Thornton Lodge Day Nursery

1st Safari Day Nurseries Ltd, James Street, Thornton, Bradford BD13 3NR
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9.9 161 Reviews
  • Thornton Lodge Day Nursery, Bradford
Thornton Lodge Day Nursery is situated in scenic surroundings and part of a pleasant village environment, where children can enjoy learning in extensive indoor and outdoor play facilities.

The facility supports healthy eating alongside sound education and has been awarded a five-star kitchen rating.

A great deal of expertise and care has gone into creating a stimulating and child-centred environment, with a blend of child-led and adult-led activities. All staff are carefully vetted and there are CCTV and electronic entry systems in place.

The nursery was inspected by Ofsted on 13/02/2024 and was graded Good across all areas.
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Type of Service

  • Day Nursery
  • Open all year
  • Full Day Care
  • Sessional Day Care

Group/Owner

Person in Charge

  • Gareth Rider-Smith (Nursery Manager)

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 10

Total Places for Children

  • 71

Age Range

  • from 0 years 3 months
  • to 5 years 0 months

Funding & Fees

  • Sessions: 8am to 1pm & 1pm to 6pm are charged at £38/session.
    8am to 6pm is charged at £66/session.
    Early starts can be arranged from 7:30am, please call to discuss your requirements.

  • Free Hours/Places for children 2-4 years (Subject to criteria), we also offer a Before and After School Care to Local Primary School and Holiday Club in School Holidays.
    Please contact us for the latest prices.
    We have a number of Sessions available to meet/match our parent's requirements.
    We do not charge for Bank Holidays or any defined days that we are closed (Normally around Christmas).

Opening Times

  • Monday 08:00-18:00
    Tuesday 08:00-18:00
    Wednesday 08:00-18:00
    Thursday 08:00-18:00
    Friday 08:00-18:00

When Closed

  • Bank Holidays only

Parking

  • Unfortunately Thornton Lodge doesn't have any car parking facilities on site, however all Visitors and Parents can use King Edward Road to park above the nursery, to ensure free access up and down James Street in peak times, parking outside the nursery on the main road is available, but advise the use of King Edwards Road.

Thornton Lodge Day Nursery Reviews (161)

9.9

Thornton Lodge Day Nursery has a Review Score of 9.9 (9.924) out of 10, based on 21 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Thornton Lodge Day Nursery has 161 reviews.

