Opening hours
8:00am - 6:00pm, Monday - Friday (closed for bank holidays and between Christmas and New Year's Day inclusive)
Little Harriers
Ofsted: Outstanding
(Dec 2024)
Number of places
80 places
Age range
0–4 yrs
Last inspected
Dec 2024
Local authority
Surrey
About this day nursery
Little Harriers Nursery, established in 2004 by Mike and Lucy Verbrugge, provides a nurturing environment for children with two locations in Cranleigh and Lavant. Lucy, an Early Years Teacher with a BA (Hons) in Early Childhood Studies and Montessori Directress qualification, brings over 20 years of experience.
Mike, also an Early Years Practitioner, Archery Instructor, and Forest and Beach School Leader, shares a similar depth of experience with children from early years through primary school. Their three daughters all attended Little Harriers Cranleigh, and the family is actively involved with Cranleigh Baptist Church.
Both nursery sites boast extensive outdoor spaces, including private woodlands for Forest School sessions and a beach school at the Lavant location, fostering a love for nature and outdoor exploration. The nurseries prioritise security with electronic door systems and offer parents the unique feature of a secure webcam to view their child during the day.
Little Harriers focuses on delivering a rich educational experience, incorporating activities like phonics classes, music sessions, and provides fresh, nutritious meals prepared by an onsite chef. They also offer professional hairdressing services for convenience.
What it's like
Children thrive and flourish at this exceptionally nurturing and well-organised nursery. They feel safe and secure in this superbly welcoming environment where activities are exciting and engaging, and they develop highly positive attitudes to learning. An ambitious curriculum immerses children in nature and teaches them about the world around them, consistently fostering and increasing their knowledge.
Forest SchoolBeach SchoolOnsite ChefSecure Webcam AccessFamily-run
Pricing & funding
Fees are charged monthly, calculated over 51 weeks of the year. The nursery offers rates for funded and non-funded sessions for children under three. A sibling discount is available for families paying private hours.
Funding accepted
15 hours — working parents (9 months–2 yrs)15 hours — universal (3–4 yrs)30 hours — working parents (3–4 yrs)Tax-Free Childcare
Good to know
- Fees are calculated over 51 weeks of the year and billed in 12 monthly payments.
- A non-refundable payment is required on offer of a place, covering up to 8 settling-in sessions and accessories.
- A voluntary consumables contribution applies to families accessing funded hours only.
- A sibling discount of 10% is available for the second or subsequent sibling for private hours.
Key facts
Session types
Full day, Half day (8am - 1pm), Half day (1pm - 6pm)
Food
Freshly prepared, nutritious meals made daily by an onsite chef
Age range
9 months to 4 years
Established
2004
Ofsted Inspection
Ofsted rating for Little Harriers
Last inspected 2 December 2024
Overall effectiveness
Outstanding
Quality of education
Outstanding
Behaviour and attitudes
Outstanding
Personal development
Outstanding
Leadership and management
Outstanding
What it's like to attend
Children thrive and flourish at this exceptionally nurturing and well-organised nursery. They feel safe and secure in this superbly welcoming environment where activities are exciting and engaging, and they develop highly positive attitudes to learning. An ambitious curriculum immerses children in nature and teaches them about the world around them, consistently fostering and increasing their knowledge.
Inspector highlights
- Practitioners have an excellent understanding of the curriculum and implement it extremely effectively, planning activities that build on children's current interests and knowledge.
- Leaders develop the curriculum to ensure that children continually acquire new information from all areas of learning, broadening experiences and actively increasing creativity.
- Children's communication and language skills are consistently promoted through sensitive interactions and meaningful conversations, developing a meaningful vocabulary.
- Children act with kindness and respect, with a clear understanding of rules and boundaries, demonstrating responsibility for their actions and behaving tremendously well.
- Leaders have an excellent understanding of their unique location, creating learning opportunities to increase children's understanding of the local community and the world around them.
Inspection #10368540 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report
Inclusion & environment
How they support every child
Outdoor space
Children laugh and giggle with joy as they play in pretend snow in the garden. Children explore the woodland with excitement where staff teach them about wildlife in the forest and they quietly listen for different birds.
Parent Reviews of Little Harriers
3.8
(6)
Rachael Asling
9 months ago
I don't even know where to begin! Little Harriers and every single member of staff are utterly amazing. My daughter thrived here, she loved it so much she complained on the days she didn't go in. This was a huge change from crying in the car on the way to her old nursery. The setting is so nurturing and the kids so genuinely cared for. It's more expensive than other places but if you can do it it's so worth it. You more than get your money's worth in activities like forest and beach school and trips and just the care they provide. Thank you everyone ❤️
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Imad EL ABOUSSI
10 months ago
My son attended Little Harriers Cranleigh and was happy during his time there. The management team does an outstanding job in maintaining a well-structured environment, ensuring the buildings are in excellent condition, and ensuring effective communication with parents. The staff is highly qualified, genuinely caring about the children's well-being and development, and creating a nurturing atmosphere where kids can thrive. Thank you to everyone at Little Harriers!
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Terry Andrew
2 years ago
Both my children attend Little Harriers day nursery and I could not be happier with the care they receive. The team are always friendly and welcoming and make the children all feel comfortable and settled. The progress that both my children have made at Little Harriers is outstanding! They both enjoy the food offered and I can’t believe how many different options are give rotated every week. Im surprised by the previous reviews complaint on the pricing as the fees are very reasonable compared to other options in the local area and only increases once a year. I would highly recommend Little Harriers for anyone looking for a Day Care nursery place. If your lucky enough to get a space!
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Tom D
2 years ago
Its not the best. The buildings look like they are falling down and in the winter really felt cold and damp. The prices just keep rising as well. I think they have gone up almost every term and now they are going up again in September. Its just crazy. You also have to pay £25 for consumable's per day. What are the kids consuming?! The food for the kids is really poor as well. Its usually soup, or mash potato. Really basic and cheap. We're moving our son as its just not worth it and the offering is really below the premium price they have now put themselves in.
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Ben Scott
2 years ago
My son used to go there. Terrible place in fact they even managed to lose him from forest school. He walked all the way back to the nursery, without anyone noticing he had gone. Which if you have been to lavant it was pretty much a building site. Could of killed him through negligence
Read on GoogleReviews from Google for Little Harriers. See all on Google Maps
Inspection history
Date: July 2015
- December 2024Outstanding
- March 2019Outstanding
- July 2015Outstanding
Frequently asked about Little Harriers
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