Little Explorers
GoodBirth to 8+Long established
A day nursery in Cleator Moor for children from birth to 8+, open 07:00 to 17:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in March 2025. Open since 2017, with 50 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 Cumberland
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Cumberland 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
CA25 5QBWhat 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, 31 March 2025 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Staff warmly greet children and parents at the door on arrival and welcome them into the nursery. Children settle quickly when they arrive. Children display strong bonds with staff. They reach out for comfort when needed, which helps them to develop a sense of security.
Leaders have designed a curriculum that aims to give children a broad range of enriching experiences. Children enjoy trips to see the diggers at the local building site and attend 'centres of excellence' to learn about robots and drones. In addition, they have opportunities to learn about the world. For example, children enjoy listening to 'We're Going on a Lion Hunt'. They learn about different animals, such as lions, and cultural differences, such as traditional dress. This promotes children's understanding of the world and their local community.
Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are well supported. Staff work in partnership with parents and external professionals, such as early years specialist teachers and physiotherapists, to implement children's individual learning plans. This includes one-to-one support where needed to ensure that all children benefit from the learning opportunities. All children benefit from clear and achievable targets to help them to make good progress from their starting points. They are prepared for their next stage in learning.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- strengthen monitoring of staff practice to ensure greater consistency in the quality of education and improve their practice even further n ensure that staff consistently act as good role models and help children to learn about the importance of good hygiene practices.
- 31 March 2025Good Safeguarding: Yes
- 20 June 2019Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 2 graded inspections.
Still missing for Little Explorers
- 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.