Little Gems Private Day Nursery

1 Dunlady Road, Dundonald, Belfast BT16 1TT
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9.9 136 Reviews
  • Little Gems Private Day Nursery, Belfast
Little Gems Private Day Nursery offers a loving homely environment for your child, having been part of the community for over 12 years with long established management and staff. Little Gems offers full day care for children aged 3months to 10years old. Each room is equipped with age appropriate resources and has a full programme of activities for a fun and stimulating day. Under 3s enjoy a weekly visit from Jo Jingles for music and dancing while Pre-school enjoy Spanish lessons and Debut Tots as part of the Pre-school curriculum. A large garden offers plenty of opportunity for exploring outside, gardening and outdoor toys. After-school care is available all year with a summer scheme and breakfast club. The nursery collects from Dundonald Primary and Brooklands Primary. Everyday carers strive to meet the individual needs of every child in their care, encouraging learning through play, covering all the areas of learning to develop independent and confident children.
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Funding & Fees

Full Week - £314
Full Day - £75
Half Day - £52
Two children – Full time - £531.50
Afterschool - £35
Morning & Afterschool - £36.00

Fees applicable from April 1st 2025.

Contact Little Gems Private Day Nursery to get a personalised quote.

Contact Little Gems Private Day Nursery to get a personalised quote.

Type of Service

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

Group/Owner

Person in Charge

  • Leah Morrow (Nursery Manager)

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 38

Total Places for Children

  • 103

Age Range

  • from 0 years 3 months
  • to 5 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

  • Public Holidays

Little Gems Private Day Nursery Reviews (136)

9.9

Little Gems Private Day Nursery has a Review Score of 9.9 (9.913) out of 10, based on 26 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Little Gems Private Day Nursery has 136 reviews.

Overall Experience
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Date Published
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Reviewer Connection to Little Gems Private Day Nursery
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Total of 136, showing 1-20
Review from Emma A (Mother of Child) published on 17 March 2026 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Little Gems is a wonderful nursery that provides a warm, caring, and supportive environment for children. The staff are incredibly kind, attentive, and dedicated, always ensuring the children feel safe, happy, and encouraged to learn. Communication with parents is excellent, and there are always engaging
activities that support development and confidence. I would highly recommend this nursery to any family looking for high-quality childcare.
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Review from Sinead B (Mother of Child) published on 17 March 2026 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My little boy has been at little gems from March 2025. He started in baby room, moving to wobblers and is now in toddler room. Each room he has been in has been fantastic and he loves going to nursery. The staff go above amd beyond and they are helping his development so much. I love getting the updates
and photos and I couldn't fault it at all. We've had a great experience and are so thankful for such a dedicated facility that loves & supports all the children.
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Review from E M (Mother of Child) published on 11 March 2026 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter has attended Little Gems since 2024 starting in the Baby room and is now in the Toddler room. All the staff that have looked after her have been wonderful and the nursery is really well managed. Any issues or queries are always answered so quickly and on the rare occasion we've needed to
send her an extra day or two this has been met to the best of their ability.
Can't recommend them enough.
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Review from Laura B (Mother of Child) published on 20 February 2026 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our little girl attends Little Gems and has developed so much since she first joined in September 2025. She loves the staff so much we are convinced she thinks they are family. It is clear that the staff have such a great relationship with her - we love getting updates from them and they are genuinely
excited when she develops new skills and progresses. We feel so lucky to have found such an amazing nursery for her that we feel 100% comfortable with trusting them with her care. They engage the children in learning activities that we would just never be able to provide at home, and our little girl has learned so much. They set such a high standard that all childcare facilities should strive to achieve.
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Review from C H (Mother of Child) published on 19 February 2026 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The staff are brilliant and great with the children, my daughter loves it. I am grateful for the love and care they provide. They are most definitely the pull factor for me keeping my daughter there.


