The Little Tugboat Day Nursery

A Victorian house, a south-facing garden and a baby room capped at nine children give The Little Tugboat Day Nursery a clear identity. This independent family nursery in Fulham takes children from three months to five years and has 37 places in total. Its rooms follow a nautical progression: First Mates Room, Captains Room and Admirals Room. The youngest children have a quiet sleeping area with an individual cot; toddlers can move directly between their room and the garden.

At its 8 February 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and judged safeguarding effective, while identifying a need for more consistent challenge for younger children through better planning and learning targets. That distinction matters: the overall judgement was positive, but parents of babies and toddlers have a specific teaching question to explore.

Individual weekly planning, daily outdoor play and an on-site chef shape the current offer. Attendance is full-day only, with a minimum of two days each week, including a Monday or Friday.

Rooms and Ages

First Mates Room accommodates up to nine children aged three months to two years, combining sensory and messy play with a quiet sleeping area, individual cots and a separate changing room. Rest has a defined place alongside play.

Captains Room takes children aged two to three, with a maximum of twelve; construction materials, instruments and pretend play support children choosing their own activities. A book balcony, home corner and direct garden access let toddlers move between quieter play and outdoor activity.

Upstairs, Admirals Room serves children aged three to five, combining early reading, phonics and number recognition with everyday independence. Children practise coat fastenings and help prepare lunch tables, building practical skills for school.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage is the shared early-years framework for learning and development. Individual weekly plans connect children's interests with play indoors and outside.

Forest School inspires Outdoor Exploration sessions, while the Curiosity Approach informs exploration using natural materials. Alongside the framework, yoga, sports coaching and weekly Outdoor Adventures add movement; Admirals also have weekly yoga.

In February 2023, younger children watched puppets accompanying The Three Little Pigs. Older children ordered events from The Tiger Who Came to Tea and explored fruit scents and citrus through pretend play, connecting stories with practical experiences.

That February, tweezers, scissors and clay helped children practise hand control for writing. Children also supplied missing words in action songs when adults paused, taking an active part in shared music.

Outdoor and Community Life

Daily use of the south-facing garden includes bikes, a climbing frame, a fort for stories and role play, and watering plants children have grown.

Bishop’s Park outings can include ducks and sandpit play for First Mates. Admirals visit when opportunities arise for ball games, sand play and riverside discussion, extending learning beyond the garden.

Eddy the Teddy connects home with group conversation: Admirals recount the bear's weekend adventures after taking it home, practising sharing experiences and listening.

Relationships and Communication

A Hello meeting and All About Me form introduce the child before two free settling sessions, each lasting about an hour. Parents spend some time away during the second session; further sessions can be discussed if needed. Separation happens in stages.

Every child has a key person responsible for learning journeys and end-of-term reports, assigned after a few weeks as relationships develop. Other room staff also get to know the child.

Parents receive daily feedback, access to learning journeys and classroom plans, and monthly updates. Discussion slots at 8am and 5.30pm allow fuller conversations. Captains families receive home-learning ideas and guidance on toilet training and behaviour.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the February 2023 inspection, Ofsted found that work with external agencies supported children's progress, including those learning English as an additional language, and that cooperation with local schools helped preparation for the next stage. These are dated findings, rather than a promise about every child's present support arrangements.

In February 2023, staff used reminders about listening, sharing and taking turns, explaining reasons for putting resources away. Children also practised washing their hands and serving food. The emphasis was on making ordinary routines opportunities for independence and considerate behaviour.

A full-time chef prepares meals from scratch, using locally sourced ingredients and including plant-based dishes alongside other meals. The nursery has a nut-free policy and offers support for specific dietary requirements; allergy-affected families should confirm the current arrangements before accepting a place.

Staff receive annual paediatric first-aid training. Plant-based cleaning products and BPA-free bottles are also part of the nursery's approach to its everyday environment. These are specific arrangements, not a substitute for the dated safeguarding judgement.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is 3 Finlay Street, London SW6 6HE. Full-day sessions run from 8am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday, and the nursery operates for 51 weeks each year. Families must book at least two days weekly, with a Monday or Friday included. This is a firm attendance model, so the weekday requirement deserves as much attention as the opening time.

Christmas and bank holidays are closure periods, with one additional staff-training day during the year. For 2026, the Christmas closure runs from 24 December through 1 January 2027, and reopening is on 4 January 2027. There are no refunds or replacement days for sickness or holidays.

Joining the waiting list involves returning a form by email and paying a non-refundable registration charge; it does not guarantee a nursery place. A refundable deposit is due within five working days of accepting an offer and is returned on departure subject to outstanding costs and proper notice. Reducing attendance or leaving requires eight full weeks of written notice. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

Funding and Paid Extras

Working Parent Entitlement funding is offered at 15 or 30 hours for eligible children aged nine months to three years. For children aged three to four, there is Universal 15 hour funding, with an Extended 15 hours entitlement for eligible families. Funding is stretched across 51 weeks: the stated weekly equivalents are 11.18 hours for the 15-hour entitlement and 22.35 hours for the 30-hour entitlement. Accessing the full 30-hour entitlement here requires attendance on at least three days each week.

Additional private hours are charged. On funded arrangements, meals, snacks and organic milk are charged through an optional Additional Services Package, which also charges for classes, events and consumables such as nappy creams and sun cream. Parents supply nappies, particular formula brands and specific bottles or teats; Aptamil is provided, although provision alone does not establish that it is included in the fee.

Opting out of the package must be discussed before accepting a funded place. After opting in, changing that decision requires a new application for a place under the nursery's terms. Working-parent and extended funding also require a valid eligibility code and completed declaration before funding is applied, with eligibility reconfirmed every three months.

• Challenge for younger children. The February 2023 improvement point concerned consistency in planning and learning targets. At a visit, ask how First Mates activities are adapted when a child is ready for a greater challenge.
• The weekday commitment. A minimum two-day booking must include Monday or Friday, and the full 30-hour funding arrangement requires at least three days. Match those conditions to the days your family actually needs.
• Admirals Room size. Room descriptions give different headcounts for the preschool group. Ask how many children typically attend together and how the upstairs room is organised for quieter work and play.
• Funding choices before acceptance. The Additional Services Package is optional, but later withdrawal from it requires reapplication. Settle the package choice, dietary arrangements and written charge breakdown before accepting; show-arounds are offered when a relevant space is becoming available.

The Little Tugboat suits families seeking full-day attendance across the year, from two days weekly to more weekdays. A nine-child baby-room cap, individual cots and toddlers' direct garden access give the Victorian setting practical appeal.

Weigh those strengths against the February 2023 concern about younger children's learning, the Monday-or-Friday requirement and funded-package choices. Staged settling and regular parent communication add useful support.