Overall Experience
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Date Published
  • 161
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Reviewer Connection to Thornton Lodge Day Nursery
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Review from Paula D (Mother of Child) published on 27 February 2024 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Lovely setting, daughter settled well and enjoys her days here!
She has come on so much since coming here.
Staff are great and make you feel so welcome.
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Review from A M (Mother of Child) published on 22 August 2023 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Both my children have attended this nursery it is an amazing place with friendly staff who put children at the heart of everything that they do. My children have been kept safe, thrived and well prepared for school life. the learning environments are high quality and outdoor learning is a priority which
my boys loved. Communication is good and the setting is managed well by the Nursery Manager. There isn't anything that he wouldn't do for you. I highly recommend Thornton Lodge to prospective parents.
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Review from B M (Father of Child) published on 22 August 2023 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I have two boys who have both attended Thornton Lodge since they were nine months old. My children have loved coming here and are sad that they can no longer attend as they both go to school now. The staff are very caring and committed to ensuring that my children are safe, well and know how to support
their development. Communication is good and staff always give regular feedback on daily activities, including food, which my two boys love! I would highly recommend this nursery to everyone.
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Review from Rachel A (Mother of Child) published on 21 August 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
A home, not a nursery, warm and consistent. They have helped my son to grow and develop during his time here, and I have used different nurseries before this one, and I would never send my children anywhere else!
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Review from Mohammed Q (Father of Child) published on 8 August 2023 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The nursery has been amazing, the teaching has helped my child to progress and grow up and learn.
The staff are very helpful and understanding.
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Review from Ellie B (Mother of Child) published on 3 August 2023 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Fantastic service, staff very friendly, nursery very flexible. My child has loved his time at Thornton Lodge and made many friends.
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Review from Kelsey C (Mother of Child) published on 3 August 2023 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Thornton Lodge has been beyond amazing for my son. They've gone above and beyond to make sure he's happy and content. He loves coming to nursery to learn and play. I'd recommend this nursery to anyone.
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Review from Zaynah H (Sister of Child) published on 2 August 2023 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Great experience, looked after my sister, well taught her vocabulary that I thought she would never learn, she's very intelligent for her age.
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Review from N P (Mother of Child) published on 2 August 2023 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Lovely staff, my son enjoys playing outside in the playground, messy play. He has learnt manners, writing, and being a caring, thoughtful little boy. He would come to nursery on a weekend so that speaks volumes to the staff.
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Review from P P (Grandmother of Child) published on 2 August 2023 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My granddaughter has loved her time at this nursery. The staff have been brilliant, and they, and their leader, always go above and beyond to make it a happy and caring place. Their affection and care for the children is a joy to see, all carried out with a warm sense of humour.
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Review from Linda W (Grandmother of Child) published on 2 August 2023 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My grandchildren have thrived at this nursery - I am impressed with their learning, enrichment experiences, life skills. They have become good little people with everything they need to progress to big school.
Thank you so much.
Highly recommend.
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Review from K S (Mother of Child) published on 2 August 2023 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
All three of my children have attended Thornton Lodge and have loved it.
They've grown and developed so much due to the amazing staff.
Highly recommend.
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Review from Callum H (Father of Child) published on 2 August 2023 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Exceptional nursery, all staff go above and beyond for all the children.
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Review from S D (Mother of Child) published on 2 August 2023 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
An amazing nursery, looked after my child for many years, any problems I have had would be noted and taken care of. Staff are lovely. Really engage with the children, no matter of their abilities.
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Review from Daniel B (Father of Child) published on 2 August 2023 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Great nursery. My son has loved every minute of it. Thank you to all the staff for making his time at nursery amazing.
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Review from C C (Mother of Child) published on 24 July 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Absolutely brilliant nursery. Had to move my son as his nursery he had been at for 2 years shut and they did everything in their power to welcome him and settle him. The staff are all brilliant, lots of different play areas and his phonic knowledge has come along leaps and bounds. He loves going to
nursery and has made some fantastic friendships that he will carry on to primary.
My daughter also attends the baby room and as a baby who was very clingy they have really helped her settle and she really enjoys going now.
The nursery manager is very approachable and does everything in his power to accommodate parent’s needs and to involve parents in their child’s progress.
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Review from N R (Mother of Child) published on 1 March 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter is so happy at the nursery and the staff are so warm and welcoming. They have been extremely supportive and know her well. She loves all the activities. The manager is brilliant and a real driving force for the amazing changes at the nursery. Would strongly recommend.
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Review from E B (Mother of Child) published on 22 February 2022 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I recently changed the nursery for my little girl and noticed the positive impact Thornton Lodge has had on her. All the staff are very down to earth and cannot do enough for my daughter. She is so excited to tell me everything she has done and eaten. She has also gained lots of friends and she would
attend every day if I would allow her to, which is why I started my baby at Thornton Lodge. She has come on leaps and bounds.
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Review from B N (Mother of Child) published on 15 February 2022 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son has been attending for just over a year. The staff are very attentive, knowledgeable and know my child well. He completes/participates in a range of activities each day which are set up by the staff. He is very well fed with a good range of choices. They have amazing facilities (including outdoor
space) and a great range of toys. The staff keep a great record of his achievements and targets and seem to do more than is required of them. He has bonded well with the staff. The staff also plan great activities/parties on occasions e.g Halloween and Christmas, which he thoroughly enjoys.
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Review from G K (Father of Child) published on 15 February 2022 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our experience has been great. The staff are friendly and good at what they do. Our daughter loves coming.
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Current Review Score: 9.9 (9.924)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.9 (9.924) out of 10 for Thornton Lodge Day Nursery is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  1. The Average Rating is 4.9 out of 5 from 21 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 21 positive Reviews in the last 24 months.

