It is natural that parents wish to give their children the very best start in life.

The love and nurture of a family is a sine qua non and, with the demands of modern life, there is significant interest in nursery provision, as evidenced by a 21 per cent increase in childcare and business transactions between 2020 and 2021, representing a five per cent increase in 2019.

The emphasis has shifted towards nurseries becoming places of learning led by specialist teaching staff. School-based nurseries, such as St Anthony’s in Hampstead, integrate nursery children into the life of the school from when they start, aged two-and-a-half.

These young minds follow a challenging curriculum within a kind and caring environment with a view to helping them becoming independent little learners. Pupils are introduced to phonics and become familiar with the spoken and written word so that they are in pole position when come to transition to full-time school in Reception.

Ham & High: Richard Berlie says that school-based nurseries integrate children into the curriculum and school-life from the very startRichard Berlie says that school-based nurseries integrate children into the curriculum and school-life from the very start (Image: St Anthony's)

Creative nurseries elaborate on the statutory requirements laid out in the Early Years programme (EYFS) and may well include outdoor or ‘Forest’ learning as well as allocating specialist school staff to teach music, art, drama and PE. Languages such as French or Mandarin often form part of the weekly package, as does dance (particularly helpful for improving dexterity and coordination) and even meditation!

Rather than being an add-on, contemporary nurseries can often be found in the heart of a pre-prep school, with children attending assemblies, participating in sports days and charitable events and, above all, full members of the school community.

There are also opportunities for parents to engage in pre-nursery learning for children aged six to 30 months, including in-person and virtual Learn and Play sessions, weekly home learning activities, and parenting workshops. The latter is designed to better inform parents on topics such as sleep, nutrition, speech and language development.

Increasing demand for school-based nursery places has also led to schools rethinking how they can best support these young minds and build the foundations for success in Reception and beyond.

Richard Berlie is headmaster of St Anthony's School for Boys, Hampstead.