Yes, we do offer a 10% sibling discount.

Research has suggested that teachers with higher qualifications are better at establishing quality interactions with children. This is particularly important as the quality of interactions is positively connected with the quality of care provided. At MEplace we ensure that all our teachers have completed an undergraduate degree in a field related to Education, Psychology or the Early Years. On top of this, many of our teachers have pursued postgraduate education in these fields. To attract great staff, we need to pay them accordingly. Additionally, our fees are all-inclusive. Unlike most nurseries, we have included meals, early drop-offs and late pick-ups in our prices.

We ask parents to sign a 12-month contract as we are not a seasonal childcare facility. This also prevents disruptions in the group dynamics developed.

We understand that family circumstances can change fast. Although we are happy to accommodate any changes, these will be subject to availability and usually require a two-month notice period.

At MEplace we offer full-time or part-time attendance. We want your child to get the most out of our programme and that is why we established a minimum attendance requirement of 2 days per week. For the nursery service we offer four different attendance patterns, each with a different monthly rate. For more information, click here.

A deposit is required to secure your child’s place at the MEplace nursery. If you change your mind, this is fully refundable within 30 days after your chosen start date. Otherwise, your deposit will be returned within 30 days after the termination of your contract.

MEplace has 3 year groups: an under 2's group, a 2-3 group, and a 3-5 group. Each age group respects the staff: children ratio mandated by Ofsted: 1:3 for under 2s, 1:5 for 2-3s, and 1:8 for over 3s.

We advise that children are introduced to the nursery gradually, over what we call the ‘settling in period.’ The main purpose of the settling-in period is for the child to get to know the setting, teachers, and other children without becoming overwhelmed, thus helping them to feel safer in their new environment. This period is also essential for the teachers, as they will use it to get to know your child, their interests, and abilities. We plan for a 1-week settling in period, full of activities specially designed to aid the process. For younger children, we recommend starting with one hour a day at the nursery, and gradually increasing this over the course of the two weeks. For older children, we recommend starting with two to three hours. We do, however, understand that this may not be possible for all parents. If your child needs to begin with full days, we will do everything we can to ensure their transition into nursery life is as happy, smooth and stress-free as possible. For more tips on how to help your child adjust to nursery, check the welcome pack!

A month before your child is due to start at MEplace, we will begin the Welcome Process. During this process, we will want to learn more about your child, such as their habits, interests, and abilities, as well as their health and medical history. Around this time, we will also invite you and your little one to visit the nursery. This way, they will have the chance to explore the new environment in the calming presence of an adult they trust. Additionally, we will invite you to create an account on Famly App, which we will use to communicate with you over the coming year.

Absolutely - we do not expect younger children to be potty trained by the time they get to MEplace. We simply ask that you provide two extra changes of clothes, just in case! We will maintain regular communication with parents in order to support them through the potty training process. We know that every child is different, and some will take longer than others to move on from nappies.

We do our best to accommodate for siblings, and will give them priority on the waiting list. However, we are unable to guarantee them a space. We advise that you let us know as early as possible if you would like another of your little ones to attend MEplace.

Very young babies do not only need a lot of attention and support, they also require specific resources, such as cribs. Providing for this would take up a large portion of our nursery space, as well as running the risk of distracting us from giving the excellent level of care we strive for with older children.

If you would like your child to join MEplace and we are unable to provide a space immediately, you can join our waiting list. To join the waiting list, you will be required to pay an administration fee of £100. Once you have accepted a place, this fee will be put towards the deposit. If we are unable to offer you a place, we will refund the administration fee in full. If a space is not available for your requested start date, your child will remain on the waiting list until a space becomes available. If you decide to leave our waiting list, the administration fee will not be refunded. We do prioritise siblings of children who attend MEplace. Availability is assessed on a monthly basis, taking into consideration any class moves and leavers. If you are at the top of our waiting list, we will offer you the next available space, regardless of whether it matches your preferred days. If the available space does not accommodate your childcare needs, we will keep your child at the top of our waiting list until a more suitable space becomes available. This space will then be offered to the next child on the waiting list. Once you have accepted a space at MEplace, we will send you an acceptance letter with details of your child’s space, along with our terms and conditions. You will be required to pay a deposit to confirm your child’s space. If you choose to leave the nursery within the first 30 days of your child starting at MEplace, this deposit will be fully refunded. Otherwise, the deposit will be returned to you within 30 days of the termination of your contract with MEplace. To accommodate everyone on our waiting list, all spaces must be accepted within five days. To accept a space, you will need to agree to our terms and conditions and pay the deposit in full.

