Children 1st Syston Nursery School

1324 Melton Road, Syston, Leicester LE7 2EQ
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9.8 94 Reviews
  • Children 1st Syston Nursery School, Leicester
Children 1st Syston Nursery School provides a welcoming, home-from-home environment where children aged 6 weeks to 5 years are supported and inspired to learn. The nursery focuses on the development of the whole child, encouraging curiosity, confidence, and independence through a curriculum crafted by experts. The dedicated, experienced team create a warm and inclusive community, ensuring each child feels valued and secure.

The nursery offers thoughtfully designed spaces, from cosy indoor areas to stimulating outdoor gardens, enabling children to explore, discover, and engage with their environment. Daily activities include creative play, early literacy and numeracy experiences, STEM exploration, music, and movement, alongside opportunities for outdoor learning and forest school. Fresh, nutritious meals are prepared onsite, promoting healthy eating and hands-on experiences with food.

Children 1st Syston supports families through flexible sessions and access to government-funded childcare for eligible children. The nursery prioritises strong partnerships with parents, providing regular updates and opportunities to be involved in their child’s learning journey. With a focus on community values, wellbeing, and lifelong learning, Children 1st Syston offers a safe, inspiring, and nurturing setting where children can thrive, develop key skills, and make lasting friendships.
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Type of Service

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

Group/Owner

Person in Charge

  • Kirsty Sadler (Manager)

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 33

Total Places for Children

  • 131

Age Range

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

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 & 1 week at Christmas

Children 1st Syston Nursery School Reviews (94)

9.8

Children 1st Syston Nursery School has a Review Score of 9.8 (9.775) out of 10, based on 25 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Children 1st Syston Nursery School has 94 reviews.

