Clapton nursery ordered out of church hall as new site awaits Ofsted sign-off

Parents face being left without childcare provision from Monday after St Michael’s Nurseries in Lower Clapton, was ordered to vacate its premises following a property dispute dating back to 2015.

The nursery, which occupies the basement and outside space of the Church of St Jude in Blurton Road, has been served notice by its landlord, the parish of St Jude, Clapton Park, part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Westminster, after a court order in June 2026.

St Michael’s plans to continue operating, and has identified two potential locations for the nursery to move to.

Hackney Council said it learned of the situation only last week, when the nursery approached it for help, and that it has asked Ofsted to expedite registration of a new site.

‘Reached out to us to ask for help’

Cllr Soraya Adejare, cabinet member for children, young people and early intervention, said: “The council first learned about this situation last week, when the nursery reached out to us to ask for help.”

She said the nursery had secured a new site that needed to be registered with Ofsted, that the council was supporting it to do so, and that it had asked the regulator to expedite the process. The nursery’s own statement refers to two locations still being progressed.

Cllr Adejare added: “We appreciate parents’ concerns, and our Family Information Service is on hand to provide support to them, including with a list of vacancies in other nurseries should Ofsted not register the new site in time.”

The council said it had no duty to secure alternative premises for a private nursery, but had done what it could in the time it had known about the situation. It said the 60-place setting was not full, that take-up of the funded early years entitlement was good, and that the funding is portable and can move with a child to another setting.

Extension refused

While the parish of St Jude said in a statement that “sufficient time for appropriate arrangements” had been given, the nursery had sought a lease extension which was later refused.

One parent told the Citizen: “Whatever the rights and wrongs of the property dispute, our position is that the Diocese should not be evicting the nursery until they have had sufficient time to relocate and avoid the disruption to children and families. An extension was requested and denied this week.”

A lease extension “would give the nursery breathing space to secure new premises, allow the children to stay together as a cohort, and give families time to explore contingency plans,” according to an email from parents to the church, sent at 10.14am on 10 September.

Parents told the Citizen that they disagree that the church provided enough time to relocate because “Ofsted registration takes 12 weeks, and that’s once you’ve found a premises.” Ofsted’s published guidance says it aims to register a new nursery within 25 weeks of receiving an application, although approval of additional premises for a provider that is already registered is expected to take less time. The regulator has been asked when it received an application from St Michael’s and how quickly it can be determined.

Parents added that the church could have chosen not to enforce a June court ruling that ordered the nursery to give possession of the premises on 11 September.

According to the email from the parents to the church, the nursery “submitted a formal request to remain in the building until 30 November while a new location is secured and prepared. We understand that this request has been declined by the church.”

A decade of dispute

A spokesperson for the Diocese of Westminster told the Citizen: “In deciding not to enter into a new tenancy or agree a further extension, the parish has had to take into account the prolonged history of this matter, including its efforts to regularise the nursery’s occupation, the significant costs it has incurred and the failure to resolve the matter through previous attempts at negotiation.”

“Once the premises have been returned to the parish and restored, the parish intends to identify another nursery to occupy the space, reflecting its continuing commitment to serving the local community,” the spokesperson continued.

The nursery was granted its original lease in 2010. This lease expired at the end of 2015, and since then the nursery has occupied the space as a tenant and paid rent while a replacement lease was discussed. The diocese said the nursery occupied as a tenant at will, paid a below-market rent and made no contribution towards the cost of heat or power despite a contractual obligation to do so, and that the parish has incurred more than £100,000 in costs.

The parish served notice to the nursery to vacate the premises by 2 June 2025. When the nursery did not vacate, the diocese began court proceedings.

A hearing at Clerkenwell and Shoreditch County Court on 9 June 2026, at which both parties were represented, ordered the nursery to give possession of the premises by 11 September 2026, under claim number N01EC886. The court also ordered the nursery to pay legal costs and mesne profits — a payment for continued occupation after a tenancy has ended — to the parish. The diocese said the parish would apply for a warrant of possession if the premises were not vacated.

What parents were told

Parents were made aware of the situation in a message from the nursery on 7 August 2026. It explained to parents that the parish would not be renewing their tenancy, but that the nursery was “progressing plans to relocate to an excellent nearby council, purpose built setting, just a five minute walk from our current location in September.

“[…] The church has given us till mid-September but we will need a minimum of two weeks to pack up. We are seeking extended notice from the church to ensure streamlined transition,” the message from St Michael’s continued.

The message did not tell parents that the mid-September date had been set by a county court order, made in proceedings the nursery had defended two months earlier. It also assured families that “St Michael’s Nurseries is not closing” and that every child then attending would continue at the new premises, and asked that questions be submitted through an online form rather than to staff.

‘Short-term future’

In a statement, St Michael’s Nurseries said: “Whilst the Parish has declined our request for a short extension at St Jude’s, the nursery will continue to operate from its existing premises for the short-term future. We are currently progressing two potential locations as a matter of urgency, although the exact timetable will depend upon what premises becomes available first and the necessary Ofsted and regulatory requirements.

“We sought a short extension at St Jude’s to bridge the gap and avoid an abrupt interruption to childcare. Our priority from the outset has been continuity for the children, their families and our staff, and we had hoped the Church would understand and share those concerns. Nevertheless, we intend to move the nursery to suitable premises as quickly and safely as circumstances allow.”

The nursery has been asked to confirm whether that means it will be open to children on Monday, and whether it intends to remain at Blurton Road beyond the date set by the court.

In a statement, St Jude’s said: “While we regret the uncertainty this may create for families, children and staff, the parish has a responsibility to protect its charitable resources and manage them in a way that supports its mission and serves the wider community.

“As legal proceedings concluded in early June, we believe there has been sufficient time for appropriate arrangements to be made to support affected families and staff ahead of the new academic year.”

Second closure this year

St Michael’s Nurseries was incorporated in October 2001, according to Companies House. It was licensed by Ofsted in 2003 to provide for 60 children, aged six months to four years.

It is the second time this year that families in Hackney have been left with weeks or less to find alternative childcare. In March, parents at Hackney Day Nursery & Preschool in London Fields were given 29 days’ notice when its owner, the Family First Group, said the setting was no longer viable.

Hackney Council has a duty under the Childcare Act 2006 to secure sufficient childcare for parents who are working or training, although it is not required to provide childcare itself.

Parents looking for places can contact Hackney’s Family Information Service on 020 8820 7590 or at fis@hackney.gov.uk, Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm. The service also holds a directory of nurseries, playgroups and childminders online, and runs a drop-in at Hackney Service Centre, 1 Hillman Street, on Wednesdays between 11am and 1pm.

The service is not open at weekends, so families unable to reach it before 5pm today will not be able to speak to anyone until Monday morning.