Little Apples Day Nursery

14-20 Sandersted Road, South Croydon CR2 0PA
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9.9 65 Reviews
  • Little Apples Day Nursery, South Croydon
Founded in 2012 by two mums, Little Apples boasts a fantastic team of around 30 dedicated employees, many of whom have been with the nursery for over a decade, who are all committed to delivering outstanding childcare. The facility includes an on-site kitchen preparing fresh meals, four age-specific rooms, a magical sensory room, and a medium-sized garden with a free-flow area for seamless indoor-outdoor learning.

Its "workshop play" curriculum blends learning and play, with rooms transforming daily into exciting stations for small worlds, role-play, and messy sand and water activities. This setup encourages unique learners to explore diverse activities while absorbing knowledge. Little Apples understands that every child grows at their own pace, tailoring its approach to individual abilities. It sets personalised, achievable "Next Steps" target's every six weeks, guiding each child through its curriculum.

The main goal is for children to be happy and love learning through play. Its carefully crafted daily routines are packed with exciting learning opportunities and enjoyable activities, ensuring every child learns at their own happy pace, with praise for success and gentle guidance for challenging behaviour.
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Type of Service

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

Owner

  • Aimee Gaddes-Mitchell
  • Privately Owned

Person in Charge

  • Alex Wickenden (Manager)

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 30

Total Places for Children

  • 76

Age Range

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

Funding & Fees

  • £95 per day
    Funded spaces available

  • Little Apples Day Nursery has so many promotions going on, speak to their team to find out what discounts you can receive.

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 & Christmas

Parking

  • Little Apples Day Nursery has 3 customer bays that you can use for free. They are located in Redsan Close just in front of the entrance gate.

Little Apples Day Nursery Reviews (65)

9.9

Little Apples Day Nursery has a Review Score of 9.9 (9.851) out of 10, based on 23 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Little Apples Day Nursery has 65 reviews.

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Total of 65, showing 41-60
Review from Maria D (Mother of Child) published on 3 November 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My children are very well cared for at Little Apples and have developed strong bonds with staff members. It is clear that there is a shared ethos throughout the nursery, that focuses on making all children feel safe and valued, whilst at the same time challenging them to grow in all aspects of their
development. The nursery regularly hosts a range of enjoyable family-friendly events throughout the year, which has helped me to develop a better connection with the nursery and staff members. I would certainly recommend Little Apples to any parent/carer who is considering sending their child to nursery.
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Review from Amy S (Mother of Child) published on 3 November 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My 2 year old daughter joined Little Apples in the middle of lockdown. As you can imagine it was a very difficult time to choose a nursery as most nurseries were only doing virtual tours. Little Apples did a Zoom call so we got to see the nursery staff interacting with the other children, they also
did a couple of sessions with our daughter and let us view the nursery after closing time. We really appreciated this as we couldn't have possibly chosen a nursery based on a nursery video.
Since she has started, she is doing so so well in her development, most days she comes home doing or saying something new and this is down to the staff at Little Apples. They are all so lovely and approachable and what is really nice is that all the staff seem to know all of the children's names so it gives it a family feel. I really like the fact that a lot of the staff have been there for a long time and I believe a few members of staff are trained to degree level.
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Review from Keeley M (Mother of Child) published on 28 October 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My little boy has attended since June 2019 and I highly recommend. The difference in approach to settling, feedback and development compared to his previous nursery are miles apart. The management are hands on and the nursery is well managed and never had any issues with general admin. Staff are lovely
and know all the children by name, communication and feedback is excellent. The bond created between keyworker is lovely and often my little one runs into nursery excited to see his keyworker and friends. During lockdown he would often ask to see his keyworker and had regular video calls with thoughtful letters posted. The schedule of online session available during lockdown was also extensive at such a difficult time for everyone.
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Review from Bushra T (Mother of Child) published on 28 October 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Nursery staff are very helpful and they look after my daughter so well. Every day my daughter learns new things at nursery. They have many activities for children for their development. Pedagogical games and plays are very good for my daughter. I will highly recommend this nursery.
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Review from Ratul A (Mother of Child) published on 28 October 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
The baby room at Little Apples (pips) have been great taking in my 3 month old baby boy.
Taking good care and keeping me updated if there are issues with feeds.
The staff are friendly and approachable and willing to go the extra mile for each child.
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Review from Leah (Mother of Child) published on 28 October 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Little Apples have been great over the past couple of years. My son has been at Little Apples from the baby room and I couldn't recommend them enough. My son loves going to nursery and playing with his peers and the staff are so supportive and caring. Communication is great, especially with their new
system! I get updated through the day on what he has eaten, how long he has slept for, nappy changes and get to view pictures of what he has been doing throughout the day. I would highly recommend Little Apples to anyone who wants their child to have a positive nursery experience.
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Review from Jane S (Mother of Child) published on 13 August 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My twins have been attending Little Apples since baby group and will be leaving for school at the end of August. I cannot believe how lucky we were to have found this nursery, it is fantastic. I have found all the staff to be so friendly lead by the manager who is awesome. All the staff are amazing
they have shown such a keen interest in my children's development, they really do care about them and are so kind and nurturing. They have helped them blossom into the bright, confident, sociable and happy children that they are.
The nursery is well organised and the day is structured to keep the children engaged and motivated through careful planning where they are encouraged to learn, have imagination, be kind and caring and have loads of fun.
Forest School, Spanish lessons and lately Phonics Land have been a great addition which my twins have enjoyed immensely, developing them even further.
We will miss you all so much.
You are Superstars!
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Review from Suzanne (Mother of Child) published on 4 January 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our daughter started at Little Apples in the baby room and is currently in the Red Apples room full time at 20 months old. She is very happy there. Staff turnover seems to be lower than at other nurseries and my daughter has formed really strong bonds with a number of practitioners. She talks excitedly
about seeing them after holidays. I also love that all of the staff in the nursery knew her name within a very short time of her joining and every member of staff smiles and says hello enthusiastically when we arrive each day, even those who are not personally working with my child. The manager is lovely, approachable and genuinely knows all of the children. There is a really lovely ethos and atmosphere throughout the nursery and they are fantastic at supporting the social and emotional development of my child. Would highly recommend and have done to friends.
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Review from Shelly N (Mother of Child) published on 4 January 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
When looking for a nursery, I wanted to find a place where I felt 100% comfortable leaving my 10 month old daughter with the staff, where I felt she would learn new things, grow in confidence, and build on her blossoming social skills.


