The story of Upminster Little Learners

I always dreamed of opening my own day nursery — a place where children could learn, grow, and thrive in a warm, nurturing environment. After spending 25 wonderful years teaching, in 2012, that dream became a reality when I teamed up with my colleague, Jane, who shared the same passion and vision for early years education.

Together, we set out to create a friendly, welcoming nursery for children aged 2 to 5 years old — a place designed to give every child the very best start in life. We wanted to build an environment where children felt safe, secure, and free to be themselves — somewhere they would feel excited to come to each day. Just as importantly, we wanted parents to feel completely confident that their little ones were being cared for, supported, and loved.

In September 2023, Jane retired after many happy years at the nursery. Around the same time, my daughter Siobhan made the decision to leave her teaching career and join the business, continuing our family’s passion for early years education.

The nursery was flourishing, and I was keen to expand and cater for younger children to meet the growing needs of working parents.

In August 2024, we were thrilled to secure the building next door to our existing nursery and begin our exciting expansion. My daughter-in-law, Joanna, then joined us to help with our expansion and growing team — making it truly a family-run nursery. Just a few months later, in November 2024, we proudly opened our doors to children from the age of 9 months, allowing us to offer the same warm, nurturing care to even more families in our community.

We are not a chain nursery — we’re proud to be a family-run business, built on genuine care, strong relationships, and a shared passion for giving every child the best possible start in life.

What was once my small dream is now very much a reality, and I’m constantly striving to ensure our nursery continues to be the very best it can be.

Claire