Opening hours
Tuesday to Friday, 08:00 - 18:00. Closed Good Friday and Christmas Eve - January 2nd.
Little Monkeys Day Nursery
Ofsted: Outstanding
(Jun 2023)
Number of places
36 places
Age range
0–4 yrs
Last inspected
Jun 2023
Local authority
Cumberland
About this day nursery
Little Monkeys Day Nursery & Pre School is situated in Braithwaite, a village on the outskirts of Keswick, nestled in the Lake District. The nursery occupies a converted dormer bungalow with a spacious front garden, offering views of the surrounding mountains, including Skiddaw.
Laura Fradsham owns and manages the nursery, bringing her extensive experience and qualifications in childhood studies and working with children and families. She is also a qualified Forest School Practitioner.
Laura, along with her dedicated team of practitioners, strives to provide an exceptional environment and education for young children. The nursery caters to children aged zero to five years.
They emphasise children's well-being and require a minimum attendance of two full-day sessions per week due to government-funded hours initiatives, and they no longer offer half-day sessions. The nursery is open from Tuesday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, year-round, closing only for Good Friday and the Christmas period from Christmas Eve to January 2nd.
The nursery focuses on supporting children's self-regulation, helping them manage emotions and behaviours from an early age through understanding, help, and support from practitioners. They also have various policies in place to ensure a safe and secure environment for all.
Our ethos
The nursery aims to provide an exceptional environment and education, with a focus on supporting children's self-regulation and helping them manage emotions and behaviours through understanding, help, and support from practitioners. The manager is a qualified Forest School Practitioner, indicating a connection to this pedagogical approach.
What it's like
Experienced leaders and highly skilled staff at Little Monkeys Day Nursery have developed a bespoke curriculum that effectively details and implements building blocks for children's learning and development. The stimulating environment fosters high levels of curiosity and a sense of wonder among children, who are exceptionally well prepared for school. They are incredibly happy, content, and enthusiastic, developing confidence and a strong sense of belonging.
Lake District settingOwner-managedForest School Practitioner on staff
Pricing & funding
Funding accepted
15 hours — universal (3–4 yrs)15 hours — eligible 2-year-olds30 hours — working parents (3–4 yrs)
Pricing on request
This nursery doesn't publish its fees online. Contact them directly for an up-to-date price list and availability.
Request pricing →Key facts
Age range
zero to five years
Term time / All Year
All Year
Session types
Full day
Ofsted Inspection
Ofsted rating for Little Monkeys Day Nursery
Last inspected 15 June 2023
Overall effectiveness
Outstanding
Quality of education
Outstanding
Behaviour and attitudes
Outstanding
Personal development
Outstanding
Leadership and management
Outstanding
What it's like to attend
Experienced leaders and highly skilled staff at Little Monkeys Day Nursery have developed a bespoke curriculum that effectively details and implements building blocks for children's learning and development. The stimulating environment fosters high levels of curiosity and a sense of wonder among children, who are exceptionally well prepared for school. They are incredibly happy, content, and enthusiastic, developing confidence and a strong sense of belonging.
Inspector highlights
- The curriculum is embedded across the whole nursery, and highly skilled staff have an exceptional understanding of how children learn, leading to children thriving and making outstanding progress.
- Parents speak extremely highly of the nursery, praising staff for going 'above and beyond' and acknowledging the incredible progress their children are making.
- Children develop a love of stories, books, and songs from an early age, becoming enthralled and highly engaged as staff bring stories to life.
- Leadership in the nursery is inspirational, with highly qualified and experienced leaders ensuring a strong vision and clear ethos are threaded throughout the play-based curriculum.
- Children demonstrate excellent independence, with staff valuing and praising their efforts to build self-care skills and promoting healthy lifestyles, including active physical play outdoors.
Inspection #10280819 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report
What parents say
Verbatim quotes recorded in the Ofsted inspection
They comment that staff truly go 'above and beyond' with the support they offer.
Parents comment on the incredible progress their children are making.
They say that all staff are 'fantastic' and know their children well.
Parents say they feel involved in their children's learning.
They love the way the nursery celebrates the inclusiveness of the community and the families who attend the nursery.
Inclusion & environment
How they support every child
SEND provision
All children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, flourish due to staff's strong commitment to putting children at the heart of everything they do. Staff build extremely effective relationships with parents and other professionals to swiftly identify children's needs and emerging interests, quickly putting in place tailored, nurturing support to help them make the best progress.
Outdoor space
Staff are highly effective at promoting active physical play outdoors. Leaders and staff construct a safe environment where children are encouraged to manage risks themselves, including through forest school activities.
Inspection history
Date: December 2008
- June 2023Outstanding
- August 2017Outstanding
- February 2014Good
- August 2013Good
- December 2008Outstanding
Frequently asked about Little Monkeys Day Nursery
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