London


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-where">WHAT? WHERE? </h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/11/Wetherby-Pembridge-Minors.jpg" alt="Wetherby Pembridge Minors" class="wp-image-21061" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/11/Wetherby-Pembridge-Minors.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/11/Wetherby-Pembridge-Minors-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/11/Wetherby-Pembridge-Minors-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/11/Wetherby-Pembridge-Minors-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>Tucked away off one of Notting Hill’s prettiest pastel-hued streets, <a href="https://www.wetherbypembridgeminors.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wetherby Pembridge Minors</a> is a nursery school for children aged 2-4 years spread across a handsome, three-storey building. Its cream exterior with bright red front door is pleasing to the eye, as is the wisteria-clad building next door &#8211; if there was a school aesthetics award, it would be winning. </p>



<p>Wetherby Pembridge Minors is where the Wetherby Pembridge co-educational journey begins. This nurturing nursery school, with its dedicated two-year curriculum, ensures little ones get off to a flying start in the friendliest possible environment – there&#8217;a a reason the school&#8217;s motto is &#8216;High Aspirations, High Expectations, Happy Children&#8217;. Most pupils come from West London, though some travel from further afield and, as you’d expect in the capital, it&#8217;s an international mix. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-facilities">FACILITIES</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="777" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/11/43865_wpm_nh_int_pupils_play_learning_-_nov_2023_-120.jpg-1024x777.jpeg" alt="Wetherby Pembridge Miners " class="wp-image-16126" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/11/43865_wpm_nh_int_pupils_play_learning_-_nov_2023_-120.jpg-1024x777.jpeg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/11/43865_wpm_nh_int_pupils_play_learning_-_nov_2023_-120.jpg-300x228.jpeg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/11/43865_wpm_nh_int_pupils_play_learning_-_nov_2023_-120.jpg-768x583.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/11/43865_wpm_nh_int_pupils_play_learning_-_nov_2023_-120.jpg.jpeg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>Divided into Nursery 1 and Nursery 2, the purpose-built classrooms have been beautifully designed by an Italian architect. Instantly noticeable are the ergonomic furniture and fittings, such as curved bookcases, round mirrors and tables &#8211; even the padded sleeping mats have rounded corners. A white backdrop sets off pastel-coloured accents, which echo the rainbow of houses colours in the surrounding streets of Notting Hill. Oh and all classrooms have toilets, so children don’t need to leave class for a loo break.</p>



<p>Everything appears built for children &#8211; for example the only adult-sized chair I saw during my tour was in the Head’s office. The main hall, which is double-height and used for everything from concerts (there’s a piano) to dining, is a great space. I visited during lunch hour and it was filled with dinky little chairs and tables, but what impressed me most was the standard of food, cooked on site, and how well-behaved the children were. It had the air of a kids&#8217; restaurant, rather than a noisy dining hall, and the combined effect was calming and rather wow.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-movement">MOVEMENT </h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="683" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/11/4E1A1002small-1024x683.jpg" alt="Wetherby Pembridge Miners " class="wp-image-16127" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/11/4E1A1002small-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/11/4E1A1002small-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/11/4E1A1002small-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/11/4E1A1002small.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>Got an active child on your hands? Not a problem with daily activities in the large hall and twice weekly outdoor sessions at nearby Prince&#8217;s Square Garden. Each week littlies are also treated to TARKA&#8217;S developmental exercise-based classes, designed to help build muscle and mind through play, music and games. And, perhaps best of all, a whole morning of Forest School at Holland Park Ecology Centre once a week, which has a stunning wooded area that looks more like you&#8217;re in the Cotswolds than West London &#8211; muddy knees and playing with sticks guaranteed. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-learning-amp-play">LEARNING &amp; PLAY </h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/05/Wetherby-Pembridge-Minors-1.jpg" alt="Students at Wetherby Pembridge Minors" class="wp-image-21118" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/05/Wetherby-Pembridge-Minors-1.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/05/Wetherby-Pembridge-Minors-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/05/Wetherby-Pembridge-Minors-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/05/Wetherby-Pembridge-Minors-1-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>Head Sam Edwards is passionate about early years&#8217; education and her two year curriculum is about developing the whole child socially, physically and mentally, as well as the usual basics such as learning to read and write. As she pointed out to me in our meeting, this period in a child&#8217;s life is optimum for brain development, so it’s vital they&#8217;re given as good as start as possible.</p>



<p>It feels like every box is ticked, from movement and maths through to weekly specialist music teaching, cookery and healthy living&nbsp;and even end of year concerts, which take place in the main hall.</p>



<p>During the first term play tends to be more child-led, but by the time pupils leave Wetherby Pembridge Minors, it’s switched to being more adult-led, including phonics, counting, making and all kinds of fun extras such as a photography and film project, where children produce their own mini movie including music, story and script &#8211; apparently these go down a storm with parents, as you can imagine.</p>



