Little Learners Nursery Crofton

A former church with tall, light-filled rooms, a garden used in all weathers and lunches cooked in its own kitchen gives Little Learners Nursery Crofton a recognisable character. Separate spaces for babies, toddlers and preschool children make this more than one large room serving different stages. The nursery has 49 places in total across the setting and cares for children from babyhood until they start school.

At its June 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good overall and found safeguarding effective, with positive findings about children's emotional relationships, communication and support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). There were also clear improvements to make: quieter learning activities, closer evaluation of teaching and better communication of children's next learning steps to parents.

Full days, half days and flexible hours give families different ways to use the nursery. Its strongest practical combination is year-round opening, familiar key-person care and the choice between term-time funding and funding spread across the year.

Rooms and Ages

Babies have a calm room where feeding and sleeping follow their own routines, with treasure baskets, songs and messy play providing opportunities to explore. Daily updates cover sleep, bottles, nappy changes and developmental milestones.

Toddlers practise talking, listening, sharing and recognising emotions through play, alongside outdoor activity and support with toilet training when they are ready. Children can try tasks themselves while still receiving help.

Pre-school combines early number work, phonics and name-writing games with practical tasks such as managing clothing, using the toilet and serving lunch. Those everyday jobs connect preparation for school with things children can actually do for themselves. Moves between rooms follow readiness, with visits beforehand, rather than happening automatically on a birthday.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage provides the framework for learning, development and care: children build language, social understanding and physical skills through play, alongside early literacy, mathematics and exploration of their world. Here, that becomes conversation during activities, shared books, counting while setting the lunch table and opportunities to grow things and cook.

Books and conversation have a substantial place in the day. Staff give children time to answer questions, while number songs, sorting and water play make early mathematics practical. Indoor activities include threading, cutting and making marks, complementing the larger movements children practise outside.

In June 2024, children explored corn during a story activity, discussing its growing conditions and uses. Smaller-group sessions included listening games that connected sounds with their surroundings. Makaton was also used to help children communicate, following training involving the whole team. These examples show learning extending beyond completing an activity: children were encouraged to think, listen and express an idea.

Outdoor and Community Life

The secure garden is used throughout the year, including wet weather, for digging, building, splashing, riding and climbing. That gives physical play a regular place in the routine, rather than reserving it for dry days. Wellies and a coat are part of what families send with their child.

Adult-guided activities sit alongside freely chosen play, followed by lunch and a quieter period for naps or stories. The routine accommodates children who need sleep and those who do not.

Relationships and Communication

A key person is assigned from the first settling-in visit. This practitioner plans around the child's interests, maintains their learning journal and acts as the main contact for parents. That creates a clear route for sharing a new worry, a change at home or something the child has become absorbed in.

Settling sessions are free, with as many as the child needs before their first full day. Parents receive a handover at collection, regular conversations about progress and updates through a parent app.

In June 2024, children received physical comfort and reassurance when they needed help settling, and staff explained behavioural boundaries consistently. Older children also practised independence by laying the lunch table and helping themselves to food. The current preschool offer continues to include serving lunch and managing personal belongings.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the June 2024 inspection, Ofsted found that the special educational needs coordinator worked with families, practitioners and other professionals, with targeted staff training helping children with SEND make good progress.

During June 2024, an oral-health programme encouraged children to clean their teeth regularly. Current arrangements include safeguarding and paediatric first-aid training for staff, alongside a staffed entrance.

Lunch is prepared in the nursery's own kitchen; the food arrangements also cater for allergies, intolerances and family or religious diets. Parents can choose to send a packed lunch instead.

Preparation for school includes listening with a group, managing shoes and coats, independent toileting and persisting with a difficult task. Work with local primary schools supports that transition.

Sessions and Attendance

The nursery opens from 7am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, throughout the year, including school holidays. Full-day bookings cover 7am to 6pm; half days and flexible hours are also offered. Families working shifts therefore have alternatives to booking a full day each time.

Bank holidays are closures and are not charged. Family holidays work differently: booked sessions remain chargeable while the child is away.

Payments are requested monthly in advance, with bank transfer, childcare vouchers and Tax-Free Childcare accepted. Changes to attendance days can be discussed, subject to room space on the requested days.

Getting There

The address is St Josephs Catholic Church, Santingley Lane, Crofton, WF4 1LF. Free parking is directly outside, which is useful for families bringing a baby and an older child together.

Funding and Paid Extras

Three funded entitlements are offered in weekly term-time hours: 30 hours for qualifying working families from the term after their child reaches nine months, 15 hours for eligible families receiving qualifying benefits from the term after their child's second birthday, and 15 universal hours from the term after the third birthday. Working-family and benefits-based funding depend on qualification; the nursery helps families with the application and code process.

Funded hours can be used during term time or spread across the year. Spreading them means fewer funded hours in each week, but they also cover school holidays.

Breakfast and the morning and afternoon snacks are included, while a cooked lunch is an optional separate charge; packed lunches are welcome. For attendance using only funded hours, there is nothing to pay when a packed lunch is supplied, while cooked lunch and hours beyond the funding are charged separately.

There is no registration or joining charge. Funding is deducted before payment, and additional private hours are charged at the nursery's normal rate. Families should obtain current prices in a written quotation, using their proposed attendance pattern and lunch choice; the fees page explains the charging structure.

• Teaching, noise and learning updates. In June 2024, teaching evaluation needed strengthening, background noise interrupted some organised learning, and some parents did not know their child's next steps. During a visit, ask how quieter group work, teaching reviews and learning updates now operate.
• The postcode needs care. The nursery's address is recorded as WF4 1LF, while its contact details use WF4 1LG for the same Santingley Lane building. Confirm the postcode before planning your visit.
• Meals and everyday supplies. Cooked lunch is separately charged, while breakfast and snacks are included. If your child has an allergy, confirm the current food arrangements; also ask what you need to provide for nappies, wipes and other care supplies.
• Holiday costs. Bank-holiday closures are uncharged, but booked sessions during family holidays remain payable. Compare term-time attendance with an all-year arrangement using the holiday pattern your family expects.

Little Learners suits families who want a choice of full days, half days or flexible hours, with childcare continuing through school holidays. Its former church premises, everyday garden use and on-site cooking give the offer substance, while individual baby routines and readiness-based room moves keep the child's stage in view.

The June 2024 Good judgement provides a positive starting point, but the improvements concerning noise, teaching evaluation and learning updates deserve attention. For parents choosing between term-time funding and an all-year pattern, the combination of attendance choices and clearly separated lunch charges is useful.