Grasshoppers Day Nursery (St Albans)

20 York Road, St Albans AL1 4PL
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9.9 114 Reviews
  • Grasshoppers Day Nursery (St Albans), St Albans
Grasshoppers Day Nursery is a service in St Albans that is dedicated to the highest standards of care for babies and toddlers, and prides itself on the warm and welcoming atmosphere. They have also obtained their Green flag for Eco-Schools.

Grasshoppers has excellent play areas and secluded gardens, together with a great range of resources to suit all age ranges, the nursery provides a happy, social environment where every child is treated as an individual. Children’s days are packed full of activities designed in line with EYFS principles and implemented by highly trained and knowledgeable staff.

Open from 7.30am to 6.30pm, Grasshoppers offers an all-inclusive package to maximise the convenience to parents, which includes formula milk, nappies, nappy cream, baby wipes, sun cream, and well-balanced meals throughout the day. Grasshoppers provide visits in the local community, visitors to the nursery such as African dance workshops and sporting sessions and cooking experiences for the children to take part in, self-service to promote independence and regular updates on their online learning journey platform to keep parents included in their development.

Grasshoppers Day Nursery also currently offer the extracurricular activity of Yoga Mites on a Wednesday between 2:30pm and 3pm for their Preschool room.

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Care Provided by Grasshoppers Day Nursery (St Albans)

  • Type of Service
  • Day Nursery – Privately Owned
  • Open all year
  • Full Day Care

Good to Know

  • Person in charge
  • Claire Greaves (Manager)
  • Number of Childcare Staff
  • 42
  • Total Places for Children
  • 64
  • Age Range
    • from 0 years 3 months
    • to 5 years 0 months
  • Opening Times
  • Monday 07:30-18:30
    Tuesday 07:30-18:30
    Wednesday 07:30-18:30
    Thursday 07:30-18:30
    Friday 07:30-18:30
  • When Closed
  • Bank Holidays & 2 Inset Days
  • Parking

  • Drop off and pick up only parking available.


Grasshoppers Day Nursery (St Albans) Reviews (114)

Total of 114, showing 41-60
9.9

Grasshoppers Day Nursery (St Albans) has a Review Score of 9.9 (9.922) out of 10, based on 18 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time Grasshoppers Day Nursery (St Albans) has 114 reviews.

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Review from Kairit J (Mother of Child) published on 22 January 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I am so happy to take her into the nursery, she is so excited and happy to go in there, staff is so welcoming.

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Review from Hannah K (Mother of Child) published on 8 January 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our daughter was lucky enough to get a place at Grasshoppers at short notice; we moved from London and the other nursery we had in mind did not work out. We are so glad she has ended up here. She's settled in easily and now has a flourishing social life.
Communication between nursery and home is brilliant.
Extra activities such as gym and french lessons are really appreciated, she comes home talking about them often. The staff are warm, personable and reliable. It feels like a safe, enriching and fun place for her to be before the gauntlet of school. I think it is great that Grasshoppers think ahead to school as well; with school uniforms to play dress-up in, practice carrying lunch trays etc. I work in a reception class and I can see how useful these practical skills are when children start.
Flexible pickups and being open all-year-round are not something we needed but I can' pretend they haven't been useful. Our daughter was actually begging to go in for a couple of days over Christmas.

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Review from T W (Mother of Child) published on 27 November 2019
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We have used Grasshoppers Day Nursery for my son and then my daughter as well, and have loved them being here, together for a period then graduating on. The recent refurbishment has enhanced what was already a great place. The staff have all been amazing, their patients and creativity in their activities
and excursions have enhanced their learning. It will be very sad when they have both moved on!

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Review from James R (Father of Child) published on 24 September 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I have been very happy overall with the standard of care and service we have received from Grasshoppers over the past three years. Both my daughter and son have enjoyed the range of activities on offer and the attention they have received from the staff across the different rooms. There is a strong
family feel to the nursery and you can rest assured that the children are well looked after and entertained throughout the day.

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Review from T L (Mother of Child) published on 24 September 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

Our daughter has loved her time and has thoroughly enjoyed her preschool experience. A certain member of staff and the preschool team have been fantastic.
The improvements to the rooms and gardens have transformed what was a small space, to a much brighter open and flowing area. The trips to the care
home have thoroughly been enjoyed by all. We have always felt our daughter’s interests were taken care off.

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Review from Fran P (Mother of Child) published on 19 September 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

Grasshoppers nursery is a lovely friendly place, which care for and help children to grow. I have a little girl who loves to play in water and sand, exploring different areas of the room and garden. She has bonded well with the staff and they have made settling her into nursery look easy.

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Review from Wendy F (Mother of Child) published on 30 August 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We would definitely recommend this nursery in a heartbeat. Both my children now aged six and four had such a lovely home from home experience and the staff have been truly amazing with our kids. Staff are caring and nurturing and were on hand for support when needed. The nursery also made sure there
was a variety of key activities for the kids - my little one loved learning Mandarin. Thank you for being a great nursery.