Car park set up however is not manageable. Limited space for parent pick up and drop off. A suggestion

would be if it was possible for the Little Gems people carriers to be parked over in the park and ride for those busy periods it would help ease congestion - apart from when they are needed to carry children. Can be a queue of 5 cars at times waiting to get parked which is not feasible. Also I'm not sure where staff park, but it would make sense for staff cars to be in the park and ride. This might help reduce risk and add to safety when parents are trying to manoeuvre round a busy car park with young children.
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Review from E G (Mother of Child) published on 17 February 2026 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We have moved here from a different daycare about 5 months ago, and we have only the best to say about this nursery. The professional and caring attitude of the staff made the transition easy. The nursery is well managed and the staff in the toddler rooms are clearly enthusiastic about working with
young children, providing stimulating and loving environment for our LO who comes home happy. I also appreciate the large parking area which makes drop offs easy. Only downside is the pram storage.
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Review from Saleha S (Mother of Child) published on 9 February 2026 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
It is such a relief knowing that my little girl is in these caring hands! She is quite attached to us but has adapted so well due to the attention, kindness and care she is shown every time she's in! The development we've seen in her has been incredible and so reassuring that we've made the best choice
for her!
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Review from R W (Mother of Child) published on 7 February 2026 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My little boy started full time in December 2024 and absolutely loves it. He's moved from the baby room to wobblers and now in the toddlers. He runs into nursery in the mornings to get his breakfast to start the day. The staff are brilliant, my son loves stopping at the other rooms to see the other
children on the way out. He also loves the new board at the front door with all the staff for each room and their pictures.
The app is great to see exactly what he has been up to every day. I couldn't recommend Little Gems enough, Thank you!!
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Review from Matt C (Father of Child) published on 7 February 2026 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our daughter has been going to Little Gems since she was 6 months old (now 3 years old) and we feel it is one of best decisions we have made as parents. Often if friends or family offer to look after our daughter we prefer to send her to Little Gems because she is so well looked after (despite having
to pay).
All the staff have been so attentive to her (caring, compassionate and take a real interest in her development). We have seen such a rapid development in our daughter's language, vocabulary and social skills. Often when she's not in Little Gems she will rhyme off all the staff members names: what they read to her, what they sing and what they make. The food menu is well balanced and she rarely comes home hungry. When she was a little baby her nappy was always freshly changed / she was clean when we came to pick her up.
Understandably, everyone has different experiences but we will be sad when she moves on as it's been an integral part of the early years / little life.
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Review from T S (Mother of Child) published on 2 February 2026 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our little one joiney around September 2023 and has been in this amazing nursery ever since. She has grown in confidence and character by each month, and I can't thank the staff enough for nurturing and helping her on this journey.
Each room is well equipped and has loads of educational and fun material,
they do arts and crafts, loafs of singing, playing, role play, outdoors play - regardless of weather, which is amazing!
The daily tracker offers peace of mind, overall developmental review and photos of what our child has been up to that day. Lunch is cooked at the nursery, fresh and nutritional, with snacks always having some fruit & veg.
Staff always go above and beyond, nothing is too much for them, I know I can trust them with my child.
I can't recommend Little Gems enough!
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Review from K C (Mother of Child) published on 19 January 2026 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
First, 4 out of 5 is actually harsh, 4.8 is much more appropriate! There is just one small thing that irks me.
Overall, the staff are fantastic, so engaging, my son actually taps on the glass of the door to come in in the mornings. He's happy, well fed and, well rested with lovely touches like father's
day or Christmas cards.
My son started at c9months and is now 18months old and thriving. He has come on leaps and bounds since joining Little Gems and we couldn't recommend the nursery enough.
My one and only bugbear is the buggy storage. There are other bulky items in the shed which greatly reduce the capacity and each Monday I have to move bags of dry cleaning to make room for the pram. It is so petty of me to even mention it, but with it being an offer, more could be done to ensure sufficient pram space is available.
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Review from Z R (Mother of Child) published on 16 January 2026 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter moved to Little Gems in Summer 2025 as she was starting Pre-School in September. The staff are all wonderful, and she absolutely loves it. They do a range of activities each day, have outings and parties, and are excellent at keeping parents informed. I'm so pleased that we made the move.
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Review from Rithik M (Father of Child) published on 27 March 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
A Truly Wonderful Nursery Experience
We recently moved from England, and finding the right nursery for our son was one of our top priorities. We couldn't have asked for a better place than Little Gems Day Nursery. From day one, the team has gone above and beyond to make our son feel happy, safe, and
at home.
The staff are not only incredibly warm and caring but also highly attentive to every little detail. It's clear that they genuinely care about each child's well-being and development. We've seen such a positive change in our son since he joined, and we're truly grateful for the love and effort the entire team puts in every single day.
Littlegems is more than just a nursery-it's a nurturing environment where children thrive. We honestly couldn't have asked for anything more.
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Review from N F (Mother of Child) published on 13 March 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My little girl has attended little gems from October 2024 and remains in the baby room at present, it was such a hard transition for me leaving her at nursery, the staff were amazing and made the transition so much easier for me and her. It is such a lovely atmosphere with amazing staff nothing is too
much and my little girl is so happy to get to nursery in the mornings. It's also great to see her learning new things and thriving in the nursery environment.
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Review from Christine W (Mother of Child) published on 13 March 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Excellent staff and nursery, my son is very happy and settled at little gems. Lots of different activities and great daily reports with lots of photos of what he gets up to! Highly recommend this nursery.
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Review from S G (Mother of Child) published on 13 March 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Little Gems is fantastic. Our son joined the baby room a few months ago & the staff have been amazing at helping him settle in. Everyday he goes in everyone is so kind & caring helping him settle. He is always smiling & happy when we go to pick him up.
When he is there he eats healthy meals & snacks
& there is always a great selection of toys & activities for the babies to do all day. Staff are brilliant at sharing updates & pictures of what he gets up to during the day & it's really reassuring! I would highly recommend Little Gems.
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Review from Jessica M (Mother of Child) published on 13 March 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Little Gems is definitely a Home from Home. Staff are genuinely caring and friendly and have the best interests of the children at heart.
My child loves attending -and has developed greatly. The activities are great for the children.
I find the management very approachable and nothing is too difficult.
Keep up the good work
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Review from Amy E (Mother of Child) published on 12 March 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My kids really enjoy their time there and love the staff. Thank you to everyone for helping educate my kids and playing with them for hours!
The team are very flexible with adjusting to any last minute help we need and always supportive.
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Review from M W (Mother of Child) published on 5 March 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son had been going since September now and the staff are lovely. He's never been away from me and so they really took the time to help him and me settle in . Always friendly and nothing to much bother, if you time it right youll get to smell the home cooking thats going on. The management are
so accommodating and rearranged my days when it no longer suited. I'm more then happy with all the staff at little gems dundonald. It really feels like my kids are their kids, leah and her staff are a credit to the business.


