Curious Caterpillars Day Nursery

Wood carving, early science and outdoor spaces for different ages give Curious Caterpillars Day Nursery a recognisable character at Downfield Lodge in Stroud. Curious Minds introduces science, technology, engineering and mathematics, while Forest School brings nature exploration and practical woodland skills into the school-leaving year.

Ofsted rated the nursery Good on 22 November 2024, with two priorities for improvement: making group activities easier for children to participate in and extending younger children's learning more consistently. Both priorities matter when choosing care for a younger child.

Children are accepted from 3 months to 5 years. Full days serve the younger rooms, while preschool families can also choose morning or afternoon sessions.

Rooms and Ages

The Baby room takes children from 3 months until two, combining an open-plan space for play with a separate area for messy activities and a purpose-built garden used at least twice daily except in exceptionally bad weather. Babies can choose between the play areas. Individual routines guide their care. The baby unit specifies one adult to three babies, the statutory minimum for this age group.

Children enter the Toddler room at 24 months and remain until three; daily messy activities, freely accessible water and sand, and an attached covered outdoor space make hands-on exploration central to this stage. The room divides into two groups for much of the day. This gives children more access to activities.

The Pre-school room accommodates a maximum of 24 children, with movement between a conservatory, the main room and outside, alongside a mixture of activities chosen by children and organised by adults. Its morning includes a book of the week, smaller-group work, and music, movement or mathematics. The mix gives preschool children both freedom to pursue an interest and experience of taking part together.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for learning, development and care: children build skills through play, communication, physical activity and relationships. Alongside that foundation, Curious Minds sessions introduce STEM subjects through opportunities to think critically and solve problems. Curious Footsteps gives children opportunities to explore the world around them.

Natural and sustainable materials support open-ended play, allowing children to develop their own ideas.

In November 2024, babies explored materials including cereal, foam and sand, while staff encouraged movement around furniture as preparation for walking. Older children investigated what happened when bicarbonate of soda met vinegar. Repeated activities and learning plans built around children's interests were part of the approach at that time.

The same visit identified interruptions during shared songs and stories: nappy changes and preparation for the next activity could distract younger children. Some practitioners also missed opportunities to develop an emerging interest.

Outdoor and Community Life

Forest School is a programme of outdoor learning involving nature and practical skills. Each year, children in their school-leaving year take part in a twelve-week block, using both the nursery's onsite area and a larger forest offsite. Wood carving and sawing are among the activities. Children explore beyond their familiar nursery space.

Separate outdoor areas serve the different age groups. Toddlers use their main-garden area twice daily regardless of weather; families supply wellies, a waterproof coat and spare clothing.

In November 2024, children visited a local food market; World Down Syndrome Day was marked by growing sunflowers. Family photographs were gathered into albums in the book area. These examples connected learning about differences and belonging with recognisable people and experiences.

Relationships and Communication

Settling for babies includes a home visit and two sessions lasting two hours each. Information from parents feeds into planning so that familiar routines can continue at nursery. Staff can learn a baby's preferences before regular attendance begins.

In November 2024, a key-person system gave children a familiar adult, and parents received a guide when their child changed rooms. It explained the learning intended for the next stage and ways to support it at home.

Afternoon collection is expected by 5.50pm, allowing time for feedback before closing.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the November 2024 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective; for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, practitioners coordinated support with families and outside agencies, making effective use of additional funding. The nursery also has designated safeguarding and SEND leadership roles, and qualified staff have paediatric first-aid training.

Toddlers who sleep after lunch use mats with individual bedding; those who remain awake continue with activities. This allows different rest needs within the same room routine. For babies, individual care requirements are part of the settling information, making continuity with home an explicit part of planning.

Food is cooked at the nursery each day, and babies under one receive purées according to their individual weaning lists. Menus cover breakfast, snacks, lunch and tea, including dishes such as chickpea curry and salmon risotto; parents supply breast milk or formula for feeds.

Relationships with local schools support preparation for moving on. The emphasis is on a smoother transition, rather than an admissions advantage. In November 2024, older children also practised independence through serving food and clearing up after meals, giving school preparation an everyday, practical dimension.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Downfield Lodge, Downfield Road, Stroud, Gloucestershire, GL5 4HL. Core opening hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, with an additional paid early start from 7.30am for a limited number of children. Closures include public and bank holidays and the period between Christmas Eve and New Year.

Full days are the booking pattern for the Baby and Toddler units. For children over three, morning sessions run from 8am to 1pm and afternoon sessions from 1pm to 6pm, with afternoon collection expected by 5.50pm. The minimum booking is one full day or three half-day sessions. Regular sessions cannot be exchanged, which makes the fit with a family's weekly timetable important.

Full Day Flexi and Half Day Flexi bookings provide an additional route for children already attending regularly. Extra sessions depend on space and require a completed booking form and payment; payment is non-refundable if the session is unused. These extra sessions supplement regular attendance; existing bookings cannot be swapped.

Enquiries can be made by telephone, email or the contact form. A private car park serves the nursery, giving families a parking option on site.

Funding and Paid Extras

Eligible two-year-olds can receive 15 hours of funded childcare, and eligible three- and four-year-olds can receive 30 hours. Private childcare is also offered. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

Complimentary nappies are offered, but the baby-room instructions also require parents to bring nappies or pull-ups. Parents supply feeding milk, wipes, cotton wool and barrier creams for babies.

A non-refundable registration charge and a deposit apply when booking. Deposit repayment depends on completing at least six months, serving notice, settling the account and meeting the contract's conditions. Fees are paid monthly ahead of attendance; illness and holidays do not reduce the charge. Outings or special sessions can incur additional costs.

Leaving normally requires eight weeks' written notice, as does reducing sessions. For funded children over three, the terms require a term's notice, with eight weeks still required when notice is given near the end of a term. Families planning a change of attendance should allow for that commitment.

• Teaching for younger children. The November 2024 priorities concerned interruptions to group activities and missed opportunities to extend learning. During a visit, ask how the younger rooms now organise shared activities and respond to children's developing interests.
• Attendance commitments. Babies and toddlers attend full days; older children can use morning or afternoon sessions, but regular bookings cannot be swapped. Match the pattern and notice terms to your working week before committing.
• Baby supplies and funded costs. Complimentary nappies sit alongside a baby-room instruction to bring nappies from home. Resolve that practical conflict and request one written breakdown covering meals, other supplies and how funded hours fit the booking.

Curious Caterpillars suits families seeking full days for babies or toddlers, as well as those wanting morning or afternoon preschool sessions. Its appeal rests on tangible arrangements: a planned settling process, outdoor access tailored to age groups, and older children's Forest School programme alongside Curious Minds.

The November 2024 teaching priorities temper that appeal, especially for families choosing care for a younger child.