We have always recognised that different communities we work with have their own unique needs which require their own locally-based solutions. We listen together and we change together by addressing our shared needs and concerns. We are proud to be a close part of the community and we are dedicated to invest in it no matter how long it takes.
LifeLine successfully operates the Little Learners Nursery and Pre-School on St Nicholas Avenue in Elm Park. Due to the great service offered and its high Ofsted rating, the nursery is currently extremely over-subscribed. Our team researched the situation and found there was a demand for another day nursery in this location.
My child started at Little Learners Nursery in August [2020], and I couldn’t be happier with how she’s settled in. The staff are so welcoming and helpful. They provide photos, written updates and development updates through the day and it’s easily accessible through the [Tapestry™] app. I would highly recommend this nursery
Excellent nursery and staff are very hardworking and self-motivated. My son has been with the nursery since 9 months of age and he is now 4. He loves the place and we can see significant early years development in him. The nursery remained open during the tough lockdown period. Arrangements made by the nursery for the safety of children, staff and family were satisfactory.
The shortage of places meant parents were travelling outside of their local area to access early years places for their young children. If you consider that road transport makes up around 20% of all air pollution, this was neither good for the environment or for the health of the local population.
As part of its commitment to making a difference in the community, LifeLine made the decision to open another Little Learners Nursery in Elm Park. We purchased a suitable residential property located on Ambleside Avenue and applied for planning permission to convert it from a house into the nursery.
The planning permission took longer than anticipated but was agreed after we demonstrated we had listened to the concerns of local people and satisfied their needs, all in line with LifeLine’s promise to provide more early years provisions for local families.
I am extremely relieved to be able to finally meet the childcare demand within the local community. Since Little Learners in Elm Park first opened, the nursery has consistently been 100% occupied with an ever-growing waiting list and it has been a personal challenge to have to turn families away due to limited capacity.
I am very pleased we can finally meet the demand for quality full-day childcare in Elm Park! I'm really looking forward to supporting and growing with many more families to come.
Issues
- Noise and disturbance to residents
- Additional traffic through the area
- Road safety due to the above
- Adequacy of parking and potential congestion
Solutions
- The maximum number of children and staff on-site is limited to reduce noise
- The outdoor play area will have a limited capacity, reduced hours of use, and acoustic fencing installed to minimize disruption to residents
- The nursery building will have non-opening windows and self-closing doors to reduce noise
- Both staff and parents are encouraged to use public transport etc. to minimize parking and congestion issues
When Ofsted inspected our Little Learners Nursery in Elm Park in 2018, they rated it Good.
"Staff promote children's communication and language skills exceptionally well during play. They skilfully extend children's learning through meaningful conversations and encourage them to express their thoughts and feelings."
This is exactly the approach we will be bringing to all our new Little Learners when the nursery in Ambleside opens next year—Leading the way, learning through play.
Little Learners Ambleside will be opening in 2022!
