Little Explorers Day Nursery

A growing garden, a cosy library and outings to the nearby fruit and veg shop give Little Explorers Day Nursery in Knighton a recognisable character. Children have opportunities to handle plants, explore books and connect healthy eating with their local surroundings. These are concrete ways for families to picture the nursery day.

At its July 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good overall and found safeguarding effective. The current setting has capacity for 29 children aged 2 to 60 months. That is a whole-nursery figure, rather than the size of any room or group.

Two playrooms organise care around developmental stages, with moves between them based on children's readiness. A nursery app connects families with daily routines and learning, while Stay and Play sessions bring parents into nursery life.

Rooms and Ages

Sweet Peas (Babies & Younger Toddlers) brings together rest areas, sensory exploration and an accessible changing area within the playroom, giving the youngest children spaces for different parts of their day.

Daisies & Preschool uses an open-plan layout for activities led by adults and chosen by children, with an emphasis on creativity, independence and preparation for school.

Readiness determines the move between these rooms. For parents, the useful implication is that a child's developmental stage shapes the transition. The surroundings include soft flooring and neutral colours, with organised play areas that make the physical layout part of the care offer.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage is the required framework for learning and care; here, children practise communication, movement and problem-solving through activities that also develop their understanding of the world. The nursery's curriculum includes opportunities to make choices, express ideas and build independence.

Alongside that framework, the group-wide programmes Make & Bake, Innovate & Investigate and Health & Self aim to build confidence and help children prepare for school. Sing and Sign sessions also form part of the activity offer, supporting communication alongside creative and sensory experiences. For families, these additions give the day identifiable activities as well as broader developmental aims.

In July 2023, children investigated how guttering height affected the speed of flowing water. Counting spots on a ladybird and comparing quantities in containers brought numbers and measurement into practical activities. These examples show how familiar play materials became opportunities to investigate and talk about what happened.

Physical exploration had its own detail in July 2023: babies crawled through tunnels, tackled small ramps and pulled themselves upright. Toddlers moved to action songs with staff. Current sports activities likewise give children opportunities to practise movement and motor skills.

Outdoor and Community Life

The garden supports outdoor play each day. Its soft lawn, sandpit, loose-parts equipment and balancing activities give children different ways to move, build and use their imagination; the growing garden adds hands-on experience of plants and their care.

Regular community outings include the nearby fruit and veg shop. Healthy eating therefore has a connection with a real local destination. Back inside, the library provides a place for books and storytelling, extending the nursery's emphasis on communication.

In July 2023, children took on the role of garden safety rangers, helping check the outdoor area before play. It was a practical introduction to recognising hazards and taking responsibility within a familiar space.

Personalised care routines are part of the current offer. The team includes staff with more than 10 years' service, and all staff have first aid training. Familiar adults can give families continuity as children move through the nursery, although length of service alone is not a judgement on care quality.

At the July 2023 inspection, Ofsted found that staff supported language development well, identified children needing additional speech support and acted promptly through referrals and follow-up support. The current SENCo role provides a mechanism for tailoring support to children with additional needs.

Communication continues beyond conversations with staff. The Grandir UK app provides updates about children's learning and routines, helping parents connect nursery experiences with home life. Seasonal celebrations and Stay and Play sessions offer opportunities to spend time together at the setting.

In July 2023, staff helped children practise sharing and taking turns, and children managed belongings such as coats and water bottles within familiar routines. These small responsibilities made independence something children could practise during the day.

Balanced meals are served at the nursery; in July 2023, a nursery cook prepared food to meet children's dietary requirements. At that time, children practised serving food and pouring drinks, making mealtimes another opportunity to do things for themselves.

Sessions and Attendance

Little Explorers is at 205 Knighton Road, Leicester, LE2 3TT. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, with operation across the year and closures for bank holidays and the Christmas-to-New-Year period. Families planning childcare around work should build those closures into their calendar.

Getting There

The Knighton location is close to Clarendon Park, Leicester train station and London Road. These named connections make the address relevant to families whose routines already take them through this part of Leicester.

Funding and Paid Extras

In July 2023, the nursery received early education funding for children aged two, three and four. That is a dated account of participation, rather than a promise about an individual child's entitlement or attendance arrangement.

For current prices, ask the nursery for a quotation.

• Teaching challenge and cultural learning. In July 2023, less experienced staff needed more support to extend children's play, and learning about faiths, religions and cultures needed revisiting to make it stick. These are useful areas to discuss when assessing the nursery's teaching today.
• Room transitions. Moves from Sweet Peas to Daisies & Preschool depend on readiness. During a visit, ask how staff agree that readiness with parents and manage the change for an individual child.
• Holiday cover. Bank holidays and the Christmas-to-New-Year closure interrupt the otherwise year-round opening pattern. Families needing care through those periods will need another arrangement.

Little Explorers suits families who value a garden, books and regular local outings within a setting with 29 places in total. Readiness-led room moves and app updates give parents concrete ways to understand their child's experience. The July 2023 Good judgement provides a dated quality reference, balanced by specific teaching priorities around challenge and cultural learning. Its strongest appeal is the combination of practical exploration and an accessible connection between nursery and home.