<p>The school&#8217;s &#8216;learning is fun&#8217; concept focuses on the balance of learning and play, in which children are presented with the right activity at the right developmental time and needs. This came across loud and clear during my tour of a Nursery 2 classroom, where a pizza oven had been built out of boxes and children made their own cardboard pizzas, counting how many slices of cheese and pieces of pepperoni to put on their base before putting it in the oven and packing it up in a pizza boxes. Hours of fun (including maths and craft).</p>



<p>Some pupils take the four-plus exam if they’re leaving for other schools, however the vast majority stay in the Wetherby family (<a href="https://london.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/school-reviews/wetherby-school-notting-hill/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wetherby Notting Hill Pre Prep</a> and <a href="https://www.pembridgehall.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pembridge Hall</a>) and a sprinkling go to the adjacent state school Fox Primary which is Ofstead outstanding. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pastoral-care">PASTORAL CARE</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="683" height="1024" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/11/4E1A0447small-683x1024.jpg" alt="Wetherby Pembridge Minors " class="wp-image-16130" style="aspect-ratio:0.6669921875;width:640px;height:auto" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/11/4E1A0447small-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/11/4E1A0447small-200x300.jpg 200w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/11/4E1A0447small-768x1151.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/11/4E1A0447small-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/11/4E1A0447small-1366x2048.jpg 1366w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/11/4E1A0447small.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px" /></figure>



<p>The nursery school&#8217;s aim is for all children to grow into happy, well-rounded individuals, who are confident, respectful, and thoughtful. The qualities of kindness, integrity and good manners are at the heart of the school&#8217;s ethos, and encourages the children to learn and support one another. Wetherby Pembridge Minors focuses on adult-led activities to help children learn skills, such as sharing, and invites the pupils to try and understand their own emotions, recognising how their actions may impact others. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-head">THE HEAD</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="683" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/11/4E1A0636small-1024x683.jpg" alt="Wetherby Pempbrige Minors " class="wp-image-16129" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/11/4E1A0636small-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/11/4E1A0636small-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/11/4E1A0636small-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/11/4E1A0636small.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>Sam Edwards has been head since 2018/2019, and she proves to be great company, as well as fizzing with positivity. She’s passionate about early years learning and we had a fascinating conversation about how important the developmental stage is. I got the impression this is way more than a job, it’s a calling, and she really does want to raise the importance and profile of early years in this country with some exciting projects on the boil!</p>



<p>She’s also big on community, having established a PTA since her arrival, which has been busy fundraising and setting up social events. Sam is also committed to maintaining and developing exceptionally qualified and experienced staff, ensuring pupils benefit from inspiring teaching, strong pastoral care, and a warm, supportive atmosphere. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-quirks">QUIRKS</h2>



<p>Role Models Day sees pupils from nearby Wetherby Schools (Notting Hill and Kensington) visit to disclose the secrets of big school, answering such pressing questions as ‘are the teachers nice?’ and ‘what’s the food like?’. It’s a great idea: Wetherby oldies love to revisit and Wetherby littlies get a taste of what’s to come and will know some familiar faces when they move on up.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-isi-report">ISI REPORT</h2>



<p>There is no ISI report available, the school is inspected by Ofsted – all other policies and reports can be viewed <a href="https://www.wetherbypembridgeminors.co.uk/school-life/policies-and-reports" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here.</a> </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fees">FEES</h2>



<p>Tuition fees are charged equally over three termly instalments: five Mornings: £4,900; five Full Days: £9,800. Parents can also claim Government funding from the term after their child turns 3. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-muddy-verdict">THE MUDDY VERDICT</h2>



<p>This vibrant nursery school is exactly what you want for your child’s first toe dip into education. There’s plenty of hand-holding for new parents, and the school offers a great balance between play and learning &#8211; in fact kids seem to be having such a great time they don’t even realise how much they are learning. Staff are friendly and switched on.</p>



<p><strong>Good for: </strong>If you want your child to be nurtured from the moment they step foot on the first rung of the educational ladder, Wetherby Pembridge Minors caring, cosy ethos is going to hit the spot.</p>



<p><strong>Not for:</strong> If you want a nursery ringed by green space, this might be too urban for you. </p>



<p><strong>See for yourself:</strong> <a href="https://www.wetherbypembridgeminors.co.uk/enquire-now" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Click here</a> for more information on the school&#8217;s Open Days. </p>



<p><em><a href="https://www.wetherbypembridgeminors.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wetherby Pembridge Minors</a>, 27 Edge Street, London, W8 7PN. Tel: 020 4553 3260</em>.</p>


Wetherby Pembridge Minors, Notting Hill

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