The UK’s first sustainable
nursery in Hove.

Welcome to
Young Friends
Kindergarten

We offer a sustainable approach to Early Years childcare and education for children 0-5 years in Brighton and Hove.

We’re dedicated to ensuring that your children grow up to be confident, informed and communicative citizens, becoming the next generation who will help to save our planet. Our approach to early years child care ignites a lifelong passion for learning, inspires your child to explore and understand their world, and helps them to grow up fully aware of their role in creating a more sustainable way to live.

Every day at Young Friends is different, and we all have tremendous fun, spending as much time as possible outdoors, learning through genuine child-initiated play as the children follow their creative instincts and interests.

Welcome to
Young Friends
Kindergarten

Play Video

Learning Environments

The growing patch

We have developed a beautiful ‘growing patch’ at the front of Young Friends Kindergarten, where our children can learn rudimentary growing skills, planting, weeding and watering.

Kitchen garden

With sustainability for our environment, Young Friends Kindergarten involve the children in growing, preparing and composting the plant-based menu that we provide.

Woodland garden

At Young Friends Kindergarten, we’re really proud of our private woodland garden. It’s a sanctuary of inspiration, imagination and wellbeing full of wildlife, plants and trees.

Nature workshop

The Young Friends Kindergarten Nature workshop offers the children a place to explore their creativity through art and making things, using real tools made to suit little hands.

Nature kindergarten

Nature Kindergarten describes the extra ‘Young Friends Twist’ that gets added to everything we do. It might be on the beach, in a forest, in our woodland garden or in the workshop.

Kindergarten pods

Young Friends Kindergarten have two kindergarten pods, one for birth to two year olds and one for two years to school age. Both pods provide spacious play and learning spaces.

Ofsted rating

We’re really proud to have received an Outstanding score in every Ofsted inspection since we opened. We’re the only nursery in the Brighton and Hove area to have achieved this unbroken record.

Our Sustainable ethos

Sustainability is at the core of everything we do at Young Friends; the changes we can make which will ultimately help us to protect our environment and save our planet, but also sustainability for the little humans who are part of our kindergarten family.

Everything starts with the child. Your child will be supported to follow their interests, learn in an age-appropriate way and develop a lasting love of learning and fascination with their world. They’ll learn to respect themselves, each other and the world around them as they experience what it means to live a sustainable life. Understanding their role as a member of a community will support them throughout their life as they grow up to become a confident citizen.

Learning Approach

Tuning into each child’s needs

When it comes to monitoring your child and assessing their development at Young Friends Kindergarten, it’s a cyclical process.

Risk Benefit

At Young Friends we provide a safe environment and encouragement for your child to push boundaries and explore their environment.

SchemaPlay™

Young Friends Kindergarten is a ‘loose parts’ kindergarten with all the children’s activities based on an educational method called SchemaPlay™.

Characteristics of effective learning

At Young Friends Kindergarten we are highly interested in how your child learns as opposed to what they learn. This individual drive will stay with them for life.

High-quality interactions

Within their family group, our highly trained staff connect with children, interact with them, observe their interests, and link their learning to the exciting activities and experiences that we provide.

Key person system

When your child joins us at Young Friends Kindergarten, you’ll be introduced to your ‘key person’ who will be in your child’s pod and will be your main point of contact all the while your child is with us.

Family groupings

When your child starts at Young Friends Kindergarten, they’ll join one of our ‘family groups’. We have two pods, one for under-twos and one for over-twos.

Family partnerships

Young Friends Kindergarten is here to provide superb care and education for your child, and to do that we need to work alongside you.

Our Awards

The standard of our kindergarten care has been nationally recognised, and we’re proud of our
growing collection of awards.

What families say

“My grandson absolutely loves his nursery. They encourage him to have a go and experience different skills . His outdoor learning offers him a great deal of challenge as his love of nature and appreciation and respect for nature is shining through . He thrives in a nurturing environment that supports all areas of learning . A warm welcome with a homely feel in a safe stimulating place makes my grandson so happy to be at nursery so thankyou to all the caring staff.”

Sue Charalambous