Happy Hedgehogs
GoodBirth to 8+Long established
A day nursery in Swadlincote for children from birth to 8+, open 07:30 to 18:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in January 2024. Open since 2020, with 67 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 Leicestershire
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Leicestershire 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
DE12 7AHWhat 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, 25 January 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Staff support children to develop a close and trusting bond with them through positive interactions and a strong key-person system. This helps children to feel safe and settled at the nursery. Children are confident. They smile at visitors and quickly involve them in their play. Staff consistently praise children for their efforts and achievements, building on their self-esteem.
Children thoroughly enjoy their time in the outdoor environment. It is a happy, social time for them. They become excited because of the stimulating interactions with staff. For instance, staff spark children's curiosity and encourage them to use their imaginations during play. Children gather in the sandpit to search for
'treasure'. They develop physical skills as they use spades to dig and find hidden items. Staff and children cheer with delight when they find treasure and proudly display it for others to see. Some children find buried sticks, and staff ignite their imaginations by asking, 'What if it's a magic stick?' Children are inspired by staff's suggestions and use their 'magic sticks' to cast spells and pretend to freeze each other. They run and giggle as they try to escape the magic spells. Children use their creative and imaginative skills to make mud pies and mud milkshakes. They negotiate with each other as they decide who is making what. Children mix soil, sticks and leaves and then share their creations with staff and visitors.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- provide children with a rich set of experiences to promote their understanding of similarities and differences and what makes people unique n strengthen the skills of less confident staff in delivering group activities that build on children's existing knowledge n review the organisation of mealtime routines to ensure all children remain engaged and supported.
- 25 January 2024Good
- 23 May 2023Needs improvement
- 31 May 2022Needs improvement
Rated Good or Outstanding at 1 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Happy Hedgehogs
- 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.