Notting Hill Nursery School

Two light-filled classrooms, specialist-led activities and access to nearby green spaces give Notting Hill Nursery School a clear character: learning through play, with movement and creative experiences woven into nursery time. This family-run setting occupies 26a Artesian Road in London, W2 5DN, just off Westbourne Grove, and accepts children aged two to five.

At its 31 October 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and judged safeguarding effective. Language development and relationships were strengths, while staff development and keeping children engaged between activities needed attention. Morning, afternoon and full-day sessions serve different family routines during term time.

Rooms and Ages

The setting has two classrooms with plentiful daylight, while children are organised into age-labelled classes. Caterpillar class covers ages two to three; Butterfly class covers three to five. These are class age bands, rather than a promise that each group occupies a separate classroom. For families, the distinction matters: the physical layout and the age-group organisation describe different parts of the nursery day.

Learning and Activities

The EYFS framework connects learning about language, relationships and physical development with early mathematics, literacy, creative expression and understanding the world. Here, play and children's interests guide curriculum planning. Morning and afternoon children follow the same curriculum and topics, while full-day attendance allows different activities and further opportunities to revisit learning. A shorter session therefore retains the same educational foundations.

Ballet is a weekly class taught through Knightsbridge Ballet, bringing specialist dance teaching into nursery time. Spanish adds language sessions, while Cookery and Gardening introduce practical activities alongside creative work. These classes take place during nursery sessions, rather than requiring a separate after-nursery timetable.

In October 2023, staff developed vocabulary through conversation, songs and stories. Children learning English alongside another language heard their home languages too, with pictures used to support understanding. Seasonal exploration also gave learning a concrete starting point: children examined pumpkins and noticed changes in leaves and trees. Everyday objects became material for discussion.

Outdoor and Community Life

Access to local green spaces extends the day beyond the classrooms. In October 2023, park visits happened daily, with opportunities for running, skipping, chasing games and using climbing and sliding equipment. That combination gave children room for energetic play as well as closer observation of the natural world. The current offer includes access to local green spaces, while the daily frequency belongs to that inspection period.

Relationships and Communication

In October 2023, staff took time to talk with parents and helped children make the transition from home into nursery. Regular observation and assessment informed activities, linking what staff noticed about a child with what they planned next. Children also practised social habits such as considerate behaviour, good manners and helping put resources away.

Parent workshops on preparing for school were part of the October 2023 provision. These gave families a way to connect learning at home with the child's next stage, rather than treating preparation for school as a nursery-only task. The team also includes a practitioner with a SENDCO role and experience supporting children with additional needs.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the October 2023 inspection, Ofsted found that staff worked with other professionals to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and that children made good progress from their starting points. This is a dated judgement about the support delivered then. Current staff arrangements include completed paediatric first-aid training and DBS checks.

V&Me supplies lunches, with orders placed directly through the company and vegetarian, vegan and dairy-free choices available on request. Fruit, vegetables and other snacks are offered during the morning and afternoon, with allergy alternatives on request; families managing allergies should confirm current practice before choosing meals.

Sessions and Attendance

Term-time attendance can take the form of mornings from 9am to noon, afternoons from 12.30pm to 3.30pm, or full days from 9am to 3.30pm. An 8.30am drop-off can be arranged on request for full-day attendance. That earlier start is a conditional arrangement, rather than the standard full-day session.

Five-morning and five-full-day weekly packages are priced by the term. A lunchtime extension from noon to 1pm can be requested alongside morning attendance. These options make the nursery relevant both to families seeking a shorter nursery day and those wanting children to stay through the afternoon. Term-time provision also means planning separately for holiday childcare.

Getting There

The address is 26a Artesian Road, London, W2 5DN, just off Westbourne Grove. Enquiries can be sent to admissions@nottinghillnurseryschool.co.uk, or made by telephone on 02037712772.

Funding and Paid Extras

The nursery offers 15 hours funding and 30 hours funding for three- and four-year-olds through its Universal Entitlement arrangements. Attendance is term-time, and funded attendance carries an additional services charge each term, with the charge depending on the chosen sessions. Funding and the services charge therefore need to be considered together when assessing the overall commitment.

Private sessions are also offered, and current prices come in the nursery's written quotation. Childcare vouchers are accepted. Missed attendance, including absence and bank holidays, does not attract a discount.

A deposit is required when a child is offered a place. It is fully refundable on graduation from the nursery or with one full term's written notice. That notice condition matters for families whose childcare plans may change during the year.

• Transitions between activities. In October 2023, children sometimes waited too long while others prepared for an outing and lost engagement. Ask how staff now keep children involved during these changes, and how less confident practitioners receive support to improve teaching consistency.
• The visit comes before registration. A nursery visit is required before registering a child, with weekday appointments scheduled for 10am and private tours booked ahead. Use that visit to discuss settling arrangements and how the age groups share the two classrooms.
• Funded attendance and extras. Funded sessions carry a termly services charge that varies with the attendance pattern. Request an itemised quotation covering meals, non-food consumables and specialist classes so the commitment is clear before accepting a place.
• Term-time routines. Morning, afternoon and full-day options provide different lengths of nursery day, but attendance follows the terms. Families needing care through holidays should account for that difference when choosing their weekly pattern.

Notting Hill Nursery School suits families seeking either morning or afternoon nursery sessions, as well as those wanting a full day within a term-time routine. Light-filled classrooms, weekly specialist ballet and practical activities give its offer substance. The October 2023 judgement supports its educational and care credentials, with clear improvements identified around teaching consistency and transitions. The decision rests on whether its term-time schedule and charge structure fit the family's needs.