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Review from Monika S (Mother of Child) published on 9 August 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

My daughter had a good time at the Grasshoppers.


She got attached to the key carers so I knew she’s well looked after.


Every time we picked her up she was happy and said that enjoyed the time at the nursery.


Thank you very much for all care and support.


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Review from Jenna S (Mother of Child) published on 2 August 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter (currently in Pre-School) has been attending Grasshoppers for over three years and my son (10 months old) has just joined the nursery (in Caterpillars). Grasshoppers has provided a nurturing, secure, and happy environment for my daughter since she was 8 months old. She has formed strong
relationships with both staff and other children at the nursery and is always excited to tell us what she's been doing or learning about at pre-school. The facilities, rooms, and gardens are fantastic and much improved since the refurbishment. Although my son has only just started at Grasshoppers, I've found that the induction and 'settle' process is even better than it was when my daughter started, and he already seems comfortable there. New management has implemented some excellent changes across the board.

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Review from Tara S (Mother of Child) published on 2 August 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son has just had his last day at Grasshoppers and I could honestly not imagine a better nursery for him for the past 3 years. My daughter went to Grasshoppers too and it has always felt like family. You can tell from when you walk in it's a happy, nurturing environment for the children, the staff
are all so caring and tend to stay for a long time which means consistent care (and always a friendly face for parents too!). The facilities are lovely, with a huge variety of toys and activities for the children. The staff work hard to provide some brilliant extra activities, with trips to the park, the local care home, and butterflies hatching in Preschool to name a few. My son has food allergies and they're very diligent both with food safety and in ensuring the processes they follow are up to date. We are sad that our Grasshoppers time has ended, but we know that our children have had a wonderful time at nursery, made some good friends and been really well prepared for the years ahead.

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Review from Evelina M (Mother of Child) published on 30 July 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter has enjoyed going to Grasshoppers every day. We’ve just been going to nursery for 10 months, but she has developed so much since she first started. Everyone, from my daughter’s key worker to nursery manager is so attentive and friendly. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is looking
to put their child in the nursery in St Albans area!

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Review from C M (Mother of Child) published on 11 July 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our daughter has been at Grasshoppers for 18 months now and we couldn’t be happier with our choice of nursery. The care and dedication of the excellent team at Grasshoppers have hugely contributed to the happy and confident child our daughter is today.
She is truly nurtured by the staff, particularly
her key worker with whom she has a lovely bond. She learns about kindness, resilience, communication and friendship as well as being prepared for more formal learning by the excellent preschool teacher. The management team are outstanding- leading by example and creating a culture of acceptance and positivity. I’d recommend Grasshoppers without hesitation.

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Review from A D (Mother of Child) published on 3 July 2019
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Very friendly, happy nursery - which my children feel very secure at.

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Review from Heather B (Mother of Child) published on 3 July 2019
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Grasshoppers Day Nursery (St Albans) is a lovely nursery and our daughter loves going. We have felt very well supported by the nursery and it's such a friendly, happy place!

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Review from Yvonne B (Mother of Child) published on 3 July 2019
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

The pre-school provision at Grasshoppers Day Nursery (St Albans) has been excellent, we've been really happy with it. Staff are approachable, welcoming, professional and kind, to both us as parents and our daughter. Our daughter loves going, has made many friends and is close to the staff. Her learning
has really developed and she is so ready for school which is down to the team at the nursery. We would recommend it to friends and family.

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Review from S N (Mother of Child) published on 16 January 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I have been using Grasshoppers nursery for over 6 years across 2 children. We have always been very happy with the service they provide - friendly, personalised, caring, fun and with some truly outstanding, dedicated members of staff. My eldest child had severe allergies and they managed this seamlessly
- in fact, this child still remembers how good the food cooked at the nursery was. Whilst the staff have always been good, in my opinion, the nursery management is the best it's ever been now, with a good sense of long term vision for improvement, as well as flexibility and pragmatism on a day-to-day basis. I highly recommend this nursery.

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Review from Susie (Mother of Child) published on 10 January 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My eldest son attended Grasshoppers nursery for just over 3 years, so when it came to thinking about a nursery for my youngest son the choice was easy.
The staff at Grasshoppers are so friendly. They come up with really interesting and original things for the children to do, while also following a
clear framework of learning and development. Parents are kept informed of their child's progress and staff are always on hand and available to discuss anything to do with the child. Management are always visible and there is a clear open-door policy to meet and talk to the senior staff members of the nursery. They are often in the rooms with the children too. All staff clearly know the children well and relate and respond to them as individuals. It is clear that all the staff at Grasshoppers enjoy their jobs. My 2 year old is very happy there and enjoys going.

