Business Details
50+ Years
experience
Trusted Child Care Services in London
We are a family-run nursery with a rich history dating back to 1948 when our founder's mother established the first McKenzie Day Nursery. Our ethos has always centered on providing a warm, supportive environment for children aged 1-5, combining educational excellence with emotional well-being. With 76 years of continuous service to the local community, we maintain our founding principles of personalized care and reasonable fees. Our dedicated team, known for exceptional retention rates, forms positive relationships with every child while offering individualized attention through key worker systems. Rated 'GOOD' by Ofsted in July 2024, we pride ourselves on preparing children for school through stimulating activities in our three bright, spacious rooms and secure outdoor play area.Our curriculum balances child-initiated play with structured learning, following the Early Years Foundation Stage framework. We maintain strong communication with parents through effective systems that keep them informed about their child's progress and daily activities. Our staff's focus on emotional well-being creates a happy environment where children consistently demonstrate satisfaction through positive feedback. As a family-owned business since inception, we continue to welcome generations of families who themselves attended our nursery as children.
Services
Early Years Education
Outdoor Play Activities
Childcare Services
School Readiness Program
Flexible Session Options
Details
- Year established: 1948
Highlights and features
- Family-run nursery with 76 years of continuous childcare experience
- Ofsted GOOD rating reflecting quality care and educational standards
- Experienced staff team with exceptional retention rates
- Secure outdoor play area with all-weather safety surface
- Government-subsidised hours available for qualifying families
What people say
Happy children
Excellent communication
Dedicated staff
Effective learning
Secure environment
Services
Early Years Education
Our curriculum follows the Early Years Foundation Stage framework, combining child-initiated play with structured adult-led activities. We focus on developing communication skills through reading, singing, and interactive language games. The program prepares children for school transition through balanced educational experiences.
Outdoor Play Activities
Secure outdoor environment features physical play equipment, planting areas, and sensory resources. Children engage in motor skill development through tricycles, scooters, and structured outdoor games. The all-weather safety surface ensures year-round accessibility for active learning experiences.
Childcare Services
Providing care for children aged 1-5 with qualified staff maintaining optimal child-to-carer ratios. Services include morning, afternoon, and full-day sessions during term time. We offer flexible booking options to accommodate working parents' schedules while maintaining consistent care routines.
School Readiness Program
Structured activities develop essential skills for school transition. Focus areas include social interaction, concentration building, and basic literacy/numeracy concepts. The program incorporates group work, storytelling, and creative play to foster confidence and independence.
Flexible Session Options
Offering morning, afternoon, and full-day sessions between 9:00am-3:30pm during term time. Qualified families can access government-subsidised hours (15-30 weekly). Sessions balance structured learning with free play while maintaining consistent daily routines for child security.
People
Celia McKenzie
Nursery Proprietor
With over twenty years' experience in early years education, Celia holds a Masters Degree in International English Teaching and NVQ level 3 qualification. She maintains the nursery's family tradition since taking ownership in 2016, prioritizing close parent relationships and child-centered development.
Joan McKenzie
Nursery Consultant
Founder of The Learning Tree Nursery, Joan established the current site in 1994 after operating at Abbey Road for 40 years. She continues to advise on nursery operations while maintaining her commitment to early years education principles developed over decades of service.
Questions
What age range do you accept?
We care for children aged 1 to 5 years, with activities tailored to different developmental stages across our Caterpillar and Butterfly Rooms.
Are government-subsidised hours available?
Yes, we offer 15-30 free hours weekly for qualifying children aged 1-5 under the government scheme, with flexible session options available.
What qualifications do your staff hold?
All staff meet required childcare qualifications, with key workers providing individual attention. Our team maintains exceptional retention rates and ongoing professional development.
How do you communicate with parents?
We use effective communication systems to keep parents informed about daily activities, learning topics, and any incidents through regular updates and documentation.
What outdoor facilities do you have?
Our secure outdoor play area includes physical play equipment, planting zones, and all-weather safety surfaces for year-round active learning experiences.
How do you prepare children for school?
Our curriculum balances structured learning with play-based activities focusing on social skills, literacy, numeracy, and independence to ensure smooth school transitions.
Reviews (3)
Nada Jamma
Sep 27, 2021
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This Nursery is truly amazing, my child has down syndrome, and they are so welcoming and warm, they treat him with huge love, they are also very knowledgeable when it comes to getting the maximum professional help. Can't thank them enough for being so kind and for practicing inclusion in its best form
Katarzyna Malek
Nov 26, 2020
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Positive:Professionalism,Quality,Reliability,Responsiveness,Value
This Nursery is THE BEST!!! All Teachers are amazing I m very happy to live my daughter there because she is so happy and grateful for what she can learn makes good progress and have fun I will recommend this nursery is really worth to see hard working team to make your children and parents happy !!! Thank you so much for all you do!!!!
This Nursery is THE BEST!!! All Teachers are amazing I m very happy to live my daughter there because she is so happy and grateful for what she can learn makes good progress and have fun I will recommend this nursery is really worth to see hard working team to make your children and parents happy !!! Thank you so much for all you do!!!!
John Collusky
Nov 17, 2018
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Caring staff and a lovely personal atmosphere: our little boy was very happy there before moving on to primary school. He would have liked to stay longer!
