Little Pioneers Nursery & Pre-School, Rathvilly (Northfield)

Rathvilly School, 119 Bunbury Road, Northfield, Birmingham B31 2NB
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9.9 94 Reviews
  • Little Pioneers Nursery & Pre-School, Rathvilly (Northfield), Birmingham
Ofsted rating for Little Pioneers Rathvilly Nursery is Good (July 2018)

Rathvilly nursery believes that a nursery should be as welcoming for children and parents as possible. That’s why they have an open-door policy, creating a home away from home for your child.

They are big on making children happy and that’s why they regularly visit local care homes, and have areas for growing food and more importantly eating it. The nursery is silver eco schools accredited, meaning the children make little changes that have big environmental differences.

You couldn't ask for a better garden. With an outdoor kitchen and allotment area. Forest school is also offered.

They have 5 Little Pioneers who help share their core values with children and they are big on safety which is why all their staff are paediatric first aid trained. They also have an app, ParentZone, which keeps mums and dads updated on how their child is doing at the nursery, with photos, assessments, meals eaten and even toilet training!

Rathvilly nursery believes you’re your child’s number 1 teacher. That’s why they have lots of parents’ evenings to help you understand the Early Years Foundation Stages and how staff teach these skills to your child.
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Type of Service

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

Group/Owner

Person in Charge

  • Wendi Botterill (Nursery Manager)

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 29

Total Places for Children

  • 115

Age Range

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

Funding & Fees

  • (0-2) Full Day £77.50 / Short Day £73.75/ School Day £58.25/ Half Day £45.25


    (2-3) Full day £74.00 / Short Day £70.25 / School Day £55.50 / Half Day £43.00


    (3-5) Full day £72.00 / Short Day £68.50/ School Day £54.00 /Half Day £42.00

  • Term Time only also offered * subject to availability.


    Full day 7.30am-6.30pm
    Short Day 8am-6pm
    School Day 9am-3pm
    Half Day 7.30am-1pm/1pm-6.30pm


    Government Funding accepted

Opening Times

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

When Closed

  • Bank Holidays

Parking

  • On-site Parking

Little Pioneers Nursery & Pre-School, Rathvilly (Northfield) Reviews (94)

9.9

Little Pioneers Nursery & Pre-School, Rathvilly (Northfield) has a Review Score of 9.9 (9.933) out of 10, based on 35 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Little Pioneers Nursery & Pre-School, Rathvilly (Northfield) has 94 reviews.

