The Village Nursery

A nine-place baby room and a separate preschool building give The Village Nursery in Bramcote a clear progression from early care to school preparation. The Bumble Bees has its own kitchen and changing facilities, while The Den (Pre-School) connects directly to garden and woodland play. Those are useful differences for parents choosing somewhere a child can attend through several stages of development.

At its 13 May 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good overall. The current age range is two months to five years. Room moves take account of children's development and abilities, rather than relying solely on birthdays.

Outdoor play, weekly preschool French and communication through Famly give the day substance beyond the room structure. Attendance can follow a regular pattern of morning, afternoon, short-day or full-day sessions.

Rooms and Ages

The youngest children have a defined space of their own. The Bumble Bees accommodates nine babies in a self-contained room with a kitchen, changing area and comfortable seating for feeds and cuddles. For families comparing baby provision, that room cap is more useful than the whole nursery's capacity: it describes the scale of the particular space their baby would use.

Older babies move into The Caterpillar Crew, where activities combine stories, singing, painting and craft with resources to support getting onto their feet. The Butterfly Bunch takes children starting at around 18 months to two years, emphasising exploration, language through songs and group activities, and support with toilet training.

The Squirrels Nest introduces counting, number recognition and early sounds alongside stories and creative play as children prepare for preschool. The Den (Pre-School) occupies a separate building, with a quieter space containing books, sensory lights and an IT area, plus direct access to the den garden and woodland play area, both with covered outdoor space.

These rooms give different stages a different emphasis. Babies have feeding and care facilities close by; older children have more scope for physical exploration, language and early literacy. The preschool's quieter space also offers an alternative to its active outdoor areas.

Learning and Activities

The nursery follows the Early Years Foundation Stage, which brings together children's learning, development and care through experiences such as play, stories, movement and conversation. Here, freely chosen activities sit alongside more structured learning, with routines becoming more organised as children grow older. The framework is the foundation, rather than a special programme exclusive to this nursery.

Practical learning includes handling objects to explore quantities, discussing stories and experimenting with art materials. Physical activities include bikes and tricycles, ball games and work with pencils and brushes. This gives children ways to develop both larger movements and the finer control needed for drawing and writing.

Weekly French sessions give preschool children an additional language experience with a French teacher. Older children also take part in Music Makers, music activities led by a music teacher. These additions have a clear place alongside everyday singing, speaking and listening, rather than replacing the nursery's main learning framework.

Outdoor and Community Life

Four outdoor play areas make outdoor activity a substantial part of the offer. Forest School sessions add an outdoor learning approach based on exploring nature. The Den's garden and woodland access are especially practical features: preschool children can move between their building and outdoor spaces, with covered areas supporting use across the seasons.

In May 2022, older children searched beneath logs for minibeasts using a magnifying glass, with adults encouraging careful handling of living creatures. They also watched tadpoles developing in a tank. These were concrete opportunities to explore change and the natural world, rather than simply hear about them.

Younger children in May 2022 practised pulling themselves upright on a small climbing frame and using its slide, with staff encouraging repeated attempts. That example gives the outdoor offer a useful physical dimension too: exploration included learning what their own bodies could do.

Each child has a Key carer who works with parents on development and progress, while every group has a Room Leader available for discussion. Families therefore have both an individual contact and someone responsible for the wider room team. Famly handles observations, instant messages and invoicing, bringing everyday communication and administration into the same app.

At the May 2022 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and identified appropriate referrals, extra staffing funded for individual needs and one-to-one support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. These are dated findings about how support worked at that visit, rather than a guarantee about any individual child's future arrangements.

Babies' routines received sensitive attention in May 2022, including gentle help as they settled to sleep. Staff used observations of children's interests and development to plan subsequent experiences. For parents of a baby, the combination of a small youngest room and attention to routines is a useful starting point for discussing how home habits will carry into nursery care.

Independence was the improvement priority in May 2022. Children were reminded to drink, but opportunities to pour drinks into cups were inconsistent; adults also sometimes served meals and cleared utensils rather than letting children attempt those tasks. This was a specific weakness in everyday practice, making mealtimes and self-help a worthwhile subject for a visit.

A cook prepares fresh meals on the premises each day, using a seasonal menu, and the nursery aims to accommodate allergies, vegetarian eating and religious dietary needs where possible. Formula feeds are provided, with families supplying an alternative product if their baby uses another formula.

Staff have paediatric first-aid training. An introductory session is free and lasts two hours, with parents able to stay or leave during it; an appointment is required. This provides a concrete way to experience an initial separation and discuss routines before a regular pattern begins.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is 26 Town Street, Bramcote, Nottingham, NG9 3HA. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. The nursery operates for 51 weeks, closing over Christmas and New Year and on bank holidays.

Bookings follow a regular weekly pattern, starting from two mornings and extending to a full week. Full Day runs from 7.30am to 6pm; Short Day finishes at 4pm after the same start. Morning Session is 7.30am to 1pm, and Afternoon Session is 1pm to 6pm. These are different attendance choices, with the shorter day and separate sessions offering alternatives to booking the complete opening window.

Enquiries can be made by telephone, email or the contact form. Nursery visits require an appointment arranged through the office. A deposit is payable when a place is accepted and is deducted from the first month's bill; fees are paid monthly in advance.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered on a stretched basis only, up to 22 hours each week over 51.5 weeks. Funded hours are free to parents, while additional paid hours are calculated against the nursery's fee structure and paid monthly. Families using funding therefore need to distinguish the funded portion from any extra hours in their regular booking.

Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation. The fees and funding page sets out the session choices and stretched delivery model. Its funding calendar includes bank holidays, while the opening arrangements give bank holidays as closures, a practical point to resolve before agreeing a pattern.

Parents supply nappies and summer sun cream, alongside spare clothing and suitable outdoor clothing. Those items belong on the family's preparation list when planning a baby or toddler's regular attendance.

• Everyday independence. The May 2022 improvement priority concerned pouring drinks, serving food and clearing up. During a visit, ask how children now practise these tasks in their own room.
• The funded calendar. Opening arrangements cover 51 weeks and exclude bank holidays, while stretched funding uses 51.5 weeks including bank holidays. Ask how the funded calendar translates into actual attendance and billing for your chosen sessions.
• The complete quotation. Additional hours are paid separately from funding, and parents supply nappies and sun cream. Ask whether meals and nursery-provided formula carry separate charges under your proposed booking, including its funded hours.
• Baby settling and dietary needs. The two-hour introductory session can include a parent, and dietary accommodation is qualified by what is possible. Use that appointment to discuss feeding and sleep routines; families managing allergies should confirm current practice for their child's needs.

The Village Nursery suits families wanting a progression from baby care to a separate preschool setting, with morning and afternoon sessions as well as short and full days. The nine-place youngest room, garden and woodland access, weekly preschool French and app communication are concrete reasons to consider it.

The Good judgement belongs to May 2022, and everyday independence was the improvement priority then. The decision now turns on how well the chosen room, settling arrangements and stretched funding calendar match the family's needs. A written quotation should make the paid hours and any food charges clear before a booking is agreed.