We are currently accepting applications for 2021. Please fill in the form here to let us know when you would like your child to start, and we will get back to you as soon as possible. We accept children between the ages of 1 and 5.

Every decision we make, from the paint on our walls to the playdough we order and the food we eat is made with the planet in mind. We are not perfect, but we try.

At MEplace, we want children to spend time connecting with nature, and we will encourage them to spend at least 60 minutes a day out in the fresh air—our nursery benefits from a safe, private outdoor space, complete with sensory play structures. In all our locations, this area has been fully risk assessed, and, as our safeguarding policy suggests, children will be accompanied by the Ofsted-recommended number of teachers at all times.

Each location has a dedicated sleeping area. Usually, this section of the nursery has sound proof walls and no windows, guaranteeing a quiet space for a restful nap. Like the majority of other nurseries, we will be using a specially designed sleep mat and personal pillow, all covered with personal bedding.

Our Hackney Wick nursery is designed by 2LG Studio in the style of joyful minimalism. The space, which has plenty of natural light, is divided into different zones: a kitchen, sleep area, and 2 learning/play areas. There are also 2 entrances and a secure outdoor area.

Yes! After submitting your enquiry form and having an introductory phone call with our Parent Champion, you'll be invited to visit the nursery. Currently, we are offering tours only at the MEplace Hackney Wick Location.

The MEplace nursery is a beautifully designed space in Hackney Wick’s Bagel Factory. We recently opened a second location just a stone's throw away, and we call it MEplace Big. We are thrilled to announce the upcoming launch of two new MEplace locations. One will find its home in the heart of King's Cross, while the other will be a cozy neighbor to Tufnell Park Station, just a delightful 5-minute walk from Kentish Town.

In the month prior to your little one starting at MEplace, we will have a conversation with you about any allergies or intolerances your child has. This information will then be passed on to our food provider, who will do their best to accommodate for their dietary needs. Unfortunately, however, we are not able to guarantee against cross-contamination. For example, we will be able to provide nut-free food, but it will have been made in a kitchen that uses nuts.

We are proud to have a certified nutritionist on our team who also serves as one of our talented plant-based chefs. This unique combination ensures that we provide organic, delicious, and nutritious meals for the little ones. Our certified kitchen, located in MEplace Big, allows us to prepare and deliver fresh food within minutes, preserving nutritional quality and reducing our carbon footprint in line with our goal of becoming a B-corp.

Unfortunately, this is not possible. We can only vouch for the health and safety of all the children under our care if we are fully in control of the food provided at MEplace. We take note of every child’s dietary requirements and ensure they are provided with food which meets their needs.

We will be happy to adjust our meals and meal times to your child while the little one transitions from formula to solid food.

Meals will be provided in each child's designated room, thoughtfully arranged to ensure they have a spacious and clean area where they can enjoy their food comfortably.

We will be providing four meals: breakfast, lunch, one snack and a light dinner. There will be a 3 to 3.5 hour break in between meals. Additionally, children will be given filtered water throughout the day.

Food is fuel that helps us feel well, think better, look our best and enjoy life to the fullest - it is the fundamental ingredient of a life lived well. We want to provide children at MEplace with healthy food, which is nutritious, organic and fully plant-based. Our menu is designed by nutritionist and produced in a certified kitchen, located at MEplace Big, using local and organic ingredients.

One of MEplace's key values is the promotion and celebration of diversity and inclusion. We are lucky to be located in London, a city rich in diversity and populated with people from different backgrounds and cultures, which is visible in the composition of not only our student body, but our teaching and HQ teams too. We want to understand the cultural background of each child. Prior to their start date, we will ask parents a set of questions to ensure any and all cultural traditions are respected. Our plant-based menu easily fits with all cultural dietary requirements. Additionally, we want to celebrate each child's culture and will be introducing activities where children will hear more about and explore aspects of their friends' cultural background.

Although we will not be holding formal classes on literacy and mathematics, older children engage in daily activities that develop their number sense and literacy skills. Additionally, older children have more dedicated time for reading and literacy-related activities, and maths and STEM-based experiences. Furthermore, our preschoolers take part in a 'school readiness' project in the run-up to their transition to school, exploring a range of questions they might have and gradually introducing them to the exciting times ahead!

