Little Owls Nurseries are the single largest provider of nursery places in Leeds.
We look after more than 2900, 0 to 5 year olds each week at 25 sites across the city.
We are owned and run by Leeds City Council as a traded service for the families of Leeds to ensure sufficient childcare is available to all those that need it.
Where are we?
Our nurseries are located in the centre of your community, with excellent transport links to the city centre.
Our nurseries are managed and operated to the same high standards, with each one having its own unique atmosphere and surroundings.
Quality childcare
Each nursery has a Daycare Manager and Assistant Manager on site looking after day to day operations. An Early Learning Manager also oversees 3 nurseries and ensures that quality standards are maintained.
We recruit staff with full and relevant childcare qualifications. Every year we also recruit 12 apprentices who go on to permanent employment once qualified. Our apprentices are paid the Leeds Living wage while training and are not counted in staff ratios until after their second term of learning, to ensure they are able to support children effectively.
What we do?
We provide full day care for children aged 3 months to 5 years between the hours of 8am and 6pm in 24 of our nurseries. We also have some term time only settings, which offer preschool education for 2 to 5-year-olds.
Your child can complete their early years journey with us right up until they start school. This enables your child to learn effectively surrounded by people they know, who understand them as an individual.
We also have strong links with the Children’s Centre family services, maternity services and health visitors. This gives the whole family easy access to free parenting support and advice.
Children from all communities and backgrounds are welcome at our nurseries. A Little Owls Nursery means that you are investing in your child’s early learning and childcare.
At Little Owls we aim to create a friendly homely environment for your child with lots of opportunity to learn through play.
Qualified and caring staff
We have taken great care in choosing a committed, enthusiastic and professional team of staff, ensuring that experience, professionalism and qualifications are matched to each area of the nursery. With a good understanding of children’s individual needs, the staff are able to plan the next steps for your child’s play, learning and development. Our nurseries are led by at least one degree level manager and are supported by a qualified teacher.
All our staff have a full and relevant childcare qualification and a small cohort of apprentices are working towards a qualification. All staff are First Aid trained and are encouraged to attend other relevant training such as Behaviour Management and Health and Safety. In house training is given on a regular basis to encourage staff to develop a wide and varied range of skills.
We have highly trained staff who are particularly adept at delivering support for children with SEND including a dedicated SENCO for each centre. We maintain a high staff to child ratio to enable each child to get the dedicated care they deserve.
Better ratios for 3-4 year olds
We operate on Ofsted ratios with a maximum 1:8 ratio for 3-4 year olds (compared to 1:13 in schools) 1:3 ratio for babies and 1:4 ratio for 2 to 3 year olds, which means your child will get all the support they need to achieve their developmental milestones. Ratios are adjusted to cater for children with additional needs.
Going the extra mile
We have help on hand if you need support with day to day parenting issues such as potty training, sleeping or behaviour. We can also support you to access children’s centre services including debt advice, counselling, parenting classes and family support, if you need it.