Little Apples ticked all these boxes. Unlike the other places

I had visited, I found their approach warm and personable. The nursery manager spoke so passionately about the development of the children and knew so many of their names (during my walkthrough she was constantly approached by the little ones, balancing talking to me and taking time to speak to them) that I knew this was the place for us.


The induction process was brilliant, I get regular updates via Tapestry on how my little one is progressing, and I get daily updates at pick up of how her day has been and what she has been up to. The staff all seem to really care about the children they are responsible for, so I would definitely recommend Little Apples to other parents.

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Review from Anastasia (Mother of Child) published on 4 January 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Enrolling my daughter into Little Apples nursery was the best thing I've ever done, within a few mins of viewing the nursery I knew that it was the right nursery for her, it had everything I wanted in a nursery for my daughter and has been a great start to her education and has taught her a lot. Staff
are very supportive, helpful and friendly, my daughter loves going to Little Apples and gets a lot from it. We love Little Apples.
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Review from Rahul K (Father of Child) published on 4 January 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
Overall good however there are some areas below I think where the nursery can do better
1. Parking for parents: always a challenge to find a space during peak times.
2. Responsiveness: sometimes waiting times at door are high. Would expect faster responses or some other mechanism for fast entry during
peak times
3. Staff responsiveness: would like to see staff more caring during start especially if the child is feeling low. It does happen however would like to see more of it.
4. Food/Nutrition information: would be good to see the weekly menu published via parentmail. In the feedback, would like to know what the child likes and dislikes
5. Obstacles in the path from gate to main door. The path always has benches or some obstacles. Would be good if that path is clear. Helpful during bad weather.
6. Equipment: would like to see better ICT equipment like large touchscreen or more computers where kids can be taught
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Review from Charlotte S (Mother of Child) published on 4 January 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Staff are really good, my daughter is learning so much, so proud of her, and the staff are excellent, could not thank them enough. The play area is so much more than expected it to be, it's so clean and they all do their best for all the children that go to the nursery I could not wish a better nursery.
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Review from Nicole I (Mother of Child) published on 4 January 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Love Little Apples!!
My eldest has just left, my youngest is still there!
Staff are amazing.


Management are great and so helpful and understanding.

