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Mead Open Farm Day Nursery and Activity Day Camp

Ofsted: Good
(Jan 2025)
·
3.7(12 Google reviews) ·Mead Open Farm, Stanbridge Road, Leighton Buzzard, LU7 9JH · Central Bedfordshire
Number of places
114 places
Age range
0–5 yrs
Last inspected
Jan 2025
Local authority
Central Bedfordshire

About this day nursery

Mead Open Farm Day Nursery, located near Leighton Buzzard, provides an enriching early years education within a unique farm setting. The nursery caters to children aged 6 weeks to 5 years, offering modern facilities and dedicated garden spaces.

Children benefit from daily supervised visits to the farm and its attractions, fostering a connection with nature. Healthy and nutritious meals are provided, with menus designed in collaboration with a qualified nutritionist.

The nursery is committed to educational and stimulating play, supported by qualified and experienced staff. They offer comprehensive care, including the provision of nappies, wipes, nappy cream, and milk for babies.

Recognised with a "Good" rating in their 2022 Ofsted inspection, Mead Open Farm Day Nursery also embraces innovative educational approaches like "Planning in the moment" and the "Mini Farmers Project," encouraging children to engage with daily farm life and seasonal changes. They welcome funded childcare options and offer resources to guide parents through the eligibility process.

Our ethos

Caring, Sharing and Learning Together

What it's like

Children are happy and settled and enjoy attending this lively, supportive nursery. The implementation of a practical key-person system and sensitive settling-in procedures help children to settle quickly and build strong bonds with staff. Staff have high expectations of children and act as good role models, demonstrating a positive, enthusiastic attitude.

Farm settingDaily farm visitsNutritionally planned mealsMini Farmers Project

Pricing & funding

Fees are structured by age band, split into under 3s and over 3s. Parents can book full days, morning or afternoon half-day sessions, or a full five-day week. All fees are inclusive of meals, milk, nappies, and wipes.

Funding accepted

15 hours — universal (3–4 yrs)30 hours — working parents (3–4 yrs)15 hours — eligible 2-year-olds15 hours — working parents (9 months–2 yrs)

Good to know

  • Fees include all meals, milk, nappies, nappy creams, and wipes.
  • Early drop-off and late collection options are available.

Key facts

Food

Healthy and nutritious meals, snacks, breakfast, lunch, and tea are included, planned by a qualified nutritionist. Babies' milk is also provided.

Opening hours

Standard opening hours are 8:00am – 6:00pm. Breakfast Club: 7:30am – 8:00am; Late Club: 6:00pm – 6:30pm.

Session types

full day, morning session, afternoon session

Waitlist

Yes, a waiting list is currently in operation. Early registration is recommended.

Age range

6 weeks to 5 years

Term time / All Year

All Year

Ofsted Inspection

Ofsted rating for Mead Open Farm Day Nursery and Activity Day Camp

Last inspected 13 January 2025 · Kelly Eyre

Overall effectiveness
Good

What it's like to attend

Children are happy and settled and enjoy attending this lively, supportive nursery. The implementation of a practical key-person system and sensitive settling-in procedures help children to settle quickly and build strong bonds with staff. Staff have high expectations of children and act as good role models, demonstrating a positive, enthusiastic attitude.

Inspector highlights

  • Staff report that they enjoy working at the nursery and feel valued and supported.
  • All staff understand the nursery's curriculum and the intention of activities, assessing children well and knowing what they need to learn next.
  • Children of all ages show a genuine enjoyment of books with sensitive support from staff.
  • Children participate in well-planned daily routines, such as grooming ponies and weighing animal feed, supporting their understanding of others and initiating their interest in the wider world.
  • Staff efficiently exchange information within the nursery and work well with external professionals to promote children's development.

Areas to develop

  • 1support staff to be consistent in the presentation of group activities so that, for example, children can engage in these with minimal distraction and gain the maximum benefit from these opportunities
  • 2enhance the support offered to parents in building on children's learning at home.
Inspection #10379018 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report

What parents say

Verbatim quotes recorded in the Ofsted inspection

Parents speak highly of the nursery. They praise staff, stating how supportive they are and noting how their children progress and 'go from strength to strength'.

Inclusion & environment

How they support every child

SEND provision

Staff efficiently exchange information within the nursery and work well with external professionals. This ensures that children's needs are known and all can work together to promote their development. This particularly supports children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, and they make good progress.

Outdoor space

The inspector observed staff interactions with children during activities indoors and outdoors and assessed the impact these have on children's learning.

Google Reviews of Mead Open Farm Day Nursery and Activity Day Camp

3.7
(12 Google reviews)
Michael James
5 months ago

My son has been going here for over a year now and he absolutely loves it. Staff are super caring and friendly. He always comes back in the best mood from such a fun day. Highly recommended

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Jorden Robinson
2 years ago

We couldn't be happier with our experience at Mead! From the moment we walked in, we felt the warm and welcoming atmosphere that sets this nursery apart. Our son has absolutely thrived since going here, we've seen remarkable growth in his social skills and confidence. The range of activities, from arts and crafts to outdoor play, and visits to the farm keeps him super engaged and enthused. Communication with us has been great and the staff have been really supportive with our settling in. I love that they work together as one big team! We feel incredibly fortunate to have found such an outstanding nursery for our son and wholeheartedly recommend Mead Farm to any parents looking for a nurturing and enriching environment for their little ones.

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Steve Atkins
2 years ago

We have been attending Mead Open Farm Day Nursery for a couple years and my daughter absolutely loves it. The staff are always so welcoming and accommodating. I truly feel like they care about my daughter and her wellbeing and development.

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Jorge António
2 years ago

Probably the most expensive nursery around Leighton Buzzard but far from being the best, if not the worst. My daughter became a completely different little girl, from being happy she became a sad girl, always afraid of going to the nursery. Most of the workers in there are rude, always with the same speech of “she was very happy today”, when as a father I could see how uncomfortable and unhappy she was. Accidents for not going to the toilet because she was being ignored and lots of head bumps, pretty much every week. Lots of tummy aches due to lack of higiene in the nursery. I don’t think that they treat children much differently than they treat animals. Disgraceful place.

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Samantha Barratt
2 years ago

Lovely Nursery, the staff are always welcoming, it is very secure and safe for the children. I love that my little Dude goes to the farm and pets the Animals and learns respect for them. there day is always filled with a Varity of activities, he is always happy to go in.

Read on Google

Reviews from Google for Mead Open Farm Day Nursery and Activity Day Camp. See all on Google Maps

Inspection history

Date: January 2025

  • January 2025Good
  • January 2025Good

Frequently asked about Mead Open Farm Day Nursery and Activity Day Camp

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This listing has been compiled from official Ofsted records, the nursery's own website, details provided directly by the nursery where available, and other trusted public sources. We regularly review and update listings to keep the information as accurate as possible. Learn more