A world of wonder Discover a nursery that’s right for your child and right for you
Noah’s Ark
“My children have felt happy, safe and cared for every step of the way” Queens Park
Welcome There’s a certain feeling you get when you walk through the doors of any one of our growing family of community and Children’s Centre nurseries. It’s reflected in the smiling faces of the children in our care, together with the passion and creativity of our staff who ensure the children’s wellbeing and inspire a shared sense of adventure. We understand the choices you have to make as a parent and the commitments you so often have to juggle. But there are quite rightly times when you are not willing to compromise, especially when it’s about the safety and happiness of your child. So, whether you are hoping to return to work, looking to boost your child’s development or prepare them for big school, we do everything we can to make sure that by choosing LEYF, you’ve made the right decision. June O’Sullivan Chief Executive
Noah’s Ark
(All quotes featured in this prospectus are from genuine LEYF nursery parents)
Right for your child From the moment your child steps through the nursery door, they will find a warm welcome at LEYF – along with plenty of new friends eager to have fun and ready to show them the way. Whether immersed in messy play or mark making, igniting their imagination with science experiments – or simply out and about getting to know their local community – they will quickly discover a world of wonder filled with new adventures every day.
Your child will continue to grow in confidence until ready and eager for ‘big school’. And when that time finally comes and they say goodbye to nursery, your child will leave with the many happy memories and special moments we’ve all enjoyed: the look on their face when they dug up their first potato in the nursery garden, chased the dancing lights around our sensory room or settled down to share a story and a smile with their special member of staff.
We delight in helping children become great communicators and sensible risktakers, guiding them as they develop both emotionally and physically, and watch with pride as they finally become independent and original thinkers.
From day one, your child will be made to feel at ease thanks to our fantastic nursery teams. Naturally caring and highly qualified, LEYF staff are known for their passion and creativity; they love their jobs and dedicate every moment to the children in their care.
And as they progress from babies to toddlers, they will enjoy a wide range of educational resources and challenging but fun learning activities, each designed to help them develop skills, acquire knowledge and demonstrate understanding through play.
Marks Gate
You will find leadership teams at the heart of every nursery, with a key person to closely monitor and support your child on their individual learning journey. This key person will be crucial for both you and your child, making sure the most important transitions in your child’s early years are as comfortable as possible – as they first settle in, then move from our baby rooms, through toddlers and up into pre-school. Every step of the way, your child’s time in nursery is in the safest of hands.
Eastbury
“Children get genuine love and care, so it never takes them long to settle in� Micky Star
Right for you As a parent, sending your child to nursery is a big step – possibly one of the most important emotional decisions you will ever make. Having supported thousands of parents since we first began in 1903, we’re confident that LEYF will be the right choice for you and your child. Outstanding daycare The first thing you should know about LEYF is that all our nurseries are registered by Ofsted, with over 90% rated ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’. We offer both full and part-time places for children aged 6 months to 5 years, including a choice of morning and afternoon sessions. We also support term-time only or all year round options for the Government’s 15 hours FREE childcare for all children aged 3-4 (and some 2 year-olds), and cater for disabilities and special needs.
Affordable places We pride ourselves on our competitive and socially inclusive fees, and work closely with local authorities and funders to bring down the cost for parents studying, looking for work or starting a new business. We also offer a sibling discount as standard, and are happy to accept childcare vouchers. Regular contact Once your child is settled, it’s essential you continue to feel included as a key part of their on-going learning and development. In addition to regular updates from your child’s key person, each nursery holds two parents’ evenings a year where we discuss your child’s learning journey – and in the case of children over two years, their progress in literacy, maths, understanding the world and expressive arts and design.
All of our nurseries are within walking distance of your local bus stop, tube or train station – and except for two training days and bank holidays, are typically open 8am-6pm all year round.
Carlton Hill
Fitzrovia
Ford Road
“It was so much easier to return to work, knowing that my child was in safe hands� Furze
Angel
“LEYF reduces my stress. I now have a better relationship with my child and my husband” Holcroft
We also organise a number of additional activities, social events and outings – for both children and parents. These provide the perfect opportunity for us all to relax, have fun and get to know one another better, which can only improve the benefits of their time in nursery. You will also receive regular newsletters, emails and mobile updates – with stories, reminders and key information – so even when you’re not in the nursery with your child, you’ll feel like you were! Supporting parents
From practical tips on our website, one on one feedback and advice whenever you need it, to group workshops with other nursery parents – covering anything from messy play to cooking for under fives – we are always looking at ways to build a learning bridge between your home and the nursery, as the best possible way to reinforce the incredible benefits of a quality early years education.
Colville
As the most important person in your child’s life, we do all we can to support you as a parent, helping you both make the most of those magical early years together. In fact, at LEYF we consider our contribution to your home learning environment as important as the care we provide in our nurseries.
