The Old School Nursery is a beautiful rural nursery situated in Honington at the Sleaford/Lincoln fork (A607/A153) just 10 mins from Grantham centre and the next village on from Barkston.
The nursery offers government funded places from nine months old (subject to eligibility), government funded places for three and four-year-olds and is registered with the Government Tax-Free childcare scheme.
The nursery is Hygge accredited - Hygge is the Danish way of...
The Old School Nursery is a beautiful rural nursery situated in Honington at the Sleaford/Lincoln fork (A607/A153) just 10 mins from Grantham centre and the next village on from Barkston.
The nursery offers government funded places from nine months old (subject to eligibility), government funded places for three and four-year-olds and is registered with the Government Tax-Free childcare scheme.
The nursery is Hygge accredited - Hygge is the Danish way of living, incorporating mindfulness, a sense of being, and caring for yourself and others. The children enjoy a calm and relaxing atmosphere where they can explore, learn through their experiences and have fun.
The nursery garden has a wealth of experiences for the children. A sensory path, known as the Mindfulness walk, a tee-pee, a large 'Fort' incorporating things to climb, tyre-swings and a slide, large tractor tyres to climb, and a viewing station so that the children can say Hello to the donkeys and the ponies in the field next door. The garden also has raised beds where the children grow vegetables, which are then cooked by the resident chef. The nursery prides itself in being sustainable, and the items in the garden have been transformed from other items, such as pallets, old tyres, wood left-over from projects.
Inside, the nursery promotes a feeling of home in a calming environment, where the children are free to explore the natural open-ended resources, to enhance their learning. The practitioners are resources too, who sit with the children, join in their play, and enhance the learning opportunities when the time is right, by asking open-questions, and showing the children how to find out things.
A small setting in a small village location, The Old School Nursery really is a hidden gem, where the families become an extended family, where they care for each other and thrive on the enjoyment they have.
The Old School Nursery has a Review Score of 10 (9.981) out of 10, based on 22 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time The Old School Nursery has 46 reviews.
Review from Jane R (Mother of Child) published on 8 February 2018 Submitted via Website•
Overall Experience
I have had 2 children at the nursery over the last 5 years. My daughter currently attends daily prior to starting school in September. The nursery is taking time to ensure she is fully prepared for the transition to school, she enjoys her time at nursery and talks very fondly of all the staff at...
I have had 2 children at the nursery over the last 5 years. My daughter currently attends daily prior to starting school in September. The nursery is taking time to ensure she is fully prepared for the transition to school, she enjoys her time at nursery and talks very fondly of all the staff at the nursery. I know that when she starts school she will be confident and fully prepared for the next chapter of her life.
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Review from A W (Mother of Child) published on 27 January 2017 Submitted via Website•
Overall Experience
Dappledown is a lovely nursery and suits our family perfectly. We love the old school setting and the location. The nursery really makes the most of this - the children get lots of fresh air and space to explore and have fun. We often get reports of visits to see the farm animals. Our toddler runs...
Dappledown is a lovely nursery and suits our family perfectly. We love the old school setting and the location. The nursery really makes the most of this - the children get lots of fresh air and space to explore and have fun. We often get reports of visits to see the farm animals. Our toddler runs straight in in the morning and is very happy, chattering non-stop about his day.
His baby brother also recently started nursery and has settled immediately - which shows how relaxed he is there and with the wonderful staff. The food is excellent and home-cooked, which was one of our reasons to choose the nursery. We also needed a nursery that opened early to enable us to drop the boys off and get to work - Dappledown recognises this by opening at 7.30am and offering a great breakfast.
Overall, we couldn't be happier with Dappledown - the boys are well cared for, take part in great activities, sing, play and interact well with other children and the staff.
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Review from Rachel (Mother of Child) published on 19 August 2016 Submitted via Website•
Overall Experience
Our daughter loves the nursery and the staff members. As a parent, it is really reassuring to see the real and genuine interest all of the staff members show in your child and in relation to their development. There always seems to be a new activity to get involved in and it is great to see how...
Our daughter loves the nursery and the staff members. As a parent, it is really reassuring to see the real and genuine interest all of the staff members show in your child and in relation to their development. There always seems to be a new activity to get involved in and it is great to see how these are informed and developed on the interest shown by the children.
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Review from Catherine C (Mother of Child) published on 15 July 2016 Submitted via Website•
Overall Experience
We are really happy with the nursery, more importantly though, the boys are happy. The staff always seem caring and kind, often thinking of new activities to keep young minds interested. It's excellent value for money and the team seem to work really well together.