Overall Experience
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Date Published
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Reviewer Connection to Children 1st Syston Nursery School
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Total of 94, showing 21-40
Review from Rebecca L (Mother of Child) published on 6 March 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Both my girls have and still attend the Syston Children 1st Nursery and we are very happy with the staff and the information we receive in terms of their development. The staff are very welcoming; from the key workers, chef and management on the front desk.
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Review from Jon P (Father of Child) published on 6 March 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our child loves nursery and that couldn't have happened without the wonderful staff at Children 1st, Syston. The care and attention they put into the activities and looking after our child is superb. Couldn't rate them high enough.
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Review from Kerry D (Mother of Child) published on 6 March 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our daughter happily walks into the nursery every day, her language skills are incredible, she’s confident and has so many friends. The staff are supportive, give us advice when we need it and really take an interest in our daughter. We are really impressed with the level of care our daughter and as
a family as a whole receive. We always recommend the nursery to other parents.
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Review from H P (Mother of Child) published on 6 March 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
Absolutely brilliant nursery, our son is now 3 and a half and has been there since he was 10 months old. He has developed so much and has made lots of friends and has just flourished! We have already signed up our newborn to start there too as we have been really impressed. The members of staff are
all friendly and so helpful and accommodating. We hope it continues to stay at a high level.
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Review from Nimesh P (Father of Child) published on 27 December 2023 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Since starting at Children 1st our son has settled in well. he has learned new skills and learned to eat solid foods and his general sleep has improved. We would particularly like to thank one lady for her support and how well she looks after our son. We find the entire nursery to be welcoming, friendly
and helpful.
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Review from K M (Mother of Child) published on 5 July 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Outstanding nursery, every single staff member is so friendly and welcoming.
The nursery itself is spotless, a fantastic environment for all age groups. Food is amazing, the girls in the kitchen are such a wonderful team. My boy went here five mornings a week for three years, now my little girl has
been here since she’s been 10 weeks old and will continue to go here until she starts school. My children absolutely love it and so do I. It’s by far the best nursery in Leicester. I am so pleased with it.
Reply from David Hancock, Chief Executive at Children 1st Syston Nursery School
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience with the staff at our Syston setting. The team will be thrilled to know how valued they are and I look forward to sharing this review…read more
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Review from E P (Mother of Child) published on 19 June 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
An amazing nursery with brilliant staff. My daughter is currently in early years and has been with Children 1st @ Syston Day Nursery since January 2022! The best nursery and have felt comfortable with leaving my daughter in the care of the wonderful staff. Her development since starting has been outstanding
and I can not recommend this place enough. There is so much for the children to do on a day-to-day basis and one-to-one support is incredible.
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Review from Jessica A (Mother of Child) published on 19 June 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The staff are outstanding at Children 1st @ Syston Day Nursery. They are caring and loving towards the children. Both my daughter and my son have adored each and every staff member that has looked after them. Facilities and garden are great too, couldn't recommend it enough.
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Review from Sally C (Mother of Child) published on 18 June 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We have three children who attend this nursery setting and our eldest is soon to be leaving for school. He’s spent the last 4 years of his life coming twice a week and choosing Children 1st at Syston has been one of the best decisions we’ve made for him. He has received the best care right from day
one, the level of support and attention has never wavered and he’s absolutely thrived into a confident, happy, creative boy who is now totally ready for school. Our twin daughters have not been going for long but have settled in brilliantly and knowing how challenging it can be with twins makes me admire the love and dedication they show for our two. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts to all the wonderful staff who take such good care of our children and make leaving them bearable. You do a fantastic job and we appreciate it beyond words.
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Review from Jade B (Mother of Child) published on 18 June 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son (nearly 2) currently attends the nursery and has done since he was a baby. My older son (now at school) also attended from 1-5 years.
The nursery have been absolutely fantastic from day one. They are attentive to each child's individual needs and take care to give time and attention to all
the children there. With a consistently compassionate approach, the team provide a high quality of childcare and strive to keep parents involved at every step of the nursery journey.
Thank you to everyone at Children 1st Syston. I have always felt comforted by your caring, skilled staff and would recommend the setting to any future parents.
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Review from V O (Mother of Child) published on 20 April 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
All the staff are wonderful. My daughter has really come out of her shell here. She is confident and very chatty at nursery. She knows all her carers well and enjoys the activities. She always comes home with plenty of things to talk about. Since her time at nursery her communication has vastly improved
with adults and her peers. She enjoys learning through the play activities.
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Review from Laura B (Mother of Child) published on 20 April 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
As a mother, one of the hardest things you have to do is return to work and place your child in the care of another. For me, the right nursery for my son was of paramount importance.
I’d been to see a couple but I just didn’t feel right. We then visited Children 1st and I cried when we came out. Since
that first visit, my son has always loved being at nursery; feeling absolutely at ease with all of his key workers. Even though he only attends three days a week, to say he is thriving is an understatement. The care and attention the staff give are incredible and it’s such a comfort to be able to walk away and spend the day at work safe in the knowledge that he is being cared for so well and is having fun! I’m able to concentrate on my job and not worry and that’s all any parent could ask for.
I can’t recommend Children 1st enough. They’re not perfect, I’m not sure any are, but for us, they’re not far off. And I’m so grateful for the care he gets daily when I can’t be there.
Thank you!
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Review from K S (Mother of Child) published on 10 March 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I cannot thank this nursery enough. My son started in the bobtails room and is now in early years. He is such a confident little boy and loves his time at nursery, often coming home telling us about the exciting activities he has done.
We can't thank the girls enough for all of their hard work. It
definitely doesn't go unnoticed in our eyes.
The food always sounds so good too, our son highly rates the cook.
Thank you to Children 1st @ Syston Day Nursery!
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Review from Caz H (Mother of Child) published on 11 February 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter started this setting in January and both myself and partner have seen her grow in confidence. She talks about the staff and is always sharing her daily experiences with us. The staff are warm and welcoming and always smiling. They support her with meal times and this has been noticed at
home also with her confidence and attitude towards food. You wouldn't be disappointed in this setting and I would strongly recommend you come and see for yourself.
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Review from Julia A (Mother of Child) published on 11 February 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I just love this nursery. My son has really struggled to settle in, not because of the nursery but because he was pretty much isolated for a year so was a big shock for him, the staff have been patient and wonderful with him. He now loves it. The staff are all so great and I love that they don’t just
look after my son. He is constantly learning and experiencing new things. If I have any 'issue' they are so quick and professional to help me address it. Would fully recommend.
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Review from A M (Mother of Child) published on 11 February 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We are happy overall, precious staff and caring environment. My son adjusted well coming from another country, and his knowledge and skills has jumped remarkably in the past few months, especially English being his second language.
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Review from Jasdeep S (Mother of Child) published on 11 February 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
Good service and very accommodating. Staff are friendly and excellent management. My daughter loves nursery which makes me love the nursery in turn. I feel my daughter is safe and happy in this nursery.
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Review from Priya K (Mother of Child) published on 11 February 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
All the staff at Children 1st are amazing. Now with my second child there, we feel at ease that both kids are well looked after by the fabulous staff, and learning at the same time. My eldest has been in every room and thoroughly enjoyed each one equally. It doesn't go unnoticed how much effort and
work the staff do to provide an amazing daycare setting for all the children. The staff have always been accommodating and friendly.
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Review from Caroline W (Mother of Child) published on 29 October 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
What a great nursery! We loved the setting and the welcome we had as soon as we walked in to view the nursery whilst I was pregnant.
The staff take fantastic care of our son and have absolutely no hesitations in making the right decisions around his care, education and progress. He has come on leaps
and bounds with his speech and listening skills, and it's lovely to hear about his friends at nursery. This is truly a home from home setting.
Whilst we have had a few accidents at nursery, I know my son has been taken good care of and they have all been dealt with fantastically. They are all so understanding and caring if he needs a few extra cuddles and attention during the day - particularly if he is teething.
The staff are always attentive to both his needs and ours, with the nursery management teams always helping out where they can with any admin/payment queries we have alongside any requests to amend sessions for our son.
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Review from Jamini G (Mother of Child) published on 8 September 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My husband and I visited a few nurseries before we chose Children 1st Day Nursery. Upon meeting the friendly staff, we both felt at ease as we knew our son would be in good hands. All the staff at Children 1st are not only friendly but are very good with all the children, they are genuine and very supportive
with each child’s needs. Our son has come home on numerous occasions telling me he loves his key worker and that was heart-warming to hear that he feels so safe in an environment where he feels loved. I can’t thank the team at Children 1st enough for their kind encouragement through our son's early years. Our son especially loved the food and would come home and ask me to make some of his favourites. His confidence has grown and he has made lots of friends at the nursery, some of whom have gone to his new school with him. Our daughter is currently at the nursery and is too having fun and learning something new every day. I highly recommend Children 1st, as an amazing start.
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Current Review Score: 9.8 (9.775)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.8 (9.775) out of 10 for Children 1st Syston Nursery School 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 25 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 4.9 out of 5 from 24 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 4.859 for Children 1st Syston Nursery School is calculated as follows: ( (262 Excellents x 5) + (30 Goods x 4) + (6 Satisfactorys x 3) ) ÷ 298 Ratings = 4.859
  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 4.916 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Children 1st Syston Nursery School is based on 24 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 131 number of registered child places is 26.2. 24 Positive Reviews ÷ 26.2 = 0.916
  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 (4)

