






Little Minnows is a family-owned nursery in the Heart of Truro. Their vision is to provide a home from home environment in which children aged 3 months to five years can thrive and grow whilst learning through play.
Little Minnows is a friendly, welcoming and inclusive setting. They offer a caring, stimulating and nurturing indoor space. They benefit from a large enclosed garden with a multitude of areas to be...
Little Minnows is a family-owned nursery in the Heart of Truro. Their vision is to provide a home from home environment in which children aged 3 months to five years can thrive and grow whilst learning through play.
Little Minnows is a friendly, welcoming and inclusive setting. They offer a caring, stimulating and nurturing indoor space. They benefit from a large enclosed garden with a multitude of areas to be explored, whether during child-led or adult-led activities, your little ones will love the sense of freedom and adventure.
As a family-run nursery, they appreciate the challenges of balancing work and family life and they understand the need to be assured that your child is in safe nurturing hands whilst they are in the nursery's care.
They want your child to feel safe, secure and happy so that each child can benefit from a wide range of activities provided by the highly qualified team of practitioners. They believe that this Foundation Stage is vital to underpinning your child’s happiness and success in the rest of their learning journey.
Type of Service
- Day Nursery
Opening Schedule
Open all yearAttendance patterns offered
All Year or Term Time
Minimum attendance
- 1 day per week
Full days available
YesHalf day sessions offered
YesOwner
- Hayley & Tom Clow
- Private Owned
Person in charge
- Rachel Dawes (Manager)
Number of Childcare Staff
- 25
Total Places for Children
- 40
Age Range
- from 0 years 3 months
- to 5 years 0 months
Meals Provided
YesMeal Types Provided
Breakfast, Dinner / Tea, Lunch, Snacks
Consumables provided
YesConsumables provided include
Nappy Cream, Suncream
Opening Times
- Monday07:30-18:00
- Tuesday07:30-18:00
- Wednesday07:30-18:00
- Thursday07:30-18:00
- Friday07:30-18:00
When Closed
- Bank Holidays & 1 week at Christmas
Parking
- Off road parking at the front of the Nursery through the narrow gates. There is also parking on the street outside.
Funding & Fees
Typical monthly cost for a 3-days place
£423/ month
Meal charge is optional for fully funded sessions. Food charge for a half day session in £3.50 and £5.50 for a full day. A suitable packed lunch and sufficient snacks must be brought in if you opt out of nursery meals.
Meal charge is optional for fully funded sessions. Food charge for a half day session in £3.50 and £5.50 for a full day. A suitable packed lunch and sufficient snacks must be brought in if you opt out of nursery meals.
We do not charge for consumables, trips out or any other extras.
Calculated from data given to us by this nursery. Your final quote may vary slightly.
Averaged monthly figure. Actual billing varies; some nurseries bill weekly or by use.Defaults shown
9 months to 2 years • 3-days • 30 hours funding • all year
How this price scales (per month)
1 day per week
£49
3 days per week
£423
5 days per week
£1,243
Adjust for your situation
What this price covers
- Standard chargeable day 7:30am to 6:00pm (10.5 hours)
- 22.4 funded hours used per week. Remaining hours charged privately.
- Included in this price: Breakfast, Dinner / Tea, Lunch, Snacks, Nappy Cream and Suncream
Price without government funding: £1,229 / month (£95 / day)
If you're not eligible or haven't claimed funded hours.More info
- £805/month more than the funded price.
- This is what you'd pay if your child is under 9 months, or if you're not eligible for or haven't claimed funded hours.
About this price
How funding is applied, how the monthly figure is calculated.More info
- Working parents of children aged 9 months to 2 years can usually claim up to 30 funded hours a week. The working-parent hours depend on each parent meeting the minimum earnings rules and earning under £100,000 a year. This nursery stretches funded hours across 51 weeks of the year. You've selected 30 funded hours.
- This nursery applies up to 10 funded hours per day, stretched across 51 weeks of the year. With your selected funding, 22.4 hours are covered each week. Hours beyond this, including the early and late parts of the day, are charged at the standard rate.
- We work out the total cost across the year and divide by 12, so the figure shown is a smoothed monthly average. In practice, nurseries bill in different ways. Some bill monthly at this average. Others bill weekly, or charge for what happened that week or month, which can vary across the year. Confirm billing details with the nursery when you enquire.
Contact Little Minnows Nursery to get a personalised quote:
Little Minnows Nursery Reviews (45)
