Little Saplings Day Nursery

About this day nursery

Little Saplings Day Nursery, located in Kendal, Cumbria, registered with Ofsted on 27 August 2024, provides childcare on non-domestic premises. The day nursery places a strong emphasis on inclusivity, ensuring that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those known to social care, experience equality of opportunity.

Leaders and staff demonstrate a precise understanding of each child's unique requirements, making systematic adaptations to the curriculum and using assessment processes to identify individual needs. Parents consistently praise the nursery's supportive approach, highlighting the trust and shared understanding fostered by the team.

The setting also strategically uses early years pupil premium funding to address identified barriers and enrich children's experiences. Staff are well-supported through regular professional development, which ensures consistent and impactful strategies, such as the introduction of Makaton to aid communication.

Children benefit from a nurturing environment where they build secure relationships with staff, feel valued, and develop a strong sense of belonging, becoming confident young learners. The curriculum is broad and balanced, responsive to children's interests, and designed to support effective learning through accurate assessments and planned next steps, shared collaboratively with parents.

Children engage in purposeful activities, from exploring tadpoles to potting plants, and the setting encourages independence in routines like sleep and personal care. Leaders maintain positive links with the local community, including schools, to ensure smooth transitions for children progressing to their next stage of education.

Our ethos

Our aim is to provide high-quality childcare in a setting where children thrive in their learning and development. We promote independence, develop confidence, and encourage creativity. We actively encourage the babies to explore and discover the world around them through a range of activities, materials and sensory toys. For toddlers, we focus on helping them to gain independence and lead the way in their own learning. In our pre-school room, the emphasis is still on learning through play, although your child’s day will become more structured, and adult led to prepare them for school. Independence is also highly encouraged in this age group with activities such as dressing themselves, cutting their own food at mealtimes and visiting the toilet with minimal support.

What it's like

Children are safe and well cared for. They thrive in a nurturing environment where they feel valued and supported, building secure relationships with staff, with each child's success and wellbeing at the forefront. Children demonstrate a clear sense of belonging and are confident young learners, valued as individuals, with interests celebrated through carefully crafted activities that spark early curiosity. Children behave well, demonstrating kindness and respect in a calm, purposeful, and inclusive environment, making progress in speaking, with rich, engaging learning experiences that build on their existing knowledge and abilities. They arrive happy, form trusting relationships with staff, and benefit from purposeful activities that create real excitement, from observing tadpoles to learning numbers with beanbags.