Earls Court Nursery & Pre-School

Care routines give Earls Court its clearest character: babies learning to feed themselves, toddlers managing their coats and preschool children serving lunch. Those January 2026 examples make independence tangible. Ordinary moments carry much of the learning.

At its January 2026 inspection, Ofsted awarded Strong standard judgements for inclusion, leadership and governance, children's welfare and wellbeing, and behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines; achievement and curriculum and teaching received Expected standard, and safeguarding standards were met. That is a balanced picture, with care and relationships stronger than the consistency of teaching.

Earls Court Nursery & Pre-School serves children from birth to five at Philbeach Gardens in London. Its attendance offer includes morning, afternoon and full-day plans, with the practical detail set out below.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care: in daily life, this means building language, movement, relationships and independence through play and familiar routines. Here, the January 2026 examples connected learning to things children were already doing.

During sensory play that month, adults introduced vocabulary describing texture and temperature. Play dough and toothbrushing also became opportunities for conversation, while counting on fingers and discussing shapes brought early mathematics into everyday activity. These are useful examples for parents: learning can happen while a child explores materials or practises looking after themselves.

In January 2026, staff used their observations to decide what children needed to learn next. Questions changed according to a child's confidence, and adults acknowledged children's contributions. That approach gave quieter children a way into conversation as well as those ready to speak readily.

Outdoor and Community Life

Small climbing equipment supported babies practising movement in January 2026. Outdoor imaginative play also gave older children opportunities to try vocabulary in a different context. Physical exploration and conversation could therefore work together.

The outdoor offer needed greater precision that month, however. Activities were not consistently adjusted to children's development or individual needs, so some children participated less fully outside than indoors. Leaders were asked to improve those adaptations and help practitioners involve children sooner, with interactions that develop ideas and maintain interest.

A further January 2026 weakness concerned how some activities were organised: children could miss the intended learning when participation was uneven. For families, the distinction matters. Having an activity ready is only part of the job; the adult needs to help each child take something from it.

Relationships and Communication

At the January 2026 inspection, Ofsted found that key persons responded sensitively to children's needs, routines helped children settle, and support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities involved parents and outside professionals, including speech and language therapists. This gives parents concrete mechanisms to weigh, rather than a general promise of inclusion.

In January 2026, parents' knowledge of their children shaped care routines. Children returning after time away were helped back into the day, and staff adjusted routines when a child became distressed. The practical value is continuity: the key person knows more than the child's preferred activity and can respond to changes in their emotional needs.

Communication that month included conversations with families, app updates and newsletters. Staff shared development information and responded to concerns, giving parents several ways to stay involved. Practitioners also received targeted training and support, while leaders reviewed the environment as children's needs changed.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

In January 2026, individual support was reviewed and adjusted as children developed. Collaboration with families and specialists helped connect nursery strategies with home life. Support therefore involved an ongoing cycle of noticing needs, trying an intervention and considering its effect.

Sleep, feeding and meals followed recognisable routines that retained flexibility in January 2026. Toddlers practised removing footwear before rest, and preschool children handled serving food and pouring drinks. Children were also helped to identify feelings and use reassurance and familiar routines to recover their composure. These small responsibilities made care part of learning, rather than something adults simply did for children.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is 65 Philbeach Gardens, London, SW5 9EE. Opening hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, across the year, with closures for bank holidays and Christmas.

Full Days run from 8am to 6pm, Mornings from 8am to 1pm, and Afternoons from 1pm to 6pm. The all-year booking plans include five mornings, five afternoons, full-day patterns and five short days. Full-day bookings require at least two consecutive days, including a Monday or Friday. That condition matters for parents hoping to arrange care solely in the middle of the week.

An online enquiry form includes Earls Court as a nursery choice and asks for a preferred starting date. Families can use that route to begin an enquiry.

Funding and Paid Extras

Both private and funded childcare are offered. Funding options include Working Parent, Two Year Old Offer, Universal and Extended Entitlement, subject to the relevant eligibility conditions. Eligible working parents can access up to 30 funded hours from the term after their child reaches nine months; universal funding provides 15 hours from the term after the third birthday, and eligible two-year-olds can receive 15 hours through the local authority route.

For all-year attendance, funding is stretched: the 15-hour schemes provide 11 hours weekly and the 30-hour scheme provides 22 hours weekly over 51 weeks. Families using working-parent funding must supply a valid eligibility code, and a parental declaration must be completed for government or local authority funding. Funding paperwork is therefore part of organising the booking, alongside choosing days.

The fee plans, including those with funded hours, include snacks, tea, breakfast and lunch. Private place offers carry a non-refundable registration charge and a deposit; the deposit is credited to the final account, with cancellation refunds depending on how far ahead the place is cancelled. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

Green LEYF is an optional contribution towards sustainability programmes. It sits separately from the attendance plan, so families should distinguish that contribution from the care and food included in their booking.

• Outdoor teaching. January 2026 improvement actions concerned adapting outdoor activities and involving children promptly. During a visit, ask how activities now change for babies, toddlers and preschool children, and how staff help children who hang back.
• The full-day pattern. The minimum is two consecutive days, with a Monday or Friday included. Discuss that rule against your working week before choosing a full-day plan.

Earls Court suits families seeking morning, afternoon or full-day attendance, especially those who value a key-person relationship and independence built through everyday care. The January 2026 examples offer useful substance: dressing, serving food, conversation and emotional support all had a place in the day.

The teaching cautions deserve equal weight. Outdoor adaptation and participation in activities were the areas needing attention, making those sensible subjects for a visit. The appeal lies in the care relationships and practical attendance choices, with closer scrutiny warranted on how consistently every child joins in learning.