Raphael Nursery Plans to Move into Former Grenadian Consulate
West Kensington building would be used for French bilingual provision
The former Grenadian Consulate on Archel Road. Picture: Google Streetview
October 7, 2025
A London nursery group set up in memory of the founders’ late son is looking to take on a vacant former chapel on Archel Road which until recently served as the Grenadian Consulate.
Raphael Nursery, which was founded in 2017, has submitted an application to transform the building in West Kensington to provide a nursery for babies and young children.
If approved by Hammersmith and Fulham Council it would become their third nursery, with one site already operating in the borough and another in Clapham.
Raphael Nursery was approached though declined to comment at this stage. Family-run, Raphael Nursery was established by Caroline-Laure and Guilhem in memory of their late son Raphaël.
All of the nurseries are French bilingual, offering a programme which, according to the planning application, “immerses children in an environment that mirrors a bilingual family with both languages spoken throughout the day”.
Documents filed as part of the submission detail how both the Clapham and Hammersmith nurseries already have waiting lists, the former for all ages and the latter for specific groups.
The application adds that demand has only increased since the Government began funding additional hours of childcare per week in September.
The proposal for the former chapel building involves the creation of a nursery space for 80 babies and young children between three months and five years old, requiring 30-35 staff.
It would run from 8am until 6pm Monday to Friday, with drop-offs and pick-ups staggered across the mornings and evenings.
Summarising the submission, the application states, “Raphael Nursery recognises the pressing need for childcare, particularly given the recent increase in demand due to new government funding for working parents for 30 hours of childcare per week.
“This has significantly increased the demand for under 2 places, as the funded hours have increased from 15 to 30 hours per week since 2024.
“Moreover, the application site is located within North End ward, where there is currently insufficient provision to support the number of children likely to require places. It is also close to West Brompton within Kensington and Chelsea, which is identified as an area deficient in childcare places.”
The nursery’s submission comes amid a wider reduction in school-aged children across London with a number of provisions having to close or merge.
Just last month, in neighbouring Kensington and Chelsea, the council agreed to shut St Cuthbert with St Matthias Church of England Primary School in Earl’s Court.
Ben Lynch - Local Democracy Reporter
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