Yes! We provide plenty of thoughtfully-selected books and high-quality texts in each nursery room. Children – especially our older learners – will be encouraged to spend time exploring and reading them. Additionally, sleep time for all ages will start with a bedtime story. This will be longer for older children.

We treat all children as individuals and respect their needs and feelings. That is why we always try our best to understand the child and the underlying reason for their behaviour. Children need to feel heard, and communication is key: we express our understanding, let the child experience their emotions, and are always there to reassure, support, and care. When there is conflict between children, we will always step in and facilitate the conversation in order to resolve the conflict and foster exemplary communication. We also understand that boundaries are important for children, so we keep them clear, consistent and age appropriate.

As exemplified by our Body pillar, we prioritise the physical wellbeing and health of our children. We offer sports sessions once a week as an extracurricular activity for all the children. In addition to the daily 60 minutes of outdoor activity, we also allocate dedicated time for Forest School sessions and daily outings.

Our children have the opportunity to take part in a wide range of artistic activities. These have three main purposes: - Emotional- and self-expression, where children will express their feelings and ideas through a variety of media. - Development of fine motor skills through activities that incorporate the use of small and accurate movements (such as collages). - Development of an aesthetic taste through the exploration of different styles, textures, materials and mediums. There is also dedicated time for musical activities, where children sing, play simple musical instruments and learn about rhythm.

Our educational trips enhance learning and are weather and curriculum-dependent. With our convenient location, children enjoy daily park outings, baking ingredient shopping, and mindfulness walks. Past trips included Barges East Garden, Hackney Wick Farm, and more, fostering independence and awareness.

We are currently providing Spanish lessons at the Hackney Wick location.

When developing our programme, we did not limit ourselves to one approach: we take inspiration from many fields and resources. The programme and its 6 key pillars mainly evolved from a combination of the following: 1. Scientific research on child brain development (Mind and Body pillars) Developmental and neuroscientific research suggests that relationships play a critical role in a child’s development, including how they construct mental reality and refine emotional regulation. For this reason, we pay great emphasis on building a trustful and secure connection between child and teacher, and upon developing the teacher’s ability to attune with the child’s mental states. This is mostly conveyed in our teacher training and plays a role in forming our Mind and Body pillars. More on this topic can be found in the books of Daniel Siegel, in particular “The Developing Mind”. 2. Psychological principles on the development of self and communication with children (Mind and Fun pillars) The way we communicate with a child shapes their development and understanding of themselves. We aim to help children build a strong sense of self, fostering individual growth and understanding. Our approach to this has been inspired by therapeutic psychology. For more information on this, look to the works of Violet Oaklander, particularly “Hidden Treasures” and “Windows to our children”. At the same time, we prepare the foundation for the child’s emotional intelligence. To do this, we dedicate a lot of time to exploring the world of our emotions, learning how to recognise and communicate feelings through the necessary vocabulary. These ideas, although present in the whole curriculum, are directly addressed in our Mind pillar, as well as heavily influencing our understanding of childhood fun! 3. The Finnish approach to early years education (Life, Fun and Planet pillars) In Finland, Early Years education is built upon the theory that children learn through play. This held true to us at MEplace, and we believe it is our role to design and prompt the play that will drive learning. More information on Finland’s Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) can be found online. 4. Montessori principles (Life pillar) The fundamental principles of the Montessori Method of Education are also applied in our curriculum. This includes an enriched environment which drives curiosity and exploration, hands-on learning, freedom of expression and choice, respecting the individuality of every child and attentive observation of children's behaviour. However, unlike in the Montessori Method, we do not leave it up to the child to lead the entire learning process. While we do have time for free play, our activities are developed by our psychologist and led by teachers. This way, while these activities do have space for each child’s individual expression, we can ensure that they get the most out of their time at MEplace. 5. The needs of living in the modern world (Life, Body, Mind and Planet pillars) In our programme we address the needs of modern life. We teach focus and concentration through mindfulness, breathing, and yoga activities. We teach healthy living by serving nutritious food and engaging in daily exercise. We help children to connect with nature and engage in eco-friendly behaviours. We do science experiments, and encourage older children to engage with technology. The modern world underpins our Life, Body, Mind and Planet pillars.

We do believe that cognitive skills such as literacy and numeracy are extremely important and, thus, are included in our curriculum. However, at MEplace we do have a particular focus on social and emotional development. This is because psychological research strongly suggests that working on emotions and behaviour in the early years is fundamental to adult wellbeing. During the early years, children start to develop their identity: they establish their position in the world, their patterns of behaviour and communication; the connections they create with others will inform their future relationships. By focusing on emotional wellbeing at a young age, we can help children to grow into adults fully prepared to face the challenges of the modern world.

