Little Nick Nursery and Pre-School

An acre of outdoor space, a small allotment and direct access from the indoor learning space give Little Nick Nursery and Pre-School a clear outdoor character. Children can move between indoor activity and the garden, with outdoor play continuing in different weather. That is a substantial part of the experience for a setting with 24 places in total.

Based at the Scout Association on West Street in Ewell, the nursery welcomes children aged one to four. At its July 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated it Good overall, with communication skills and information-sharing between childcare settings identified as priorities for improvement. Those are useful questions alongside the garden's appeal.

Attendance is term-time, with full-day and half-day patterns. The practical distinction matters: families can choose a shorter nursery day, but need an arrangement that fits school-term opening.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the framework for children's learning and development: play, conversation and everyday activities help children build skills. Little Nick also draws on some Reggio-Emilia and Forest school principles, alongside an emphasis on children learning at their own pace and receiving support suited to their needs. These principles complement the EYFS.

In July 2024, children influenced what happened next in their play. A request to paint became an activity they helped prepare, including selecting colours; some added their names to their pictures. The example gives a concrete picture of how children's interests could shape an activity, rather than leaving choice as an abstract promise.

Books and number play also featured in July 2024. Children read with staff inside and outside, took books home and discussed stories. Dominoes provided opportunities to recognise small quantities and count larger ones, while comparisons during play introduced language about size. These were everyday routes into literacy and mathematics.

Outdoor and Community Life

The indoor learning space opens directly onto the garden, and the nursery has exclusive use of an acre outside. A small allotment adds another element to that space, while a Forest School area supports its emphasis on outdoor learning. Here, the practical appeal is access: outdoor activity can sit alongside indoor play throughout the nursery day.

In July 2024, children balanced on logs, handled natural materials in the mud kitchen and played ball games with staff. The youngest children also had a designated play space with room to practise walking. These observations show different ways the physical environment accommodated children at different stages, rather than treating the garden as one undifferentiated activity area.

Relationships and Communication

A key person provides feedback each time a child attends, and parents can discuss concerns with the key person, manager or SENCO. The nursery operates an open-door approach and involves parents in planning support. This gives families a regular point of contact for both everyday updates and more detailed conversations about development.

In July 2024, staff exchanged information with parents at both ends of the day. They also used sand timers and countdowns to help children manage turns. These are tangible examples of communication and behaviour routines, although the same visit highlighted that some adults needed to give children more time to respond during conversations.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the July 2024 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and SEND support good, including targeted help, additional staffing funded for individual needs and collaboration with visiting professionals. The current support arrangements include a SENCO role and the Graduated Response approach: needs are assessed, support is planned and delivered, and progress is reviewed.

Individual Education Plans set out a child's support, with parents able to contribute targets and access the plan. Visual timetables, signs and symbols provide additional ways for children to communicate. The nursery works with the Speech and Language Therapy team, Family Support Service and Physiotherapists, linking support within the setting to specialist advice.

A catering manager role sits within the team. Food is home-cooked, with a proposed four-week sample menu and provision for special dietary requirements. In July 2024, children practised toothbrushing on toys and younger children were encouraged to feed themselves under supervision, connecting care routines with growing independence.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Scout Association, 106a West Street, Ewell, Epsom, KT17 1XR. Core opening is Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm, during Surrey County Council school terms; bank holidays are closures.

A full day runs from 8am to 5pm. Half days run from 8am to noon or from 1pm to 5pm, and a noon-to-1pm lunch session can extend the shorter pattern. An early-start addition runs from 7.30am to 8am; late finishes run from 5pm to 6pm on Tuesday to Friday only.

Extra sessions can be booked permanently or on a pay-as-you-go basis, with at least 48 hours' notice for the latter. A waiting-list application is free. Joining uses a registration form, which can be completed electronically or obtained during a nursery tour.

West Ewell station is within walking distance, and Gibraltar Road recreation centre is nearby. In July 2024, staff shared information with schools to support children's move into school; that transition work is separate from the improvement needed in communication with other childcare settings.

Funding and Paid Extras

Little Nick accepts Universal, Extended and two-year-old Local Authority funding, subject to the relevant eligibility conditions. Funding is calculated across a 38-week term-time year. The entitlement descriptions include up to 15 hours for Universal and eligible two-year-old funding, and up to 30 hours under Extended Funding.

Private sessions and additional hours are also offered. Breakfast and a snack are included in the morning half-day fee, while tea is included in the afternoon half-day fee; funded families can opt into or out of a separately charged hot lunch. Food is included in the additional lunch session, whose charge applies when an extended half day is booked.

A deposit is payable at registration and credited against the first month. Monthly invoices vary with attendance days and the calendar, and payment is due before the first of the month. Families receive current prices in the nursery's written quotation. The blue polo shirt and royal blue sweatshirt uniform is optional.

• Term-time fit. Core attendance follows school terms, and late finishes are restricted to Tuesday to Friday. Compare the morning, afternoon and full-day patterns with your working week before choosing a booking.
• Conversation during play. In July 2024, some staff needed to allow children longer to answer questions. During a tour, ask how staff now develop children's language and thinking through everyday interactions.
• Shared care. July 2024 brought an improvement priority around exchanging information with other childcare providers. Families using more than one setting should discuss how learning and care information will move between them.
• The full care quotation. Morning breakfast and snacks, afternoon tea and the funded hot-lunch option have different charging arrangements. Ask for a written quotation covering your attendance pattern and discuss any dietary requirements before joining.

Little Nick suits families seeking term-time care with either full days or morning and afternoon half days, especially those who value substantial outdoor space. Direct garden access, the allotment and practical SEND arrangements give the choice substance. The July 2024 communication priorities deserve attention alongside those strengths: adult conversation and coordination between settings matter just as much as the space children have to play.