We are really happy with the nursery, more importantly though, the boys are happy. The staff always seem caring and kind, often thinking of new activities to keep young minds interested. It's excellent value for money and the team seem to work really well together.
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Review from Mrs P (Mother of Child) published on 12 July 2016 Submitted via Website•
Overall Experience
My son has been at Dappledown since last October when he was 10 months old. The care and attention he has received has been second to none and I have no reservations in recommending the nursery to any prospective parents. He couldn't be happier to run in each morning and has formed some lovely...
My son has been at Dappledown since last October when he was 10 months old. The care and attention he has received has been second to none and I have no reservations in recommending the nursery to any prospective parents. He couldn't be happier to run in each morning and has formed some lovely relationships and friendships with the other children. The care and dedication shown by his key workers and other nursery staff have certainly made returning to work much easier for me, knowing he was in safe hands and enjoying his time spent there.
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Review from Amii (Mother of Child) published on 12 July 2016 Submitted via Website•
Overall Experience
Dappledown is a great nursery in a lovely surrounding. My son has been going since he was 8 months old (now 2 1/2years) and we have never had any concerns with the care he receives. All the staff are great, very friendly and easy to speak to. The nursery is always doing new projects for the...
Dappledown is a great nursery in a lovely surrounding. My son has been going since he was 8 months old (now 2 1/2years) and we have never had any concerns with the care he receives. All the staff are great, very friendly and easy to speak to. The nursery is always doing new projects for the children to get involved with to help their development.
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Child Vacancies
Please contact us for latest vacancies.
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Meet the Team (7)
Mel HartJob Title Nursery OwnerJoined 2022
I am the Owner and I have another nursery in nearby Grantham - Albion House Nursery. I have a Degree in Early Years and Early Years Professional...
I am the Owner and I have another nursery in nearby Grantham - Albion House Nursery. I have a Degree in Early Years and Early Years Professional Status. I have always worked with children, and I started out as a Nanny.
I love to socialise with my friends and listen to live music, and I have another huge passion for Pre-War cars, where I organise a Vintage speed trials event every year.
Taylor StewartJob Title Nursery ManagerJoined 2023
I am the Nursery Manager, SENCO and DSL. I have a Degree in Early Childhood Studies and lots of experience with children of all ages. I have a true...
I am the Nursery Manager, SENCO and DSL. I have a Degree in Early Childhood Studies and lots of experience with children of all ages. I have a true passion for Early Years and am dedicated to creating a nurturing, engaging and enriching learning environment that supports young children's growth and curiosity.
Shannon MooreJob Title Deputy ManagerJoined 2024
I started with The Old School in 2024 and love the homely vibe, hygge ethos, and family feel to the nursery. I am level 3 qualified and working...
I started with The Old School in 2024 and love the homely vibe, hygge ethos, and family feel to the nursery. I am level 3 qualified and working towards my Makaton qualification. A theory that I am passionate about would be Maslow's hierarchy of needs, and I feel this links in perfectly with our nursery values.
Hayley BackJob Title Third in ChargeJoined 2025
I joined The Old School in 2025. I have two children of my own, and I am Level 3 qualified. I would love to do further studies in the future within the early years. I love the warm, friendly environment of our nursery and it's Hygge ethos.
Emily TrimJob Title Level 3 PractitionerJoined 2024
I joined The Old School Nursery and began working towards my Level 3 Qualification in March 2024. The nursery manager has been brilliant at...
I joined The Old School Nursery and began working towards my Level 3 Qualification in March 2024. The nursery manager has been brilliant at supporting me with this. My passion in the early years was helping children with SEN I work closely with our SENCO and also hold a qualification in this.
Sacha WalkerJob Title Level 5 PractitionerJoined 2024
I bought my first home in the area in November 2024 and began my role at The Old School a couple of weeks later. I instantly felt welcomed due to the homely feel the setting has. I am level 5 qualified and have worked in early years since 2018.
Suzanne MullockJob Title Nursery ChefJoined 2022
I have worked at The Old School Nursery since Mel took over in 2022. I love making fresh, healthy, home cooked meals everyday for the children here,...
I have worked at The Old School Nursery since Mel took over in 2022. I love making fresh, healthy, home cooked meals everyday for the children here, and they love the food! I also hold a level3 qualification in early years and enjoy getting to spend time with the children over a hot lunch.
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