Which Nursery School For Charlotte?

Princess Charlotte of Cambridge is only 19 months old but sometime in the next year she will most likely start at a local nursery school. 

An increase in royal engagements for her parents and possible retirement from his role as helicopter pilot will dovetail with Prince George starting school later this year. 

This will most likely mean the Cambridges relocate to Kensington Palace as the main family home in the coming months.

George January 2016

Last January, George started at Westacre Montessori school near the family's Norfolk country home, Amner Hall. He was almost 2 1/2 at the time. The prince attends the school a few mornings a week and is expected to move onto a Pre-Prep school later this year.

The Queen and Prince Philip are ageing and whilst they currently fulfil more official engagements than Prince William, Catherine and Prince Harry combined, are slowly handing over more patronages and duties such as investitures to the their children and grandchildren.

Prince William's contract as part time helicopter pilot for East Anglia Air Ambulance will soon be up for renewal. The time for William and Catherine to become more active members of the royal family may now be here.

Given all of this, which London nursery schools are options for little Charlotte?

Proximity to Kensington Palace is important as is the Montessori philosophy. For these reasons, Princes William and Harry started school life at Mrs Mynors in Pembridge Square, Notting Hill. It has since been bought by Alpha Plus and re-badged The Minors Nursery School.

http://minorsnurseryschool.co.uk/

Ladbroke Square Montessori School in Notting Hill has to be high on the list for Charlotte. Like The Minors, it is very near to Wetherby and just around the corner from Kensington Palace. Intakes are in September, January and April for this school, established in the 1940s.

http://www.ladbrokesquarenursery.com/index.php

Miss Delaney's in W11 is very highly regarded and has Montessori in it's philosphy. It has a secure garden playground on-site so for security purposes this has to be a plus.

http://missdelaneys.co.uk/

The Acorn in Notting Hill has no website. However it is so highly regarded that applications for a place on the wait list are recommended shortly after the birth!

The Square is similarly located to the other contenders. It has small sessions of 18 children and adheres to the Montessori way of learning.

http://www.thesquareschool.com

Last but not least is Young England Kindergarten in Pimlico where William and Harry's mother Diana, Princess of Wales was an assistant before her engagement to Prince Charles. Montessori based, "Miss Diana" was a favourite with the children. One of Lady Diana's students, Clementine Hambro ( descendant of Winston Churchill) became a flower girl at the Royal Wedding! 

http://youngenglandkindergarten.co.uk/

You can also read my earlier blog post about Montessori Nursery Schools for the royal children here:

http://williamandharryschildren.blogspot.com.au/2015/01/mrs-mynors-nursery-school.html

William 1985

Harry 1987

Lady Diana 1980

George To Start At Nursery School

Prince George will start his schooling in late January at Westacre Montessori School in East Walton, Norfolk.

The little prince who will be two and a half at the time is expected to start off attending several mornings a week. The Nursery is in a converted church building and is close to the Cambridges home, Anmer Hall. 

Westacre charges GBP 33- per day and is further evidence that Catherine and William intend to give George and his sister Charlotte a relaxed country upbringing for as long as possible.

The Montessori system is very familiar to Prince William as he himself attended a Montessori nursery school from the age of three. Mrs Mynors Nursery School was only a short drive from Kensington Palace and William's brother Harry followed him there a couple of years later. 

I discussed William's nursery education in a blog eleven months ago.  
Here is a quick link:

http://williamandharryschildren.blogspot.com.au/2015/01/mrs-mynors-nursery-school.html

The princes' mother Diana, Princess of Wales was a teaching assistant at the Young England Kindergarten in Pimlico when she started dating Prince Charles in 1980. This was also a Montessori school.

William's First Day at Mrs Mynors

Mrs Mynors Nursery School

Sunday 11th January, 2015

William after his first day

Only time will tell where Prince George and his siblings will be educated. A nursery school close to Kensington Palace is a likely choice but depending upon how much time the Cambridges spend in Norfolk, a local school near Amner Hall may be another option.

William's Early Education 

William's father Prince Charles was first schooled by a governess at Buckingham Palace but Diana broke the mould by sending their boys to a nursery school in West London.

The Princess of Wales was keen to ensure her children were exposed to other children from an early age. Mrs Mynors Nursery School in Chepstow Villas, Notting Hill was chosen and William attended the school for a period of 15 months from 24th September, 1985.

The school had 36 pupils split into either the cygnets, little swans or big swans classes. William being in the youngest group was a cygnet.


Mrs Mynors nursery school was based on the Montessori teaching principles. Diana was familiar with these methods as she was an assistant at another Montessori nursery, The Young England Kindergarten in Pimlico when she met Prince Charles. 

Regardless of which school is chosen, the young Cambridges won't have to worry about being on long waiting lists for place!

Diana at work 1980