# The Kensington Kindergarten

The Kensington Kindergarten is a full-day nursery at St James House, 13 Kensington Square, London, W8 5HD, in Kensington, Kensington and Chelsea. It is registered for 60 children and takes children aged 2 years to 5 years. It opens 08:30–15:30, Mon–Fri. Ofsted rated it Outstanding at its inspection in February 2024, before report cards replaced single grades in November 2025. It offers the 15 funded hours for 3 and 4-year-olds, and accepts Tax-Free Childcare. It has a Google rating of 5.0 from 1 review (November 2026).

Page: https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/the-kensington-kindergarten-2651041  
Last checked 12 November 2026.

## At a glance

- Type: Full-day nursery
- Address: St James House, 13 Kensington Square, London, W8 5HD
- Ages: 2 years to 5 years
- Opening hours: 08:30–15:30, Mon–Fri
- Registered places: 60
- Funded childcare: the 15 funded hours for 3 and 4-year-olds
- Tax-Free Childcare: yes
- Phone: 020 4638 4540
- Website: http://www.kensingtonkindergarten.co.uk/
- Ofsted URN: 2651041

## Ofsted and official records

Ofsted rated it Outstanding at its inspection on 20 February 2024, before report cards replaced single grades in November 2025.

- Quality of education: Outstanding
- Behaviour and attitudes: Outstanding
- Personal development: Outstanding
- Leadership and management: Outstanding

Safeguarding effective.

Report: https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/2651041

Official records:

- Ofsted registration: Registered since July 2021 (Reference 2651041). Source: Ofsted, checked 30 June 2026 (https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/2651041)
- Inspections on record: 1 inspection (latest 20 February 2024). Source: Ofsted, checked 30 June 2026 (https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/2651041)
- Registered places: 60 places (the most children it may care for at once). Source: Ofsted, checked 30 June 2026 (https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/2651041)

## Fees

- Deposit: £2,000

Funded hours: 15 hours.

Fees: not published yet.

## Hours and ages

- Monday to Friday: 08:30–15:30
- Ages: 2 years to 5 years

## Getting there

Address: St James House, 13 Kensington Square, London, W8 5HD

Directions: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=51.500276,-0.189270

- Station: High Street Kensington, 0.2 miles, no step-free access
- Station: Gloucester Road, 0.5 miles
- Station: Earl's Court, 0.6 miles, step-free access
- 11 bus stops within 400 m
- Park: Kensington Gardens, 0.2 miles
- Park: St Mary Abbots Gardens, 0.2 miles
- Park: Holland Park, 0.4 miles
- Playground: Playground, 0.4 miles

© OpenStreetMap contributors, checked 13 November 2026 · Powered by TfL Open Data, checked 13 November 2026.

## Places and next steps

Spaces: not published yet.

In Kensington and Chelsea there are about 2.1 children under 5 for every registered nursery place. Places are how many children nurseries may care for, not free spaces. Source: ONS Census 2021.

When to apply: https://toddly.co.uk/when-to-apply-for-nursery

## Ratings

- Google: 5.0 out of 5 from 1 review (as of 12 November 2026)

## About: a day here

### Learning

Its website names forest school as its approach, along with library visits as an activity. The nursery was rated Outstanding overall and for quality of education at its 2024 Ofsted inspection. Its website lists SEND support, a SENCo, a sensory room and an inclusive setting.

- Forest school (source: nursery website, https://kensingtonkindergarten.co.uk/)

### Outdoors

Its website lists its own garden, daily outdoor play, regular park trips, and local outings and trips.

- Own garden (source: nursery website, https://kensingtonkindergarten.co.uk/)
- Daily outdoor play (source: nursery website, https://kensingtonkindergarten.co.uk/faqs)
- Regular park trips (source: nursery website, https://kensingtonkindergarten.co.uk/faqs)
- Local outings and trips (source: nursery website, https://kensingtonkindergarten.co.uk/faqs)

### Settling in

Its website says all children joining receive a settling-in session at the beginning of their starting term, where they meet their teachers and classmates and explore the classroom. Settling-in sessions are listed among its care details.

- Half-day sessions (source: nursery website, https://kensingtonkindergarten.co.uk/fees-hours)
- Settling-in sessions (source: nursery website, https://kensingtonkindergarten.co.uk/faqs)
- Small group sizes (source: nursery website, https://kensingtonkindergarten.co.uk/faqs)
- Holiday club (source: nursery website, https://kensingtonkindergarten.co.uk/holiday-club)

### SEND and inclusion

- SEND support (source: nursery website, https://kensingtonkindergarten.co.uk/faqs)
- SENCo (source: nursery website, https://kensingtonkindergarten.co.uk/faqs)
- Sensory room (source: nursery website, https://kensingtonkindergarten.co.uk/)
- Inclusive setting (source: nursery website, https://kensingtonkindergarten.co.uk/faqs)

### Safety

At its 2024 Ofsted inspection, safeguarding was judged effective.

