Opening hours
each weekday, from 8am to 6pm, for 51 weeks of the year
Foreign And Commonwealth Office Nursery
Ofsted: Outstanding
(Sept 2023)
Number of places
46 places
Age range
0–4 yrs
Last inspected
Sept 2023
Local authority
Westminster
About this day nursery
The Foreign And Commonwealth Office Nursery, established in 2001 and operating from 8am to 6pm, 51 weeks a year, provides an outstanding early years experience for children aged 0-4 years. Leaders are passionate about an aspirational curriculum that prioritises children's well-being.
Staff greet children and parents with enthusiasm, fostering an environment where children flourish and consistently meet high expectations. The nursery maintains excellent behaviour through clear rules that children understand and follow.
Children actively engage with the wider community, including security guards in the building, and embark on daily "awe and wonder" walks to explore London landmarks, learning about safety on busy roads. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are immersed in learning and make rapid progress.
The dedicated special educational needs coordinator ensures comprehensive support, with staff praising children's independence and encouraging them to surpass their perceived capabilities. Parents consistently provide positive feedback, highlighting their children's enjoyment and the diverse opportunities, including daily city excursions, that the nursery offers.
What it's like
Staff greet children and their parents with enthusiasm when they arrive at this outstanding nursery. Children flourish because staff have very high expectations, which children achieve during their time at the nursery. Behaviour in the nursery is excellent because staff set clear rules, which all children understand and demonstrate consistently.
Playful companionsLanguage-rich environmentPromotes independenceEmotional well-beingHighly effective key-person systemDaily London adventures
Pricing & funding
Funding accepted
15 hours — universal (3–4 yrs)
Key facts
Ofsted Inspection
Ofsted rating for Foreign And Commonwealth Office Nursery
Last inspected 29 September 2023 · Kathryn Irvine
Overall effectiveness
Outstanding
Quality of education
Outstanding
Behaviour and attitudes
Outstanding
Personal development
Outstanding
Leadership and management
Outstanding
What it's like to attend
Staff greet children and their parents with enthusiasm when they arrive at this outstanding nursery. Children flourish because staff have very high expectations, which children achieve during their time at the nursery. Behaviour in the nursery is excellent because staff set clear rules, which all children understand and demonstrate consistently.
Inspector highlights
- Staff are playful companions for children, immersing them in a language-rich environment.
- Staff constantly promote children's independence skills through daily routines.
- Children remember and apply what they have learned, such as colour mixing in obstacle course creation.
- Children's emotional well-being is exceptionally well supported, encouraging perseverance and risk-taking.
- There is a highly effective key-person system and relationships are exceptionally warm.
Inspection #10309489 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report
What parents say
Verbatim quotes recorded in the Ofsted inspection
Parents give fantastic feedback about the nursery and are highly appreciative of the wide range of opportunities their children have to spend time in the city every day while they are at the nursery.
They comment that their children love it here.
Inclusion & environment
How they support every child
SEND provision
All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are immersed in learning throughout the day and make rapid progress. Staff praise them for the things they can do independently, and children are proud of themselves and encouraged to do even more than they thought they could. The special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND.
Outdoor space
Children go on daily adventures with staff to explore London. Staff teach children how to keep themselves safe, for example, by talking about the risks of busy roads while on their daily 'awe and wonder' walks and finding safe places to stop to look closely at landmarks. The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning.
Parent Reviews of Foreign And Commonwealth Office Nursery
4.0
(111)
anne derbyshire
6 years ago
Open house weekend 2019. Only had to wait ten minutes to get in. Beautiful building and helpful volunteers. Just wish there was a option for a tour. The lady explaining input the Enigma was very knowledgable. Thank you.
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Annie Vetchasart
a year ago
A magnificent building, a very old Victoria building full of beautiful arts. What a treat to go to visit this very old treasure.
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Shai Heijmans
7 years ago
Visited during the Open House weekend. They've done here magnificent work of restoration. Especially the Locarno conference room, the India Council room, and the Goetze murals. Impressive.
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Rebecca Peters
6 years ago
Though typically closed to the public, would highly recommend a tour of the FCO building if ever the opportunity arises. The impeccably maintained artwork and interior design is first class, unlike anything else in the city. Extensive grand hallways, paintings, carvings, domes, arched hallways and stonework set the FCO apart. Would be helpful to have more plaques/information available about the history of the building, the artists who did the paintings, what the imagery means, etc.
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Christian Green
8 years ago
A magnificent Victorian building that has been carefully restored to its former glory.
Read on GoogleReviews from Google for Foreign And Commonwealth Office Nursery. See all on Google Maps
Inspection history
Date: April 2009
- September 2023Outstanding
- November 2019Outstanding
- November 2013Outstanding
- April 2009Outstanding
Frequently asked about Foreign And Commonwealth Office Nursery
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