Country Kids Day Nursery Kneesall

A dedicated baby garden and preschool walks to see donkeys at the farm shop give Country Kids Day Nursery Kneesall a clear countryside character. The practical detail is just as useful: babies can sleep according to their home routines, while toddlers get help with potty training that connects nursery and home. This is childcare built around the stages children are actually going through.

On Main Street in Kneesall, Newark, NG22 0AD, the nursery has capacity for 47 children aged three months to five years. At its November 2021 inspection, Ofsted rated it Good and judged safeguarding effective. That is a dated assessment, rather than a description of every aspect of today's provision.

Morning, afternoon and all-day sessions give families several ways to use the nursery.

Rooms and Ages

The Baby Room serves children from 12 weeks to 2.5 years, combining sensory exploration with a dedicated baby garden for children under two, so outdoor play has a space suited to its youngest users. Rest follows each baby's needs and home routines.

For children aged two to three, the ToddlerRoom combines a sandpit and home corner with messy play and outdoor exploration, with an emphasis on learning to play alongside other children. These are useful, concrete experiences at an age when children are beginning to share resources and make choices about their play. Potty training also belongs to this stage, with staff and parents working together rather than treating nursery and home as separate routines.

The Preschool Room, for ages three to five, uses practical experiences, stories, singing and dancing to develop communication and prepare children for school. Walks in the local area and visits to the farm shop to see donkeys broaden the day beyond indoor activities. The approach gives children things to talk about as well as opportunities to listen.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage is the framework for children's learning, development and care: here, its areas of learning include language, physical development, early mathematics and literacy through activities and play. This is the shared foundation of early-years provision.

Makaton forms part of preschool communication, with signing used alongside speech. It gives children another way to express themselves during the nursery's everyday activities. On the Kneesall team, the deputy manager also uses signing while speaking and supports colleagues with that knowledge, connecting the named approach to an actual staff practice.

In November 2021, activities varied with children's developmental stage: babies played peekaboo with scarves, toddlers made marks at easels, and preschool children practised using a peeler while preparing apples for a pie. These tasks combined movement, language and independence.

At the November 2021 inspection, Ofsted found that the curriculum built on children's interests and next steps, but identified inconsistent teaching and occasions when quieter children were not fully included in adult-led activities. The improvement point matters alongside the strengths. A child who watches rather than volunteers needs staff to draw them into the activity too.

Outdoor and Community Life

The baby garden, toddler sandpit and preschool farm-shop visits provide different outdoor experiences for different ages. The youngest children have their own space; older children can connect nursery conversations with animals and places in their local community. The nursery's rural position, just off the A616, is part of that character.

Harvey, a Cockapoo who visits as the nursery's therapeutic dog, adds another encounter with an animal. The concrete offer is contact and cuddles during his visits. Families can weigh that against their child's comfort around dogs rather than assuming that every child will welcome the same experience.

Relationships and Communication

Each baby has a dedicated key worker, connecting everyday comfort and development with support from parents at home.

Settling is flexible, with parents encouraged to separate from their child at a pace that suits them. Registration includes a structured conversation with a key worker about development and wellbeing, providing a starting point for planning. That makes the joining process about the child as well as the booking.

Registration also gathers dietary needs, health information and collection arrangements to guide daily care.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

The Kneesall team includes a SENCO, a speech and language lead and a practitioner whose role includes supporting children with special educational needs in smaller staffing arrangements. These are identifiable mechanisms for support, rather than a blanket assurance about what every child will receive. Safeguarding lead roles and paediatric first-aid training are also present within the branch team.

In November 2021, preschool children had a quiet period before lunch, using a toy dinosaur on their tummy to help them notice their breathing. Staff talked calmly with children about things they had done that day. This provides a concrete example of making time for rest and reflection within a busy nursery day.

Food is prepared fresh on site by nursery cooks, with breakfast, lunch, tea and snacks organised around a six-week menu cycle. Meals are included in the price, while parents provide food and formula for children under 12 months; dietary requirements are accommodated through arrangements with staff.

Sessions and Attendance

The current childcare window is 8am to 6pm. Morning Session runs from 8am to 1pm, Afternoon Session from 1pm to 6pm, and All Day from 8am to 6pm. Families can book part or all of the day.

The nursery operates across the year and closes for bank holidays, which are not charged. Holiday sessions can be charged at half rate for up to two weeks of a child's usual attendance when booked at least four weeks ahead. The allowance follows the child's normal sessions, so its value depends on the family's attendance pattern.

Enquiries can be made by telephone on 01623 706100, and tours can be booked. Before a child starts, parents sign registration and contract documents. A non-refundable registration charge covers administration, fees are paid monthly in advance, and leaving requires one calendar month's notice. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

Getting There

The address is Main Street, Kneesall, Newark, NG22 0AD. The village setting lies just off the A616, a useful location detail for families comparing it with care nearer home or work.

Funding and Paid Extras

Government-funded childcare is accepted at Kneesall alongside paid childcare. Funding can therefore form part of the family's arrangement, while additional paid attendance remains a separate part of the booking and quotation.

Everyday nappies, wipes and suncream are included for families who choose to opt in. Formula for children under 12 months comes from parents, so the treatment of non-food essentials and feeding supplies differs by item. That distinction is especially relevant when planning what to send with a baby.

• Quieter children. In November 2021, some quieter children were not consistently drawn into adult-led activities. On a visit, ask how staff involve a child who is reluctant to speak or join in.
• Room changes. The Baby Room extends to 2.5 years, while the ToddlerRoom starts at two. Discuss how the move between them is agreed for your child, including routines and the key-worker relationship.
• Animals and dietary needs. Harvey visits the nursery, and staff arrange care around children's dietary requirements. Families managing allergies or discomfort around dogs should discuss current arrangements before joining.
• Matching the booking to family life. Morning, afternoon and all-day sessions serve different routines, while holiday reductions require four weeks' advance booking. Use a tour to discuss the preferred pattern, settling pace and how the opt-in essentials apply to it.

Country Kids Kneesall suits families choosing between morning, afternoon and all-day childcare who value practical play, individual baby routines and contact with the local countryside. The baby garden and preschool visits to see donkeys make that character tangible. So does the attention to sleep and potty training.

The November 2021 assessment provides a positive inspection position, with a specific concern about including quieter children that deserves attention during a visit. The most persuasive current details are the ones parents can relate directly to their child: where a baby plays outdoors, how a toddler's routines connect with home, and how a preschool child learns to communicate.