Explorers Nursery at QE

Queen Ethelburga's Collegiate, Thorpe Green Lane, Thorpe Underwood, York YO26 9SS
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Top 20 award
9.8 46 Reviews
  • Explorers Nursery at QE, York
Explorers Nursery at QE is the Outstanding Early Years provision (ISI February 2019) at the Excellent rated independent school, Queen Ethelburga's Collegiate.

Situated on the beautiful Thorpe Underwood Estate, Explorers Nursery at QE is a friendly setting where children receive the best possible support and care.

The experienced team of staff there take pride in ensuring a warm, family atmosphere in which the children can learn. They focus on the Prime curriculum areas crucial for igniting children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, and building on their capacity to learn, form relationships and thrive.

A creative refurbishment of the setting in 2017 means that children benefit from a specially designed flexible indoor space and interactive outdoor learning area. They also have access to a standalone library and a dedicated Early Years dining area, so that they can enjoy meal times together in a homely atmosphere. Meals are prepared by a dedicated Early Years chef, who caters for all nutritional requirements.

Children grow and develop through three main rooms:

Adventurers:

The 3-month to early walkers’ room. Staff create a lovely, friendly and soothing first room for the children who have their own, unique routine. There are a range of activities and toys for the child to investigate, and the children often get rather messy when they do their first masterpieces of art!

Voyagers:

For early walkers to 2 years. Staff begin to encourage independence. The team organise activities that move the children on to their next steps, along with lots of opportunity for messy/tactile play!

Pioneers:

For children aged 2-3 years. Staff create an energetic and very independent room. Children have more activities to choose from and are big on outside play. Children at this age are starting to form friendships and staff facilitate this with more group activities.
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Funding & Fees

Monthly fees:
Half a day - £40
Full day - £80
5 days a week - £375


At Explorers Nursery, we accept the Government Tax-Free Childcare Scheme and Childcare Vouchers.

Contact Explorers Nursery at QE to get a personalised quote.

Contact Explorers Nursery at QE to get a personalised quote.

Type of Service

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

Owner

  • Queen Ethelburga's Collegiate
  • Privately Owned

Person in Charge

  • Emily Hunter (Head of Early Years)

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 13

Total Places for Children

  • 36

Age Range

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

Opening Times

  • Monday 07:30-18:00
    Tuesday 07:30-18:00
    Wednesday 07:30-18:00
    Thursday 07:30-18:00
    Friday 07:30-18:00

When Closed

  • Bank Holidays & 1 week at Christmas

Explorers Nursery at QE Reviews (46)

9.8

Explorers Nursery at QE has a Review Score of 9.8 (9.793) out of 10, based on 12 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Explorers Nursery at QE has 46 reviews.

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Review from Beth H (Mother of Child) published on 18 March 2026 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Explorers Nursery is by far the very best you could ask for as a parent with regards to care, standards and play setting. The staff are truly exceptional, warm and kind-hearted. They are committed to ensuring our Son's needs are considered above all else and they absolutely prioritise any request, big
or small.
Leaving our two boys in their care over the years has brought us immense peace of mind and reassurance. I honestly can't thank Explorers enough for the kindness and support they have shown to our family. I wouldn't
hesitate to recommend QE - a truly outstanding place for a child to begin their schooling journey
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Review from Rebecca B (Mother of Child) published on 13 March 2026 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son has settled in at explorers nursery so well it gives me confidence that he is being well cared for and having a great time. The staff are caring and understanding of the children but also the parents and make things easy for us. I find it reassuring that there are limited numbers of children
in each room so that it is not too chaotic for the children and they get to build strong connections with staff and their peers. They do fun activities each day and the day has some structure with going for walks, to the playground and forest school so they are not just inside all day. The site itself is very safe and secure.
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Review from Sian H (Mother of Child) published on 13 March 2026 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We are so happy that our child attends Explorers nursery. The practitioners are wonderful, helping to settle our little one when they first started at nursery, and helping them to build their confidence and try new things. Our little one is so happy to go that they spend the rest of the week chatting
about their friends (other children and practitioners)! The facilities are amazing and the nursery always set up lovely themed activities for the children which help them to learn and develop.
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Review from Carina M (Mother of Child) published on 11 March 2026 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Explorers nursery has been absolutely fantastic for both my 1year old and 3year old. Both my girls have been attending since they were just 3months old and I've always felt so at ease leaving them with each and every member of staff at the nursery.