Overall Experience
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Date Published
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Reviewer Connection to Little Pioneers Nursery & Pre-School, Rathvilly (Northfield)
  • 82
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Total of 94, showing 21-40
Review from Kim W (Grandmother of Child) published on 12 February 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Both of my grandchildren have been full time at Rathvilly since they were babies. They are 4 and 2 1/2 respectively, now. They are settled and happy, never bored and full of interesting experiences to tell me about. The staff know them well and are genuinely interested in their well being. The boys
are confident and stimulated. As a carer I couldn't have wished for a better, more supportive nursery.
Reply from Wendi Botterill, Manager at Little Pioneers Nursery & Pre-School, Rathvilly (Northfield)
Thank you so much for your feed back, I will share with the team who really appreciate it.
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Review from A C (Mother of Child) published on 11 February 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Lovely nursery, my little boy is so happy to attend and loves all the staff in his room. I get excellent feedback on pick up and they are always very accommodating if things need doing differently. It's always a friendly welcome and nothing is too much.
Reply from Wendi Botterill, Manager at Little Pioneers Nursery & Pre-School, Rathvilly (Northfield)
Thank you for your feedback and I will ensure the colleague sees this.
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Review from Y A (Mother of Child) published on 11 February 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Nice staff members.
The activities are interesting and varied, my son loves it.
Teachers are serious, responsible and patient.
Neat and orderly environment.
Various foods for children.
The school feedback software supports multiple languages and provides parents with a very convenient communication
environment.
Reply from Wendi Botterill, Manager at Little Pioneers Nursery & Pre-School, Rathvilly (Northfield)
Thank you for your feed back and I will ensure the colleagues see this.
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Review from Rebekah J (Mother of Child) published on 10 February 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son changed nursery when we moved house he found it hard at first but the teachers and management at Little Pioneers Nursery & Pre-School have helped him to settle in nicely and now he has loads of new friends. They have been a big help.
Reply from Wendi Botterill, Manager at Little Pioneers Nursery & Pre-School, Rathvilly (Northfield)
Thank you so much for your review. We are so glad he is enjoying his time at Rathvilly and we appreciate your continued support.
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Review from A B (Mother of Child) published on 7 February 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son loves going to this nursery he is well settled. Staff members are really nice. The nursery has been recently refurbished and looks fab and clean. Nursery manager is going above and beyond to ensure everybody is happy childrens, parents and also staff members. Communication is great and I love
the app they are using, keeps me up to date during the day as well as with the coming events.
Reply from Wendi Botterill, Manager at Little Pioneers Nursery & Pre-School, Rathvilly (Northfield)
Thank you for the great feed back. I will share it with the team.
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Review from Kyle S (Father of Child) published on 7 February 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We have been so happy sending our son to Rathvilly, Northfield. He has been looked after in every possible way he could be, they've helped him overcome any obstacles he's faced as a young child, improved his speech dramatically, helped him explore new foods and pushed him to try new activities and grow
as a little person.
This form asks me not to include specific names so I won't but as parents we have every confidence in our child's safety and development with the current nursery general manager in place as she takes every opportunity even when she's clearly busy to get to know our son and ensure he's okay. She also on numerous occasions has been involved in the classroom which is so nice to see as not many people with a "general manager" like role, will get their hands dirty with kids, usually they hide away in an office but this Individual goes above and beyond for our son and other kids and we thank her from the bottom of our hearts for her commitment to her role.
Reply from Wendi Botterill, Manager at Little Pioneers Nursery & Pre-School, Rathvilly (Northfield)
Thank you for the great feed back. I will share with the team.
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Review from Kayleigh F (Mother of Child) published on 7 February 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Great nursery, my son has settled in brilliantly and found his friends and peers very welcoming. He is coming on in leaps and bounds with his speech, great communication from all staff and friendly too.
Reply from Wendi Botterill, Manager at Little Pioneers Nursery & Pre-School, Rathvilly (Northfield)
Thank you for the great feed back. I will share with the team.
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Review from Ruqayyah S (Mother of Child) published on 7 February 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My kids have attended 2 nurseries before Little Pioneers Nursery & Pre-School, Rathvilly (Northfield) and by far Little Pioneers is the best. The nursery manager leads by example and is a gem of a person. What I love most is how each staff is dedicated to their work and offer a loving atmosphere to
each child. What is really heartwarming is the patience and dedication towards children with special needs.
Reply from Wendi Botterill, Manager at Little Pioneers Nursery & Pre-School, Rathvilly (Northfield)
Thank you for the review. I will share with the team who will be delighted.
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Review from Rachel J (Mother of Child) published on 26 August 2024 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Excellent nursery. Communication has been good from day one, everyone knows my child's name, and after settling in period, he is always happy to go. It's the biggest nursery I have ever seen, and my child really likes all the different playrooms and gardens. I also like the planning board, so I can
see there is structure to their day and planned activities. We also love the app to see what they have eaten and photos of them playing. I would highly recommend this nursery.
Reply from Wendi Botterill, Manager at Little Pioneers Nursery & Pre-School, Rathvilly (Northfield)
Thank you for your review; it means so much to the team to see the feedback.
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Review from K R (Mother of Child) published on 11 March 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son has such a wonderful experience with this nursery. They obviously care about all the children in their care and are as excited as us when he reaches developmental goals. The staff clearly know the children well and adapt tasks to their interests. My son really has a wonderful bond with his key
person and loves going to nursery every day. The nursery manager knows all of the children and is actively involved in the day-to-day running of the nursery. You can tell the staff have the support to try new ideas and it is a lovely environment. This nursery is very keen to help the children experience different activities outdoors and they have an extensive garden with different areas.
Reply from Wendi Botterill, Manager at Little Pioneers Nursery & Pre-School, Rathvilly (Northfield)
Thank you so much for your feedback. We will pass on your positive feedback to the team!
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Review from M M (Mother of Child) published on 5 February 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Both me and my husband love this nursery. It’s clean, staff are very nice and helpful and our little one seems to enjoy it. All kids look well attended and it’s good value for money. It has lots of space outdoor and indoor.
Reply from Wendi Botterill, Manager at Little Pioneers Nursery & Pre-School, Rathvilly (Northfield)
