Opening hours
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday : 07:00 - 18:00
Munchkins Nursery
Ofsted: Expected standard·
5.0(3 parent reviews)
·Unit 1, Canal Court Business Centre, CARLISLE, CA2 7AN · Cumberland
Number of places
75 places
Age range
0–4 yrs
Last inspected
Mar 2026
Local authority
Cumberland
About this day nursery
Munchkins Nursery, located in Carlisle, Cumbria, has been providing childcare on non-domestic premises since its registration with Ofsted on September 19, 1996. The nursery cares for children aged 0-4 years and operates Monday to Friday from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
The setting prides itself on an inclusive and nurturing environment where children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are effectively supported. The whole-setting approach to SEND is a key strength, with staff receiving training to readily identify individual needs and collaborate with parents and professionals to ensure tailored support, enabling children to make secure progress.
While the nursery boasts many positive aspects, such as older children demonstrating perseverance and confidence in learning and effective key-person relationships, leaders are actively addressing areas for improvement to maintain consistently high-quality teaching across all age groups. Parents consistently commend the inclusive atmosphere and the dedication of the staff, highlighting the strong bonds fostered between the children and their caregivers.
Our ethos
At Munchkins, we fill the nursery full of curious, happy, and adventurous children who can confidently explore our setting and use their full imagination to engage with the world around them. Our curriculum focuses on empathy, kindness, and respect for others and the environment. Our nursery is filled with natural resources which encourage each child to physically engage with and explore the world around them. We believe that the use of Makaton, which refers to the use of signs and symbols to support the development of language, allows children to express themselves more efficiently and supports their communication in several ways. Our vision is to provide a stimulating environment that is safe and secure and that encourages children to develop a true love of learning; to develop a passion within each child for the outdoors and natural world; and to offer high-quality care that is peppered with love!
What it's like
Children are happy, safe and well cared for in this inclusive nursery. Staff are warm and nurturing in their approach to teaching and learning. Leaders' flexible approach to their session offering and settling-in sessions for new starters promotes good attendance and is praised by families. This allows all children to have the security they need to begin learning from the moment they start.
Nurturing environmentInclusive practiceEffective key-person systemStrong parent partnershipsDedicated staff
Pricing & funding
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)Tax-Free Childcare
Pricing on request
This nursery doesn't publish its fees online. Contact them directly for an up-to-date price list and availability.
Key facts
Established
1996
Ofsted Inspection — new report card
Expected standard
Last inspected Mar 2026
Grade summary
Exceptional
—
Strong standard
—
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
—
Each dot represents one of the six inspection categories. Headline is the average of the six grades, rounded up.
Category grades
AchievementExpected standard
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routinesExpected standard
Children's welfare and wellbeingExpected standard
Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
InclusionExpected standard
Leadership and governanceNeeds attention
Age range
0 to 4
Registers
Early Years Register
Ofsted Inspection
Ofsted rating for Munchkins Nursery
Last inspected 24 March 2026
Actions the provider must take
- Leaders must ensure that a programme of specific and targeted professional development is in place to build staff's confidence and knowledge of the new curriculum, so that leaders can be assured that all staff consistently deliver it with confidence and precision.
- Leaders should continue to embed the new curriculum design to further strengthen staff confidence.
What it's like to attend
Children are happy, safe and well cared for in this inclusive nursery. Staff are warm and nurturing in their approach to teaching and learning. Leaders' flexible approach to their session offering and settling-in sessions for new starters promotes good attendance and is praised by families. This allows all children to have the security they need to begin learning from the moment they start.
Inspector highlights
- The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe.
- Children flourish in a nurturing and inclusive environment where they feel safe and valued.
- Leaders and staff have created a calm and wholesome environment where all children thrive and achieve.
- Staff have a caring approach towards children, which helps children to feel safe and secure.
- Leaders demonstrate a commitment to inclusive practice. Staff consider children's backgrounds and make adaptations to their curriculum to best support each child in their care.
- Leaders are committed to making secure bonds with families and the community they serve.
Areas to develop
- 1Younger children do not always make consistent progress in their learning and do not always engage in meaningful play. They often repeat play without support to extend their learning.
- 2Not all staff have the skills needed to deliver an ambitious curriculum consistently, leading to younger children not always benefiting from high-quality interactions.
- 3The implementation of practices for fostering children's independence is not consistent across all staff members, with some children who are developmentally ready still using baby bottles instead of transitioning to cups.
Inspection #10119043 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report
Inclusion & environment
How they support every child
SEND provision
There is a whole-setting approach to supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff receive training to quickly identify children's needs through ongoing assessment and positive relationships with parents and wider professionals. This tailored support helps children to make secure progress. Leaders are proactive in seeking support for children with SEND and collaborate with families and professionals.
Parent Reviews of Munchkins Nursery
5.0
(3)
Jordan Schofield
8 years ago
Best nursery/preschool in carlisle.. fully flexible and can accommodate to any need from parent to child.
Read on Google
Accra Bites
a year ago
Scott Collins
6 years ago
Reviews from Google for Munchkins Nursery. See all on Google Maps
Inspection history
Improved from Inadequate → Good in 2020
Date: October 2009
The most recent inspection point has been hidden because the parsed entry didn't match the headline Ofsted rating (Good). We're re-checking it against the original report.
- January 2020Good
- August 2019Inadequate
- December 2016Good
- January 2013Good
- October 2009Good
Frequently asked about Munchkins Nursery
About the setting
Munchkins Nursery is a childcare on non-domestic premises, registered with Ofsted on 19/09/1996. It operates Monday to Friday from 07:00 to 18:00 and is registered under Munchkins (Carlisle) Ltd.
- URN
- 317389
- Registered person
- Munchkins (Carlisle) Ltd
- Day care type
- Full day care
- Register
- Early Years Register
- Establishment type
- Childcare on non-domestic premises
Nearby day nurseries in CARLISLE
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0.6 miOfsted: Outstanding
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