Apricot Day Nursery, nestled in the heart of St Neots, offers a nurturing and intimate environment for children's development, adhering to the Montessori approach within a home-from-home setting. The nursery champions a play-based learning philosophy where passionate educators provide diverse activities tailored to individual interests.
The curriculum is enriched by the unique Brighter Learning Approach (BLA), an advanced interpretation of the Early Years Foundation Stage, which focuses on providing real-life opportunities, hands-on experiences, and child-led learning across six core areas including My Happy and Healthy Self, Wonderful World, Super Steam, Raving Readers, Mini Maths, and Confident Speakers and Communicators. This approach aims to foster active engagement, critical thinking, exploration, creativity, and collaboration.
The nursery operates across two sites, with a separate pre-school setting for older children and a 'Next Stop School' programme designed to prepare children for primary education by developing confidence, social skills, and independence. They offer flexible benefits to families by not charging for food, enhancements, or consumables, and provide both fully and partially funded sessions for eligible families.
The nursery also features age-appropriate outdoor play areas with free-flowing access, promoting discovery and skill-building in all weather conditions. Freshly prepared meals are provided on-site, with dietary needs carefully accommodated.
What it's like
Children are safe, secure, and confident at the nursery. They enjoy a variety of activities based on their interests, including water play and exploring mathematical concepts. Children also develop good communication skills, with practitioners acting as good role models for politeness and respect, and they engage well in planned activities.
Funding accepted
This nursery doesn't publish its fees online. Contact them directly for an up-to-date price list and availability.
Food
Meals are freshly prepared on-site by our own cook. We use fresh, seasonal ingredients to create a variety of nutritious meals that rotate regularly. Dietary preferences are taken seriously, and we cater to all requirements, including food intolerances and allergies.
Opening hours
7.30am - 6.30pm, 51 weeks a year (Full day 8am to 6pm, Early start 7:30am to 8am, Late finish 6pm to 6:30pm)
Term time / All Year
All Year
Last inspected 24 May 2023
What it's like to attend
Children are safe, secure, and confident at the nursery. They enjoy a variety of activities based on their interests, including water play and exploring mathematical concepts. Children also develop good communication skills, with practitioners acting as good role models for politeness and respect, and they engage well in planned activities.
Inspector highlights
Areas to develop
Verbatim quotes recorded in the Ofsted inspection
Parents comment on the good level of care their children receive and the progress they have seen their children make.
They remark their children are safe and settled at the nursery and that practitioners share informative feedback each day.
Inclusion & environment
The curriculum is ambitious and challenging for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Practitioners work with partner agencies to plan a cohesive and consistent approach to support the learning and development of children with SEND.
Children enjoy outdoor play and exploring large apparatus. They encourage each other as they climb or use large dome-shaped spin tubs together. Children enjoy the physical challenge of the climbing wall and learn to take appropriate risks as they play and learn, both inside and outside.
We had a really good experience with this nursery. It was the first nursery for my little one and the staffs really helped my little one settling in and now he is excited to go there.
Read on Google
I have visited Faringdon this week and just loved the happy, purposeful atmosphere created by staff and children . Highly recommend a visit
Read on Google
Caring staff have really helped our son settle in to nursery. They are all very kind, imaginative in terms of the range of activities which the children are provided with, well organised, and they treat each child as an individual. Great communication. They provide a fun and safe space for the children to learn and thrive in, and we have noticed that our son has developed in so many ways from his eating, socialising, speech and confidence since starting. We love the updates on the app which we get, it's wonderful to see the fun they're having!
Read on Google
Was recommended by Stanford preschool and it was the best recommendation by far the best nursery I’ve had my children in, great staff great clean tidy building, great chef, couldn’t recommend enough.
Read on Google
Terrible communication
Read on GoogleReviews from Google for Old Station Nursery. See all on Google Maps
Date: May 2011
Old Station Nursery registered in 2002 and is located in Faringdon, Oxfordshire. It is open weekdays, from 8am to 6pm, all year round with the exception of a week at Christmas. The provider receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years and employs 20 staff, 13 of whom hold recognised early years qualifications.
Other Ofsted-registered day nurseries close to Old Station Nursery.
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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