- Parent app with daily updates (source: nursery website, https://kensingtonkindergarten.co.uk/faqs)
- Online learning journal (source: nursery website, https://kensingtonkindergarten.co.uk/faqs)

### Extras and activities

- Library visits (source: nursery website, https://kensingtonkindergarten.co.uk/faqs)

### Getting a place

Its website says to contact the Registrar; if a place is available, an offer letter is issued and a £2000 deposit secures the place and brings a confirmation letter. The nursery has a waiting list and accepts the universal 15 funded hours for 3-4 year olds and Tax-Free Childcare.

## Nearby schools

Distances are in a straight line.

| School | Phase | Ages | Ofsted | Nursery class | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas's Kensington |  | 4–11 |  |  | 0.1 miles |
| St Mary Abbots CofE Primary School | Primary | 4–11 | School remains Good (February 2024) |  | 0.2 miles |
| St Barnabas and St Philip's CofE Primary School | Primary | 3–11 | Good (April 2024) | yes | 0.4 miles |
| Fox Primary School | Primary | 4–11 | Outstanding (October 2023) |  | 0.6 miles |
| St Philip's School |  | 4–13 |  |  | 0.6 miles |
| Wetherby School, Kensington |  | 2–8 |  |  | 0.6 miles |
| Queen's Gate School |  | 4–19 |  |  | 0.6 miles |
| Glendower Preparatory School |  | 2–11 |  | yes | 0.6 miles |

## Nearby nurseries

| Nursery | Ofsted | Day fee from | Hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Iverna Gardens Montessori](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/iverna-gardens-montessori-2729380) | Good |  | 08:00–18:00 | 0.2 miles |
| [Tadpoles Nursery School, Kensington](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/tadpoles-nursery-school-kensington-2697963) | Good |  | 08:30–15:30 | 0.2 miles |
| [Victoria Road Montessori](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/victoria-road-montessori-2729377) | Good |  | 08:30–17:00 | 0.2 miles |
| [Eden Montessori Nursery](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/eden-montessori-nursery-ey407830) | Good |  |  | 0.3 miles |
| [Little Cherubs Nursery School](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/little-cherubs-nursery-school-2700280) | Good |  | 08:00–18:00 | 0.3 miles |
| [Kinderzimmer South Kensington](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery/kinderzimmer-south-kensington-2785411) | Good |  | 07:30–18:30 | 0.4 miles |

## Frequently asked questions

### Does The Kensington Kindergarten offer 15 funded hours?

Yes. The Kensington Kindergarten offers the 15 funded hours for 3 and 4-year-olds.

### What are The Kensington Kindergarten's opening hours?

The Kensington Kindergarten opens 08:30–15:30, Mon–Fri.

### What ages does The Kensington Kindergarten take?

The Kensington Kindergarten takes children aged 2 years to 5 years.

### What is The Kensington Kindergarten's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated The Kensington Kindergarten Outstanding at its inspection on 20 February 2024, before report cards replaced single grades in November 2025.

### How many children can The Kensington Kindergarten take?

The Kensington Kindergarten is registered with Ofsted for up to 60 children at any one time.

### Does The Kensington Kindergarten accept Tax-Free Childcare?

Yes. The Kensington Kindergarten accepts Tax-Free Childcare payments.

### Is there a registration fee or deposit at The Kensington Kindergarten?

Yes. The Kensington Kindergarten lists a deposit of £2,000.

### What approach does The Kensington Kindergarten follow?

The Kensington Kindergarten's website describes its approach as: Forest school.

### Does The Kensington Kindergarten have outdoor space?

The Kensington Kindergarten lists: Own garden, Daily outdoor play, Regular park trips and Local outings and trips.

### Does The Kensington Kindergarten support children with SEND?

The Kensington Kindergarten lists: SEND support, SENCo, Sensory room and Inclusive setting.

### What is the nearest station to The Kensington Kindergarten?

High Street Kensington is the nearest station we know of, 0.2 miles away in a straight line.

### How do I contact The Kensington Kindergarten?

You can call 020 4638 4540 and visit www.kensingtonkindergarten.co.uk.

## Sources

- Registration and inspections: Ofsted, as of 30 June 2026 (https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/2651041)
- Fees, hours and features: the nursery's website (www.kensingtonkindergarten.co.uk), as of 11 November 2026 (http://www.kensingtonkindergarten.co.uk/)
- Rating and review themes: Google, as of 12 November 2026 (https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=The+Kensington+Kindergarten&query_place_id=ChIJhwpx__MPdkgRzxX0tfRMHXE)
- Schools: DfE Get Information about Schools, as of 4 November 2026 (https://get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/)

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.