With a ratio of one teacher to four pupils, children receive outstanding support and teaching. We use a range of staff, Montessori, Early Years and QTS, so we have a wealth of experience. Staff retention is outstanding and staff stay with us over ten years on average.
“We are situated on the edge of Primrose Hill park, alongside the canal in beautiful gardens and grounds.
“Our pupils tend to move onto Heathside, Trevor Roberts, Arnold House, King Alfred’s, St Christopher’s and The Hall schools. We were judged Outstanding in all areas by our Ofsted inspection.”
London
St Marks Square Nursery, Primrose Hill: St Mark’s Church, St Mark’s Square, Regents Park Road London NW1 7TN Tel: 020 7586 8383
Strawberry Fields Nursery, Notting Hill: Notting Hill Community Church, Kensington Park Rd, London W11 2ES Tel: 020 7727 8363
The Minors Nursery School, Notting Hill: 10 Pembridge Square London W2 4ED Tel: 020 7727 7253
Tadpoles Nursery, Chelsea: Park Walk Playcentre Building, Park Walk, London, SW10 0AY Tel: 020 7352 9757
Rolfe’s Nursery School, Ladbroke Grove: 34 A Oxford Gardens, London W10 5UG Tel: 020 7727 8300
Pippa Poppins, Fulham: 430 Fulham Rd, London SW6 1DU Tel: 020 7731 1445
The Falcons School for Boys, Chiswick: 2 Burnaby Gardens, London W4 3DT Tel: 020 8747 8393
The Falcons School for Girls, Putney: 11 Woodborough Road Putney London SW15 6PY Tel: 020 8992 5189
Ladybird Nursery School, South Kensington: 22 Collingham Road London SW5 0LX Tel: 020 7244 7771
Marmalade Cat, Clapham: 1 Altenburg Gardens, London SW11 1JH Tel: 020 7228 1957
Marmalade Bear, Wandsworth: St. Magdalene Church Hall Trinity Road London SW17 7HP Tel: 0208 265 5224
Marmalade Caterpillar, Wandsworth: 14A Boundaries Rd, London SW12 8EX Tel: 020 8265 5224
The Minors Nursery, Notting Hill: 10 Pembridge Square, London W2 4ED Tel: 020 7727 7253
Wetherby School, Notting Hill: 11 Pembridge Square London W2 4ED Tel: 020 7727 9581
Hopes and Dreams Montessori Nursery School, Islington: 339-341 City Road, London EC1V 1LJ Tel: 020 7833 9388
Eaton Square Nursery Schools,London: Belgravia, Knightsbridge, Twickenham, Pimlico
Chepstow House School, Ladbroke Grove: 108a Lancaster Road, London W11 1QS Tel: 020 7243 0243
Pangbourne House Nursery, Kensington: 2 Pangbourne Ave, London W10 Tel: 020 8964 9555
Miss Delaney’s Nursery, Holland Park: Avondale Park Lodge, Walmer Rd, London W11 4PQ Tel: 020 7603 6095
Maggie and Rose Village Nursery, Chiswick: 1 Essex Pl Square, London W4 5UJ Tel: 020 8994 7211
Little Sweethearts Montessori, Maida Vale: St Saviour’s Church Hall, Warwick Ave, London W9 2PT Tel: 020 7266 1616
The Acorn Nursery School, Holland Park: 2 Lansdowne Crescent, London W11 2NH Tel: 020 7727 2122
Chelsea Pre-Prep Nursery, Chelsea: St Andrews Parish Church, 43 Park Walk, London SW10 0AU Tel: 020 7352 4856
Hampstead Hill School, Hampstead: St Stephen’s Hall, Pond Street, Hampstead, NW3 2PP Tel: 020 7435 6262
Hawkesdown House School, Notting Hill: 27 Edge St, London W8 7PN Tel: 020 7727 9090
Broadhurst Nursery, Hampstead: 19 Greencroft Gardens, London NW6 3LP Tel: 020 7328 4280
Ringrose Kindergarten, Chelsea: St Luke’s St, London SW3 3RP Tel: 020 7352 8784
The Roche School Nursery, Putney: 11 Frogmore London SW18 1HW Tel: 020 8877 0823
Ready Steady Go, Camden: 123 St Pancras Way, London NW1 0SY Tel: 020 7586 5862
