Kindred Hanwell Nursery and Pre-School

We offer a personalised and flexible settling-in process designed around the needs of each child and family. Our aim is to help children feel happy, secure and confident as they begin their nursery journey with us.  Our settling-in programme typically takes place over five sessions across one week, with each session gradually increasing in length to help children build confidence and become familiar with the nursery environment.

Before settling sessions begin, we work closely with each family to understand what approach will best support their child. We typically complete settling sessions within one week, but remain flexible and can adapt the process where additional support or reassurance is needed. Once children begin their regular sessions, we may also suggest shorter initial days where appropriate to help ensure a positive and successful transition into nursery life.

Session One
Families stay with their child for approximately 45 minutes. During this session, we complete the child's All About Me, helping us get to know their routines, interests and individual needs. Children will also meet their key person and begin to explore their new environment.

Session Two to Five

Over the remaining sessions, children gradually spend longer periods in the nursery, typically building from around 1 hour to 2.5 hours. During this time, children become familiar with nursery routines, take part in activities, build relationships with their key person and peers, and gain confidence within the environment. Each session is planned to ensure children feel comfortable, secure and ready for the next step.

We work closely with local schools to help children feel confident and ready for their transition to Reception. Children explore school readiness through activities that encourage independence, including self-serving, dressing themselves, managing coats and practising everyday self-care skills. We regularly talk about school, read transition stories and explore themes such as uniforms and new routines. Local schools may also visit the nursery to meet children ahead of their transition, helping to make the move to school feel familiar and exciting.

Building strong partnerships with families is at the heart of what we do. Each child has a key person who works closely with the family, providing regular updates, daily handovers and ongoing communication about progress and development. We also host a range of events throughout the year, including graduation celebrations, seasonal events and cultural celebrations, creating opportunities for families to be involved in nursery life. We share observations, termly progress updates and home learning activities to help extend learning beyond the nursery environment.

We also work closely with members of the local community to enrich children's learning experiences. For example, a local NHS dentist regularly visits the nursery to deliver oral health workshops, using stories and engaging activities to teach children about the importance of brushing their teeth and looking after their health. These experiences help create meaningful connections between learning at nursery, home and the wider community.

At Kindred Hanwell, we pride ourselves on being a warm, welcoming nursery with a strong family feel. Many of our team members have been with us for a long time, creating consistency and familiarity for children and families alike.

Strong Relationships

We take the time to get to know every child and family as individuals. Many families return to us with younger siblings, reflecting the trust and connections we build within our nursery community.

Family Community

Throughout the year, we bring families together through events such as graduation celebrations, Easter bonnet parades, cultural celebrations and festive events. Combined with our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, this helps create a nurturing environment where every child feels valued, supported and confident to be themselves.

Community connections are an important part of life at Kindred Hanwell. We regularly welcome visitors into the nursery to enrich children's learning experiences, including local dentists, police officers, firefighters and educational organisations such as ZooLab.

One particularly popular visit is our oral health workshop led by a local NHS dentist, where children learn about the importance of brushing their teeth through stories, discussions and hands-on activities. These real-life experiences help bring learning to life, build children's confidence and encourage curiosity about the world around them.

By developing strong links with our local community, we help children gain a deeper understanding of different people, roles and experiences, while creating memorable learning opportunities that extend beyond the nursery environment.