Little Shipmates Day Nursery
GoodBirth to 8+Long established
A day nursery in Southampton for children from birth to 8+, open 08:00 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 February 2024. Open since 2016, with 61 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 Hampshire
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Hampshire 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
SO45 5DBWhat 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, 19 February 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children thoroughly enjoy their time at the nursery. They form meaningful relationships with staff, who care deeply about children's learning and welfare. This helps children feel safe and secure. Children make meaningful friendships. They are kind and considerate, and they enjoy learning together. For example, children role play in the mud kitchen. They create interesting mixtures as they contribute their ideas and take turns to add natural materials, such as grass. This helps children develop the skills they will need to maintain future relationships.
Children develop an early understanding of new concepts, such as mathematics.
For example, children learn about measure, as they use rulers to compare heights of structures made from magnetic bricks. They develop their understanding of number as they count the items of food on their plate during mealtimes. Staff introduce older children to simple fractions, such as 'half' and 'quarter', as children slice fruit with knives. This helps them develop the skills they will need for future learning.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: - strengthen the organisation of routine activities, such as mealtimes, to ensure that children's needs are met without delay n support children to reach their fullest potential by ensuring that resources securely promote the learning intent of activities.
- 19 February 2024Good
- 30 May 2018Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 2 graded inspections.
Still missing for Little Shipmates Day Nursery
- 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.