About Little Phoenix Nursery
Nuturing the Next Step
While our close link to Yarm School offers a natural pathway for families who wish to continue their journey with us, Little Phoenix Nursery also supports children who move on to other local pre-schools. Whatever your choice for the future, our focus is on ensuring every child leaves us with the confidence and curiosity needed for their next big adventure.
As a member of the Yarm School family, Little Phoenix Nursery benefits from a unique wealth of shared expertise. We maintain a close, collaborative relationship with the specialist educators at Yarm Pre-School to ensure a natural and confident progression. This partnership allows us to align our early years' philosophy with the school years beyond, creating a familiar and supportive path for every child as they prepare for their next big step.
Our Spaces
Our nursery is designed to evolve with your child. Our youngest members will be based in the light-filled Nursery Suite on the first floor. With its own private and spacious Terrace, the space feels like a woodland retreat where children can stay connected to the sights of the treetops and the gentle, rhythmic sound of an occasional train travelling through our local landscape.
From 18 months, children transition to the ground floor, where they can explore the vibrant Sun Room, the cosy Reading Room, and the sheltered Veranda. Regardless of their age, every child will spend time discovering the wonders of the gardens beyond, ensuring a constant connection to nature and the freedom to move.
Caring For Your Child
We are committed to recruiting and developing an exceptional team of practitioners. Every member of staff completes a comprehensive core training package to ensure our daily practice is both thoughtful and consistent. Beyond this, a personalised professional development plan supports each staff member in further tailoring their skills to their specific role within Little Phoenix Nursery. We encourage you to speak with your child’s Key Person, who will be delighted to share more about their professional journey and the specialist training they have undertaken to support your child's growth.
Funding
Families can benefit from funded childcare at Little Phoenix Nursery. An outline of the support families may be able to access towards their childcare costs can be found here.
Families tell us the information around funding entitlements can be confusing; it is important to us that all those who wish to accept a place understand the service they can expect and what they are paying for. To support families we will spend time within the enrolment period explaining how funding is stretched across the year and applied to the regular booking pattern.
Healthy Meals and Snacks
We are fully equipped to support babies and young children with specific allergies, intolerances, and dietary requirements. Our team is trained in all current nutritional guidelines, and our Nursery Cook works closely with families to understand every detail of a child’s needs. By building this partnership with you, we ensure that your little one enjoys a varied, healthy, and safe menu that supports their well-being.
Our nursery kitchen prepares nutritious menus daily using fresh, seasonal ingredients sourced from local suppliers. We believe mealtimes are a vital social occasion - a chance for children to develop language, practise independence, and build healthy habits. To ensure a calm and personalised experience, we offer flexible meal sittings that recognise different family routines and ensure every child enjoys their food in a relaxed, communal atmosphere.
Essential Information
We are excited to announce that Little Phoenix will officially open its doors on 14th September 2026.
The nursery is specifically designed to provide exceptional care and early education for babies and children aged 6 months to 3 years. Our play spaces both inside and out have been created to provide the very best opportunities for the age group.
Our core day is 8am to 6pm, with the option to add on a breakfast session 7.30am to 8am.
Little Phoenix Nursery is a year round setting. Open for 50 weeks of the year, the nursery will close from Christmas to the New Year, for Bank Holidays and occasional staff training days. To help working parents manage their schedules with confidence we will publish any closure dates for the year ahead.
Meet Sarah
Sarah Moon-Gatford is our Nursery Manager.
With a wealth of experience in early years leadership, Sarah is the heart of Little Phoenix. She is deeply committed to the Froebelian principles that define our nursery, ensuring that nature, play, and discovery are woven into every child’s day.
Sarah believes that the first three years of life are a truly unique window of opportunity. Her approach blends professional expertise with a genuine sense of warmth, creating a nurturing environment where both children and their families feel instantly at home. For Sarah, managing the nursery isn’t just about the day-to-day, it’s about protecting the slow pace of childhood and ensuring every child has the best possible start.
We are here to help you. If your query isn’t answered above, then check our faqs.
Send us an email at enquiries@littlephoenixnursery.co.uk or call us on 01642 786023.
You can make an enquiry, schedule a private tour, or contact us with any enrolment queries here: