Early Years Education Centre 8 & 9 Princes Gardens

The Early Years Education Centre provision for the children of Imperial College staff and students has long been rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted. A top to bottom refurbishment completed for January 2020 has made it outstanding in other ways.

The centre has places for 180 in three different age groups in 11 rooms in the six-storey property at 8 & 9 Princes Gardens. Two more rooms will be opening in the future.

As well as an excellent teaching team, the children have also had the benefit of learning through play in beautiful surroundings with fantastic outside space. Now their surroundings are even better than before.

The refurbishment, utilising previously unused space, has made it possible to increase capacity, so even more Imperial children can benefit from a place.

The centre now has a  re-landscaped state of the art garden, complete with a mosaic path and three-level platform. The children have modern toilets in each of their rooms.

The chefs now prepare the children’s meals and snacks in the redesigned and more spacious kitchen, with new equipment. Overall the building’s historic elements have been restored and enhanced, such as the beautiful original mouldings and cornicing, and intricate patterned parquet flooring.