The Mere Nature Kindergarten

5 Chester Road, Mere, Knutsford WA16 0PU
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9.9 66 Reviews
  • The Mere Nature Kindergarten, Knutsford
The Mere Nature Kindergarten is set to become somewhere very special for young children.

The indoor space has been restored and refurbished to provide a well thought out early childhood environment that reflects how young children play and learn.

With the building set in beautiful leafy surroundings, the nursery will be making the most of outdoor play that is rich in experience for all ages.

The nursery sits on one of the busiest commuter routes in Cheshire. It is perfectly located for parents living locally or travelling to or from Manchester via the A556 or to Warrington via the A50.

The Mere Nature Kindergarten offers: a large, spacious and natural outdoor area, healthy and nutritious meals, a single storey building with large car park, rooms designed with access to the outdoors, high-quality equipment and resources to support all areas of child development, a new under-two's room, designed with every aspect of your child’s developmental stages in mind and a committed, professional, skilled and caring team who love what they do.

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Care Provided by The Mere Nature Kindergarten

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

Good to Know

  • Person in charge
  • Stacy Kelsall-Light (Manager)
  • Number of Childcare Staff
  • 15
  • Total Places for Children
  • 65
  • Age Range
    • from 0 years 3 months
    • to 4 years 11 months
  • Opening Times
  • Monday 07:30-18:00
    Tuesday 07:30-18:00
    Wednesday 07:30-18:00
    Thursday 07:30-18:00
    Friday 07:30-18:00
  • When Closed
  • Bank Holidays & 1 week at Christmas

Funding & Fees Guide for The Mere Nature Kindergarten

  • Part-time, full-time and funded places available

The Mere Nature Kindergarten Reviews (66)

Total of 66, showing 1-20
9.9

The Mere Nature Kindergarten has a Review Score of 9.9 (9.902) out of 10, based on 12 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time The Mere Nature Kindergarten has 66 reviews.

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Review from M H (Grandmother of Child) published on 18 March 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I pick my granddaughter up from mere nursery twice a week .. my little granddaughter has come on leaps and bounds since joining in November . She does so much there from outside activities to playing in sand , painting , making cards . The library room is fantastic loads of books and sensory lighting
.. The staff in the baby room are amazing always have time to tell me what my granddaughter has been doing .. what she has eaten how much sleep she has had .. it's a fantastic nursery with very friendly helpful experienced staff .

Reply from Jenni McDougall, Operations Project Manager at The Mere Nature Kindergarten

Thank you so much for your kind words! It's wonderful to hear how much your granddaughter has grown and developed since joining us in November. We love providing a variety of activities to spark curiosity and creativity, from outdoor play to arts and crafts. The library room is a special place for little ones to explore, and we're so glad she enjoys it! Our baby room team takes great pride in keeping families informed, and its fantastic to know their updates have been helpful to you. We truly appreciate your support and are delighted to be part of your granddaughter's early learning journey


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Review from Emma O (Mother of Child) published on 6 March 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

The Mere Nature has been an extremely welcoming place for my two children. We relocated to this area from another country and they were not only so helpful in getting both kids settled and adjusted, they have also been helpful in getting our family connected to the community. Both kids are running inside
to see their friends each day. The staff is excellent at handling allergies, too, providing alternatives at every meal. Upon pickup, I receive a full report of the day but most importantly, staff always has a story or two to share about my child. It feels very personal and you can tell that each staff member truly enjoys working with kids. Would 100% recommend!

Reply from Jenni McDougall, Operations Project Manager at The Mere Nature Kindergarten

Thank you for your glowing recommendation of our nursery, we are really proud of the personal touch we offer and really appreciate your valuable feedback.


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Review from H G (Mother of Child) published on 13 November 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

The staff are excellent! My son hadn't spent much time away from me before nursery and we were very well supported through an initially tricky settling-in period. 5 months later he has gone from needing constant cuddles with staff and finding other babies overwhelming to confidently and happily exploring
the baby room with his peers, and eating and sleeping well. We are very happy with the care given, staff are thoughtful and enthusiastic.

Reply from Jenni McDougall, Operations Project Manager at The Mere Nature Kindergarten

Thank you ever so much for such a great review and it is fantastic to hear how well your son has settled in, thank you again for taking the time to write the review from us all here at Thrive.