The opportunities they have on a daily basis is just

amazing with my eldest even attending weekly swimming lessons! The environment in the nursery is so calm even with the children around. We receive regular updates throughout the day and are kept well informed of all activities, mealtimes, nappy changes etc


I wouldn't want my children to attend any other nursery, I think Explorers is hands down the best nursery around! Thank you

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Review from R D (Mother of Child) published on 9 March 2026 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Explorer's Nursery at Queen Ethelburgas is a fabulous nursery. The staff are amazing. They are highly qualified and knowledgeable with lots of childcare experience. They are really kind and caring ensuring you feel reassured and happy leaving your child in their care. The range of activities they offer
for the children to have new experiences is great even swimming for some ages. 5* experience all round.
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Review from Luke A (Father of Child) published on 4 March 2026 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My children have been attending Explorers nursery for a few months now and I couldn't be happier with how quickly they have settled in to nursery life. The staff at the nursery are all warm and welcoming and I feel at ease knowing they're cared for. I love the updates/photos we receive during the day
and the array of different activities and experiences that are on offer to my children.
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Review from L W (Mother of Child) published on 18 February 2026 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Fab nursery, super friendly staff, great communication, varied food offering, and all sorts of age appropriate activities to aid development and have lots of fun! Great indoor and outdoor space, super lucky!
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Review from Sophie P (Mother of Child) published on 17 March 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I have never hesitated to send my children to QE kindergarten for a number of reasons. The space itself is excellent and so are the facilities (playground etc). The staff are what really make it. Over the years my boys have developed such strong relationships with not just their key workers but all
of the staff. They are so invested in the children's development and work really hard to create fun and engaging activities for the children. They keep you informed and updated with daily activities which is always lovely to see when you're a working parent. There is no other place I would send my children and I feel strongly that I've given them the best possible start.
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Review from Hannah S (Mother of Child) published on 17 March 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Brilliant staff, facilities and atmosphere. My son has gained so much confidence, knowledge and development.
We travel 50 miles one way and wouldn't change, we started in January 2024 and had more then a positive experience.
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Review from Adam C (Father of Child) published on 5 February 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our son is two and a half, and absolutely loves attending this nursery. The daily walks around the gardens and the opportunities to explore the forest school have really sparked his curiosity and sense of adventure. He looks forward to playing on the playground each day, and he can't stop talking about
how much he enjoys their breakfast options! The warm and caring staff also put us at ease, knowing he's in a safe, nurturing environment. We've seen him grow in confidence and independence, and we couldn't be happier with his experience here.
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Review from Vanessa W (Mother of Child) published on 5 February 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter started at Queen Ethelburga's Kindergarten in September 2024.
Each morning, she eagerly enters with a bright smile, giving a quick wave goodbye. The staff at QE Kindergarten are truly exceptional and my daughter has formed a special bond with them. They are nurturing, kind, caring and
enthusiastic, creating a positive and supportive environment for her to thrive in. I enjoy looking through the online journal, which is consistently updated with photos and updates on the various engaging activities she participates in. I wholeheartedly recommend QE Kindergarten; my daughter not only has an amazing day, each day, but she has also made significant progress.
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Review from Ashlee L (Mother of Child) published on 19 August 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
After being shown around a few nurseries in the area, it was clear that Queen's Kindergarten had the most welcoming and enriching environment and that is why we chose to send our child there. My son started in March when he was ten months old and to say I was apprehensive was an understatement! He's
my first baby and I was so nervous to leave him in the care of anybody but I was instantly put at ease by the caring staff. They updated me on how he had settled in and it was evident they had taken time to get to know what my child likes. He has been going for several months now and it's an absolute blessing to see him happy to go every week. We know he is in the very best care at QE and are very thankful for the care they provide and the educational enrichment they give him.
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Review from Bronte H (Mother of Child) published on 12 February 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our little boy started nursery at Queen's Kindergarten at 4 months old, it wasn't what we'd planned but our work schedules pushed this! It's safe to say that we absolutely don't have any regrets about this decision. Our little boy absolutely loves his days at nursery and the full team at QE are kind,
friendly, attentive and we couldn't wish for a better set of people or a better setting for our little boy to spend his days when he's not with us.
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Review from Katie F (Mother of Child) published on 7 February 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter has been going to Queen’s Kindergarten since she was 3 months old and absolutely loves it! She is now just over 2 years old and her development has been fantastic. The staff are amazing with the children and I couldn’t recommend anywhere better for your children to start (and continue) their
education.
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Review from G C (Mother of Child) published on 7 February 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Such a lovely environment for little ones to learn and play.
The team who take care of them are so nice and welcoming, they keep you up to date on daily activities and picture updates.
It’s now my third child who is attending and they have all loved it from day one.
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Review from Suzanne Y (Mother of Child) published on 5 February 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son has attended here for the last 12 months and has said after each day what a lovely day he has had. The staff are wonderful, engaging, fun and care for him like he’s one of their own. He has fabulous opportunities everyday from specific PE lessons to walks around the extensive grounds, playing
in the amazing playground to singing and dancing. He gets to be himself.
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Review from Ben W (Father of Child) published on 3 April 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our little girl has settled really well in the Kindergarten. She loves the members of staff and they always give lots of attention and cuddles. It's lovely seeing that she seeks comfort from them if she is tired or upset. There's always a variety of food and she gets to try different things. It's great
being able to see on tapestry during the day how she is getting on and what she has been up to. She has so much to tell us when she gets home and is always happy and chatty after a day in Kindergarten!
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Review from L T (Mother of Child) published on 10 March 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our daughter started nursery here at only three months old and we had looked at many other nurseries before finding somewhere we were happy for her to attend. We love the space, both indoors and outside and the team there are so caring and compassionate. Our daughter has really come on with her development
from attending nursery here and genuinely loves her days there with such an amazing variety of activities. I feel completely at ease leaving my daughter in their care and love the updates we receive throughout the day so we can see what she is getting up to. I couldn't recommend it highly enough!
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Review from S P (Mother of Child) published on 9 March 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
A fabulous nursery. Both my little girl and boy have progressed over the months of being there. The staff are the most kind, happy and caring team. The activities they do are so exciting and interactive, all age appropriate. The location and facilities are fabulous. I love how they can go for walks
around the facilities, to see all the nature in the area. The staff are all so attentive to my son and daughter's needs, it really makes going to work easier knowing your child is being cared for by such an amazing team. I couldn't recommend the kindergarten enough thank you.
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Review from R O (Mother of Child) published on 8 March 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our daughter has now been in Queen's Kindergarten for 3 months and we have found the experience here to be fantastic. My little girl was very upset to leave mummy and daddy each day, and the team have been fantastic at helping her settle in and give us lots of updates throughout the day to put our minds
at ease about how she’s doing. Also, end of day in person updates and even a detailed report updating us on how she is doing. If I was writing a report about my little girl it would have been almost word for word what they wrote so I am super confident in how well they have got to know her and her characteristics in such a short time, as she only attends a couple of days a week. Lovely setting, great team and seems a great place to develop and flourish at such an important stage of little one's lives! Highly recommend Queen's Kindergarten
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Current Review Score: 9.8 (9.793)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.8 (9.793) out of 10 for Explorers Nursery at QE is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  1. The Average Rating is 5.0 out of 5 from 12 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 4.8 out of 5 from 12 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 4.993 for Explorers Nursery at QE is calculated as follows: ( (142 Excellents x 5) + (1 Goods x 4) ) ÷ 143 Ratings = 4.993
  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 4.8 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Explorers Nursery at QE is based on 12 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 20 Positive Reviews in the last 24 months; 3 points for the first Positive Review, 0.125 Points for each of the next four Positive Reviews, 0.05 Points for the next five Positive Reviews, and finally 0.025 Points for the next ten Positive Reviews. (1st = 3.000, 2nd = 0.125, 3rd = 0.125, 4th = 0.125, 5th = 0.125, 6th = 0.050, 7th = 0.050, 8th = 0.050, 9th = 0.050, 10th = 0.050, 11th = 0.025, 12th = 0.025, 13th = 0.025, 14th = 0.025, 15th = 0.025, 16th = 0.025, 17th = 0.025, 18th = 0.025, 19th = 0.025, 20th = 0.025) 3 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.05 + 0.05 + 0.05 + 0.05 + 0.05 + 0.025 + 0.025 = 3.8
    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 36 number of registered child places is 7.2, which has been reached with 12 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 (3)

Meet the Team (13)

Emily

Emily

Job Title: Head of Early Years Joined: 2025

Emily is the Head of Early Years

Aimee

Aimee

Job Title: Assistant Manager of Queen's Kindergarten Joined: 2018

Aimee works in the Adventurers' room.

Hana

Hana

Job Title: Assistant Manager of Queen's Kindergarten Joined: 2016

Hana works in the Voyagers' room.

Tina

Tina

Job Title: Early Years Practitioner Joined: 2021

Tina works in the Adventurers' room.

Hannah

Hannah

Job Title: Early Years Practitioner Joined: 2020

Hannah works in the Voyagers' room.

Becky

Becky

Job Title: Early Years Practitioner Joined: 2022

Becky works in the Voyagers' room.

Amy

Amy

Job Title: Early Years Practitioner Joined: 2024

Amy works in the Adventures room.

Tegan

Tegan

Job Title: Early Years Practitioner Joined: 2023

Tegan works in the Pioneers' room.

Emma

Emma

Job Title: Early Years Practitioner Joined: 2024

Emma works in the Pioneers' room.

Emily

Emily

Job Title: Early Years Practitioner Joined: 2024

Emily works in the Pioneers' room.

Caitlin

Caitlin

Job Title: Early Years Apprentice Joined: 2024

Caitlin works within all 3 rooms.

Becki

Becki

Job Title: Early Years Practitioner Joined: 2025

Becki works in the Voyagers room and goes swimming with Pioneers.

Lauren

Lauren

Job Title: Early Years Practitioner Joined: 2025

Lauren works in the Adventurers' room.

Frequently Asked Questions about Explorers Nursery at QE

What is the Age Range of Children that Explorers Nursery at QE accepts?

Explorers Nursery at QE accepts Children aged from 0 years 3 months to 3 years 0 months.

What Days & Hours is Explorers Nursery at QE Open?

Explorers Nursery at QE is open: Monday 07:30-18:00, Tuesday 07:30-18:00, Wednesday 07:30-18:00, Thursday 07:30-18:00, Friday 07:30-18:00.

How many Children does Explorers Nursery at QE have capacity for?

Explorers Nursery at QE has capacity for a total of 36 Children.

How far is Explorers Nursery at QE to the centre of York?

9.8 mile(s) as the crow flies, distance by road may be significantly further.

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