Lesley's Private Day Nursery

Daily outdoor play in the grounds of Mortec Park gives Lesley's Private Day Nursery a clear character: space to explore, trees to investigate and fresh air in every season. This profile covers Unit 3, the younger-child setting, rather than the separate Unit 7 provision. Unit 3 cares for babies and children up to two and a half years old and has capacity for 48 children.

At its October 2023 inspection, Ofsted graded the nursery Good and found safeguarding effective. Food cooked on site and daily parent updates are practical strengths. In October 2023, a familiar practitioner also covered each child's key-person absences. In October 2023, staff coordination of learning activities also needed attention.

Families can choose between a standard full day and a funded-only core day, subject to the conditions of the funding model. That choice deserves close attention before booking.

Rooms and Ages

Unit 3 has four playrooms, described as light and spacious, for its babies and younger children. The separate Unit 7 setting serves older children, so its age bands should not be read as the offer covered by this profile. For a family choosing care for a baby, the younger-child setting is the relevant starting point.

In October 2023, babies practised getting upright through simple play activities, while toddlers experimented with differently sized openings in a box and the balls they could put through them. These were concrete, age-appropriate experiences: movement for the youngest children and hands-on exploration of shape and size for toddlers.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for learning, development and care, bringing together play, communication, physical development and growing independence. Here, the October 2023 examples included expressive reading, songs and dancing alongside practical exploration. Learning was woven into ordinary interactions rather than confined to an adult-led activity.

During that month, staff echoed babies' sounds and paused to invite a response. Toddlers encountered new vocabulary through purposeful play, while shared activities gave children practice in waiting and taking turns. For parents, those details make the educational offer easier to understand: conversation begins before speech, and social learning starts with small exchanges.

Organisation was less consistent. In October 2023, nappy changes sometimes interrupted stories, and staff did not always coordinate activities effectively. Some children consequently missed parts of the learning on offer. The improvement priority was better planning and communication around these activities, a useful point to explore alongside the appealing play spaces.

Outdoor and Community Life

Mortec Park supplies more than a backdrop. Children spend time outside each day in all weather, with a dedicated garden and woodland area providing space for movement and exploration. Stories beneath trees, leaf play and balancing on stumps bring different textures and physical challenges into the day.

An adventure play garden and vegetable patch add further outdoor resources. For families who value regular fresh air, the important feature is the daily outdoor routine, rather than an occasional outing. The grounds support quieter exploration as well as running and active play.

Relationships and Communication

In October 2023, children had a key person who knew them well, and parents began building that relationship early. When that practitioner was away, another familiar adult provided support. This arrangement helped maintain continuity both when children started nursery and when they changed rooms.

Current communication centres on a parent app. Families receive updates about sleep, food, nappy changes and activities, together with photographs and messaging. That gives parents practical information about the day and material for conversations at home, rather than relying solely on a brief handover.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the October 2023 inspection, Ofsted found that staff recognised when children needed additional help and used strategies to support their learning. The observation supports an account of responsive practice at that date; it is not a promise about any individual child's support needs.

In October 2023, staff used reassurance and cuddles when children struggled with emotions, and introduced signs for polite exchanges. Everyday independence also received attention: children practised using cutlery, managing footwear and washing their hands. These small tasks connect care with learning and give young children opportunities to do more for themselves.

A chef and catering team prepare food from scratch on site, with seasonal menus spanning breakfast, lunch, snacks and tea. Meals and snacks are included, as are nappies, wipes, nappy cream and sun cream; funded-only care also carries no separate meal or consumables charge.

Collection uses a password arrangement when somebody different collects a child. If a child becomes unwell, parents may be contacted to collect them, and medication requires consent under the nursery's terms. These are practical arrangements for families to build into their working day.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Unit 3, Mortec Park, York Road, Leeds, LS15 4TA. Opening hours are Monday to Friday, 7.30am to 6pm, with closures on Bank Holidays and the working days between Christmas and New Year.

The Standard Full Day runs from 7.30am to 6pm. The Core Funded Day runs from 7.30am to 5.30pm and is restricted to families using funded hours exclusively, on days with sufficient funding for that pattern. It cannot be combined with standard full-day bookings in the same week. The half-hour after 5.30pm falls outside funded entitlement.

Enquiries can be made through the contact form or by telephone. Registration is followed by booking confirmation, with the contract taking effect after the completed form and booking payment have been received.

Funding and Paid Extras

The nursery participates in the government's 15 and 30-hour schemes, stretching funding over 51 weeks. Funded children have no minimum-day requirement, and hours can be allocated across one, two or three days, subject to the daily funding limit. Unused hours lapse rather than accumulating for later use.

Private hours are also offered, and Tax-Free Childcare and childcare vouchers are accepted. Activities carry no separate charge. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation; the useful comparison is the whole booking, including its funded allocation and any private time.

A booking charge applies to new families. It is refundable for funded-only families once the child starts, but is non-refundable where private hours are used or the place is not taken up. Ending the contract requires four full weeks' written notice, while reductions in booked care and changes to funding arrangements require four weeks' written notice. Booked fees remain payable during illness and holidays.

• The younger-child setting. Unit 3 serves babies through to two and a half years, with four playrooms. During a visit, ask how children are grouped and how room moves are planned for your child's stage.
• Two separate booking models. The funded-only core day finishes at 5.30pm and cannot be mixed with standard full days in the same week. Match the whole weekly pattern to your collection needs before committing.
• Continuity of learning. In October 2023, care routines sometimes interrupted stories and staff coordination needed attention. Ask how the team now protects children's participation in planned activities.
• Visit timing. Visits take place on Wednesdays at 6pm, as the nursery closes. Use that appointment to discuss the daily outdoor routine and how the key-person arrangement would work for your child.

Lesley's suits families seeking care for babies and younger toddlers, with daily outdoor exploration, on-site cooking and detailed parent updates. It serves both standard full-day bookings and funded-only core-day attendance, provided the latter fits the weekly funding conditions.

The October 2023 Good judgement gives a useful dated benchmark. The strongest decision points are the younger-child setting, the grounds and the inclusive charge structure, balanced against the need to understand how activity coordination now works and which booking model fits family life.