“My eldest attended a different pre-school so I didn't really know what to expect when we made the decision to send our youngest to St Laurence. We did so based on logistics and feedback from other parents who did nothing but rave about the care their children received. Our youngest has completed his first year there and absolutely loves going in on his days there. The first thing he asks in the morning is 'is it preschool today?' (including every day during the summer holiday...!) Parents receive a weekly email telling them what their children will be doing that week (invaluable as we all know how sketchy the information children provide can be!) and this is sent at the weekend. Which brings me to my next point - nothing is too much for Mrs Welch and her team. Emails/queries are responded to quickly and with empathy, even outside of working hours, which should never be expected. Parents are regularly involved in events and not kept at 'arms length'. The team are all wonderful ladies with many years of experience between them and sending children there feels like sending them to extended family rather than into a care setting. The routines are obvious, rules are enforced and boundaries are firm and the children thrive. I couldn't recommend St Laurence more” Nicola (2026)
We cannot thank Karen and her amazing team enough for everything they have done for our son over the past year. From the very beginning, they have gone above and beyond to support him, and it was clear within the first couple of weeks that they really understood him and his individual needs.
Our son is currently being investigated for autism and ADHD, and Karen and her team were incredibly observant in picking up on things early on. They supported us throughout the process and pushed for the assessments he needed, making sure that his needs were recognised and that he received the right support. Their care, understanding and dedication have meant so much to our family.
The pre-school genuinely feels like a family. Our son has absolutely adored his teachers and has grown and developed so much during his time there. His confidence, independence and skills have come along amazingly over the last year, and we truly believe the wonderful staff have played a huge part in that.
They do so much for the children, from encouraging independence and organising sports days and school trips, to making special memories with leavers' parties and so many other activities throughout the year. You can genuinely see how much the staff adore all of the children in their care, and that makes the pre-school such a special place.
We are so grateful for all the love, patience, encouragement and support they have given our son. It is going to be incredibly hard to say goodbye, and we will really miss Karen and the whole team. We couldn't recommend this pre-school highly enough and will always be grateful that our son had the opportunity to be part of such a wonderful, caring and supportive environment. Leann (2026)
Karen and the team at St Laurence’s are exceptional. My twins have absolutely loved every session and come home with new happy stories to tell about their day.
No two days are the same, and the whole team creates such a warm, welcoming and special environment for the children. You can really see how much care, thought and love goes into everything they do.
Thank you for making my children’s time at preschool so happy, memorable and full of wonderful experiences. We couldn’t have wished for a better setting. They are now fully ready for school. Becky (2026)
We absolutely love St Laurence Pre-School—both my boys have been so happy there, and it truly feels like leaving your children with family each day. The staff are warm, caring, and incredibly accommodating, and the child-led approach strikes a perfect balance between learning and fun. My son is leaving confident and school-ready, knowing all his initial sounds, can write his name and he especially loved the French lessons. The thoughtful extras like the water play and air conditioning during the heatwave, breakfast, after-school club, summer camp with the same familiar staff, and the nurturing atmosphere make it such a special place—we will be very sad to leave. Siobhan (2026)
“Thank you all for being so kind and caring towards Pippa. She absolutely loved coming to preschool and would even ask on weekends if she could go! I also felt so comfortable dropping her off every day.
She has learnt so much whilst being with you all and is now very ready for big school.
Thank you all, I’m sure Pippa will be back for holiday clubs to see you all soon. Grace (2026)
We have had both of our children attend St Laurence preschool, and we couldn’t be happier with the experience they have had.
The staff and teachers are absolutely fantastic. They are so caring, supportive and genuinely make learning fun. Both of our children have loved going to preschool, and it has been lovely to see them grow in confidence while having so much fun along the way.
We have also been really impressed with the education they receive in preparation for starting Reception. The phonics teaching in particular has been incredibly helpful and has given them a great foundation for starting school.
We also love that they teach French on a Wednesday. It’s such a lovely opportunity for the children to be introduced to another language from such a young age, and they really enjoy it.
We would highly recommend the preschool to any parent. It has been a wonderful start to both of our children’s educational journeys, and we are so grateful to all the staff for everything they do.
Lisa (2026)
Both my son and daughter have attended the pre school and all three of my children attend after school club. We couldn’t be happier with the care they receive and know they are so well looked after. We especially love the after school club as this is a place all of our children can be together and enjoy a wholesome meal- something they all look forward to each week. The teachers are great with our son and skin condition and take great care of him!
Ayla (2026)
“We feel incredibly lucky that our children have attended St Laurence Pre-School. From day one, it’s clear that this school is so much more than just a place to learn – it’s a nurturing, inspiring environment where children truly thrive. The staff are dedicated, caring, and create an atmosphere where our little ones feel safe and excited to explore.
One of the things that really sets St Laurence apart for us is their commitment to early learning. The children have weekly phonic lessons, enjoy French every Wednesday and in the summer they have PE lessons. It’s a really well planned structure, that we feel really prepares our children practically, socially and emotionally for their next step in their education.
