Business Details
37 Years
experience
Trusted Montessori Nursery in Broxbourne
Established in 1989, Little Sparrows Day Nursery has been nurturing children aged 6 months to 5 years in Broxbourne for over three decades. Our approach combines Montessori principles with outdoor learning to foster creativity, resilience, and a lifelong love of learning. We prioritise child-led development, encouraging independence through hands-on experiences in both indoor and natural environments. Our team, led by Cheryl and Rachel with their combined expertise in early childhood education, creates a secure, stimulating space where children thrive emotionally, physically, and intellectually.We maintain strong parent partnerships, integrating home experiences into our curriculum while providing transparent progress updates. Our unique mixed-age group sessions promote empathy and social skills, supported by a rigorous staff training programme that ensures continuous professional development. With a focus on nutrition, mindfulness, and holistic growth, we prepare children for school and life beyond through curiosity-driven exploration.
Services
Early Years Education
Montessori Curriculum
Outdoor Learning
Forest School Training
Parent Partnerships
Nutrition Programmes
Transition Support
Mindfulness Sessions
Sensory Activities
Child Development Tracking
Details
- Year established: 1989
Highlights and features
- 30+ years of Montessori-inspired childcare expertise
- Unique mixed-age group learning environment
- Outdoor classroom with forest school training
- Family-run nursery with generational leadership
- Nutritionist-approved meals prepared on-site
Associations and certifications
- Ofsted
What people say
Loved by children
Knowledgeable staff
Amazing outdoor facilities
Excellent communication
Positive impact
Services
Early Years Education
Our Montessori-based curriculum nurtures children aged 6 months to 5 years through structured yet flexible learning environments. We focus on developing foundational skills through sensory experiences, practical life activities, and nature-based exploration. Our practitioners observe and guide individual learning journeys while fostering social-emotional growth through mixed-age group interactions.
Outdoor Learning
Daily outdoor sessions in our expansive garden promote physical development and environmental awareness. Children engage in risk-assessed play with climbing equipment, gardening activities, and weather-based investigations. The outdoor classroom supports gross motor skills, vitamin D absorption, and mindfulness practices while maintaining educational continuity with indoor learning objectives.
Forest School Training
Launching in 2024, our forest school programme will extend learning into natural woodland environments. Qualified practitioners will facilitate child-led exploration of ecosystems, survival skills, and environmental stewardship. This initiative builds resilience through managed risk-taking while developing ecological literacy and teamwork capabilities in authentic outdoor settings.
Parent Partnerships
We maintain open communication channels through progress folders, digital updates, and regular consultations. Parents contribute home experiences to personalise learning journeys while receiving tailored guidance on child development. Our family-style dining and transition support programmes ensure continuity between nursery and home environments.
Nutrition Programme
On-site chef prepares balanced meals using fresh ingredients without added salt or refined sugar. Children participate in growing vegetables and learn about global cuisines through tasting experiences. Our family-style dining encourages self-service skills and mindful eating habits while meeting nutritional requirements for growing minds.
People
Cheryl
Manager
Montessori and NNEB qualified practitioner with over 30 years' experience in early childhood education. Founded Little Sparrows in 1989 and continues to lead daily operations while mentoring staff in child development best practices.
Rachel
Co-Manager
BA Honours graduate in Early Childhood Studies with specialist expertise in innovative teaching methods. Oversees staff training programmes and implements new educational initiatives while managing parent engagement strategies.
Questions
What age range do you cater for?
We care for children from 6 months to 5 years old, with dedicated spaces and activities tailored to different developmental stages.
How do you incorporate Montessori principles?
Our approach includes child-led learning, mixed-age groups, uninterrupted play periods, and specially prepared environments that encourage independence and exploration.
What outdoor activities are available?
Children access our large garden daily with climbing equipment, gardening areas, mud kitchen, sand pit, and sheltered learning spaces supporting all-weather outdoor education.
How do you support transition to school?
Our pre-school curriculum focuses on foundational skills through outdoor classroom learning, mindfulness sessions, and social-emotional development to prepare children for formal education.
What food provision do you offer?
We provide nutritionist-approved meals prepared on-site without added salt or sugar, including family-style dining experiences that teach self-service skills.
How do you communicate with parents?
We use progress folders, digital updates via Wix Spaces, and regular consultations to maintain open communication and involve families in their child's learning journey.
Reviews (4)
Priya Sahni
Jul 09, 2020
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Little Sparrows is FANTASTIC! Our previous large nursery closed at sudden notice and being key workers we were left with no care for our then 16 month old son during the covid pandemic. Cheryl and the team certainly came to our rescue. The care and attention paid to each child is second to none. Almost immediately our son fell in love with the nursery and would run inside with a smile every morning. We are eternally grateful to Little Sparrows for all they have done for us, it's a huge shame we live too far to keep our son there. We really would have loved to. Thank you Little Sparrows!
Arun
Jun 26, 2020
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During the pandemic our usual nursery suddenly shut. My wife and I are key workers. So we started a search for a new nursery. We spoke to Cheryl who said her way to help with the pandemic was to look after our son.
Cheryl welcomed our son to the nursery after a period of settling in. He absolutely loved Little Sparrows. He looks forward to going to nursery in the morning. I cannot fault the care, attention and love Cheryl and Carolyn have shown our son. We will forever be grateful.
Cheryl welcomed our son to the nursery after a period of settling in. He absolutely loved Little Sparrows. He looks forward to going to nursery in the morning. I cannot fault the care, attention and love Cheryl and Carolyn have shown our son. We will forever be grateful.
Nicole Wang
Aug 09, 2019
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We love the nursey, my daughter absolute
enjoy every single day there and made really good friends and learned a lot. the nursery is independent, the atmosphere is really warm and caring, and feels like a big family. highly recommend!
enjoy every single day there and made really good friends and learned a lot. the nursery is independent, the atmosphere is really warm and caring, and feels like a big family. highly recommend!
Leanne Teagle-Stacey
May 30, 2019
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My daughter attened little sparrows nursery for 2 years, during which she has thougherly enjoyed her time here, and is sad to be leaving. The staff are so lovely, friendly and proffesional, they are Also so easy to approach and talk to about anything on your mind. They offer good feedback on your child's day when collecting them , talking about what they do well and not so well. You work together to help your child progress develope and learn though activities, role play, story times and asking questions. The older children (3-4) spend more time in the activity room where they learn more then
