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Nursery at Vanessa Nursery School
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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
A heated swimming pool gives Vanessa Nursery School’s day an unusual dimension: learning to manage water sits alongside books, gardening and imaginative play. This maintained nursery school in Shepherds Bush serves children aged two, three and four. The younger children attend the pre-school in Cathnor Park Children’s Centre, while the main nursery has a room arranged for free-flow learning and outdoor space.
Provision is described as accommodating up to 132 children. Early years teachers work alongside educators and childcare assistants, giving families a team whose roles span teaching and everyday care.
Play provides the starting point, with adults introducing activities as well as following children’s interests. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) connects language, movement and relationships with early mathematics, literacy, creativity and understanding the world. Here, those strands become practical tasks: growing a sunflower, making paint and preparing a bread roll. Counting ingredients has a purpose. So does learning to handle tools.
Indoors, children can explore the home corner and sensory materials; outside, the mud kitchen, sand pit and growing beds offer different ways to experiment. Outdoor learning remains accessible throughout the day. Forest School uses the Children’s Centre garden, extending opportunities to explore natural surroundings.
Swimming begins after children have settled into the main nursery. Pool sessions take place at least every other week, depending on nursery numbers, with staff trained in lifesaving and teaching water confidence. Changing for swimming also creates practice in dressing independently.
At the March 2023 inspection, Ofsted found that language teaching helped children use precise vocabulary and understand stories deeply. Children used their knowledge of The Very Hungry Caterpillar to explain a butterfly’s development. Shared books also reach home: lending libraries outside classrooms allow children to exchange books daily.
Each child has a key person, providing a familiar adult for the child and a regular contact for parents. Before starting, a home visit introduces that relationship; a meeting at nursery is another option. Settling is gradual and can take up to four weeks. Families are asked to keep a familiar adult available for the first two weeks, potentially longer, so work arrangements need room for that introduction.
Famly carries photographs and observations between nursery and home, alongside termly discussions about progress. For children with additional needs, support can include individual learning programmes and specialist involvement. In March 2023, focused language sessions supported children with SEND, and safeguarding arrangements were effective.
Food is part of the routine. Magic Breakfast supplies classroom breakfast between 9am and 9:30am, and children staying for a full day receive lunch. Afternoon children receive a healthy snack. Families should bring a labelled water bottle and avoid sending food because children with severe allergies attend. For children wearing nappies, changing is handled by a familiar adult, with the changing space cleaned between children.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions route and meet its deadline.
Preparation for the move is practical. A final-term written account of the child’s learning is discussed with parents and passed to the receiving teacher. Children with high needs have Person Centred Reviews involving families, professionals and the receiving school; additional visits can be arranged for children with SEND or greater vulnerability. These support continuity of care and learning, separately from the allocation of places.
Attendance is during school terms. For three- and four-year-olds, the 15-hour pattern combines Monday and Tuesday, 9am to 3:15pm, with Wednesday, 9am to 11:30am; the alternative combines Wednesday, 12:45pm to 3:15pm, with Thursday and Friday, 9am to 3:15pm. The 30-hour option runs Monday to Friday, 9am to 3:15pm, requiring an eligible code or paid additional hours.
Two-year-old pre-school options include half-day patterns and a 30-hour week, 8:30am to 2:30pm. Eligible children can access funded places; paid additions extend part-time attendance within core hours. Full-day lunches carry a separate charge, payable beforehand. Ask the administration team for current charges.
Choose manageable clothing, bring spare clothes and provide a raincoat for outdoor play. Enquiries and visit arrangements go through admin@vanessa.lbhf.sch.uk or 020 8743 8196. Session preferences are requested, with an alternative offered if the preferred pattern cannot be accommodated.
The school serves children aged two, three and four. Two-year-olds attend the pre-school at Cathnor Park Children’s Centre.
Children begin using the heated pool once settled into the main nursery. Sessions run at least every other week, depending on nursery numbers.
Settling can take up to four weeks. A familiar adult should be available during the first two weeks and may be needed for longer.
Lunch for children attending full days is charged separately and paid in advance. Breakfast and an afternoon snack are also provided.
No. Reception requires a separate application through the normal admissions process. Transition reports and additional support for the move are separate from admissions.