We are so grateful for the wonderful experience our children have had at St Laurence, there is nowhere else we would send them. Karen and the team truly go above and beyond, and we feel incredibly fortunate to be a part of this special community.” Bex and Chris (2025)
“From the moment we joined the holiday clubs they have been nothing short of amazing—especially in their support for children with special educational needs. When other preschools were unable to provide the right support, St Laurence stepped in halfway through and ensured everything was in place for a smooth transition into primary school.
The staff are incredibly patient, nurturing, and understanding. They create a warm, loving environment where every child is valued and encouraged to thrive. Both my sons absolutely love it here, and as a parent, it’s a wonderful feeling knowing they are in such a supportive and caring place. “ Riddhi (2025)
“My eldest daughter attended St Laurence Pre-School after I was recommended the setting from the Nursery she was attending and I couldn't have been happier and my youngest now attends the setting also. Both my children have different personalities and they have catered for them both so well and to their individual needs. All the staff are so approachable and I have always felt my children are in safe and loving hands. We get weekly emails on what they will be learning and giving us any updates which is very useful. Parents/carers get invited in for stay and play sessions, they have sports days, trips and a nativity play each year also. What I found very useful was the way the preschool got all the children ready to start school so it wasn't a shock to their system. My eldest often sees the key workers around Upminster and still runs up to say hello to them which shows me how much she misses them and how much she loved attending St Laurence.”
Katie (2025)
“A great Pre-school, very focused on the child individual needs. My little one loved his time in the setting before going off to school. All the staff are very caring and really helped get him ready for his next chapter in education. I really can’t thank them enough for everything they have done.” Marie (2025)
“My son attended St Laurence Pre school for a year before he started school and it was fantastic for him. It is a perfect setting; not too big and daunting, has outside space and with such caring staff. They think of everything and do so many fun activities with them whilst also teaching them life skills, even preparing them for when they start school and teaching them how to get changed into a PE kit! We will definitely be choosing St Laurence Pre school again for my youngest son. They go above and beyond with what they offer for the children and even organised a trip to Barley lands……The Christmas nativity was the icing on the cake for me! Couldn’t recommend Karen and her girls more highly.“ Charlotte (2025)
“A kind, gentle and nurturing preschool that genuinely cares about every child that attends. It is run by incredible women who have a wealth of knowledge, and I wouldn’t want my children to attend anywhere else other than St Laurence pre-school.” Jodie (2025)
Our daughter attended St Laurence Pre School and we absolutely loved it (& so did she). It’s a really lovely environment with the staff encouraging independence but also nurturing & caring. It really prepared her for school and she had a very smooth transition. Thanks to all of the staff at St Laurence for being a part of her story and helping her grow. Danielle (2025)
“St Laurence Pre-School absolutely surpassed my expectations in every way. They strike the perfect balance between being professional and warm, kind and welcoming, providing a really family friendly setting. The children are offered a wonderful variety of opportunities to learn and play, where they are happy and thriving. We are so lucky to have this wonderful setting in our community.” Alison (2025)
St Laurence Preschool is simply amazing! From the very first day, it felt like a second home for our family. The staff are incredibly kind and caring, and they make every child feel so special.
The activities are all so well planned in all areas from phonics, writing names, fine motor skills, and fun weekly themes that keep the children excited to learn, because of this we truly believe our children had such a strong head start when they started infants school. The regular updates for parents made us feel so involved and reassured that our children were in the best hands.
There are so many wonderful opportunities for parents to get involved too, from school trips and sports days to the most unforgettable nativity play. St Laurence has everything we could have hoped for and more!
Saying goodbye was emotional, but we’ll always cherish the amazing start it gave our children. We’re forever grateful for everything that Karen, Alana and the team from this wonderful preschool has done for them. Lucy & Jack Cook (2025)
St Laurence pre school was a second home for both our children! As a parent when you leave your kids for the first time , you are emotional and worry ! When your child wants to go back and is exited every day for 2 years straight , you have your answer! It’s only through then, that we realised how much fun the preschool is . How nurturing and caring the key workers are ! Both our boy and girl thrived and were filled with confidence and love.
We are forever grateful.
Dean and Ingrid (2025)
“St. Laurence Pre-School was truly incredible in helping my son prepare for infant school. He had a speech delay and, as a result, was quite shy when he first started. However, with the dedicated support and care from all the teachers, he made tremendous progress. By the time he started school, he grew in confidence and had developed many new skills. I couldn’t be more grateful for their impact on his early learning journey, and I would not hesitate to recommend St. Laurence as a pre-school setting. “ Hayley (2025)
“I have sent both of my children to St Laurence Preschool and I have found them to be excellent. Both of my children really enjoyed their time there and still talk about it. All of the staff are easy to approach and are always willing to do everything they can for the children who attend. It is clear when you watch them interact with the children how much they care. The selection of activities for the children to do each week is amazing, and it's remarkable how much the children learn and develop during their time at the preschool. They offer a wide range of opportunities for parents to get involved and come and see their children and what they have learnt/ how they are progressing. Overall I would not hesitate for a second to recommend St Laurence Preschool to anyone who is looking!”
Hannah (2025)
“We are so impressed with this wonderful pre-school. It feels like the best kind of family feel environment for our daughter and she loves it (which wasn’t the case with nursery). The teachers really care and we can see she is learning lots in such a kind and supportive setting. Highly recommend!” Steph (2025)