Little Elms
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Elmswell for from 2 years up to school age, open 08:00 to 18:00, 5 days a week. £6.00 an hour for age 2-11. Rated Good by Ofsted in November 2022. Open since 2011, with 71 places.
What it costs
Prices change without notice. Treat these as what to ask about, not a quote.
50 weeks a year.
| Age | Session | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age 2-112y to 5y | £5.50Breakfast Club | £6.00After School Care | |
| Age 2-42y to 4y | – | £6.00Afternoon Pre-School £7.00Morning Pre-School | |
| All ages | £5.50Breakfast Club | £6.00After School Club £7.00Morning Pre-School or Afternoon Pre-School |
What childcare usually costs in Suffolk
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Suffolk 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
IP30 9BXWhat 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.
- 8 December 2025 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
Ofsted inspector, 11 November 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are keen to spend time at the setting. They arrive happily and eagerly tell the staff about their home experiences. Children develop close emotional attachments with the staff. This helps them to feel safe and secure, particularly when they are experiencing changes at home. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are reassured by the close support provided by their key person. They independently find resources that suit their current interests and steadily develop their ability to focus on specific tasks.
Children make good progress in their learning over time. Toddlers show a determination to work things out for themselves. For example, they become deeply involved in testing out different ways to build models using magnetic shapes. They confidently seek support from staff when needed and follow their guidance well.
Children who speak English as an additional language are keen to express their choices and preferences. They show that they are keen to learn new vocabulary when listening to stories and joining in with songs. Children learn positive safety rules from a young age. They remember how to cross a road safely and understand the importance of staying close to an adult while taking a walk in the local area.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- support staff to review the organisation of daily routines, particularly when moving between different activities, to maximise children's engagement in their learning.
- 11 November 2022Good
- 19 November 2021Needs improvement
- 27 April 2017Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Little Elms
- Funded hours
- 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
Some of this is above, from the setting or from parents, and it can go out of date. The rest is in no dataset anywhere. Either way it is worth ten minutes on the phone.
- Is £6.00 an hour still the rate? 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.
- Do you have a place for a child of my age now? 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.