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Review from Eloise H (Mother of Child) published on 10 January 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

For us, Grasshoppers isn't just apart of our daughter's lives, it's a community for us all. The children are inspired by the varied and creative activities they do each day. We hear excited tales, snippets of songs, and pictures of such action-packed days - our daughter's speech, curiosity, understanding,
physical and social skills have blossomed since at Grasshoppers, she loves her time with everyone there and we marvel at her development with thanks to such passionate staff.

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Review from Andrew M (Father of Child) published on 7 January 2019
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our daughter has been at Grasshoppers for over a year now. We are incredibly satisfied with the standard of care the nursery offers. We find the team there enthusiastic, creative, skilled, dedicated and warm- the atmosphere throughout the nursery is fun and positive. We have found that the nursery offers
tailored care consistently which reassures us that they really know our daughter and treat her as an individual. They react to and predict her needs keeping us fully informed of how she's getting on in terms of development and well-being. We are particularly impressed by the strong management and leadership at the nursery- the managers and team leaders are highly skilled and experienced, creating a culture where the team aspire to be at their best for the children every day. Communicating with the nursery team over email, phone or in person is really easy and responses are always very prompt.

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Review from S J (Father of Child) published on 16 November 2018
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

Very friendly and caring staff. Both my children seem to really enjoy attending Grasshoppers and I feel very happy leaving them in the mornings when I drop off. All the staff I have met seem very good, however, my only concern is that the turnover has been quite high at times.
I wonder about the classes,
for some of the over 3's their time could also be based around a learning curriculum as well. I'm not sure how much they are learning. This might not be so important at such an early age but the kids seem to really enjoy learning as much as playing.

Reply from Jenifer Neville at Grasshoppers Day Nursery (St Albans)

Thank you for your review, we are pleased your child is enjoying our nursery. We appreciate that staff leavers may be unsettling for families and during times of change we work with the remaining team members to support children and ensure we continue to provide outstanding childcare. We follow the EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) framework which sets the standards for the learning and development of children. Each Key Person will plan activities, taking into account a child’s specific interests and next steps for development, and this is documented through our digital learning journey on Parent Zone. Please do not hesitate to speak to myself should you have any further questions.


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Current Review Score: 9.9 (9.922)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.9 (9.922) out of 10 for Grasshoppers Day Nursery (St Albans) is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  • a) The Average Rating is 4.9 out of 5 from 18 Reviews in the last 24 months.

  • b) The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 18 positive Reviews in the last 24 months.

Detailed Breakdown of Review Score

The maximum Review Score for a Day Nursery is 10, which is made up from the Average Rating of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) and the Number of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) in the last 24 months:

  • a) 5 Points are available for the Average Rating from all Reviews in the last 24 months.

    The Average Rating of 4.922 for Grasshoppers Day Nursery (St Albans) is calculated as follows: ( (189 Excellents x 5) + (14 Goods x 4) + (1 Satisfactorys x 3) ) ÷ 204 Ratings = 4.922

  • b) 5 Points are available for the number of Positive Reviews in the last 24 months. A Positive Review is defined as any Review with an 'Overall Experience' of '4' or '5' (out of a max rating '5').

    The 5 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Grasshoppers Day Nursery (St Albans) is based on 18 positive Reviews in the last 24 months and is calculated as per below:

    The 5 points available are broken down as follows:

    • i) 4 points are available for the first 10 Positive Reviews in the last 24 months; 3 points for the first Positive Review, and then 0.125 Points for each of the next four Positive Reviews and then 0.1 Points for the next five Positive Reviews. (1st = 3.000, 2nd = 0.125, 3rd = 0.125, 4th = 0.125, 5th = 0.125, 6th = 0.100, 7th = 0.100, 8th = 0.100, 9th = 0.100, 10th = 0.100) 3 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 = 4

    • ii) 1 point is available for the number of Positive Reviews reaching 20% of the number of registered child places in the last 24 months. If this number is partially reached, then that proportion of 1 point is given. eg a Day Nursery registered for a maximum of 50 child places has to reach 10 Positive Reviews to receive 1 point, if it has 7 reviews it will receive 0.7 points. 20% of the 64 number of registered child places is 12.8, which has been reached with 18 Positive reviews. Points = 1

  • When a Review is submitted by someone who has previously submitted a Review, only the latest Review will count towards the Review Score.

  • If a Day Nursery does not have a review in the last 24 months, then it will not have a Review Score.

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Meet the Team (1)

Claire

Claire Greaves

Job Title: Nursery Manager

Joined: 2022

Claire is the Manager of Grasshoppers Day Nursery in St Albans and has a wealth of experience, having worked in the Early Years sector for 22 years. Claire has numerous qualifications, including an NNEB Level 3 & Level 5 in Leadership, and Early Years Management.


What is your favourite feature of Grasshoppers?
The nursery has a very welcoming homely feel, and the rooms have been designed and furnished to meet the children's developmental needs. We have a large preschool room and lovely garden areas.


What are you most proud of about your nursery/team?
I am really impressed with the team's partnership with parents and the relationships they form with them.


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