Meet the Team (1)

Kirsty

Kirsty Sadler

Job Title: Nursery Manager Joined: 2019

Hello, my name is Kirsty Sadler and I joined Children 1st in 2019. I began my career as a Nursery Nurse, passionate about supporting young children’s development and giving them the best possible start. Over time, I wanted a new challenge — a space where I could showcase my skills and continue to grow.


That determination led to my promotion to Senior Nursery Nurse, where I took on additional responsibilities and began mentoring others. I then progressed to Deputy Manager, gaining valuable experience in leadership and operational support. In 2024, I took the biggest step in my journey and became Nursery Manager.


Every stage of my career has taught me something new, and I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunities and support I’ve had along the way. I’m excited for what’s to come and remain committed to creating environments where children, families, and teams can thrive.


I hold a Level 3 qualification in Early Years and am proud of the experiences that have shaped my practice.


One of the things I love most about my role is working closely with individual families and their children. Every child is unique, and every family brings something special — no two days are ever the same. It’s incredibly rewarding to be part of those early moments, whether it’s a child’s first steps into nursery or helping a parent feel confident and reassured.


I’m especially passionate about providing high-quality childcare for all, creating inclusive environments, and supporting families. For me, this work isn’t just about routines and milestones — it’s about relationships, trust, and watching children grow into confident, curious individuals.

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