Childcare and Schools in London

An Insider’s Guide to Living in London

This moving to London guide has been designed with the explicit intention to provide expats and travellers with all they need to know about moving to London.

This exciting chapter covers: Childcare and Schools.

Childcare and schooling are as vital as being sociable, whether it’s showing you the difference between private education and state-school, or a rough guide as to how much childcare costs - it’s loaded with useful stuff you’ll require during your stay.

The guide includes actionable insights and direct links to official websites that can help you along the way.

Childcare, Schools and Leisure

Top of the class: Your guide to London’s best schools and leisure activities for little ones

Hard work and plenty of play are the order of the day in the fourth chapter of our series guiding you through the nuances of relocating to London. In this chapter, we will compare childcare costs for your under 5s, look at private vs state schooling and highlight admission deadlines.

So sit down, pay attention, because here we go.

4.1 Pre-School Childcare in London

Children in the UK start school when they’re 4 or 5 years old. Before that, there are many options for quality, flexible childcare that meet your requirements. Whether you need full-time care while you’re in the office, or just a few part-time hours to stimulate and socialise your little ones; there are several options for both.

Registered Childminders

These self-employed childcare practitioners are registered and audited by Ofsted and take care of children in their own home. This helps to create an authentic, nurturing environment and with very small capacities, guarantees pretty dedicated care. Childminders can also care for your school-age child before and after school, taking them in and collecting them at the end of the day.

A useful tool is to use the gov.uk website that allows you to search for registered childminders within your local council. Other great resources for finding childminders include nannyjob.co.uk and tinies.com.

Day Nurseries in London – Children aged between 3 months and 5 years

Either privately run, community-focused, sponsored by the local authority or set up exclusively by an employer for its employees; day nurseries offer care and education for children aged 3 months to 5 years. Classes separated by age ensure activities are tailored to your child’s developmental stage and detailed daily reports will let you know exactly how your bundle of joy spent their day.