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Review from N S (Mother of Child) published on 3 October 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son has settled in very quickly with such friendly staff. They do lots of singing and fun different activities each day. The outside space is brilliant and the indoor baby room has recently been updated and is perfect for babies.

Reply from Jenni McDougall, Operations Project Manager at The Mere Nature Kindergarten

Thank you for your lovely review from all at Thrive childcare.


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Review from M S (Mother of Child) published on 5 July 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son has been at The Mere since late 2020, starting as a 13-month-old in Baby Room, and now readying to leave Pre-School in August.
He has absolutely loved his time at The Mere. Some key staff have formed bonds with him that I know will last a very long time.
Towards the end of 2023, he started
experiencing extreme separation anxiety in the run-up to morning drop-off. The Mere's manager and assistant manager were absolutely brilliant in putting a plan in place for him that was specific to his needs and which (thankfully) worked. They were consistent with the plan and extremely caring when dealing with me sobbing in the office after several months of struggling at home! The current leadership really is brilliant and I'm going to miss them all when we move on from The Mere in a couple of months.

Reply from Jenni McDougall, Operations Project Manager at The Mere Nature Kindergarten

What a wonderful review and a pleasure to read, thank you for taking the time to write it from all of us here at Thrive Childcare.


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Review from P T (Mother of Child) published on 15 November 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our little boy absolutely loves the baby room and all of the team. I always feel at ease when he reaches excitedly to the nursery team when I drop him off in the morning. When I pick him up he’s always full of smiles and food and I get quite jealous about the meals he gets given. One of my favourite
things about the baby room team is they always go above and beyond to make sure he does the stuff that he loves and his Key Worker even made him his own signing cards to take home because he loves doing them so much at nursery. They recognise his strengths and help him to utilise them every day. I also love that they take the babies outside as much as possible and encourage them to learn about nature. It was a massive relief to see how well he’s settled into nursery and I know now that he’s developing much faster because of it.

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Review from Akshay G (Father of Child) published on 7 November 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We are glad we chose Mere Nature Kindergarten as the Nursery for our baby boy. The staff was excellent in getting him settled in initially when he joined in March 2023. Our boy loves being at the nursery and is very happy to be there. The bond established by the staff with our child is priceless.


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gives us great assurance to see him play and develop at the Nursery. We would highly recommend The Mere Nature Kindergarten!

Reply from Jemma Binanti, Marketing Associate at The Mere Nature Kindergarten

Thank you so much for your wonderful words, we really appreciate it. Our team will be delighted to read your lovely review.


All the best,
The Thrive Team


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Review from B K (Mother of Child) published on 7 November 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter started nursery aged 11 months in September. The baby room staff and management were so helpful in helping her transition into a new routine after a very rocky start. They accommodated last-minute additional settling hours which ensured she had some continuity in the early days. Fast forward
5 weeks and she loves being dropped off each morning and the regular photo updates mean that I know she is having a lovely time. Communication with us has been excellent throughout. I’ve no doubt that the flexibility for her in the early days has helped no end. Thanks so much.

Reply from Jemma Binanti, Marketing Associate at The Mere Nature Kindergarten

Thank you so much for your wonderful words, we really appreciate it. Our team will be delighted to read your lovely review.


All the best,
The Thrive Team


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Review from E R (Mother of Child) published on 28 September 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Consistently a great experience for my daughter at Mere - she loves being at the nursery and has a great bond with all the lovely staff. It’s a real pleasure to see how much she enjoys it and how she is developing with all their support and guidance.

Reply from Jemma Binanti, Marketing Associate at The Mere Nature Kindergarten

Thank you for taking the time to review us, it means a lot. We are delighted to read your positive comments, it is so lovely to hear your daughter enjoys nursery and has settled so well.
The Thrive Team.


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Review from Jude A (Mother of Child) published on 27 September 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I couldn’t be happier with the nursery and our experience of the last few months. My daughter is having the best time in the baby room and is clearly really thriving. There are always super creative messy play activities and plenty of outside time, and that’s exactly what we wanted when we started looking
around. All of the staff are lovely and obviously care very much about the children here and their development. I think this is a special place. Thank you everyone at the Mere Day Nature Kindergarten.

Reply from Jemma Binanti, Marketing Executive at The Mere Nature Kindergarten

Thank you so much for taking the time to review us, it really means a lot. We are delighted to hear that your daughter is enjoying her time in our baby room and you feel there is a good range of activities on offer. Your comments about our staff team are so lovely, we will ensure these are passed on.
Thank you,
The Thrive Team.


