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Nursery at Chelsea Open Air 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
All-weather garden play gives Chelsea Open Air its character. Children move between indoor activities and the outdoors throughout the day, with exploration built into the nursery’s approach. This is a nursery school in its own right, with up to 70 places for children from Rising Three age to five. Rising Threes join in the academic term of their third birthday.
The setting combines a timber-framed building dating from 1587 with a seventeenth-century cottage. Its garden is part of the learning space, rather than somewhere reserved for a break. For a child who enjoys investigating materials and moving outdoors, that shapes the whole day.
Free-flow play connects the classroom and garden. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) guides learning: children develop communication, movement and social skills alongside early reading, number work, creative activities and understanding their surroundings. Adults plan around children’s interests and adjust activities as their learning develops.
Forest School brings outdoor investigation into the garden and community expeditions, supported by staff trained as advanced Forest School Leaders. Water and messy materials invite children to mix, pour and experiment. Practical clothes matter here: wet sleeves and muddy shoes can be part of the learning.
At the July 2024 inspection, Ofsted described children exploring an underground cave beside the amphitheatre and attending external forest school each week, with library and zoo outings too. These experiences give children things to investigate and talk about beyond the classroom. Number learning also happens through play: adults used cars, sticks and dolls to help children understand five. Songs, rhymes and attention to initial letter sounds build foundations for reading.
Every child has a Learning Profile containing photographs, observations and examples of work. Families can contribute through its Home & Beyond section, connecting experiences at home with learning at nursery.
A qualified early years practitioner or teacher acts as each child’s key person, taking responsibility for education and welfare and serving as the family’s first contact. Formal progress discussions happen twice yearly, alongside informal conversations and longer meetings by arrangement.
Settling can take up to two weeks. A parent or familiar adult must be available, stays for the first session, and then follows an induction tailored by the key person. Families need to plan time for this.
Christ Church Primary School supplies lunch. Children eat in small groups with a staff member, practise using cutlery and are encouraged to taste food without pressure. Alternatives accommodate medical, ethical or religious needs. Families provide fruit or vegetables for snacks and a labelled water bottle; a water fountain is also accessible during the day.
Support for special educational needs and disabilities includes speech and language groups, Makaton and visual timetables. The July 2024 findings describe prompt identification of SEND and effective help involving therapists and psychologists; safeguarding arrangements were effective. Children needing full-time learning assistance during the school day must have equivalent support for extended hours, so this needs planning alongside any longer day.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application. The nursery’s admissions policy directs them to Kensington and Chelsea’s online school admissions process by the end of January in the year their child would start.
Preparation is separate from allocation. A photograph book introduces primary-school life, and additional visits can be arranged according to individual needs. Achievement reports and support documents pass to the receiving school. For children with SEND, transition planning can also bring nursery staff, parents, primary staff and external professionals together.
Provision runs during term time. The 15-hour pattern is five mornings, Monday to Friday, 9am to noon; eligible families can take 30 hours from 9am to 3pm. A paid Core Day ends at 4pm, with Breakfast Club from 8.15am and After School Club ending at 5pm.
Funding excludes meals, consumables and additional services or hours. Lunch is charged for children staying to eat, with qualifying free-school-meal arrangements requiring documentation. Ask the school for current charges. Families using 30-hour funding must keep their code valid.
Contact info@coans.rbkc.sch.uk or 020 7352 8374. Open Mornings require no booking. Bring washable clothing, spare clothes, Wellington boots and a raincoat. After the first half term, children say goodbye at the gate; collection is inside, by an authorised person aged at least 16.
Rising Threes can start in the academic term when they turn three. The nursery offers places through to age five.
Morning places run Monday to Friday, 9am to noon. Eligible 30-hour places run 9am to 3pm during term time. Paid Core Day and club options can extend the day.
A parent or familiar adult stays for the first session and must be available during settling, which can take up to two weeks. The key person adapts the induction to the child.
No. Reception requires a separate application. The nursery’s policy gives Kensington and Chelsea’s online school admissions process and an end-of-January deadline in the starting year.
Bring a labelled water bottle, fresh fruit or vegetables for snacks, spare clothes, a raincoat and Wellington boots. Choose practical clothes suitable for messy play.
