St George, a proud member of the Berkeley Group, has confirmed that Peapods Early Learning Centre, an Ofsted rated ‘Outstanding’ chain of private day nurseries located across London, will be opening its 6th nursery at Grand Union in Wembley this September.
Peapods has established nurseries in areas including Greenford Hall, Hanwell, Hayes, and Norwood Green, which welcome on average 50 to 60 children through their doors every day.
Its Grand Union nursery will be open at the end of September 2024. Parents interested in enrolling their child can get in touch now on 0203 774 1958 with any questions.
A secure and flexible environment embracing the rise of AI
Peapods was founded in 2013 by Aash and Pouja Magdani to provide a secure and flexible environment where children can develop at their own pace.
What sets Peapods apart from many other early learning centres is its understanding of the impact of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics on future job opportunities and how they weave this into their curriculum.
Aash Magdani, Founder and Group Managing Director, explains: “I read a report in 2017 by Harvey Lewis, a consultant for EY, called Rethinking Education, which suggested that 35% of UK jobs are at high risk of automation within the next 10-20 years. This equates to more than 11 million jobs. It also claimed that nearly half of all tasks undertaken in standard occupations could be automated today.
“With most curriculums focused on knowledge, and developments in AI enabling children to ask Alexa, Siri or ChatGPT anything they want to know at the click of a finger, we felt it was important to establish a centre that focused instead on the development of skills, values and dispositions that are transferrable as they grow up.
“Our qualified teachers share these through our much-loved characters such as ‘Perseverance through Terry the triceratops’, ‘Empathy through Daisy the Dog’, ‘Imagination through Dave the Dragon’, and ‘Independence through Kitty the Cat’.”
Each of these dispositions are linked to the characteristics of effective learning which include playing and exploring, active learning, and critical thinking.
“We know that children learn by watching characters on the screen so we thought – why don’t we create our own? We have had some fantastic success stories from teaching in this way. You can see a real eagerness to learn and friendly dispositions coming out at home as well as at nursery”, says Aash.
Peapods at Grand Union
The new nursery will be located at Grand Union on Beresford Avenue in Wembley. It is accessible by public transport via Stonebridge Park and Alperton stations, which offer direct links from central London via the overground & Bakerloo line, and Piccadilly line, respectively.
“We live around a 20-minute drive from Grand Union and first came across the development when passing by. Location is key for us but the fact that the space at Grand Union is a new build means we can put our own stamp on this nursery, which really excites us,” explains Aash.
Once complete, the Grand Union Peapods nursery will have an open, light and airy feel, comprising three rooms. This includes the Baby Room, which will accommodate between 9 and 12 babies, a Toddler Room with capacity for up to 20 toddlers, and a Preschool Room for 24 to 28 children.
Marcus Blake, Regional Managing Director at St George, comments: “Spread across 22 acres, Grand Union is already home to an abundance of amenities for residents to enjoy, including a two-lane bowling alley, entertainment room, residents’ lounge, Anytime Fitness gym, Co-op store, and Community Hub, and we look forward to Peapods becoming part of this growing community.
“Once complete, Grand Union will also have 11 acres of open space playing host to a canalside piazza with cafés and restaurants, health centre, an amphitheatre, landscaped gardens, wildlife meadows, and pathways, creating a unique waterside destination. With sustainability a core focus for us at Grand Union, we’re excited to see how the nursery reflects this, with the curriculum set to include elements that will help children understand the importance of being eco-friendly and how we keep our waterways clean and less polluted.”
Be in the know
Peapods at Grand Union will be open Mondays to Fridays, 8am until 6pm, excluding Bank Holidays.
Childcare vouchers and tax credit advice for working parents are available.