Little Minnows Nursery has a Review Score of 9.9 (9.865) out of 10, based on 19 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Little Minnows Nursery has 45 reviews.
I feel so happy that I found Little Minnows Nursery for my son. The staff are amazing and they look after him so well. I was worried that he might get upset the first time I dropped him off, but he ran in with the biggest smile on his face. I cannot recommend them enough.
I feel so happy that I found Little Minnows Nursery for my son. The staff are amazing and they look after him so well. I was worried that he might get upset the first time I dropped him off, but he ran in with the biggest smile on his face. I cannot recommend them enough.
Thank you so very much for taking the time to do such a lovely review, it is very much appreciated and we are so happy that your son has settled so well at Little Minnows.
So pleased to find Little Minnows. With lockdown restrictions in place for the majority of my son's life, we thought it was crucial to find the best place we could as our son hadn’t done any socialising or been left with anyone else before. We feel so lucky to find Minnows. Their child-centred...
So pleased to find Little Minnows. With lockdown restrictions in place for the majority of my son's life, we thought it was crucial to find the best place we could as our son hadn’t done any socialising or been left with anyone else before. We feel so lucky to find Minnows. Their child-centred approach to settling has been outstanding. The staff seem so experienced and go above and beyond with their daily updates. I feel that this nursery is truly nurturing as the staff are so good and the beautiful building, rooms and gardens are an absolute bonus. The location is also great for drop-offs and pickups. We have had experiences of other child care provisions and this really is the best. Thank you.
We are so pleased that you are so happy with everything we provide and that your son has settled so well.
Such a wonderful place for my little minnow to go for pre-school! The building is gorgeous and all the rooms are so well equipped, I wish I could play in there all day! The garden is enormous and really accessible for the children with lots of outdoor activities to keep them busy. The management...
Such a wonderful place for my little minnow to go for pre-school! The building is gorgeous and all the rooms are so well equipped, I wish I could play in there all day! The garden is enormous and really accessible for the children with lots of outdoor activities to keep them busy. The management are brilliant - really responsive to queries and emails, nothing is too much trouble. They get involved with the children too which is rare to see - my little one raves about them when they play with her. The staff in the rooms are equally wonderful, warm, caring, fun and provide lots of entertainment for the children all day long. There’s parking, it’s close to town, it’s perfect!
Thank you so very much for taking the time to do such a lovely review, it's very much appreciated.
Of all the nurseries we looked at for our 18-month-old son Little Minnows was head and shoulders above the rest (and we looked everywhere)! It's got a feel of home from home where all the staff are wonderful and look after our son so well. The nursery and gardens are stunning. Being in the centre...
Of all the nurseries we looked at for our 18-month-old son Little Minnows was head and shoulders above the rest (and we looked everywhere)! It's got a feel of home from home where all the staff are wonderful and look after our son so well. The nursery and gardens are stunning. Being in the centre of Truro is also a real bonus. I could not recommend Little Minnows enough. 10/10!
Thank you so very much for taking the time to do such a lovely review. It's very much appreciated.
Such a lovely nursery, the staff are very caring and our daughter loves it here. Fabulous, clean building with a huge garden for the children to play in, a vegetable patch and reading under a magnolia tree - it's such a lovely environment for her to be in.
Such a lovely nursery, the staff are very caring and our daughter loves it here. Fabulous, clean building with a huge garden for the children to play in, a vegetable patch and reading under a magnolia tree - it's such a lovely environment for her to be in.
We are so glad your daughter enjoys coming to Little Minnows and you are happy with everything we provide.
Child Vacancies
Please contact us for latest vacancies.
News (0) & Events (0)
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Awards / Recognitions (4)
- 31 Mar 2025Recipient: Little Minnows Nursery
- 28 Mar 2024Recipient: Little Minnows Nursery
- 28 Apr 2023Recipient: Little Minnows Nursery
Accreditations
There are no accreditations posted yet for Little Minnows Nursery.
Meet the Team (25)