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Review from Hannah G (Mother of Child) published on 26 September 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our son loves his time at nursery and they know him so well now and they know all his habits and eating preferences and he loves the staff there, we feel really assured that he is being looked after so well and he always smiles going in and that's lovely to see.

Reply from Jemma Binanti, Marketing Associate at The Mere Nature Kindergarten

Thank you so much for taking the time to review us, it really means a lot. We are delighted to read your positive comments and we are so happy to hear that your son loves our team so much.
Thank you again,
The Thrive Team


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Review from Andy F (Grandfather of Child) published on 26 September 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

From initial visit to introducing him to the environment it has been a great experience, and he has learned so much so quickly.
Very impressed with the flexibility from the manager, and the skills of two key staff members.

Reply from Jemma Binanti, Marketing Associate at The Mere Nature Kindergarten

Thank you so much for taking the time to review us, it really means a lot. We are delighted to read your positive comments. It is wonderful to hear your grandson has settled with us so well.
Thank you again,
The Thrive Team


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Review from Millie K (Mother of Child) published on 29 November 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Like any parent, we were very nervous and apprehensive about finding the right nursery environment for our baby boy. We were so impressed with the induction process, which included a home visit and introduction sessions. It has been so reassuring seeing how the Mere Nursery team really care about the
children and creating an excellent environment for our developing child. The team are truly passionate, warm and approachable. It is true to say our baby boy is in very safe hands.

Reply from Elizabeth Davitt, Customer Service Assistant at The Mere Nature Kindergarten

Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us this lovely review, we are delighted to know you are happy with the nursery! Kind regards, Thrive Childcare & Education.


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Review from Becky S (Mother of Child) published on 23 November 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Such a lovely nursery. All of the staff know every single child personally. My children have been in baby, toddler and pre-school rooms and they are all excellent and staffed by dedicated professionals who tailor activities to the interests of children really help them to develop in a caring, nurturing
environment. There is superb outside space for the children to play every day and they are often also taken for walks to visit the local farm or other local points of interest. The office staff are super helpful and answer any questions I have. My daughter has adopted the manager as her personal favourite and gets very excited whenever she drops into the baby room.

Reply from Emma Willis, Manager at The Mere Nature Kindergarten

Thank you so much for your lovely review. Your children are a delight to care for and I love that they are so excited to attend nursery and love to learn.


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Review from James H (Father of Child) published on 1 November 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son absolutely loves coming to nursery and it’s all thanks to The Mere and the staff that work there. He’s such an outdoors boy and the baby garden is just great for him to explore and learn in an environment he loves! Having our first child, I had no idea about nurseries but I would not hesitate
to recommend The Mere! I can’t thank the team enough for settling our little one in so well!

Reply from Emma Willis, Manager at The Mere Nature Kindergarten

Hi James, Thank you for your lovely review. It is a pleasure to look after your little one who certainly does love to explore and get stuck into all the messy activities.


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Review from Beth R (Mother of Child) published on 10 September 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Review from a parent who is also a teacher, so has an understanding of the EYFS setting. The staff are incredibly friendly and are truly invested in the children. They use the EYFS framework and have a good understanding of where all children are on their learning journeys. I can see that staff are
valued - they are continually engaging in professional development and praised on social media. Always a good sign. The learning at the nursery is rich in real life, relatable experiences. They have a gorgeous outdoor area which they use frequently, and the food is varied and healthy. The nursery frequently communicates with parents and is open to suggestions from them. The learning environment is well developed and rotated frequently to maximise engagement. Everything is well planned and child-centred. I’d recommend this nursery to anybody. It really is an outstanding nursery in every sense.

Reply from Emma Willis, Manager at The Mere Nature Kindergarten

Hi Beth, Thank you so much for your lovely review. It is wonderful to know that parents can see how much we value the staff at The Mere, this is something we support within the VNG. We are a very reflective setting and are always thinking of new ways to capture the children's imagination to get the best learning outcomes for each child. It is a pleasure to look after your two girls and to be a part of their educational journey.


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Review from Laura M (Mother of Child) published on 10 September 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Flexible nursery that offers term time only, which can be invaluable for some parents. Always willing to help, adding in extra sessions, where needed. Outdoor space on the grass area is fantastic, the playground area would benefit from a re-vamp and tidy up though. Very happy with the care provided.