Detailed Breakdown of Review Score

The maximum Review Score for a Day Nursery is 10, which is made up from the Average Rating of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) and the Number of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) in the last 24 months:

  1. 5 Points are available for the Average Rating from all Reviews in the last 24 months. The Average Rating of 4.924 for Thornton Lodge Day Nursery is calculated as follows: ( (231 Excellents x 5) + (17 Goods x 4) + (1 Satisfactorys x 3) ) ÷ 249 Ratings = 4.924
  2. 5 Points are available for the number of Positive Reviews in the last 24 months. A Positive Review is defined as any Review with an 'Overall Experience' of '4' or '5' (out of a max rating '5'). The 5 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Thornton Lodge Day Nursery is based on 21 positive Reviews in the last 24 months and is calculated as per below:

    The 5 points available are broken down as follows:

    1. 4 points are available for the first 10 Positive Reviews in the last 24 months; 3 points for the first Positive Review, and then 0.125 Points for each of the next four Positive Reviews and then 0.1 Points for the next five Positive Reviews. (1st = 3.000, 2nd = 0.125, 3rd = 0.125, 4th = 0.125, 5th = 0.125, 6th = 0.100, 7th = 0.100, 8th = 0.100, 9th = 0.100, 10th = 0.100) 3 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 = 4
    2. 1 point is available for the number of Positive Reviews reaching 20% of the number of registered child places in the last 24 months. If this number is partially reached, then that proportion of 1 point is given. eg a Day Nursery registered for a maximum of 50 child places has to reach 10 Positive Reviews to receive 1 point, if it has 7 reviews it will receive 0.7 points. 20% of the 71 number of registered child places is 14.2, which has been reached with 21 Positive reviews. Points = 1
  3. When a Review is submitted by someone who has previously submitted a Review, only the latest Review will count towards the Review Score.
  4. If a Day Nursery does not have a review in the last 24 months, then it will not have a Review Score.

Child Vacancies

Please contact us for latest vacancies.

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Awards / Recognitions (1)

Meet the Team (8)

Gareth

Gareth Rider-Smith

Job Title: Nursery Manager Joined: 2010

Qualifications:


Foundation Degree in Early Childhood Studies 2012

QA Level 3 Award in Paediatric First Aid 2021

Lead Practitioner Safeguarding Training 2023


Additional Roles:


SENCO


Safeguarding Lead Practitioner


Named First Aider


Health and Safety Officer

No image found

Kaslum Arian

Job Title: Deputy Nursery Manager Joined: 2025

Qualifications


- NCFE Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care and Children and Young People Services
- Diploma in Nursery Nursing (NNEB)
- MCR Level 3 Award in Paediatric First Aid - April 2022
- Food Hygiene Level 2
- Designated Safeguarding Lead Practitioner


Additional Training


- Safeguarding Children
- Understanding Babies
- Blossoming Babies
- Attachment
- Safer sleeping


Additional Information


Baby Room Leader

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Nafeesa Hussain

Job Title: Room Leader Joined: 2023

Qualifications


NCFE Level 3 Cache Diploma for Early Years Workforce ( Early Educator)
ICT Level 3 Award in Paediatric First Aid - April 2022
Food Hygiene Level 2


Additional Training
ICT Level 3 Award in Paediatric First Aid - April 2022
Food Hygiene Level 2
Safeguarding Children


Additional Information
Room Leader 3-5 Room

Jesicca

Jesicca Osins

Job Title: Nursery Practitioner Joined: 2020

Qualifications
NVQ Level 3 in Children's Learning and Development
QA Level 3 Award in Paediatric First Aid


Additional Training
Safeguarding Children


Additional Information
Baby Room Practitioner

Sarah

Sarah Brooks

Job Title: Nursery Practitioner Joined: 2017

Qualifications


Cache Level 3 Diploma in Childcare and Education 2009


Additional Roles


Baby Room Practitioner

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Layla Cordingley

Job Title: Nursery Practitioner Joined: 2023

Qualifications


NCFE Cache Technical Level 3 Diploma in Childcare and Education (Early Years Educator)


Additional Training
Safeguarding Children Level 2
Food Hygiene Level 2

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Debra Theaker

Job Title: Nursery Practitioner Joined: 2018

Qualifications


NVA Level 3 Nursery Nursing
Cache Level 3 Diploma in Home Based Childcare


Additional Roles


Toddler Room Practitioner

No image found

Saffiya Patel

Job Title: Apprentice Joined: 2025

Qualifications


- Working towards Level 3
- Food Hygiene Level 2


Additional Training


- Food Hygiene Level 2
- Safeguarding Children


Additional Information


Pre-School Practitioner

Information on this page is displayed without responsibility for its accuracy on the part of daynurseries.co.uk. Please contact Thornton Lodge Day Nursery to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Thornton Lodge Day Nursery has an Enhanced Service - more info.