Grasmere Nursery and Tadpoles Baby and Toddler Unit
Outstanding★ 3.7 on GoogleBirth to 5Open for decades
A day nursery in Luton for children from birth to 5, open 08:00 to 17:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted in January 2025. Open since 2003, 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 Luton
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Luton 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
LU3 2BTWhat 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, 27 January 2025 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are welcomed into the setting by friendly and supportive staff who are passionate about what they do. Their emotional well-being is promoted to an exceptionally high standard, ensuring children have the opportunities and support to build strong attachments with staff and feel safe in their environment. Staff are gentle and caring. They provide comfort and security for children, by offering cuddles and reassurance. Staff are skilful at recognising and validating children's feelings, helping them to feel understood and valued. Young babies are gently rocked to sleep in staff's arms, helping them to feel secure and gain trust with new adults. Staff know children exceptionally well. They understand children's individual personalities, celebrate their differences and know how children learn best.
Children's behaviour is exceptional. Staff offer cues to give children a warning of change of routine. For example, staff ring a bell and sing, to notify children that it is snack time. Children listen carefully and follow staff's instructions, helping to tidy up the toys from the table. When children do become distracted staff quickly intervene, giving them clear instructions and refocusing their attention. Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), develop an excellent understanding of the expectations at the setting. All children quickly learn and adapt very well to changes in their routine.
- 27 January 2025Outstanding Safeguarding: Yes
- 14 February 2019Outstanding
- 5 April 2016Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Grasmere Nursery and Tadpoles Baby and Toddler Unit
- 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.