Imagination Preschool: Parent FAQs

A guide for families considering Imagination Preschool. If your question isn't answered here, our team is happy to talk through anything during your show around or by phone.

Location & opening hours

Where is Imagination Preschool located? We're in the building adjoining St Mary's RC School, Battersea Park, London SW8 4EN. We operate completely independently of St Mary's. Our team can give you directions or meet you at the entrance for your show around.

What are your opening hours? We're open 7:30am to 6:00pm, Monday to Friday.

How many weeks of the year do you operate? We operate for 51 weeks of the year. We close for one week over Christmas.

How do I get to Imagination Preschool? We're at St Mary's RC Primary School, 7 St Joseph's Street, London SW8 4EN. The nearest stations are Battersea Park (0.4 miles), Queenstown Road (0.5 miles), and Vauxhall (0.7 miles). On foot from Battersea Park station, enter St Joseph's Street and walk past the St Mary's school entrance to the second entrance. By car, enter via Lockington Road opposite the station and follow the road around to the right.

Admissions & eligibility

From what age do you accept children? We welcome children from 12 months old.

Is there a minimum number of days required? Yes. We require a minimum of 4 full days per week. This helps children fully benefit from our curriculum and settle properly into nursery life.

Do you have a waiting list? Places at Imagination Preschool are in high demand, so we recommend registering your interest as early as possible. Our team can talk you through current availability and likely start dates during your show around.

Is there a sibling priority policy? Yes. Siblings of children currently attending are given priority when applying. Please let us know at enquiry stage if you already have a child with us.

Do you need to meet my child before offering a place? Yes. We meet every child before making an offer. It's part of our admissions process and helps us plan the best possible start.

Fees, funding & contracts

How do I secure a place? You'll pay a non-refundable registration fee, which covers administration and settling-in sessions, plus a refundable deposit to hold the placement. The deposit is returned within 30 days of your child leaving the nursery.

What are the contract obligations? Signing the contract reserves your child's place, so we ask families to commit before we hold it for them. If you change your mind after signing, two months' fees apply. You can change your start date once, with at least one month's notice. Without that notice, fees may run from the original start date. Our team walks every family through this clearly before signing.

How are fees paid? By Direct Debit only, collected on the 1st of each month.

Do you accept government funding? Yes. We accept government-funded hours for eligible children (15 or 30 hours per week). Funded families pay a top-up fee, which covers additional services and resources beyond the funded hours. Our team can talk you through the detail during your show around.

What is the notice period for leaving? The full notice period is set out in your contract. Our team walks you through it before you sign.

Our approach & philosophy

What is your teaching philosophy? Imagination Preschool draws on three world-renowned teaching repertoires: Reggio Emilia, Steiner, and Montessori. Together they form a creative, child-led pedagogy that nurtures curiosity, independence, and a love of learning.

How do you support children's individual development? We celebrate the unique qualities of every child. For the first 4 to 6 weeks we observe each child to understand their strengths and identify any barriers to learning. We also conduct a baseline assessment during this period.

How do you support children with SEND or additional needs? Inclusion is central to our practice. If your child's key educator notices extra support may be needed, they'll talk to you first, then work with our SENDCO (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Coordinator). With your consent, the SENDCO can work with outside professionals including Speech and Language Therapists, the Wandsworth Early Years Inclusion Team, and health visitors. We then produce a SEND support plan with clear targets, using a small-steps approach that your key educator carries out daily.

What age groups do you have? Three groups: Observers (babies), Explorers (toddlers), and Inventors (preschool age).

What curriculum areas do you cover? For children under 3, we focus on the three Prime Areas of Development: Communication and Language; Personal, Social and Emotional Development; and Physical Development. Once a child is secure in all three, we extend learning into the Specific Areas: Literacy, Mathematics, Understanding the World, and Expressive Arts and Design.

What are your staff-to-child ratios? We follow all Ofsted regulations. For children under 2, the ratio is 1:3. For children aged 2 to 3, it's 1:5. For children aged 3 to 4, it's 1:8, or 1:13 if a Level 6 qualified educator is working directly with the children.

Daily life at Imagination Preschool

What is your capacity? We have a capacity of 30 children per classroom across our two classrooms at our Battersea Park setting, giving 60 places in total.