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Review from Mark (Father of Child) published on 14 November 2016 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We were looking for a nursery closer to our home and also one of better quality than the previous one our 3-year-old boy attended. A friend recommended Little Apples. They had just been credited 'Outstanding' by Ofsted. They also had space available. From the first contact with the Manager, being shown
around , and the setup and feel of the nursery - we knew it was right for our boy. It's a step forward from his previous nursery and everything is better - the facilities, the learning activities, the staff, the food, the online feedback. The staff are friendly and although we were concerned about changing nurseries and our boy taking the time to settle - we had no need to worry. He's been very well looked after and an individually tailored settling in programme has really helped. We're very happy with Little Apples and would definitely recommend it. Wish we had known about this nursery sooner.
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Review from Helen H (Mother of Child) published on 14 November 2016 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Little Apples is a fantastic nursery that I would wholeheartedly recommend. I didn't cry when my daughter was starting school but I did cry when I had to email Little Apples with her leaving date - it just hit me that I had taken her in there as a babe in my arms and she had emerged a confident and
sociable 4-year old.
The staff are great, they do so much extra stuff and try lots of innovative new ideas to help encourage learning and help working parents in particular. Also, I have experience with other nurseries and unlike some, Little Apples are not overzealous with their sick policy, which is helpful and pragmatic.
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Review from Sarah A (Mother of Child) published on 10 November 2016 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Amazing staff, well structured learning through play, good feedback systems. My child is always very excited to go and had lots to tell me at the end of the day. Couldn't recommend this nursery enough.
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Review from Agnieszka P (Mother of Child) published on 9 November 2016 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son has been at Little Apples since September 2016. The Staff are very welcoming and friendly. My son loves going to nursery!
I would highly recommend Little Apples nursery to anyone!!!
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Review from C F (Mother of Child) published on 9 November 2016 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
Staff are friendly and happy. Son is well-liked and enjoys time there. He learns a lot and is always singing the songs he has been taught. Communication is good and parents are involved. Very happy with Little Apples.
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Review from Heather W (Mother of Child) published on 9 November 2016 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My two boys have both been attending Little Apples since they were around 8 months old. They have always loved their time there, and the staff are amazing. I would never consider sending them anywhere else!
They truly deserve their outstanding ofsted result, they really are fantastic.
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Review from Lucia R (Mother of Child) published on 9 November 2016 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our daughter has started the nursery only a few months ago and we all absolutely love it.
She is always excited to go in and every day she learns so much.
The staff is highly trained and has the best knowledge about the children.
The place is very lovely and clean.
The food is also tasty (she does
eat a lot there so I suppose it is nice) prepared by their chef.
I cannot recommend this nursery enough.
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Current Review Score: 9.9 (9.851)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.9 (9.851) out of 10 for Little Apples 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 23 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 23 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 4.851 for Little Apples Day Nursery is calculated as follows: ( (240 Excellents x 5) + (29 Goods x 4) + (6 Satisfactorys x 3) ) ÷ 275 Ratings = 4.851
  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 Apples Day Nursery is based on 23 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 76 number of registered child places is 15.2, which has been reached with 23 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 (0)

Meet the Team (4)

Sarah

Sarah

Job Title: Team Leader Baby Room -Level 6 - Education Delivery Manager Joined: 2013

Baby room team leader. Sarah is degree qualified and has worked with our under two's for over a decade. She comes with bags of experience and is our senior lead for all things relating to the delivery of our education services.


Specialist Roles: Designated Safeguarding Lead. Child Behaviour Manager. Staff Learning & Development Lead.


Fun Fact: I have 3 beautiful children.


Why Childcare? Knowing that I can have a positive impact on their life is why I work with children. I enjoy getting messy and being silly with them!


What do our parents say? As a parent, I feel completely at ease knowing my baby is in such good hands. Sarah is also approachable, easy-going, and a wonderful support to families - July 2025


Started working in childcare: 2003


Started at Little Apples: 2013

Nadine

Nadine

Job Title: Baby Room - Level 3 - Early Years Educator Joined: 2024

Nadine has been a great addition to our baby room team. She has an abundance of knowledge and always has new ideas on how we can improve. The babies love her warm and bubbly way, and she is always ready for a cuddle.


Fun Fact: I own a business


Why childcare? Because I enjoy supporting children and their families.


What do our parents say? My daughter lights up around her, and it’s clear how naturally they connect. Not only does she communicate effectively, but her thoughtful observations have really supported my daughter’s development - July 2025


Year you started in childcare: 2019.


Started at Little Apples: 2024

Millie

Millie

Job Title: Baby Room - Level 2 - Early Years Educator Joined: 2024

Millie is currently level 2, studying to upgrade to Level 3. She loves to sing, and you can often find her captivating the babies with a rhyme or two!


Fun Fact: I have a caravan in Great Yarmouth.


Why childcare? My dream job has always been to work in childcare. I love watching the children grow and achieve their goals.


What do our parents say? She's so welcoming and always has a smile. She knows all about my daughter's day and really takes an interest in her, whether it's her milestones or ailments, she always has updates. You can tell she has a warm personality that the babies love - July 2025


Year you started in childcare? 2021.


Started at Little Apples: 2024

Isabelita

Isabelita

Job Title: Baby Room -Apprentice - Level 2 - Early Years Educator Joined: 2023

Currently studying her Level 2, Isabelita brings bags of creativity to the baby room. She loves finding new ways to explore and get messy through her activities.


Fun Fact: I have 20+ Avocado plants from stones I have grown myself.


Why childcare? Everybody says this, but it's so true - I love seeing the kids' personalities develop over time. I also love how excited they are to show you things, whether that's a painting they have made, or a leaf they found on the way to nursery!


What do our parents say? No matter how small the news, Izzy always makes it a big deal for my son. She celebrates everything he does and makes him feel like it’s the most incredible thing in the world! - July 2025


Started working in childcare: 2023


Started at Little Apples: 2023

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