Little Houghton Day Nursery

Book-choice voting, pretend horses made from crates and outdoor tricycle courses give Little Houghton Day Nursery’s June 2022 nursery day its character: children had opportunities to make decisions, invent games and practise coordination. The setting has 62 places in total and cares for children from birth to 60 months at The Old School in Little Houghton.

At its 21 June 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and judged safeguarding effective, but required better toddler story-time organisation and more effective interactions with children, including those needing additional support. Later action concerning children leaving the premises unsupervised is material to a family’s decision.

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children’s learning, development and care; in everyday terms, play and routines provide opportunities to build communication, movement and independence.

In June 2022, preschool children used counters to choose a story, then counted the votes with staff. That brought early maths into a decision children could influence. Their imaginative play included turning a crate and toy tape measure into a pretend horse, sharing ideas and taking turns. Babies also played at caring for dolls, offering bottles of pretend milk. Imagination therefore featured in the youngest children’s activities as well as preschool games: the examples differed by stage, with babies acting out feeding and older children collaborating on a game they had invented.

During June 2022 play, conversations gave children something concrete to think about and answer. With toy animals in sand, practitioners prompted children to consider the noises each animal might make; the children tried the sounds and enjoyed one another’s attempts. Babies repeated familiar words they heard from adults, including the names of other babies. Practitioners also helped with pronunciation. These examples put language into play and everyday exchanges, rather than confining it to a separate group activity.

Physical support in June 2022 extended to adults holding babies’ hands while they practised walking. Social learning also happened in small moments: when children disagreed over a toy, practitioners explained sharing and kindness. Together, these examples show how adult involvement supported both a new movement and the practical business of playing alongside someone else.

Babies’ June 2022 activities included squeezing dough and reaching towards toys, while toddlers traced marks in salt and older children painted with brushes of different sizes. These experiences exercised hands and fingers as preparation for writing. Outdoors, toddlers and preschool children steered tricycles around cones, combining movement with control.

In June 2022, children showed affection towards staff and comforted upset friends. Parents described useful communication about their children’s development and positive relationships with key persons. Everyday independence was encouraged through finding a snack-time chair, washing hands and clearing plates.

Meals and drinking water formed part of care in June 2022, with coloured plates and name cards used to communicate individual allergy requirements. These were arrangements at that time.

Ofsted’s compliance outcomes dated 25 July 2025 and 10 February 2026 both recorded requirements that had not been met and corrective action, with the later outcome describing stronger risk-assessment procedures and further measures to prevent children leaving unsupervised. Both outcomes recorded that the provider had acted to put matters right; the repeated premises-supervision issue nevertheless deserves attention alongside the older Good judgement.

The address is The Old School, 35 Bedford Road, Little Houghton, Northampton, NN7 1AB. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, with care across the year and closures for bank holidays and Christmas.

In June 2022, funded early education was provided for children aged two, three and four. Current prices should come in the nursery’s written quotation.

• Repeated premises-supervision action. The July 2025 and February 2026 outcomes both concerned measures to prevent unsupervised exits. On a visit, ask how access controls, supervision and risk assessments now work together.
• Toddler stories and individual support. In June 2022, lunchtime preparation interrupted toddler stories, and some interactions needed improvement. Ask how quiet group activities are organised and how staff adapt their interaction to a child’s additional needs.
• Your attendance and cost plan. The weekday opening window runs from 7.30am to 6pm. Before joining, request a written plan covering the booking pattern and funded hours.

Little Houghton suits local families seeking weekday care for babies, toddlers or preschool children. Its June 2022 examples show learning woven into choices, imaginative play and daily independence. The repeated premises-supervision action makes the nursery’s explanation of its current safeguards a central part of the decision.