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The popular Blues Preschool and Nursery was established by a small group of mothers back in the 1970s and now has nearly 50 children and eight staff. Sycamore House Day Nursery is known for its ‘curiosity approach’ to development and has a lovely outside area. For a Montessori option, Apple Green Montessori Preschool is the local favourite.
Private schools with nurseries include St Edmund’s College, where French, swimming, music and dance are on the nursery curriculum, and Howe Green House School, which stands out for its rural location.
Be warned, some nurseries told us they can’t take anyone else for over two years – in complete contrast to others who had places available straightaway.
Ludwick Nursery School is set in super grounds, while Rowan Tree Day Nursery has a handy location near the town centre and train station. Little Tulips Day Nursery is a particularly flexible option in terms of timings offered, and the food is excellent. Footsteps Pre-nursery and Annabel’s Montessori School are also popular, as is Harding’s Pre-school – never more so than since it moved in 2020 to bigger and better facilities. Busy Bees will be a familiar name to many, and Welwyn’s branch is a huge success, while Tenterfield Nursery School and Attimore Barn Preschool have staff who parents rave about. Waiting lists anything from two to 18 months, depending on the child’s age.
Of the private schools with nurseries, Duncombe School’s has two popular classes with a staff to child ratio of 1:8, while St Joseph’s in the Park has plenty of woodlands and fields for outdoor play. Heath Mount School and Kingshott School both have modern, free-flow and bright nursery environments, while Sherrardswood School has a particularly comprehensive website outlining life in its busy nursery. Not all have waiting lists, but it’s still worth making enquiries early.
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Need help? Perhaps you suspect your child has some learning difficulty and you would like advice on what you should do. Or perhaps it is becoming clear that your child's current school is not working for him or her, and you need help to find a mainstream school which has better SEN provision, or to find a special school which will best cater for your child's area of need. Our SEN consultancy team advises on both special schools, and the mainstream schools with good SEN support, from reception through to the specialist colleges for 19+. Special Educational Needs Index
Find top international, British, IB and American schools in over 40 countries. The Good Schools Guide International publishes impartial and forthright reviews of international schools across the world.
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