Full-day nursery in Canonbury, Islington
kGems Day Nursery - Islington
85 St. Pauls Road, Islington, N1 2NA · Getting there
Is it good?
Read the Ofsted reportOfsted inspection, before November 2025
Good
- Quality of educationGood
- Behaviour and attitudesGood
- Personal developmentGood
- Leadership and managementGood
- SafeguardingEffective
What does this mean?
This grade is from before November 2025, when Ofsted replaced single grades with report cards. The nursery's next inspection will give a report card, with a separate grade for each area instead of one overall grade.
Official records
- Ofsted registrationRegistered since November 2023Reference 2753657Ofsted · checked 30 June 2026
- Inspections on record1 inspectionlatest 21 August 2025Ofsted · checked 30 June 2026
- Registered places49 placesthe most children it may care for at onceOfsted · checked 30 June 2026
- Food hygiene rating5 (Very good)inspected 13 October 2025Food Standards Agency · checked 13 November 2026
Fees
| Age | Full day | Half day | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 2s | £124£12.40 an hour | £72 | £1,054 |
| 2-year-olds | £124£12.40 an hour | £72 | £1,054 |
| 3 and over | £114£11.40 an hour | £67 | £969 |
From nursery website, November 2026 · see the fees page. Price per hour is the day rate over a 10-hour day, from the nursery's opening hours.
- Charge on funded hours
- £45 full day
- Charge on funded hours
- £28 half day
- Deposit
- £250
Hours and ages
- Monday to Friday
- 08:00–18:00
- Ages
- 3 months to 5 years
- Weeks open
- 51 a year
- Sessions
- Full day and half day
Getting there
85 St. Pauls Road, Islington, N1 2NA · More nurseries in N1
Stations
- Highbury & Islington4 min walk · 0.1 miles
- CanonburyStep-free access10 min walk · 0.4 miles
- Essex Road10 min walk · 0.4 miles
Buses
16 bus stops within 400 m, including St Paul's Road / Highbury Corner, St Paul's Road / Highbury Grove and Highbury Corner.
Parks and playgrounds
- Highbury Island2 min walk
- Highbury Fields3 min walk
- Laycock Green4 min walk
- New River Walk7 min walk
- St Mary Magdalene Gardens8 min walk
- Playground2 min walk
© OpenStreetMap contributors, checked 13 November 2026 · Powered by TfL Open Data, checked 13 November 2026. Walking times are rough, from straight-line distance.
Places and next steps
Spaces: not published yet. Nurseries often fill months ahead, so ask early.
In Islington there are about 2.6 children under 5 for every registered nursery place. Places are how many children nurseries may care for, not free spaces, so this is a guide to demand. Source: ONS Census 2021.
What parents say
Reviews on Toddly
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Write a reviewAbout kGems Day Nursery - Islington
kGems Day Nursery - Islington is a full-day nursery at 85 St. Pauls Road, Islington, N1 2NA, in Canonbury, Islington. It is registered for 49 children and takes children aged 3 months to 5 years. It opens 08:00–18:00, Mon–Fri, 51 weeks a year. Ofsted rated it Good at its inspection in August 2025, before report cards replaced single grades in November 2025. Its published full-day fees range from £114 to £124 (nursery website, November 2026). It accepts Tax-Free Childcare. It has a Google rating of 5.0 from 13 reviews (November 2026). It is run by kGems Islington Ltd.
Run by kGems Islington Ltd (company), which runs 2 nurseries.
A day here
Our summary of the nursery's website and Ofsted reports. Each feature links to where it came from.
Learning
The nursery's website names a nature-based approach and library visits as activities. Ofsted's 2025 inspection rated overall effectiveness Good and quality of education Good.
- Nature-based approachSource: nursery website
Outdoors
Its website says the nursery has its own garden, regular park trips, and local outings and trips.
- Own gardenSource: nursery website
- Regular park tripsSource: nursery website
- Local outings and tripsSource: nursery website
Care and routines
- Separate baby roomSource: nursery website
- Flexible sessionsSource: nursery website
- Open all yearSource: nursery website
- Early drop-offSource: nursery website
- Half-day sessionsSource: nursery website
- Nappies and wipes providedSource: nursery website
- Sibling discountSource: nursery website
Safety
Ofsted's 2025 inspection found safeguarding effective.
- Near public transportSource: nursery website
Extras and activities
- Library visitsSource: nursery website
Getting a place
Its website says to book a showaround with the nursery. The first fees are due when the booking is confirmed, then the monthly fee is paid in advance on the 1st of each month, and a £250 deposit is kept on file. The nursery accepts Tax-Free Childcare.
Compare nurseries nearby
| Nursery | Ofsted | Full day from | Hours | Ages | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| kGems Day Nursery - IslingtonThis nursery | Good | £114 | 08:00–18:00 | 3 mo–5 yrs | This nursery |
| Essex Road Pre-SchoolFull-day nursery | Good | not shared yet | 09:00–15:00 | not shared yet | 0.4 miles |
| Nanny Jane's NurseryFull-day nursery | Report card 2026 | not shared yet | 07:30–18:30 | not shared yet | 0.4 miles |
| Westbourne Early Years CentreFull-day nursery | Good | not shared yet | 08:00–18:00 | not shared yet | 0.4 miles |
| Be Me Day Nursery AngelFull-day nursery | Outstanding | not shared yet | 08:00–18:00 | not shared yet | 0.5 miles |
| New River Green Childrens CentreFull-day nursery | Outstanding | not shared yet | 08:00–18:00 | not shared yet | 0.5 miles |
| Be Me Day Nursery Melody LaneFull-day nursery | Outstanding | £165 | 08:00–18:00 | not shared yet | 0.5 miles |
A dash means the nursery hasn't published it yet. Distances are in a straight line.