Luton Street
Katharine Bruce
About LEYF As the UK’s leading childcare charity and social enterprise, we have always attached great importance to the quality and inclusive nature of what we do at LEYF – and have plenty experience of the unique challenges facing London parents. Established in 1903 to improve the health of local families in Westminster, we now care for hundreds of children right across the capital – from Kensington & Chelsea to Barking & Dagenham. Then as now, we recognise the most important thing for a great childhood is good parenting. We are committed to helping you with ideas – and support should you need it – so you can better enjoy the time you have with your children, and at the same time give them the best chance of future success.
And all this inspired by our core values: Child focused We place the child at the centre of all we do Collaborative We involve and consult with children, parents, staff and supporters Courageous We are able to push boundaries and test new ideas, always standing up for what we believe in Creative We are inventive and innovative, regularly challenging what already exists Constant 109 years old and stronger than ever
Still, our approach remains as simple as the day we first began. We give children a fun, warm and comforting environment in which they feel at home, an exciting range of resources they are eager to learn from, and most importantly the time and attention they need to grow in confidence and ability every day.
Earl’s Cou rt
Bessborough
“The staff are brilliant and really made my daughter feel at home� Warwick
Before you go... Choosing the right nursery for you and your child can be a real challenge. And whilst we are confident LEYF runs some of the best nurseries in London, it’s more important for us that you find the right one for you. We encourage all parents to compare us with other local providers. And to help make sure you ask yourself the right questions, we’ve created the handy checklist below.
Nurseries 1 2 3
Queensborough
LEYF A naturally warm welcome, making you and your child feel at home from the moment you arri ve Qualified, experienced and engage d, friendly staff Safe and clean, calm but lively and inspiring environments (including regular access to outdoo rs) Structured, but flexible and fun-fille d curriculum based around the EYFS (with plenty of room for children’s input) Evidence of clear communication and engagement with both parents and the local commun ity Plenty of fresh snacks and healthy , regular mealtimes A recently awarded Good or Outstan ding Ofsted rating (if not, ask why)
(Once you’re done, please do come back and tell us how we measured up!)
Leys
“LEYF makes parents feel secure and children feel welcome� Katharine Bruce
What happens next? Once you’ve done your research – you’ve asked friends, checked online, visited your preferred nurseries and reviewed brochures like this – it’s time for you to decide. If you’re happy that we are the right choice for you, please email register@leyf.org.uk (quoting ref PROSPECTUS) as soon as possible. We’ll then be in touch to secure your child’s place on our waiting list.
And don’t forget, you can always find more practical tips and information on our website at www.leyf.org.uk. If for some reason you haven’t yet visited one of our nurseries, give us a call now to book a visit and see for yourself. And if you have any further questions before you decide, please do get in touch so we can help make your final choice an easy one.
Once you have done this, we will keep in touch – not only to let you know as soon as your place becomes available and when the settling-in period can begin, but also with relevant news, events and other information you may find of interest.
Leys
Holcroft
Marsham Street
Right on your doorstep Central London Abbots Manor
SW1V 4JP
020 7834 6033
Angel
SW1V 3AG
020 7828 1922
Bessborough
SW1V 2JD
020 7641 6387
Carlton Hill
NW8 0ER
020 7624 3814
Colville
W11 2BQ
020 7229 1001
Earl’s Court
SW5 9EE
020 7835 1817
Fitzrovia
W1T 4ER
020 7580 7632
Holcroft
W1W 5AL
020 7636 0419
House of Commons
SW1A 2NE
020 7219 1592
Katharine Bruce
W10 4QA
020 7641 5835
Lisson Green
NW8 8SU
020 7402 8817
Luton Street
NW8 8RL
020 7724 7965
Marsham Street
SW1P 4LX
020 7233 8341
Micky Star
W2 1QR
020 7262 5590
Noah’s Ark
E2 7PE
020 7739 2317
Queens Park
W9 3HY
020 8968 9580
Queensborough
W2 3TA
020 7727 9608
Warwick
W2 5SR
020 7641 4361
Eastbury
IG11 9SQ
020 8270 6425
Ford Road
RM10 9JS
020 8724 1382/4
Furze
RM6 6EB
020 8724 1944
Leys
RM10 9XW
020 8724 1984/3
Marks Gate
RM6 5LL
020 8724 1305/1
Barking & Dagenham
For our most up to date list of nursery locations, please visit www.leyf.org.uk/nurseries
Lisson Green
Earl’s Court
Abbots Manor
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Registered charity No. 299686 Social Enterprise and Company Limited by Guarantee No. 2228978
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121 Marsham Street, London, SW1P 4LX Tel: 020 7834 8679 Fax: 020 7233 8393 info@leyf.org.uk www.leyf.org.uk