At MEplace, sleep time is between 11:30am to 2:00pm, and includes a bedtime story with calming music. Each child is unique and requires different support: some children just need someone next to them, others require a special toy, while others need cuddling. Teachers will work with parents to understand each child's habits so their needs are fulfilled. Additionally, from our experience children go to sleep much faster at the nursery than parents expect.

Our teachers will pay great care and attention to each child’s unique emotional and physical needs. Teachers will also spend time getting to know both children and parents, establishing strong communication between all parties. Furthermore, the teaching team has worked diligently to adapt our curriculum to the needs of small babies, focusing more upon sensory play and cognitive development.

Children learn through every relationship and experience they encounter. For younger children, we will focus on providing them with a strong foundation for the future and sharing our values. The activities planned for this age group will still be based around our 6 pillars, but the learning goals and level of guidance will be different. At this age, we will also have a strong focus on sensory exploration and communication, as these are of particular importance for young children.

We recognise that all children are unique, and, thus, have made sure there is plenty of flexibility in our activities. Our teachers will get to know the various abilities of every child they work with and adjust their teaching accordingly. Additionally, children learn through interacting with one another. We have planned for a number of mixed group activities, allowing older children to learn to help younger children, and younger children to learn from the behaviours of older children. Deciding to move a child to a different age group will be done on a case by case basis, where we will assess the possible benefit to the child.

We hope that by the time children leave us they will have learnt that it is wonderful to be “me”. They’ll know how to respect their bodies and have some healthy habits to sustain them. They’ll be able to express and recognise basic emotions in themselves and others. They’ll be able to listen to others, express gratitude, take initiative and play in a group. They’ll be able to see the beauty in our planet, recognise the care it needs, and keep up with little eco-habits. They’ll know that learning is exciting, joyful and fun, and that they can achieve anything they set their mind to.

We have a very easy feedback process, where teachers share daily observations. Daily feedback will be given and received through Famly app. This app allows the creation of a secure child profile, where information can be shared between parents and teachers, including medical information, daily observations and photos. Weekly feedback will be provided as well together with a preview of the following week's activities and menu. For more thorough feedback, you can chat to your child’s teacher at a quarterly one-to-one session.

We understand that early childhood is key for future development. It is a time full of opportunities to grow, discover and be inspired. We believe that children are naturally keen to learn and explore; what they need is support and a stimulating environment to help them reach their full potential. At MEplace, children will follow a programme designed by a psychologist and centred around 6 pillars: Mind, Body, People, Life, Planet and Fun. Our schedule is carefully designed around the developmental, cognitive and psychological needs of children, and we move between active and peaceful activities, free and guided play, creation and exploration. By doing so, we allow children the freedom to express themselves and embrace their own individuality. Here, we aim to prepare children for the modern world by nurturing their curiosity for life and embracing creativity, all while providing children with the love, care and support they need.

All our nurseries are registered with Ofsted and strictly follow EYFS guidelines. You can find more information about our Ofsted registration by clicking the 'Ofsted' link in the footer of the website. If you have any questions about Ofsted, please do not hesitate to email hello@meplace.co.

We recognise the importance of quality relationships between teachers and children. For this reason, we take great care to hire individuals who are not only highly qualified and have experience caring for children, but who also fit with our ethos and values. We're meticulous in selecting our teaching team, and stick to strict criteria. The hiring process is guided by the following three rules: Firstly, every teacher and super teacher must genuinely love working with children and enjoy their profession. Secondly, a teacher or super teacher must understand the physiological, emotional, and psychological development of children, and thus be capable of navigating a child’s behaviour according to this knowledge. Although we provide thorough training to ensure that all our teachers possess and are able to utilise this knowledge, they must have a relevant bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in Education or Psychology, and have undergone these studies for at least three years. Teachers must also have relevant work experience and have demonstrated extensive interest in their profession, for example through further training. Thirdly, children learn through example. Thus, the personality and behaviour of every teacher is important to us. Our teachers' and teaching assistants' values must resonate with the values of our company. Additionally, we carry out rigorous pre-employment checks on all our staff to ensure their suitability to work with children. We verify their identity, carry out an enhanced DBS check and confirm that they are fit to work. We also provide training to all teachers in paediatric first aid, safeguarding and food safety. Staff will have to complete this training even if they have done so in previous employment.