Little Companions Nursery

Independence gives Little Companions Nursery its clearest character: children are encouraged to initiate learning, with a Montessori-inspired approach that emphasises doing things for themselves. Its Victorian building on Saxby Street places that approach in South Highfields, Leicester. The practical emphasis is on growing confidence through ordinary nursery experiences.

At its February 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and found safeguarding effective, while identifying adult-led activities and children's creative freedom as areas needing improvement. Those qualifications matter alongside the positive judgement: how staff guide an activity is as important as what children make.

There are 96 places in total, and the current offer caters for children aged two, three and four. Attendance is term-time, with morning, afternoon, all-day and flexible options.

Learning and Activities

The EYFS provides the framework for learning, development and care, with play helping children practise skills and explore ideas. Alongside it, the Montessori-inspired curriculum encourages independence and children taking the initiative in their learning. That gives parents a useful way to assess the approach: look at what children can choose and attempt for themselves.

In February 2024, practical self-care featured throughout the day. Toddlers were encouraged to deal with tissues and wash their hands, while older children poured drinks and managed their coats. Staff helped younger children begin fastening a zip, then let them complete it. These are small tasks with a clear purpose: children get opportunities to take responsibility for everyday needs.

Fine movement received attention too. In February 2024, preschool children picked up spaghetti using tweezers, and toddlers experimented with drawing and sticking materials. Scissor work provided another opportunity to practise coordination, although adult direction sometimes took precedence over children's own ideas. The distinction matters: producing a finished object and exploring how a tool works are different learning experiences.

Story sessions and independent play both formed part of the February 2024 nursery day. Some guided activities lasted beyond children's concentration, leaving them distracted. The improvement priorities were therefore specific: adapt adult-led experiences to sustain attention and give children more room to develop their own creative ideas.

Outdoor and Community Life

In February 2024, children shared outdoor play, using a slide, climbing and practising ball throwing. Staff explained safety expectations during play, including how to use the slide. Indoors, music accompanied movement activities, giving children another way to practise coordination and body control.

The building itself is Victorian, with much of its earlier structure retained. That is a recognisable part of this nursery's setting, rather than a claim about the quality of its facilities.

Personal knowledge shaped settling in during February 2024. Staff learned about children's interests before they started, including toddlers' enjoyment of dolls, and used that information to prepare for them. They also knew what comforted individual children when they became upset. For families, this makes the settling process about a child's familiar interests as well as separation from parents.

Language support was practical in February 2024. With many children speaking English as an additional language, staff used children's home languages to explain words and instructions, then reinforced them in English. They also talked through children's play. This gave children help understanding what was happening while hearing language connected to their own activities.

Relationships between children received attention too. In February 2024, staff responded sensitively to occasional unkind behaviour, discussing how actions affected others. Rather than simply stopping an incident, the conversation gave children a way to think about their friends' feelings.

During February 2024, families supplied lunch boxes, with staff encouraging healthy choices; snack-time conversations covered tooth brushing and food. For current snacks and dishes, the nursery's allergen information is available from staff.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is 28 Saxby Street, Leicester, LE2 0NE. Opening hours are 8.30am to 3pm, Monday to Friday, during term time, so families need a separate plan for school holidays.

Morning sessions run from 8.30am to 11.30am; afternoons run from 12pm to 3pm. All-day and flexible bookings are also offered. The online application form allows parents to select their preferred pattern and indicate whether they want funded childcare or intend to pay privately.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded and privately paid places are offered. The funding options include 15 hours for eligible two-year-olds, 15 hours for three- and four-year-olds, and 30 hours for eligible three- and four-year-olds; attendance follows the nursery's term-time operation. Selecting a funding option on the application does not establish eligibility.

Snacks carry a separate charge, and additional private hours can be purchased. Families should obtain current prices in the nursery's written quotation so they can consider their chosen attendance pattern and paid extras together.

• Adult guidance and creative choice. In February 2024, some activities continued too long and staff sometimes steered children towards a predetermined result. On a visit, ask how activities now accommodate shorter attention spans and children's own ideas.
• Term-time cover. Opening ends at 3pm and follows term time. This suits a school-day timetable, but families needing holiday care or later afternoons will need another arrangement.
• Age offer. The nursery currently caters for two-, three- and four-year-olds, and its baby room is closed until further notice. Families seeking care for a younger sibling should plan around that restriction.
• Food allergies. Staff provide allergen information for snacks and dishes. Allergy-affected families should confirm current food-handling practice before joining.

Little Companions suits families seeking morning or afternoon sessions, as well as those choosing all-day or flexible attendance within a term-time timetable. Its Montessori-inspired emphasis on independence has a concrete counterpart in the February 2024 examples of dressing, pouring and personal care. The key consideration is how well adult-led activities now balance guidance with children's concentration and creative choice.