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Little Birches in Sonning Common

Ofsted: Good
(Mar 2023)
·
5.0(14 parent reviews) ·Horsepond Road, Gallowstree Common, Reading, RG4 9BT · Oxfordshire
Number of places
128 places
Age range
0–4 yrs
Last inspected
Mar 2023
Local authority
Oxfordshire

About this day nursery

Little Birches Nursery & Preschool in Sonning Common provides a nurturing and stimulating environment where children from three months to five years old can thrive. Dedicated to bringing children closer to nature, the nursery offers a diverse and engaging learning programme.

The highly skilled and passionate team of educators focuses on providing first-class care, ensuring each child feels valued, happy, and confident. The nursery believes in fostering individual talents and nurturing growth through tailored experiences, promoting a love for learning and friendships.

With a strong emphasis on a child's self-esteem and happiness, Little Birches aims to make every day a joyful and enriching experience for the children in their care. The nursery operates 52 weeks a year, offering full day care sessions and nutritious meals.

Our ethos

Little Birches offers a nurturing and stimulating environment with a focus on bringing children closer to nature. The nursery is committed to fostering individual talents and growth through tailored experiences, promoting a love for learning and friendships for every child. They emphasise building self-esteem and happiness to ensure each day is joyful and enriching.

What it's like

Children settle well in this calm and nurturing nursery, forming strong bonds with staff that help them feel safe and secure. They are happy and confident, engaging in activities that spark their curiosity, such as exploring sensory toys or recreating dens from familiar stories. Children are encouraged to be independent, receiving praise as they learn to do things for themselves, building their sense of responsibility.

Nature-focused learningExperienced and passionate teamFocus on child happiness and self-esteemNutritious meals provided

Pricing & funding

Pricing on request

This nursery doesn't publish its fees online. Contact them directly for an up-to-date price list and availability.

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Key facts

Opening hours

7:30am - 6:00pm, Monday to Friday (closed on bank holidays and between Christmas and New Year)

Food

Highly nutritious, varied and delicious meals are provided throughout the day.

Age range

3 months to 60 months

Term time / All Year

All Year

Session types

Full day

Ofsted Inspection

Ofsted rating for Little Birches in Sonning Common

Last inspected 28 March 2023

Safeguarding effective
Overall effectiveness
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good

What it's like to attend

Children settle well in this calm and nurturing nursery, forming strong bonds with staff that help them feel safe and secure. They are happy and confident, engaging in activities that spark their curiosity, such as exploring sensory toys or recreating dens from familiar stories. Children are encouraged to be independent, receiving praise as they learn to do things for themselves, building their sense of responsibility.

Inspector highlights

  • The manager is clear of the curriculum intent for all children. The curriculum is age appropriate, broad and ambitious.
  • Staff benefit from regular supervision meetings, where they can discuss their key children, their general well-being and professional development.
  • Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities well, they work with parents and other agencies to help ensure the children get the support they need and progress well.
  • Staff introduce numbers from an early age. Older children enjoy counting bricks as they create houses.
  • Overall children behave well. Staff supervise children well and ensure they remain safe at the setting.

Areas to develop

  • 1ensure the implementation of planned activities within the curriculum is consistently effective and that all staff understand what they want children to learn
  • 2review staff's use of vocabulary when interacting with children to use clear words to help children build on their already good communication skills
  • 3review the organisation of mealtimes, so that the needs of all children are considered, and the length of time children spend waiting is reduced.
Inspection #10282579 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report

Inclusion & environment

How they support every child

SEND provision

Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities well; they work with parents and other agencies to help ensure the children get the support they need and progress well.

Outdoor space

Staff encourage children to put on their coats for outdoor play. The inspectors observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning.

Parent Reviews of Little Birches in Sonning Common

5.0
(14)
Nazli Anasori
5 months ago

Our son, who has never spent a day away from mum and dad as he’s so attached and has speech delay; you can imagine we were really nervous about him starting nursery. When we visited Little Birches Sonning, We instantly knew that this was the right place for him and he seemed so calm and comfortable in the space. I can’t begin to describe how amazing the team, so loving, so kind and you can see how much the children love them. They are helped us with our son’s speech, social skills, potty training, trying new foods and so much more and I am so grateful for their support. Anyone looking for a nursery with a ‘home’ feel, this is the place.

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John Roughneen
a year ago

We are delighted with choosing Little Birches as the Nursery for our daughter. The staff are all amazing & the setting is wonderful, away form the busy town. It's great to see our child enjoying nursery & so happy in her environment. She absolutely loves to dance & enjoys all activities including the extra curricular dancing, ballet & football. The settling in process was excellent & the staff catered to the specific needs of our child, which was comforting for us as parents. As our daughter is progressing through the different rooms we can see her growing in every aspect & learning so much through the nurturing environment. It is wonderful for us to watch her going in & coming home so happy & content. Thank you to all at Little Birches! From two happy parents.

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Karli McQueen
9 months ago

We had a great experience at Little Birches, Sonning Common for our son, Harrison. He thrived throughout his time at Little Birches. The team of staff, especially, Liz, Andrew, Jess, Serena and Carly, were supportive, encouraging and flexible and loving in their approach to childcare The outdoor space was large and had so many fun activities and toys available to the children. Harrison made many friends, created some fun solar system crafts, and was thrilled go back each day! A+++

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Anna Kunat
a year ago

We moved our daughter to Little Birches after having a bad experience at a different nursery. The team at Little Birches did an amazing job to help her settle in and feel safe. Now, she loves going in to the nursery everyday. We couldn't be happier.

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Katie White
a year ago

The team at Little Birches have been absolutely amazing with my son. My experience with the nursery has been nothing but positive and my little boy loves being there. We will be very sad to be leaving to start school at the end of the summer.

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Reviews from Google for Little Birches in Sonning Common. See all on Google Maps

Inspection history

Date: January 2009

  • March 2023Good
  • October 2017Good
  • April 2017Good
  • March 2014Good
  • January 2009Good

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