Reply from Emma Willis, Manager at The Mere Nature Kindergarten

Hi Laura, Thank you for your review. It is lovely to read that you feel the overall care provided for your little boy was good. We certainly enjoyed looking after him. We are so fortunate to have such a vast and beautiful rural outdoor space and I am very excited to have plans in the pipeline to develop certain areas of the garden.


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Review from Aleksis W (Father of Child) published on 8 September 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

All of the staff are very friendly and welcoming. My child's direct carers are very attentive and provide lots of information about activities and development. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the Mere to anybody.

Reply from Emma Willis, Manager at The Mere Nature Kindergarten

Hi Aleksis, Thank you for your lovely review. I love having conversations with your little girl.


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Review from Danny C (Father of Child) published on 8 September 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We are so thankful that we found this Nursery, and we couldn’t be happier with the level of care and support that our child had received throughout his time there. Our child was born with complex medical needs and so we wanted to find a Nursery that had a ‘family’ feel, and one that wasn’t too large.
All of the staff that cared for our child adapted incredibly well to the extra needs and were always on hand to deal with any concerns/queries. I would highly recommend this setting.

Reply from Emma Willis, Manager at The Mere Nature Kindergarten

Hi Danny, thank you for such a lovely review. It has been a pleasure to get to know your little boy.


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Review from Rachael B (Mother of Child) published on 8 September 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We were moving home and had to find somewhere closer for my son to attend, who was with a childminder since he was 9 months old. Looked at some nurseries and did not like them, then found the Mere and decided we would try and see how it went. He loves it, all the teachers are amazing and he is at a
level that you would not get in another setting. I recommend the Mere as it is outstanding and my son loves going.

Reply from Emma Willis, Manager at The Mere Nature Kindergarten

Thank you for your lovely comments Rachael, it is a pleasure to look after your smiley little boy.


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Current Review Score: 9.9 (9.902)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.9 (9.902) out of 10 for The Mere Nature Kindergarten is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  • a) The Average Rating is 5.0 out of 5 from 12 Reviews in the last 24 months.

  • b) The score for the number of positive Reviews is 4.9 out of 5 from 12 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 4.979 for The Mere Nature Kindergarten is calculated as follows: ( (139 Excellents x 5) + (3 Goods x 4) ) ÷ 142 Ratings = 4.979

  • 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 4.923 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for The Mere Nature Kindergarten is based on 12 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 65 number of registered child places is 13. 12 Positive Reviews ÷ 13 = 0.923

  • 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.

Child Vacancies

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Awards / Recognitions (4)

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Meet the Team (2)

Stacy

Stacy Kelsall-Light

Job Title: Nursery Manager

Joined: 2019

Hi my name is Stacy and I have a BA Hons in Childhood Studies. I have 11 year’s experience working in early years. I enjoy using my knowledge and experience to support and mentor new practitioners to provide high quality childcare and exciting new opportunities.
When I am not at nursery, I am usually spending time with my wife and our family, taking our dog Buddy for a walk in the forest or getting cosy at home with a book.


Sarah

Sarah Sanderson

Job Title: Deputy Manager

Joined: 2023

Sarah is the nursery forest lead as well as deputy manager and is very passionate about outdoor learning, particularly sustainability and tending to the natural world with the children.


Frequently Asked Questions about The Mere Nature Kindergarten

What is the Age Range of Children that The Mere Nature Kindergarten accepts?

The Mere Nature Kindergarten accepts Children aged from 0 years 3 months to 4 years 11 months.

What Days & Hours is The Mere Nature Kindergarten Open?

The Mere Nature Kindergarten is open: Monday 07:30-18:00, Tuesday 07:30-18:00, Wednesday 07:30-18:00, Thursday 07:30-18:00, Friday 07:30-18:00.

How many Children does The Mere Nature Kindergarten have capacity for?

The Mere Nature Kindergarten has capacity for a total of 65 Children.

How far is The Mere Nature Kindergarten to the centre of Knutsford?

2.3 mile(s) as the crow flies, distance by road may be significantly further.

Information on this page is displayed without responsibility for its accuracy on the part of daynurseries.co.uk. Please contact The Mere Nature Kindergarten to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. The Mere Nature Kindergarten has a Platinum Service – more info.