Little Sparrows, Thriving Life

Outdoor independence gives Little Sparrows, Thriving Life its character: children choose resources from garden cupboards, move between indoor and outdoor play, and take part in Forest School as they approach school age. The setting occupies the grounds of Esher Cricket Club and has 38 places in total. Its current offer is for children aged two to five, rather than babies.

At its June 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Outstanding and found that its emphasis on solving problems prepared children exceptionally well for later learning. That judgement belongs to a dated visit. The current curriculum retains a clear emphasis on children making choices, using resources independently and developing skills through play.

Attendance includes morning, afternoon and flexible arrangements, alongside a full-day option. This gives families several ways to use the setting, while Friday has a shorter opening window than the other weekdays.

Learning and Activities

The EYFS provides the framework for learning and care through play, conversation and physical activity. Children choose resources independently; a key person observes their interests and development to plan what comes next.

School preparation builds communication and early mathematical understanding alongside the beginnings of reading and writing. The pre-school programme includes weekly Forest School, where children practise working together, making decisions and taking manageable risks outdoors. Parent helpers can join Forest School sessions, giving families a direct role in this part of nursery life.

Two separately charged additions use small learning groups. The Executive Learning Programme begins in September before the child's Reception year and runs over three sessions each week, including Forest School, in groups of three to four children. Its emphasis combines early literacy and numeracy with leadership, reasoning and preparation for school; families receive FAMLY app updates and a support pack containing a bear, and the programme includes local trips.

The Enhanced Learning Programme is for children aged three and over, beginning from January or in the term after their third birthday. Two weekly sessions, with a maximum of four children in the group, bring together storytelling, imaginative activity, physical challenges and learning to regulate feelings and behaviour. These are programme group sizes, rather than limits on the nursery's wider groups. Families can request that their child does not take part.

Outdoor and Community Life

Garden cupboards let children select drawing, construction and role-play resources outdoors. Bikes, scooters, climbing frames, sand and water extend their choices, so daily outdoor access supports both imaginative and physical play.

In June 2023, children tested how different materials affected their constructions, comparing paper straws with wooden sticks as they built. Outdoor play included judging a jump from a slide onto a mat. These examples put the nursery's emphasis on independence into practical terms: children tried things, assessed what worked and adjusted their approach.

During nursery hours, Fairy Footsteps teaches dance through imaginative themes and footie tots develops ball skills, coordination, following instructions and teamwork. Make & Bake is a separately charged Tuesday morning club. Outside providers run the clubs, booked by term, giving families additional choices.

Relationships and Communication

Key-person observations guide each child's activities and next steps. Individual settling arrangements accommodate children who need more time to become comfortable away from home.

In June 2023, key-person discussions and online observations, staff notes and home-learning ideas connected parents with nursery life. The Executive Learning Programme now provides FAMLY progress updates.

The staff structure includes a designated safeguarding lead and a SENCO. Staff development also includes support from an early-years teacher and trainer, who provides training for practitioners and runs parent talks and workshops. A Forest School leader is part of the team, supporting the setting's outdoor programme.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the June 2023 inspection, Ofsted found effective safeguarding and responsive SEND support, including signs and visual cues, while recording barriers to children receiving their full entitlement and work to address them. In that period, the SEND coordinator worked with families and professionals on specialist support applications, and staff used activities drawn from training while applications progressed.

Current inclusion arrangements include individual observation, discussions with parents, liaison with professional agencies and sharing educational plans. If a child needs a one-to-one worker, the nursery seeks funding; its policy warns that a place may not be sustainable if funding or recruitment fails and the necessary support cannot be provided. Families with substantial support needs should weigh that condition alongside the planning mechanisms.

Toilet-training guidance emphasises readiness and spare clothes. A practitioner is allocated daily to support personal hygiene and bathroom reminders, providing practical help during this transition.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Esher Cricket Club, 47 New Road, Esher, Surrey KT10 9NU. Opening hours are now 8am to 5pm from Monday to Thursday and 8am to 1pm on Friday, with flexible session times. The nursery timetable follows terms, with separate holiday camp arrangements.

Morning sessions run from 9.15am to noon, Monday to Friday; the morning-with-lunch option runs from 9am to 1pm on those days. Afternoon sessions run from noon to 2.45pm, Monday to Thursday. The charging structure also provides for an 8am to 5pm full day and an afternoon extension ending at 5pm with noon or 1pm starts.

Early Morning Club can be used on an ad-hoc basis from 8.30am or 8.45am, with payment by card on the day. Holiday childcare is bookable in advance on an ad-hoc basis, with Monday-to-Friday sessions from 8am to noon or 5pm. Some holiday camps take place at Esher High School, so a camp booking needs to match the intended venue as well as the dates.

Funding and Paid Extras

Term-time places can use 15 or 30 hours of government funding, subject to eligibility, and additional private hours are charged separately. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation; the fee structure sets out the attendance and charging arrangements. A non-refundable registration charge applies when an application requires a non-funded place.

Parents provide packed lunches; snacks fall within the optional daily charge, with an opt-out requiring a daily snack from home identical to the nursery's offering, while breakfast is free for an 8am to 5pm full day and separately charged otherwise. Early Morning Club does not provide breakfast.

The optional daily charge also covers non-food items such as wipes, hygiene sacks and materials for activities, and is based on the sessions attended. Families who opt out supply relevant consumables or materials when requested. These arrangements sit alongside funded hours as well as paid attendance, so funding and the additional charge should be considered separately. The two learning programmes and outside-provider clubs carry their own charges.

Moving on to School

Reception teachers are invited annually to meet children moving on. These transition visits do not guarantee admission: families apply through the local authority for state schools or the school's own process for independent schools.

• Match the booking to the weekday. Monday-to-Thursday opening extends to 5pm, while Friday closes at 1pm; a separately charged Friday Forest School club runs from 1pm to 3pm for children aged three and over. At a viewing, discuss how your preferred sessions and any club booking fit together.
• Choose the additions deliberately. The Executive Learning Programme, Enhanced Learning Programme and outside-provider clubs carry separate charges, and the daily snack-and-materials charge has an opt-out. Request a written quotation for your intended pattern, including your choices about these additions.
• Plan substantial support early. The inclusion policy makes continued attendance conditional on securing sufficient support where a one-to-one worker is necessary. Discuss the funding application, recruitment and interim arrangements with the SENCO before agreeing a place.
• Align holiday care with the venue. Holiday childcare is booked separately, and some camps use Esher High School. Check the venue attached to the dates you need rather than assuming holiday care takes place at the nursery.

Little Sparrows suits families seeking morning or afternoon nursery sessions as well as those combining flexible attendance with an extended weekday. Its appeal lies in concrete choices: daily outdoor access, weekly Forest School in the pre-school programme, and separately charged learning groups with stated sizes and purposes.

The June 2023 Outstanding judgement endorses that period's provision. Weigh Friday's shorter opening, additional programme and club charges, and conditions for one-to-one support against a curriculum that makes independence tangible indoors and outside.