Our day
Timings
8am – 9am: You can drop off at any point between 8am and 9am, and breakfast will be available for your child when they arrive.
9am – 3.30pm: The core early years curriculum is delivered in small groups during school hours.
3.30pm – 6pm: Pick up at whatever time works for you between 3:30pm and 6pm. Dinner is served to children who stay on after 5pm.
Older siblings up to the age of 7 can also be dropped off after school and take part in an after-school club, or complete a supervised homework session. A pick-up service from nearby schools may be possible by arrangement.
Learning approach
Education is our main focus, and we know children won’t learn unless they love coming to preschool each day. Our approach is grounded in well-known educational philosophies and we are constantly develop our expertise using the latest research in early years learning. We adopt a balance of teacher-led and child-initiated learning activities, keeping play and rich experiences at the heart of our ethos.
We deliver the core curriculum during school hours, 9am-3.30pm, in small groups led by qualified teachers and supported by teaching assistants. Our adult-child ratios far exceed OFSTED requirements because research (and our experience) consistently tells us that this makes a big difference in early childhood.
Our aim is to create a warm, secure setting that combines the benefits of an urban childhood with time spent in nature, setting your child up to love learning for life.
Outdoor learning
Each classroom has direct access to our garden, and the children spend plenty of time outdoors each day. They can climb, build structures, ride scooters and balance bikes, engage in water and sand play, or tend to our vegetable and herb garden, among many other activities.
Our generous approach to staffing means we can take the children on a daily outing, whatever the weather! We use our safe multi-seat buggies to take the children out of the preschool and into the local community each day, including Ravenscourt Park, Shepherd’s Bush Market and the library.
Mealtimes
We provide breakfast, a morning snack, lunch, an afternoon snack and dinner.
All our food is freshly prepared and delivered by the Nursery Kitchen, then cooked in our on-site kitchen. Their menus are created by expert nutritionists and chefs using locally sourced ingredients, and expose children to a wide variety of foods, helping establish healthy eating habits for life. All dietary needs and preferences can be accommodated and we’re proud to offer a large range of plant-based meals.
Our staff eat together with the children, creating a family meal experience. We use this time to talk and laugh together, modelling the table manners and attitudes to food we want to teach our children. During our two snack times, the children are fully involved in preparing the food, serving each other and tidying up after themselves.
Sleep and quiet time
We know most two-year-olds and some of our older children will still need a nap after lunch. We provide a quiet, darkened room and give each child their own toddler floor bed for the duration of their time with us.
Children can bring in special comforters, cuddly toys or blankets from home. Even if they no longer nap, we encourage older children to have quiet time after lunch, during which they play independently or snuggle up to listen to a story.
We always follow the lead of our parents and carers when making changes to the length of a child’s nap or deciding when to cut it out, and we’re also happy to give advice if you’d like it – just ask.
After school and pick up
You can pick up at whatever time works for you between 3:30pm and 6pm. Most of our families work full days, so if your child needs to stay all day, you can rest assured they will be engaged, happy and in good company until the end!
Older siblings up to the age of 7 can also be dropped off after school and join their younger sibling until pick up. We offer an afternoon snack, some relaxation or play and the opportunity take part in our afternoon activity. A qualified teacher is on hand to supervise homework 1:1 with each after-school club child too.
Dinner is served to children and older siblings who stay on until after 5pm. For those who stay with us until 6pm, the day ends with drawing, magnatiles and lego: a perfect way to wind down before pick up.