Little Gems Private Day Nursery

1 Dunlady Road, Dundonald, Belfast BT16 1TT
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Top 20 award
9.9 125 Reviews
Little Gems Private Day Nursery offers a loving homely environment for your child, having been part of the community for over 12 years with long established management and staff. Little Gems offers full day care for children aged 3months to 10years old. Each room is equipped with age appropriate resources and has a full programme of activities for a fun and stimulating day. Under 3s enjoy a weekly visit from Jo Jingles for music and dancing while Pre-school enjoy Spanish lessons and Debut Tots as part of the Pre-school curriculum. A large garden offers plenty of opportunity for exploring outside, gardening and outdoor toys. After-school care is available all year with a summer scheme and breakfast club. The nursery collects from Dundonald Primary and Brooklands Primary. Everyday carers strive to meet the individual needs of every child in their care, encouraging learning through play, covering all the areas of learning to develop independent and confident children.
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Care Provided by Little Gems Private Day Nursery

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

Good to Know

  • Person in charge
  • Leah Morrow (Nursery Manager)
  • Number of Childcare Staff
  • 38
  • Total Places for Children
  • 103
  • Age Range
    • from 0 years 3 months
    • to 5 years 0 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
  • Public Holidays

Funding & Fees Guide for Little Gems Private Day Nursery

  • Full Week - £314
    Full Day - £75
    Half Day - £52
    Two children – Full time - £531.50
    Afterschool - £35
    Morning & Afterschool - £36.00

  • Fees applicable from April 1st 2025.

Little Gems Private Day Nursery Reviews (125)

Total of 125, showing 101-120
9.9

Little Gems Private Day Nursery has a Review Score of 9.9 (9.862) out of 10, based on 25 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time Little Gems Private Day Nursery has 125 reviews.

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Review from Victoria C (Mother of Child) published on 16 December 2016
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our daughter has attended Little Gems for over 2 years and currently attends the pre-school. What makes Little Gems so special is the caring staff. They create a loving environment and our daughter has a great relationship with them all. I would not hesitate to recommend Little Gems.

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Review from Anya (Mother of Child) published on 12 December 2016
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My youngest has been going since he was four months old and now attends the pre-school and really loves it. He suffers from febrile seizures and has had a few with them and they have taken the best care of him, even when I had to go with him in the ambulance late one afternoon they took care of his
big brother and brought him home to my husband. Wonderful caring staff who really go the extra mile, couldn't thank them enough.

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Review from Victoria K (Mother of Child) published on 12 December 2016
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I currently have one child in Pre school and one child just left pre school last year. Both had been in for at least two years. I have tried other nurseries prior to Little Gems and none came close. The staff are like family to the children, very caring and enthusiastic. I know that this nursery has
given my boys a great start in their education and social skills. Thank you and keep up the great work!

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Review from Claire B (Mother of Child) published on 9 December 2016
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Just home from seeing the pre school Christmas play at Little Gems. It was fantastic! Well done to all the children and staff for their hard work. The care and support received for my daughter in her first term at pre school have been outstanding. She has a slightly nervous and anxious personality,
but has settled quickly and enjoyed extra attention from staff when it was required. This is a loving, caring environment to send your child to. Thank you, Little Gems.

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Review from Paul H (Father of Child) published on 28 November 2016
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

A wonderful nursery. Our daughter went here from age 1 to 5 and our son is now there too. All staff are fantastic. Both our children love going here. We moved house 2 years ago and this nursery is no longer particularly handy, but we would not dream of going anywhere else.

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Review from Paul (Father of Child) published on 23 November 2016
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

The staff are great at Little Gems Private Day Nursery. Our son loves it here. Every day there is different activities to get involved in. The menu is really varied and the staff take the time to make sure all the children get enough to eat. Nothing is ever a problem for the staff, and they keep you
updated throughout the day if our son is feeling a bit under the weather. You can call anytime for an update on how he is doing. Settling in is really relaxed and taken at a pace that suits each child. Can't recommend them enough.

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Review from Lisa H (Mother of Child) published on 23 November 2016
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Fantastic, dedicated and long serving staff who are welcoming, friendly and helpful to children and parents. They can not do enough for your child. Plenty of activities, dressing up, imaginative crafts and entertainment. The nursery is bright, airy and well maintained. The large garden is well thought
out and fenced in with each age group having their own area and age appropriate toys to play with. The children are offered tasty, healthy and varied meals. My 2nd child is currently in her 3rd year at Little Gems Nursery. My eldest child who attended for 3.5 years tells me he wishes he still went as he misses being there. I highly recommend this nursery to anyone looking for childcare.

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Review from Michelle (Mother of Child) published on 21 November 2016
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

This is my son's second year at the after school club in Little Gems. He is very happy here and was eagerly waiting all summer to return in September! The staff are amazing! They care about every single child in their care and go above and beyond to understand my son's difficulties and strengths and
input accordingly. He is helped with his homework and encouraged to do his best, they provide the support he needs to complete his homework (which I know a lot of other nurseries cannot provide). I really feel a sense of love for all the children there by the staff. A member of staff and management offered support to myself recently during a difficult time, so it does not just stop at the children, I feel like us parents are valued too. I cannot praise Little gems enough for everything they do for my son. I hope by the time my son is 11 years old they will have opened an after school section for older children too, so that he may continue to go here, otherwise he will be one unhappy boy.

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Review from Sophie M (Mother of Child) published on 18 November 2016
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My 1 year old son joined Little Gems 3 months ago, ahead of my impending return to work after maternity leave. The settling period was really well organised and gave my son a chance to build relationships with the staff and other children and get used to his new routine. The management and staff take
the time to get to know each child individually and I do feel like my child receives a lot of one-on-one time with the staff, especially during activities such as arts and crafts (He comes home every week with different pictures he has created using handprints, etc!). They also keep me very well-informed of what he has been up to each day. My son thoroughly enjoys his days at Little Gems and I cannot thank them enough for making my transition back to work that little bit easier!

