Prince George ready to join nursery from the New Year

Prince George is to start nursery school near his family home in the east of England from the New Year, his parents the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have said.

The two-year-old George, third-in-line to the British throne, will go to the Westacre Montessori School Nursery in Norfolk, close to Prince William and Kate’s home Anmer Hall, from January.

A nursery spokesperson said “We are looking forward to welcoming George to our nursery where he will get the same special experience as all of our children”.

The nursery costs a modest £5.50 per hour, or £33 per day, and it also has some children with special needs, reflecting the royal couple’s endeavour to give George as normal an upbringing as possible.

The Montessori method of nursery education, invented by the Italian Maria Montessori, places an emphasis on independence, freedom and social development.

Children are taught in mixed age groups, given choices of activities, and freedom of movement within the classroom.

Westacre, which is housed in a converted chapel, teaches children aged two to five and was rated “good” in its latest report by the UK schools inspectorate Ofsted.