Chelsea Open Air Nursery School, London
Chelsea Open Air Nursery School is a nursery school for pupils aged 2 to 5 in London. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2012. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in July 2024 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2012)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Chelsea Open Air Nursery School in detail
Chelsea Open Air Nursery School in its own words
In its own words: "The Nursery School offers a full range of learning and development opportunities that meet the needs of children and their families, building upon the historical strengths of the Nursery School. We believe that outdoor play supports all areas of learning and is an integral part of children’s development."
From the headteacher's welcome: "Established in 1928, Chelsea Open Air has provided over 90 years of ‘Outstanding’ (Ofsted 2024) high-quality, education for nursery aged children. Our inclusive ethos embraces the outdoor environment, providing ‘a labyrinth of exciting places for children to learn and play, whatever the weather’."
The school runs a breakfast club from 8:15am and after-school care until 4:00pm, from £36 per day.
Coming up: an open day on Saturday 7 November 2026 at 10am, an open day on Saturday 13 March 2027 at 10am and an open day on Saturday 8 May 2027 at 10am. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Kensington and Chelsea
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)Wraparound care (school website)Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Who goes there
4.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 65.2% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (35%), Mixed (16%) and other ethnic groups (12%).
In 2026, 14 pupils (20.3%) received SEN support and 0 (0%) had an education, health and care plan. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is South Kensington Station, about 1000 metres away (roughly a 12-minute walk).
12 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Carlyle Square /Chelsea, 190 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 978 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and other theft. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Kensington and Chelsea (1593).
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from October 2012, 14 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Outstanding.
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
This is an exceptional school. The optimum use is made of the school's outdoor garden spaces to feed children's inquisitiveness and build their sense of adventure. For example, children are taught to navigate the steps of the amphitheatre safely to see what they can find in the adjoining underground cave. Children take part in educational outings regularly. This includes weekly visits to external forest school provision and visits to the local library and zoo. The school makes sure that all children can benefit from these opportunities.
Parents and carers appreciate how welcoming and nurturing the school is. The school teams up with parents to provide a range of wider curriculum experiences. For example, together with parents, the school provides sessions for children in yoga and dancing and provides information about different careers. This encourages children to broaden their horizons and discover their talents and interests.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school curriculum is ambitious and aligned securely to the requirements of the early years foundation stage statutory framework. Learning is organised logically to enable children to build secure knowledge and skills throughout their time at the school. The school checks children's starting points and their likes and dislikes when they join the school. They use this information to determine the best teaching activities and resources to help children learn essential content and connect ideas together. For example, staff helped children to develop a secure knowledge of the number five by joining in with children's games and asking them to count the number of cars, dolls, sticks or other objects that the children were playing with.
From Ofsted's July 2024 ungraded inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its October 2012 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
4.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby nursery schools
Keep up with Chelsea Open Air Nursery School
Getting There
Ferry Terminals
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Chelsea Open Air Nursery School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Chelsea Open Air Nursery School is in Kensington and Chelsea; for families living there:
Apply to Kensington and Chelsea for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 250
- Fatal
- 3
- Serious
- 48
- Children hurt
- 5
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 250 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 3 fatal, 48 serious and 199 slight.
5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
44 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Kensington and Chelsea is 204.5 (the median across 74 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
Area Demand Pressure - London
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for London
Across Kensington and Chelsea council
Places available
1,110
Applications
602
Got 1st preference
66.8%
Got preferred school
92.7%
All secondary applications across Kensington and Chelsea council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
14
SEN Support
0
EHC Plans
20.3%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
69
Total Pupils
40
Boys
29
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
4
Teachers
17.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£69,127
Mean salary
2026 data
Questions parents ask about Chelsea Open Air Nursery School
What is Chelsea Open Air Nursery School's Ofsted rating?
Chelsea Open Air Nursery School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in October 2012, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Chelsea Open Air Nursery School?
No fixed boundary. When Chelsea Open Air Nursery School is oversubscribed, Kensington and Chelsea allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Chelsea Open Air Nursery School?
Chelsea Open Air Nursery School has around 69 pupils on roll. 4% are eligible for free school meals.
How do I apply to Chelsea Open Air Nursery School?
Apply through Kensington and Chelsea's coordinated admissions process, naming Chelsea Open Air Nursery School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Chelsea Open Air Nursery School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 250 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 3 fatal, 48 serious and 199 slight. 5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 44 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Kensington and Chelsea is 204.5 (the median across 74 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Chelsea Open Air Nursery School?
Chelsea Open Air Nursery School is at 51 Glebe Place, Chelsea, London, SW3 5JE.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)