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Review from Ashleigh S (Mother of Child) published on 14 November 2016
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I have been using Little Gems Private Day Nursery for years and for all 4 of my children. Staff are all brilliant and I would highly recommend them to anyone thinking of putting their children into childcare. All of my children love going here.

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Review from Jill (Mother of Child) published on 14 November 2016
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter has attended Little Gems since she was 1 year old. She has now progressed through the baby room, 'Wobblers' and now is currently loving toddlers. The staff are all wonderful with the children and help to create a warm and homely environment. My daughter loves going in in the morning and
really doesn't want to leave at the end of day!

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Review from Caroline M (Mother of Child) published on 11 November 2016
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter has attended Little Gems nursery for almost 5 years now. I have always been very happy with the standard of care given. The staff are friendly and always willing to take extra time with the children who need it. The facilities are fantastic, there are always plenty of activities going on
no matter what the age. The management is approachable and always happy to make time and act on any concerns. I never have a problem with recommending Little Gems to anyone.

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Review from Liza W (Mother of Child) published on 10 November 2016
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I have a 3-year-old daughter and 19mth old son who both attend Little Gems full time. Both of my children have developed with their speech, play, social skills and knowledge, a great deal of which is due to the outstanding care and attention that they receive from all the staff. Both of my children
look forward to going in to see the staff, their friends, eat new and different types of food, play with a huge range of toys inside and out, sing songs and develop knowledge. The staff are all skilled, caring, fun, engaging and have the patience of saints!


Working full time is a struggle, but knowing that I am leaving my children in an environment where they are nurtured, developing new skills, challenged when they misbehave and are taught the core values of manners, kindness and curiosity makes life much easier. The staff are fantastic, support a wide range of charities, engage with parents positively and have the best interest of our children at the forefront of their days! THANK YOU!


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Review from Graham T (Father of Child) published on 4 November 2016
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our daughter has been at Little Gems Private Day Nursery three days a week now since January '16 and loves it. All the staff members are great with her and she has made so many friends. They have really helped with her speech development and she is so proud when she gets stickers in her toilet training
book for doing well.
Little Gems Private Day Nursery foster a fun, creative, safe environment and we are very happy that she has a place there.

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Review from Mais K (Mother of Child) published on 3 November 2016
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I'm writing this review to show my appreciation for the massive change in relation to my previous review.
The nursery and it's outstanding team never fail to put every effort to make positive change and take parents comments into consideration.
I want to mention that the recent changes to the food
menu are fantastic. There's a wide variety of meals and snacks over 4 weeks which ensure a good healthy diet for the kids . As well as the new refurbishment to the outside grounds which look amazing.
There's always ongoing development to meet the kids needs on individual and group basis.
Little gems have been a great family and a second home to my son from the very start and put every effort to deal with the individual needs of each child.
Thanks for everything.

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Review from Leanne E (Mother of Child) published on 3 November 2016
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I am really glad I picked this nursery for my son to attend. He absolutely loves all the leaders and children and is settling in really well. His speech and interaction with other kids has come on amazing too. Overall, I'v no complaints and I'm really happy with the nursery

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Review from B H (Father of Child) published on 27 June 2016
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I would wholeheartedly recommend Little Gems as a Day Nursery. Both of our kids have attended the nursery since they were very young. The staff are first class and our kids still enjoy their time at nursery.

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Review from Tracey Y (Mother of Child) published on 2 June 2016
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son has only started his settling in phase before starting 2 full days next week. I was so nervous leaving him but the staff there are not only amazing with my son but have totally put me at ease as well. Thank you.

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Review from M M (Father of Child) published on 26 May 2016
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We have been using Little Gems full time for our two sons since 2011.
We cannot fault the care provided by the girls. Managers are always innovating and providing new equipment and opportunities for the children. The staff turnover is very low and that speaks for itself.
There's a real family feel
and although the cost has gone up substantially (over the last year in particular) we still wouldn't consider leaving as our second son is so well settled here.

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Review from James A (Father of Child) published on 25 May 2016
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Both of my children have attended Little Gems from a young age. My daughter is currently in the baby room and the staff are very attentive and care greatly about the children in their care. Warm and friendly atmosphere.

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Current Review Score: 9.9 (9.862)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.9 (9.862) out of 10 for Little Gems Private Day Nursery 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 25 Reviews in the last 24 months.

  • b) The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 24 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 4.862 for Little Gems Private Day Nursery is calculated as follows: ( (266 Excellents x 5) + (23 Goods x 4) + (6 Satisfactorys x 3) + (2 Poors x 2) ) ÷ 297 Ratings = 4.862

  • 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 Little Gems Private Day Nursery is based on 24 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 103 number of registered child places is 20.6, which has been reached with 24 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.

Child Vacancies

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Awards / Recognitions (16)

Top 20 Nurseries Northern Ireland 2024

Recipient: Little Gems Private Day Nursery

Date: Thursday 28 Mar 2024 More details

Top 20 Mid-size Nursery Groups 2024

Recipient: Clear Day Nurseries

Date: Thursday 28 Mar 2024 More details

Top 20 Nurseries Northern Ireland 2023

Recipient: Little Gems Private Day Nursery

Date: Friday 28 Apr 2023 More details

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Meet the Team (1)

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Leah Morrow

Job Title: Nursery Manager

Joined: 2008

Leah Morrow has been our manager at Little Gems since July 2022 and previously held the manager position in our Greendale nursery.

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