Hayley completed her Nursery Nurse Examining Board (NNEB) course at Weymouth College in 1993. Once qualified, her first position was as a private...
Hayley completed her Nursery Nurse Examining Board (NNEB) course at Weymouth College in 1993. Once qualified, her first position was as a private nanny to a family of teachers at Bryanston School near Blandford Forum. Here she cared for a newborn baby Alice and her brother Henry who was 4 (who would later play rugby for Scotland).
In 1996 a former RAF family, Sandra and Michael Slater opened Archway Nursery in the grounds of Bryanston. Hayley took the position of Baby Room Leader, helping to decorate and set up the nursery prior to its opening.Sandra and Michael saw a passion in Hayley and told her that one day she would open her own nursery.
She has worked in childcare and education in Dorset, Devon and Cornwall ever since. 25 years later that dream has been realised with the opening of Little Minnows in Truro.
“Opening our own nursery has been a long-standing dream which began when we helped to set up Archway Nursery in Blandford in 1996. We are really excited to be opening Little Minnows Nursery in Truro.”

Hayley and Tom met whilst at school in Dorset and married in 1997. Hayley gained the NNEB qualification in 1993. She has worked in childcare and...
Hayley and Tom met whilst at school in Dorset and married in 1997. Hayley gained the NNEB qualification in 1993. She has worked in childcare and education in Dorset, Devon and Cornwall ever since.
Tom joined the Royal Marines in 1991 and retired in 2020. They have four children, one an A&E nurse, one in the Army and two in higher education.
Tom and Hayley opened Little Minnows Nursery in 2021. Tom is also a volunteer with Mevagissey Coastguard and a keen gig rower with St Goran Rowing Club.

I’ve been in childcare for 10 years and hold a Level 3 qualification in childcare and Team Leading and Supervising.
I moved to Cornwall from...
I’ve been in childcare for 10 years and hold a Level 3 qualification in childcare and Team Leading and Supervising.
I moved to Cornwall from Brighton and Hove in 2021 where I worked in an independent, homely nursery setting for 8 years, in a senior role.
I live locally with my boyfriend and 3 cats. We love exploring Cornish beaches and spending time with friends and family.

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Hello, I am Sarah! I'm a Level 3 Practitioner and I have been in Childcare for 10 years. I have been in various roles throughout nurseries, working...
Hello, I am Sarah! I'm a Level 3 Practitioner and I have been in Childcare for 10 years. I have been in various roles throughout nurseries, working with all ages and abilities. I have been the Chef at Little Minnows since 2022
What I enjoy most about my job is seeing happy faces when the children have learnt something new and are proud of themselves.
In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my family and playing games! I enjoy being creative and decorating.

I have worked in childcare for more than 10 years, I am Level 3 qualified in “Children and Young People’s Workforce”.
I really enjoy working with...
I have worked in childcare for more than 10 years, I am Level 3 qualified in “Children and Young People’s Workforce”.
I really enjoy working with children, watching them grow and develop in the nursery. I love setting up different activities, learning through messy play, always joining in and putting smiles on their faces.
In my free time I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, and going for long walks.

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I am a passionate Early Years Educator with a great love for working with young children. My favourite part of my job is that no two days are ever...
I am a passionate Early Years Educator with a great love for working with young children. My favourite part of my job is that no two days are ever the same. The unpredictable magic of children makes my work so much fun! I am dedicated to providing high standards of care, boosting self-esteem, facilitating independence, and creating meaningful learning opportunities. I have 15 years of experience working in Early Years Education. I have a bachelor's degree in Primary Education and Early Childhood Studies as well as earned many certifications in healthy eating for the under 5s, health and safety, safeguarding, infection control, and fire safety awareness.
My other great passion in life is my family and friends. I spend my time with my husband, two children, and our crazy cockapoo. I enjoy following my children’s passions and watching them flourish. For me, I love live music and watching a gig with friends. I also enjoy taking long dog walks in fields, woodlands or along one of our many beautiful beaches.

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Hello, Amanda here. I have worked in childcare for 33 years. In London until I moved to Cornwall in 2003. I have worked in many roles within nursery...
Hello, Amanda here. I have worked in childcare for 33 years. In London until I moved to Cornwall in 2003. I have worked in many roles within nursery settings. I love to see the children develop and grow, and I find their interest in the world to be amazing. I'm so happy to be a part of their journey.
My interests outside of the nursery are; meeting with friends, gardening, and growing flowers and vegetables. I love to be near the sea and combine this with my love of rambling and history.

Hi, I’m Kelly and I’ve been working in childcare since 2014. I have a Level 3 qualification in “Children and Young People’s Workforce”.
I love...
Hi, I’m Kelly and I’ve been working in childcare since 2014. I have a Level 3 qualification in “Children and Young People’s Workforce”.
I love working with children and making sure they get the most out of their time at nursery and are always having fun.
In my free time, I enjoy spending time with friends and family and exploring new places.

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Hello there, I’m Lisa and have been working with children for eight years. My passion is connecting children with the natural world. In my free time...
Hello there, I’m Lisa and have been working with children for eight years. My passion is connecting children with the natural world. In my free time I’m a Scout Leader and will often be seen in the woods, kayaking down the river or in the sea – I’m a year round wild swimmer!
I love the rewarding nature of seeing children be able to grow and learn while supporting them to build their own confidence.

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Information on this page is displayed without responsibility for its accuracy on the part of daynurseries.co.uk. Please contact Little Minnows Nursery to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Little Minnows Nursery has an Enhanced Service -what an Enhanced Service includes.