Building Something Special

We're in the exciting early stages of creating Little Oaks. Our barn on Bolesworth Road is being carefully converted into a calm, nature-inspired setting with dedicated rooms, extensive outdoor spaces and everything children need to flourish.

Address: Barn 1, Oakbank, Bolesworth Road, Tattenhall, CH3 9HL

Welcome to Little Oaks Nursery

Growing Confident, Curious Children

Our Values

Nature at the Heart
We believe the natural world offers rich opportunities for learning, growth and wellbeing.

Curiosity First
We follow children’s interests and encourage exploration, discovery and joyful investigation.

Warmth and Belonging
Children feel safe, seen and supported in every interaction and environment.

Professional Excellence
We hold ourselves to the highest standards in early years education, child development and care.

Respect for Childhood
We protect children’s right to play, to wonder and to learn at their own pace.

Partnership With Families
We listen to parents and value their insight, working together to support each child’s journey.

Consistency and Care
We provide a calm, predictable and nurturing environment where children can flourish

Our Story

Little Oaks exists because of a belief that when children are given space, support and freedom to explore the natural world, they develop a lifelong love of learning.

Founded by Elizabeth, a qualified early years teacher with over a decade of experience, Little Oaks reflects everything she believes excellent childcare should be. As a former leader of a 52-child school nursery and now training as an educational psychologist, she brings both practical expertise and deep understanding of child development to everything we do.

But this nursery isn't just about one person's vision, it's about our community. Tattenhall's families needed more flexible, high-quality childcare, and Little Oaks is our answer. Every detail here reflects our commitment to creating a place where children truly thrive.

We're here to nurture bright futures, one child at a time.

Our Philosophy

Learning at Little Oaks is natural, exploratory and child-led. We follow the Early Years Foundation Stage framework, but our approach goes deeper—we believe nature is the best teacher.

Our days flow between long outdoor immersion, sensory exploration and open-ended play. Staff create thoughtful invitations to learn, but when children show interest, we follow it, extend it and build learning around it. No rigid routines. No curriculum constraints. Just curious children exploring the world with skilled practitioners guiding them.

We focus on the 4 C's: Care, Confidence, Curiosity and Creativity. Through secure attachments, achievable challenges, rich outdoor experiences and expressive freedom, we help every child become a confident, curious lifelong learner.

Our Staff

Our team loves their work, feels excited to come in, and is fully invested in the success of every child.

We employ qualified, experienced practitioners who are curious, outdoor-loving (even in the rain!) and deeply present, never distracted. Staff are empowered to shape the environment around children's interests, always working within strong professional boundaries and EYFS best practice.

Every team member holds relevant qualifications, paediatric first aid certification and up-to-date safeguarding training. Our manager and room leaders bring years of early years expertise, and we invest in continuous professional development, including Forest School training and child psychology understanding.

Most importantly, our staff understand children. They see the world through a child's eyes, scaffold learning with warmth and skill, and build genuine relationships with families.

Our Space

Little Oaks is calm, natural and thoughtfully designed. Our colour palette of sage, oat and cream creates a peaceful atmosphere, while natural materials and textures bring the outdoors in.
Each age group has its own dedicated room:

Hedgehogs (0–2 years): 6 places
Otters (2–3 years): 10 places
Owls (3–5 years): 21 places

But our real magic happens outside. We have extensive outdoor areas for all-weather exploration, with plans to develop a fully fledged Forest School space. Rain or shine, children spend significant time outdoors, investigating, climbing, digging and discovering.

Our environment constantly evolves with children's interests. It's never stale, never static, always fresh, inviting and filled with possibilities for play and learning.

Our Commitment to Children and Families

At Little Oaks, children always come first. Every decision we make, from staffing ratios to meal quality, is guided by what's best for your child's development and wellbeing.
For children, we promise:

A safe, nurturing environment where they feel valued and heard
Opportunities to explore, take measured risks and build resilience
Warm relationships with skilled practitioners who truly understand them
Fresh, nutritious meals prepared on-site by our chef
The space and freedom to develop into confident, curious learners

For families, we promise:

Professional, responsive communication that keeps you informed
Respect, warmth and genuine partnership—you'll always feel listened to
Flexibility to meet your working and family needs
Transparency and honesty, even when conversations are difficult
A community where you belong

We're here to provide exceptional early years education rooted in what we know works: nature, play, relationships and trust.