My 4 stars are only because my child is in the baby room. So haven't seen as much evidence but I can see it round the building

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Review from K G (Mother of Child) published on 5 March 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I have now had 2 children attend Little Gems since they were 11 months old and so have been part of the Little Gems family since January 2021 and I have had such a positive experience. My children have both thoroughly enjoy going to nursery both in the daycare and preschool setting. The staff are all
brilliant and I feel fully confident leaving my children in their care. My youngest is due to start his Little Gems journey in May 2025 and I just know he will have equally as positive an experience. The Manager really goes above and beyond as well.
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Current Review Score: 9.9 (9.913)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.9 (9.913) out of 10 for Little Gems Private 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 26 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 26 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 4.913 for Little Gems Private Day Nursery is calculated as follows: ( (286 Excellents x 5) + (22 Goods x 4) + (1 Satisfactorys x 3) + (1 Poors x 2) ) ÷ 310 Ratings = 4.913
  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 Little Gems Private Day Nursery is based on 26 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 + 0.025 + 0.025 + 0.025 + 0.025 + 0.025 + 0.025 + 0.025 + 0.025 = 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 103 number of registered child places is 20.6, which has been reached with 26 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 (17)

Meet the Team (1)

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Leah Morrow

Job Title: Nursery Manager Joined: 2008

Leah Morrow has been our manager at Little Gems since July 2022 and previously held the manager position in our Greendale nursery.

Frequently Asked Questions about Little Gems Private Day Nursery

What is the Age Range of Children that Little Gems Private Day Nursery accepts?

Little Gems Private Day Nursery accepts Children aged from 0 years 3 months to 5 years 0 months.

What Days & Hours is Little Gems Private Day Nursery Open?

Little Gems Private Day Nursery 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 Little Gems Private Day Nursery have capacity for?

Little Gems Private Day Nursery has capacity for a total of 103 Children.

How far is Little Gems Private Day Nursery to the centre of Belfast?

5.9 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 Little Gems Private Day Nursery to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Little Gems Private Day Nursery has an Enhanced Service - more info.