Let us be part of your family

We know that choosing the right nursery for your child is a very personal and important decision.  Our nurseries are here to support you and your child and to help them develop into confident and caring individuals.  We create a fun, happy and nurturing environment which feels just like an extension of your own home.

We are a small, local, family run group where children are truly at the heart of everything we do.

We pride ourselves on being a centre of excellence and are the nursery of choice for many local families.  If you would like to know more come and meet us and let us show you what we have to offer your family.

Woodentops Kindergarten was established in Clapham in 1985 by Mary and Steve McCahery.

Starting out with only 8 places it has grown into the highly respected White House Preparatory School, rated Outstanding at last inspection.  Through requests from parents to provide wrap around care and day care for young babies, they then went on to open two day nurseries.  Many of the babies who join us progress right through the school and enjoy an unparalleled level of personalised care and education.

Mary and Steve remain at the heart of the school and nurseries and have been joined by two of their daughters, Laura and Sarah.  Laura is a qualified teacher, the Vice-Principal of the school and Principal of the nursery there.  Sarah is the Principal of Woodentops Abbeville.

They are all passionately committed to delivering the highest levels of care and education to all the children they look after.

Our family nursery; your family nursery.

We have two nurseries. Woodentops SW12, co-located with the Kindergarten and School, was established in 2011, has 26 places and has been hugely popular since it opened.  Our sister nursery Woodentops SW4 opened in May 2014, has 56 places and is situated at the edge of Abbeville Village.  Our nurseries welcome babies from 6 months to 5 years.

Both of our nurseries are within beautiful historic buildings which provide a lovely homely feel.  We have sympathetically converted and updated the buildings to offer large open plan layouts and light-filled rooms.  For our youngest babies we have dedicated sleep rooms which help them maintain their own routines while with us.

Our gardens and outside play areas offer the children space to run around and explore.  They are full of trees and greenery and enable the children to create their own adventures. Our miniature allotments let them try their hand at growing their own produce.

The White House Preparatory School is co-educational from 2 ½ – 11 years and has an ‘outstanding’ rating from OFSTED.

The school is situated in a beautiful Grade II listed Victorian villa built in 1850 and designed by Thomas Cubitt.  It is located in the heart of Clapham Park and draws its pupils from Clapham, Streatham and further afield.

We are a truly exceptional school.  We believe that children thrive, learn and grow within a school community which values every individual child.  We support this by only teaching in small classes where your child can fully explore their talents and find their strengths.  They feel valued and cared for and know they have a special part to play in the everyday life of the school.

Our children go on to attend a range of London’s most prestigious Day schools and the country’s finest boarding schools where they truly stand out from their peers.  Confident but without arrogance, self-assured but not pushy with a strong moral compass and unbounded enthusiasm.  We offer excellent pastoral care and place a real focus on good manners and respect for each other.

Our pupils are our best advertisement.  Come and visit us and see the school in action.

Visit The White House Preparatory School website here.