Castle Kindergarten, Wimbledon: 20 Henfield Rd, London SW19 3HU Tel: 020 8544 0089
Willcocks Nursery, South Kensington: Holy Trinity With All Saints Church Prince Consort Road, London SW7 2BA Tel: 020 7584 5054
Miss Daisy’s, Chelsea: Fountain Court , Buckingham Palace Rd, London SW1W 9SU Tel: 020 7730 5797
Young England Kindergarten, Pimlico: St Saviours Hall, St.George’s Square, London SW1V 2HP Tel: 020 7834 3171
Little Unicorn Nursery, Canary Wharf: Promenade Level (-1 Floor), 20 Canada Square, London E14 5NN Tel: 020 7519 1010 and three other locations in Docklands
Abercorn School, St John’s Wood: 28 Abercorn Place, London NW8 9XP
Chepstow House School, Holland Park: 108A Lancaster Rd, London W11 1QS Tel: 020 7243 0243
Devonshire House School, Notting Hill: 2 Arkwright Rd, London NW3 6AE Tel: 020 7435 1916
Falkner House Nursery School, South Kensington: 19 Brechin Place, London SW7 4QB Tel: 020 7373 4501
Garden House School, Chelsea: Turks Row, London SW3 4TW Tel: 0207 730 1652
The Gardens Nursery, Wandsworth: The Wandle Recreation Centre Mapleton Road London SW18 4DN Tel: 020 8875 1277
Gatehouse School, Bethnal Green: Sewardstone Rd, Victoria Park, London E2 9JG Tel: 020 8980 2978
Kew College, Kew: 24-26 Cumberland Rd, Kew TW9 3HQ Tel: 020 8940 2039
Knightsbridge School, Knighsbridge: 67 Pont St, London SW1X 0BD Tel: 020 7590 9000
Mulberry House School, West Hampstead: 67 Pont St, London SW1X 0BD Tel: 020 7590 9000
Newton Prep School, Battersea: 149 Battersea Park Rd, London SW8 4BX Tel: 020 7720 4091
Phoenix School, South Hampstead: 36 College Crescent, London NW3 5LF Tel: 020 7722 4433
Redcliffe School, Chelsea: 47 Redcliffe Gardens, London SW10 9JH Tel:020 7352 9247
Saint Christina’s School, St John’s Wood: 25 St Edmunds Terrace, London, NW8 7PY Tel: 020 7722 8784
Sinclair House School, Fulham: 159/196 Munster Road, London SW6 6AU Tel: 020 7736 9365
St Nicholas Prep School, Kensington: 23 Princes Gate, London SW7 1PT Tel: 020 7591 2630
Thomas’s Schools, Battersea: 28-40 Battersea High Street, London SW11 3JB Tel: 020 7978 0900
Thomas’s Schools, Clapham: Broomwood Road, London SW11 6JZ Tel: 020 7326 9300
Thomas’s Schools, Fulham: Hugon Road, London SW6 3ES Tel: 020 7751 8200
Thomas’s Schools, Kensington: 17-19 Cottesmore Gardens, London W8 5PR Tel: 020 7361 6500
Stepping Stones Nursery, Stamford Brook: 7 Gayford Road, London, W12 9BY Tel: 020 8811 1646
The Kindersgartens, London (various): With 14 locations around West London
Zebedee Nusery, Parson’s Green: 4 Parsons Green, London SW6 4TN Tel: 020 7371 9224
Surrey, Kent and Sussex
Hilden Grange School, Tonbridge
Dry Hill Park Road Tonbridge Kent TN10 3BX Tel: 01732 351169
Hampshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire
Harriet House School, Berkshire
The Walled Garden, Frilsham, Berkshire, RG18 0XX Tel: 01635 200 837
Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Oxfordshire
Pumpkins Nursery, Badminton
Badminton Memorial Hall Hayes Lane Badminton South Gloucestershire GL9 1DD Tel: 01454 219400
Pumpkins Nursery, Tormarton
Tormarton Parish Hall High Street Tormarton South Glos GL9 1HU Tel: 01454 218747
Nationwide Chains
Busy Bees
Bright Horizons
West Midlands
Davenport Lodge Nursery, Coventry
21 Davenport Road Coventry West Midlands CV5 6 QA Tel: 024 7667 5051