Do you have outdoor space? Yes. We have a large garden at our Battersea Park nursery, which we treat as an extension of the classroom. We use it all year round in all weathers. Outdoor learning is central to our curriculum.

What are your shoe rules? For health and safety reasons, outdoor shoes aren't permitted in the main nursery rooms. During show arounds, visitors and children are welcome to remove their shoes or use the shoe covers we provide. Children attending the nursery keep a labelled pair of indoor shoes on site, which they change into each day. Open-toed shoes and Crocs aren't permitted as indoor shoes.

Do you provide meals? We don't have an onsite kitchen. Nutritious meals and snacks are delivered fresh daily by Zebedees, one of the UK's leading nursery food suppliers. Their menus are carefully designed to meet the nutritional needs of young children. Lunch is served between 11:30am and 12:00 noon.

How do you manage allergies and dietary requirements? All dietary requirements, allergies, and food intolerances are recorded before your child starts and shared directly with our food provider. Please give us this information fully during the registration process.

What are the sleeping arrangements for younger children? Rest is an essential part of a young child's day. Children who need to sleep do so on comfortable sleep mats on the floor between 12:00 noon and 2:00pm. We provide fresh bed linen for every child, laundered frequently to maintain the highest hygiene standards. If your child has a comforter or a particular sleep routine, please share this with your key educator so we can support them as closely as possible.

Is there a uniform? Yes, we have a mandatory nursery uniform. Details on how to purchase it are provided once a place has been offered and accepted.

What happens if my child is unwell? If your child is unwell, please don't bring them to nursery. Let us know as early as possible on the day of absence. We follow Public Health England guidance on exclusion periods for infectious illnesses. Further details are provided in your induction.

Ofsted & inspections

What is your Ofsted rating? We were rated Good by Ofsted at our most recent inspection in August 2025. Our Ofsted URN is 2551881, and the full report is published on the Ofsted website. Our team is happy to walk through any of the inspector's findings during your show around.

Communication & key educators

How will I stay informed about my child's progress? We run a fully paperless system, using two digital tools. Tapestry is our online learning journal, where we share observations, photos, and updates about your child's learning. Parentmail is our secure email system for direct correspondence.

Will my child have a key educator? Yes. Every child is assigned a dedicated key educator within the first 3 weeks, allowing time to see which member of staff your child naturally bonds with most in their classroom. Your key educator is your main point of contact for your child's day-to-day learning and wellbeing.

Are there regular opportunities to discuss my child's progress? Yes. We hold parents' evenings every 6 weeks, where you can discuss your child's learning journey in detail with your key educator. Developmental targets are set collaboratively each term. The first developmental targets are agreed jointly with you during your child's entry assessment, which takes place around 6 to 8 weeks after they start.

Settling in

What does the settling-in process look like? Settling-in takes place over 3 days, with one hour per session. On Day 1, one parent joins their child in the main nursery room. On Days 2 and 3, one parent may briefly accompany their child onto the main nursery floor for up to 5 minutes, then waits in our reception area. If a child becomes significantly distressed and can't be comforted by an educator, the parent is invited back into the classroom. Once the child has settled, the parent is gently asked to leave again. The process is carefully designed to build your child's confidence and sense of security.

What should I bring to the show around? Nothing. Just yourselves. You're welcome to bring your child along so they can get a feel for the space. We encourage you to prepare any questions in advance, and our team will walk you through every aspect of nursery life.

Preparing for school

What happens when my child is ready to move on to school? We complete a transition report summarising your child's development and learning outcomes. We also make a photo booklet showing your child what their new school looks like: the uniform, the building, their classroom, where they'll hang their coat, and what their teacher looks like. Where possible, we invite the new teacher to visit the nursery and observe your child in a familiar environment, so they can start building a relationship before day one.

Visiting & enquiries

How do I book a tour? You can book a tour through our website, email battersea-enquiry@imaginationpreschool.co.uk, or call 020 7498 6455. Visiting in person is the best way to get a feel for the space, the team, and how we work with children.

This guide is intended as a general overview and is subject to change. For the most up-to-date information, please speak to a member of our team. We look forward to meeting you and your family.

Last updated: May 2026