Opening hours
School remains open during half term breaks.
Phileas Fox Nursery School in Maida Vale, Central London, provides a distinctive early years education emphasising excellent childcare, comprehensive education, and multilingual learning. The day nursery cultivates an environment where children can flourish, explore, and grow.
Designed to meet the needs of "Generation Alpha," the approach encourages creativity, adaptability, and an understanding of global cultures, essential for contemporary childhood development. The school aims to instil confidence, foster curiosity, and ignite a lifelong passion for learning in every child.
It draws inspiration from Jules Verne's character Phileas Fogg, embodying his adventurous, kind, intelligent, and curious spirit, which guides the day nursery's mission to encourage children to explore the world through languages and cultural discovery. The nursery offers a unique language immersion programme, with children spending equal time learning in English and a chosen second language.
This bilingual approach is supported by qualified English-speaking and native-speaking teachers who engage with children in both structured lessons and child-led play, creating a rich conversational environment. Visual aids, books, games, art, and music further enhance this cultural and linguistic experience.
The curriculum follows the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), supplemented by Montessori principles, allowing for individualised development in a nurturing setting.
Our ethos
Phileas Fox Nursery School's educational philosophy is rooted in a distinctive, multilingual approach inspired by the adventurous spirit of Phileas Fogg. The nursery fosters creativity, adaptability, and global awareness through a unique language immersion programme, encouraging children to "explore the world through languages and cultural discovery." It integrates the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework with Montessori principles to nurture individual development and a lifelong passion for learning in a rich, bilingual, and culturally aware environment.
What it's like
The staff at Phileas Fox Nursery welcome children into a safe, cosy, and multilingual setting. Children settle quickly and are engaged in play due to engaging environments and an ambitious curriculum. Staff effectively support children's language development through daily singing, rhymes, and stories in multiple languages, and they have high expectations for children's behaviour.
Charges include a non-refundable registration fee required upon submitting an application form.
Funding accepted
Good to know
Opening hours
School remains open during half term breaks.
Age range
1-4 years
Session types
Morning session, Afternoon session
Registered with Ofsted
2015
Last inspected 16 September 2024
What it's like to attend
The staff at Phileas Fox Nursery welcome children into a safe, cosy, and multilingual setting. Children settle quickly and are engaged in play due to engaging environments and an ambitious curriculum. Staff effectively support children's language development through daily singing, rhymes, and stories in multiple languages, and they have high expectations for children's behaviour.
Inspector highlights
Areas to develop
Inclusion & environment
Children enjoy spending time out in the garden. They develop their physical skills as they climb and jump in tyres, and use bikes and buggies to navigate space.
So many thanks to Miss Gemma, Evgenya to be so accommodating with little carmen! It was great to see how lovely they were and how much our daughter learnt the time she spent there!highly recommended and a gem in central london
Read on GooglePhileas Fox is an excellent nursery. We had both our children attend over 3.5 years. The staff and teachers are both caring and welcoming. However what sets this nursery apart from others is the language immersion. They offer a 50-50 approach, meaning the children spend half a day in English and the other half in one of the languages offered. We chose French and despite not speaking French at home, this foundation has set up our children to continue with the bilingual programs into school. We highly recommend this nursery!
Read on GoogleOur son began at PF nursery at 2 and has blossomed into a very happy 4 year old with the support of this wonderful nursery. He is off to reception this September and we are talking to him lots about this transition and he keeps saying "but mama, I love Phileas Fox so much!" All of the children are so loving and sweet towards each other - hugging each other upon arrival. The staff is very caring and my son talks fondly about all of his teachers. He takes part in the French track and he understand the language quite well! More importantly, they have support his development and keep track of how he is meeting his milestones, providing extra support if and when needed. Excellent communication and transparency with parents. If you are considering sending your child to this nursery, I would suggest go for a visit as this nursery is so charming and sweet on the inside and out. The outdoor play area is a huge plus in London and children are often laughing in the garden when we drop off and collect our son.
Read on GoogleBoth of our boys have absolutely loved their time at Phileas Fox Nursery. It's a warm, international environment where they made wonderful friends and truly blossomed. Our older son has now moved on to our school of choice, thanks to the fantastic foundation he received here, and our younger one is still thriving. We’re so grateful for the nurturing support from the staff and the strong sense of community—not just with the teachers, but with other families too. Phileas Fox has been a special part of our family’s journey.
Read on GoogleOur child attended Phileas Fox Nursery School six years ago, and to this day, we still consider it one of the best decisions we ever made as parents. The environment was not only nurturing and safe, but also warm, joyful, and incredibly supportive. We made lifelong friends during our time there, and most importantly, our child was truly happy every single day. Miss Lyudmila, their caregiver, was absolutely wonderful — she cared so deeply for the children and gave so much of herself to their development and wellbeing. We still remember the thoughtful details: children changing into cozy pajamas for nap time, the calm and secure atmosphere, and the good quality food. If you're looking for a truly multicultural and enriching early years experience in central London, we can’t recommend Phileas Fox enough. It’s a special place that stays in your heart long after you've moved on.
Read on GoogleReviews from Google for Phileas Fox Nursery School. See all on Google Maps
Date: July 2016
Other Ofsted-registered day nurseries close to Phileas Fox Nursery School.
London · W2 1AJ
London · W2 1JB
London · W9 2PT
London · W2 1QR
London · W2 6HS
London · NW8 8LW
Send to a partner, friend or family member.
This listing has been compiled from official Ofsted records, the nursery's own website, details provided directly by the nursery where available, and other trusted public sources. We regularly review and update listings to keep the information as accurate as possible. Learn more