Thank you for your review the team will love the feed back
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Review from Lisa W (Mother of Child) published on 5 February 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son is in the blue room, only started in September and has settled in lovely. With many thanks to the staff there, everyone is amazing, very caring, approachable and friendly.
Such a lovely nursery, clean plenty of toys inside and outside.
We couldn’t ask for a better nursery, feel lucky that
we were able to secure a place for him and we are actually looking into sending him an extra day.
Reply from Wendi Botterill, Manager at Little Pioneers Nursery & Pre-School, Rathvilly (Northfield)
Thank you for the review it means a lot to my colleagues to read.
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Review from V R (Mother of Child) published on 2 February 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Both my daughters attend this nursery and they seem very happy! They are learning lots of new things and seem comfortable with all members of staff. Staff are friendly and helpful, and visibly care about the children. Communication with parents happens mainly through the app and is overall good. The
menu is quite balanced.
Reply from Wendi Botterill, Manager at Little Pioneers Nursery & Pre-School, Rathvilly (Northfield)
Thank you for your review, I will share this with the team, all reviews are greatly received and the colleagues love to read them.
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Review from K T (Mother of Child) published on 19 January 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We are beyond pleased with the care at this nursery. Our 4-year-old son is in the preschool room, and he is content and happy there. They get outside almost every day and have great outdoor spaces and activities on offer, which is a big bonus of this nursery. The staff are attentive, warm and kind.
Can’t say enough good things about them!
Reply from Wendi Botterill, Manager at Little Pioneers Nursery & Pre-School, Rathvilly (Northfield)
Thank you for your review the information will be shared with the team
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Review from N R (Mother of Child) published on 15 January 2024 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My two children attend this nursery. Both are SEN. All staff at the nursery adore both of my children and cannot do enough for them. Staff go above and beyond to encourage and support the children and the parents. My children have been attending for 12 months now and will run to greet staff each morning.
Both of my children are non-verbal and have sensory issues. Staff attend meetings with professionals and assist in completing endless forms in order to get my children the help and support that they need. I cannot thank them enough.
Reply from Wendi Botterill, Manager at Little Pioneers Nursery & Pre-School, Rathvilly (Northfield)
Thank you so much for your review, the colleagues love working with your children and seeing them develop
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Review from Kayleigh L (Mother of Child) published on 29 August 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My eldest son has been at nursery since 9 months old, he leaves for school in September. My youngest is 18 months old and been there since 9 months old also. Wouldn't trust anybody else with my sons. All the staff are very approachable and visibly happy in their job role. The manager knows each child
and has a personal touch with each child. I'm so thankful for their love and care they've given my boys. If I've had any problems they've been been dealt with as soon as possible. The biggest thing I love about this nursery is the space. It has a large garden area which for two young energetic boys is amazing.
Reply from Wendi Botterill, Manager at Little Pioneers Nursery & Pre-School, Rathvilly (Northfield)
Thank you for your lovely review, it is always a pleasure to receive such heartfelt responses from our loyal customers. We are extremely happy that we are providing you with a service that meets your…read more
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Review from S H (Mother of Child) published on 29 August 2023 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The manager is warm and welcoming and is extremely knowledgeable about the business. The nursery staff are all friendly and approachable. At the end of the day they give a detailed account of what my child has done, as well as keeping me updated through the app. My child always enjoyed his time here
and has progressed well.
Reply from Wendi Botterill, Manager at Little Pioneers Nursery & Pre-School, Rathvilly (Northfield)
Thank you so much for your feedback. We are happy to know that you are happy with the service that we provide!
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Review from Thomas C (Father of Child) published on 24 August 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
After having to change nurseries three times due to them closing down, I was worried about taking my son to another nursery for only three months before he finishes school. However, from the get-go, he was welcomed in, made lots of friends and learned so much in such a short time. He learnt things ready
for school, visited the local care home regularly, learnt about gardening, experienced lots of activities, and most importantly, was always happy. I can’t thank the Rathvilly team enough for their massive input in his learning!
Reply from Wendi Botterill, Manager at Little Pioneers Nursery & Pre-School, Rathvilly (Northfield)
Thank you for your lovely feedback. I am so pleased that you had such a great experience with us; we always strive to make everyone feel comfortable and welcome in our setting!
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Review from Lydia K (Mother of Child) published on 19 July 2023 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The manager and the team are dedicated to continually supporting both parents and children. If I cast my mind back to our settling-in period the team gave me so much care and support to make the process easier and I will forever be in their debt.
My daughter comes home daily having had so much fun
and always covered in the day's activities- a sign of a great day.
Reply from Wendi Botterill, Manager at Little Pioneers Nursery & Pre-School, Rathvilly (Northfield)
Thank you for your review it means a lot to the team to read such lovely comments.
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Review from Gemma N (Mother of Child) published on 25 April 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
First Steps Rathvilly is an amazing nursery, my son enjoys everyday he attends. I love the environment within the nursery especially the outdoor play areas, children are able to explore to their hearts content. The staff are very friendly and welcoming, they create a lovely atmosphere for creativity
and learning.
Reply from Wendi Botterill, Manager at Little Pioneers Nursery & Pre-School, Rathvilly (Northfield)
Thank you for your feed back it means a lot to the team.
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Current Review Score: 9.9 (9.933)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.9 (9.933) out of 10 for Little Pioneers Nursery & Pre-School, Rathvilly (Northfield) 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 35 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 35 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 4.933 for Little Pioneers Nursery & Pre-School, Rathvilly (Northfield) is calculated as follows: ( (394 Excellents x 5) + (22 Goods x 4) + (3 Satisfactorys x 3) ) ÷ 419 Ratings = 4.933
  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 Pioneers Nursery & Pre-School, Rathvilly (Northfield) is based on 35 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 115 number of registered child places is 23, which has been reached with 35 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

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Awards / Recognitions (10)

Meet the Team (2)

Wendi

Wendi Botterill

Job Title: Nursery Manager

Hello, and welcome to Little Pioneers Nursery & Pre-School Rathvilly.

Aimee

Aimee

Job Title: Deputy Manager

Hello, and welcome to Little Pioneers Nursery & Pre-School Rathvilly.

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