- All nurseries in Canonbury9
- All nurseries in Islington79
- All nurseries in N130
- Nurseries near Highbury & Islington station
Nearby areas
Schools nearby
- Canonbury Primary School Primaryages 3–11has a nursery classOfsted: School remains Goodinspected October 2022 under 0.1 miles
- Laycock Primary School Primaryages 3–11has a nursery classOfsted: Goodinspected June 2024 0.2 miles
- William Tyndale Primary School Primaryages 3–11has a nursery classOfsted: Quality of education: Good; Behaviour and attitudes: Outstanding; Personal development: Outstanding; Leadership and management: Goodinspected November 2024 0.3 miles
- St Mary Magdalene Academy All-throughages 4–19Ofsted: Outstandinginspected July 2023 0.4 miles
- Drayton Park Primary School Primaryages 3–11has a nursery classOfsted: Improved significantlyinspected June 2025 0.4 miles
- St Mary's CofE Primary School Primaryages 4–11Ofsted: School remains Goodinspected March 2023 0.4 miles
- Thornhill Primary School Primaryages 3–11has a nursery classOfsted: School remains Goodinspected November 2022 0.5 miles
- St Paul's Waldorf School ages 3–14has a nursery class 0.5 miles
Straight-line distances. Places depend on each school's admissions rules. From the Department for Education and Ofsted.
Questions parents ask
Got a question? Ask and get an answer straight away.
How much does kGems Day Nursery - Islington cost?
kGems Day Nursery - Islington publishes these fees: full day £124 for under 2s, half day £72 for under 2s, per month £1,054 for under 2s, per month £1,581 for under 2s, per month £2,108 for under 2s, per month £2,535 for under 2s, full day £124 for 2-year-olds, half day £72 for 2-year-olds, per month £1,054 for 2-year-olds, per month £1,581 for 2-year-olds, per month £2,108 for 2-year-olds, per month £2,535 for 2-year-olds, per month £1,530 for 2-year-olds, full day £114 for 3 and over, half day £67 for 3 and over, per month £969 for 3 and over, per month £1,453.50 for 3 and over, per month £1,938 for 3 and over, per month £2,322.50 for 3 and over and per month £1,423.75 for 3 and over (nursery website, November 2026). Funded hours and Tax-Free Childcare can reduce what you pay.
What are kGems Day Nursery - Islington's opening hours?
kGems Day Nursery - Islington opens 08:00–18:00, Mon–Fri.
Is kGems Day Nursery - Islington open all year?
Yes, kGems Day Nursery - Islington is open 51 weeks a year, closing only for short breaks.
What ages does kGems Day Nursery - Islington take?
kGems Day Nursery - Islington takes children aged 3 months to 5 years.
What is kGems Day Nursery - Islington's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted rated kGems Day Nursery - Islington Good at its inspection on 21 August 2025, before report cards replaced single grades in November 2025.
How many children can kGems Day Nursery - Islington take?
kGems Day Nursery - Islington is registered with Ofsted for up to 49 children at any one time.
Are meals included at kGems Day Nursery - Islington?
Yes. Meals are included in the fees at kGems Day Nursery - Islington.
Does kGems Day Nursery - Islington accept Tax-Free Childcare?
Yes. kGems Day Nursery - Islington accepts Tax-Free Childcare payments.
Is there a registration fee or deposit at kGems Day Nursery - Islington?
Yes. kGems Day Nursery - Islington lists a deposit of £250.
Who runs kGems Day Nursery - Islington?
kGems Day Nursery - Islington is run by kGems Islington Ltd, which runs 2 nurseries.
What approach does kGems Day Nursery - Islington follow?
kGems Day Nursery - Islington's website describes its approach as: Nature-based approach.
Does kGems Day Nursery - Islington have outdoor space?
kGems Day Nursery - Islington lists: Own garden, Regular park trips and Local outings and trips.
What is the nearest station to kGems Day Nursery - Islington?
Highbury & Islington is the nearest station we know of, 0.1 miles away in a straight line.
How do I contact kGems Day Nursery - Islington?
You can call 020 8050 8001 and visit www.kgems.co.uk.
Tools for parents in Islington
- Childcare cost calculatorMonthly cost with funded hours
- Funded hours checkerWhich schemes you qualify for
- Funded hours start dateWhen your child's hours begin
- Tax-Free Childcare calculatorThe 20% top-up on your bill
- Visit checklist for this nurseryPrintable questions, pre-filled
- Cost of nursery in IslingtonFees by age in Islington
About this information
- Registration and inspections: Ofsted · 30 June 2026
- Fees, hours and features: the nursery's website (www.kgems.co.uk) · 11 November 2026
- Rating and review themes: Google · 11 November 2026
- Schools: DfE Get Information about Schools · 4 November 2026
- Contains Ofsted data licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
- Contains Department for Education data licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
- Contains Ofsted data licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
- Contains National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right; contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right.
- © OpenStreetMap contributors
- Powered by TfL Open Data
- Food hygiene rating from the Food Standards Agency, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
- Source: Office for National Statistics, Census 2021, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
- Read reviews on Google
- From the nursery's website, with the page link and date checked
Last checked 11 November 2026 · Ofsted URN 2753657 · Plain-text version · Report a mistake
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