Dean Close Little Trees Day Nursery, Hucclecote
GoodBirth to 5Long established
A day nursery in Gloucester for children from birth to 5, open 8am to 6pm. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in January 2022. Open since 2017, with 63 places.
What you might pay
This setting does not publish its fees, and no national dataset holds them. This is what childcare costs across the council, as a starting point for the call.
What childcare usually costs in Gloucestershire
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Gloucestershire from the Department for Education's 2025 provider survey. No national data holds what an individual nursery charges, so ring and ask.
Places, hours and the day
Who they take, when they are open, and what a day there includes.
Where it is
GL3 3TXWhat the inspector found
One grade is one visit. A run of them tells you whether it has been good for years or has only just got there.
Ofsted inspector, 21 January 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Babies have three playrooms to explore. Younger children have space to lie on the floor and reach for the toys hanging from mobiles. Another room provides soft play and a ball pit so that babies can practise crawling, rolling and walking. In the final room, low-level storage units have accessible toys and resources. Babies find the toy animals and hold them out to staff. Staff name them and make sounds for the babies to copy, helping them to learn new words.
Leaders and managers have a new curriculum that focusses on natural resources and children's curiosity. Toddlers are the first age group to enjoy this. They have two newly decorated rooms as part of the nursery's makeover. A role-play room has kitchen units, a cosy 'lounge' area with cushions, fake log stools, a sofa and books. A forest wall scene creates a calm outdoor atmosphere indoors. Toddlers have real China cups and plates, as well as natural wood utensils to extend sensory play experiences.
Pre-school children have their own separate building and outdoor area. Outdoors, children explore the trees, planks and tyres. They practise climbing, build obstacle courses, manage risks and develop physical skills. Mud kitchens let children be messy and imaginative. Children take the outdoors, indoors. For example, they play with a tray filled with mud, which has toy insects, such as spiders and worms, hidden in it. Children find the insects and say that they are like the ones they saw outdoors. Children are making connections and gaining an understanding of the world.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: - improve staff support for all children in ways that enhance learning and development n provide clear and consistent messages for all children to help them understand expectations.
- 21 January 2022Good
- 18 August 2021Inadequate
Rated Good or Outstanding at 1 of the last 2 graded inspections.
Still missing for Dean Close Little Trees Day Nursery, Hucclecote
- What it costs
- Funded hours
- Youngest age taken
- Meals
- Nappies
- Waiting list
No dataset holds any of this. Two parents telling us the same thing puts it on the page for whoever looks next.
What to ask them
None of this is in any national dataset and this setting has not published it, which is exactly why it is worth asking.
- What does it cost, all in? What is on top: meals, nappies, late pick-up, and what happens if you are late.
- Can I use my funded hours here? Whether they stretch them over the year, and the minimum days you have to book.
- Is there a place for my child's age? Baby rooms fill first and waiting lists are common.
- Who would my child's key person be? And how long have the staff been there. No dataset holds this and it matters more than anything above.
- Can I visit at a busy time? Mid-morning on a weekday tells you far more than an empty room after hours.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.