Kings Meadow Pre-school & Nursery

Direct access to Kingsmeadow fields gives Kings Meadow Pre-school & Nursery a clear outdoor identity. Its garden brings climbing, cycling and sand and water play into the nursery day, while the adjoining fields extend the space children can explore. For families who value physical play alongside indoor learning, that is a useful combination.

This independent nursery serves children from six months to five years at 75 Hampden Road, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 3HG. At its December 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated it Outstanding overall and across education, behaviour, personal development and leadership. That judgement belongs to that visit: the current practical offer includes a key-person arrangement, freshly prepared food and a choice of full-day, morning and afternoon attendance.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage shapes the day through play and activities that develop language, relationships, movement and early learning. It is the shared early-years framework, rather than an additional programme unique to Kings Meadow. Here, the curriculum is child-centred and based on learning through play, with observation used to plan what comes next for each child.

Communication has concrete places in that approach. Children have opportunities to practise speaking and listening, while books and written materials introduce the connection between letters and sounds. Mathematical experiences cover counting, number, shapes and measurement. These are foundations for later learning, developed through play and activities.

In December 2022, babies heard songs with repeated sounds and words; in the toddler room, expressive storytelling and puppets encouraged children to take part. The pre-school room used small-group reading activities to prepare older children for their next educational stage. Those examples show how the same broad learning areas were adapted to different stages of development at that time.

Outdoor and Community Life

The Garden Area provides equipment and activities for climbing and cycling, alongside water and sand play. Direct access to Kingsmeadow fields adds a second outdoor setting beyond the garden itself. The practical attraction is space for movement and exploration, rather than outdoor time being confined to one type of activity.

In December 2022, outdoor learning formed part of the daily routine, older children practised riding bicycles, and children regularly explored the nearby meadow. Staff also shared learning from training in woodland activities. These are dated examples of how the outdoor space was used, rather than a claim about today’s activity timetable.

Relationships and Communication

The Key Person Approach gives each child an allocated practitioner during settling, with responsibility for exchanging information with parents and planning around that child’s needs. The arrangement provides a recognisable contact for the family as well as someone who observes learning and assesses development. That makes communication part of everyday care, rather than something reserved for a formal meeting.

In December 2022, parents received detailed updates about development and practical ideas for continuing learning at home, including early mathematics. Children also took part in small groups with peers of different abilities, with examples of children helping friends communicate. The emphasis was on participation and shared activity, not simply placing children alongside one another.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the December 2022 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities exceptionally strong, including the use of sensory equipment and observations to help outside agencies understand children’s needs. Those findings are dated assessments, rather than a present-day assurance.

Current collection procedures require parents to notify the nursery beforehand when another adult will collect their child, including relatives, and use a password arrangement. External doors are secured, visitors sign in, and staff keep their mobile phones in lockers during work. These are specific procedures families will encounter, with clear responsibilities for both staff and parents.

An in-house chef cooks food fresh each day, and the nursery caters for medical, religious and other dietary requirements. The meal routine includes breakfast, lunch, snacks and tea, helping food provision fit around different attendance patterns.

Sessions and Attendance

Weekday Full Day attendance runs from 8am to 6.30pm. Half Day AM is 8.30am to 1pm, while Half Day PM runs from 1pm to 6.30pm. A 7.30am start requires prior booking; it is an additional early-start arrangement, rather than the standard Full Day start.

Children attending solely through funded hours may have different days and hours. That qualification matters for a family comparing the ordinary session timetable with a funded-only arrangement: the two should not be treated as interchangeable.

The nursery operates throughout the year, closing on bank holidays and for one week at Christmas. Its address is 75 Hampden Road, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 3HG. Enquiries can be made by telephone, email or the contact form, and an enrolment form is provided for families joining.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered for qualifying two-year-olds and for three- and four-year-olds. The entitlement information covers 15 hours for eligible two-year-olds, and 15 or 30 hours for three- and four-year-olds during term time. Eligibility remains a condition of the relevant entitlement; these descriptions do not promise a particular funded attendance pattern.

Paid childcare fees include tea, lunch and snacks, together with milk and formula. Pampers nappies and outsourced activities are also included in the fee. The inclusive structure reduces the number of separate categories a family needs to budget for when comparing paid care, while funded-only days and hours retain their separate qualification.

Fees are paid monthly in advance, with standing order and childcare vouchers accepted. Current prices come in the nursery’s written quotation; the fees page explains the charge structure.

• Early starts and shorter sessions. The standard Full Day begins at 8am, with 7.30am requiring prior booking; morning and afternoon sessions have different start times. At a visit, discuss which arrangement matches your working day.
• Funded-only attendance. Days and hours may differ for children using funding alone. Establish the proposed funded timetable and treatment of meals and consumables before agreeing an attendance pattern.
• Outdoor space across ages. The garden supports climbing, cycling, sand and water play, with direct access to Kingsmeadow fields. During a visit, ask how these spaces are used by children at your child’s stage of development.

Kings Meadow suits families seeking either full-day childcare or a shorter morning or afternoon session, with outdoor play and an allocated key person central to its offer. Access to Kingsmeadow fields and inclusive paid-care provisions give parents concrete reasons to consider it. The Outstanding judgement dates to December 2022, so it should be read alongside the current attendance arrangements rather than treated as a description of every aspect of care today.