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Nursery at Kensington Wade
Last reviewed: October 2026 · Inspection data and key information above update regularly, however, this review below is refreshed bi-annually and may not reflect recent changes. Contact the nursery directly to confirm current arrangements. If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
English and Mandarin shape the nursery day at Kensington Wade, from action rhymes to storytelling and play. Children can start when they turn three, with no need to speak both languages beforehand. This is immersion through everyday learning, so language forms part of the activity itself.
The nursery occupies a separate building with an open-plan interior and its own outdoor play space. It belongs to an independent school on Fulham Palace Road, sharing the Melcombe Primary School site. That gives the youngest children a distinct base within a wider school setting.
Outdoor play starts the example timetable, followed by morning activities and registration. Adult-guided work alternates with activities children choose themselves. Painting, cooking, singing and water play give children different ways to explore, while literacy and mathematics sit alongside music and physical activity.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings together early learning and personal development. Here, that means building language, exploring mathematical ideas, developing movement and learning to manage feelings, with English and Chinese teaching teams coordinating the learning. At the January 2025 ISI inspection, nursery children understood Chinese action-rhyme instructions and explored measurement using textured wool to compare their heights. These are concrete ways to connect words and ideas with something children can do.
Choice matters too. Children select classroom activities and choose a book to take home. There are at least two specialist music lessons each week, giving singing and listening a regular place alongside other learning. In July 2025, nursery pupils took part in the Classic Animated Story Collection Chinese performance with other younger children, giving their language learning an audience.
The English nursery teacher also leads EYFS, alongside Chinese nursery teachers whose qualifications include Level 3 early-years training. In January 2025, early-years staffing met the required ratios, and children followed routines, played confidently with others and used breathing exercises to settle after physical activity. Emotional regulation is practised within the day.
A snack break, lunch and an afternoon pause for sleep, rest or calming down divide the example timetable. Lunch is included in fees; the nursery charging structure also covers snacks and consumables. Food has a cultural role: early-years activities include a Chinese celebration lunch and Moon Cakes for the mid-autumn festival.
Parents have termly progress meetings with form teachers and can raise concerns directly with the school. SEND support follows a cycle of assessing needs, planning adjustments, trying them and reviewing their effect, with the SENDCO working alongside teachers and families. Access needs. The wider site has several levels and limited disabled access, while facilities for significant learning needs are limited. Families with these needs should discuss the practical fit early.
The January 2025 inspection also identified a school-wide internet-monitoring problem linked to shared provision. It was resolved during the visit; the remaining action was to keep requirements involving outside providers consistently implemented.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. For existing pupils, progression through Kensington Wade is assumed only if the child meets the relevant criteria at that time. Parents are usually consulted before the Spring Term ends if continuation into the next year may be refused.
This is a conditional continuation arrangement at an independent school. Families should distinguish it from an unconditional promise of a place: joining the nursery and remaining eligible to progress are separate considerations.
The nursery day runs from 8am to 3.30pm, five days a week. Kensington Wade regards full-time attendance as the best pattern for its immersive bilingual education. After-school care extends to 6pm; wraparound provision is offered and invoiced separately by Melcombe Primary School.
For eligible children, FEEE funding covers 15 hours a week from the term after their third birthday through the term in which they turn five. The funded period is 8am to 11am each day, with two mornings taught in Chinese and three in English. Additional hours, educational services, snacks and consumables are charged separately within the nursery structure. Ask the school for current charges.
Enquiries go to admissions@kensingtonwade.com or 020 3096 2888. Open events require booking, and families can request a personal tour. Nursery entry includes a taster or assessment, with places dependent on availability. Uniform is required and is an extra cost.
Children can join from their third birthday. Entry during the year is subject to availability and assessment.
No. Children do not need to speak both English and Mandarin before joining.
The nursery runs from 8am to 3.30pm, five days a week. After-school care is offered until 6pm.
Eligible children receive 15 funded hours a week, from the term after turning three through the term in which they turn five. These hours run from 8am to 11am each day. Additional provision carries charges.
No. Existing pupils are expected to progress only if they satisfy the relevant criteria at the time. Parents are usually consulted before the end of the Spring Term if progression may be refused.
