Little People
Little People Nurseries Ltd. is a private, family-run Montessori nursery group operating four London sites, providing full-day early years care for children aged 3 months to 5 years. The business serves working parents through Montessori, Forest School, and EYFS-aligned curricula, with Ofsted 'Good' ratings across operating sites.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1978
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Little People does
Little People Nurseries Ltd. is a family-run, privately held Montessori nursery group operating four sites across Greater London: Fulham (established 1978), Willow Vale in Shepherds Bush (1993), Hampton (acquired May 2021), and the newest Fulham Palace (opened November 2025). The company delivers full-day early years care and education for children aged 3 months to 5 years, combining the Montessori curriculum, Forest School outdoor learning, and the UK Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework. All operating sites carry Ofsted 'Good' ratings, with Fulham Palace awaiting its first inspection, and the business holds the Millies Mark award for Paediatric First Aid.
Service delivery is differentiated by long-tenured, qualified staff — nearly 50% with 10+ years of service and 60% with over 5 years — and a broad extra-curricular programme covering ballet (The London Dance School), football (Fulham Football Club), yoga, gymnastics, Spanish, swimming, music, woodwork, and gardening. On-site meals are freshly prepared using organic Abel & Cole produce and free-range meat from Mackens' Butchers (Chiswick). Security is reinforced by biometric fingerprint door entry, CCTV, and DBS-checked staff. The technology layer is intentionally light: a WordPress website, a parent communication app for daily report cards, and standard nursery management systems, with no AI/ML capabilities disclosed.
The business operates a sales-led, direct-to-consumer model. Parents apply via the website or in-person tours, pay a £60 non-refundable registration fee and £500 refundable deposit, and are billed monthly for nursery fees calculated annually over 50 weeks and spread across 12 months. Fee tiers span 30-hour funded, 15-hour funded, and non-funded options, with add-ons for meals, nappies, and extra-curricular activities priced at £5/day each and a 10% sibling discount on the eldest child's fees. The company accepts government 15- and 30-hour childcare funding, childcare vouchers, salary sacrifice, and Tax-Free Childcare. Marketing channels centre on parent testimonials (daynurseries.co.uk scores of 9.8–9.9), social media, an educational blog, open days, and PR features in Nursery World magazine. The business is led by Directors Jane and David Gleasure and reports no external investment, funding rounds, or institutional investor involvement.
Little People firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Little People
- Legal name
- Little People Nurseries Ltd.
- Website
- https://littlepeople.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1978
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Little People Nurseries Ltd. is a private, family-run Montessori nursery group operating four London sites, providing full-day early years care for children aged 3 months to 5 years. The business serves working parents through Montessori, Forest School, and EYFS-aligned curricula, with Ofsted 'Good' ratings across operating sites.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Little People industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Early Childhood Education & Nursery Care
- NAICS
- Child Care Services (62441)
- SIC
- Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Full-Day Nursery Programs (EDACACAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Montessori Preschools (EDACABAC)
Keywords
Where Little People is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
Little People business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Nursery Fee Revenue: Parents pay monthly nursery fees for childcare services covering babies (3-18 months), toddlers, and preschool children (up to 5 years). Fees are calculated annually and spread over 12 months for 50 weeks of operation. Optional add-ons include meals, nappies/consumables, and extra-curricular activities. The company accepts government 15-hour and 30-hour funding for eligible families, with additional charges for hours beyond funded allocations.
- Government Childcare Funding: Little People accepts government-funded childcare hours (15-hour funding for 3+ year olds, 30-hour funding for eligible working parents from 9 months to 5 years). Funding is claimed by the nursery and credited against monthly invoices. Additional charges apply for meals, consumables, and extra-curricular activities not covered by government grants.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | 30-Hour Funded — 3 Days per Week (7:30am–3pm funded hours, 3pm–6pm fee-paying) |
| Subscription | Monthly | 30-Hour Funded — 2 Days per Week (8am–6pm) |
| Subscription | Monthly | 15-Hour Funding (3 Years+) |
| Unit Pricing | Monthly | Non-Funded Full Attendance — 3 Days per Week |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Little People product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Little People Nurseries operates four Montessori-based childcare nurseries across London (Fulham, Willow Vale/Shepherds Bush, Hampton, and Fulham Palace), providing full-day care and early years education for children from 3 months to 5 years. The offering combines the Montessori curriculum with EYFS framework and Forest School outdoor learning, complemented by a wide range of extra-curricular activities (yoga, football, ballet, swimming, gymnastics, Spanish, music, art) and freshly prepared meals using organic and free-range ingredients.
Product overview
Little People Nurseries operates four Montessori-based childcare nurseries across London (Fulham, Willow Vale, Hampton, and Fulham Palace). The core offering is full-day childcare for children from 3-18 months through to 5 years, combining Montessori education with Forest School outdoor learning and extensive extra-curricular activities including yoga, football, swimming, ballet, gymnastics, and Spanish. Each nursery provides freshly prepared meals, follows the EYFS curriculum enhanced with Montessori methodology, and maintains high staff-to-child ratios with qualified practitioners. The company has been operating since 1978 and emphasizes staff qualifications, continuous training, and a family-oriented approach to early childhood education.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Little People of Fulham The original Little People nursery established in 1978, rated 'Good' by Ofsted. It is the largest of the nurseries offering Montessori-based childcare for children from 3 months to 5 years, with Forest School programme, IT Suite, and extra-curricular activities including ballet, yoga, gymnastics, swimming, and football coaching. Target users are working parents in Fulham and surrounding London areas seeking full-day premium childcare.
- Little People of Willow Vale The first London nursery opened in April 1993, a 46-place nursery in Shepherds Bush with a small, personal feel. Offers Montessori room, large garden with outdoor sensory play area, and extra-curricular activities including Spanish, yoga, gymnastics, ballet, and football coaching. Target users are working parents in Shepherds Bush seeking an intimate, small-feel nursery setting.
- Little People of Hampton A Montessori nursery in Hampton with baby facilities including separate baby garden and newly refurbished sensory adventure garden. Offers Montessori education, Forest School programme, yoga, gymnastics, Spanish lessons, and Playball football coaching for children from babies through preschool. Target users are working parents in Hampton and southwest London seeking Montessori childcare.
- Little People of Fulham Palace The newest Little People nursery opened November 2025 on Fulham Road. Features a bright, airy space with sensory garden, Montessori education, Forest School programme, and extra-curricular activities including ballet, yoga, music, gymnastics, woodwork sessions, gardening club, and football coaching. Target users are working parents in the Fulham Palace Road area seeking new nursery placements.
- Montessori Pre-School Program Montessori-based curriculum for children aged 36 months to 4 years, complementing the Early Years Foundation Stage. Includes prepared environment with Montessori materials, practical life skills, sensorial activities, language development, mathematics, cultural studies, and creative activities. Delivered across all four London nurseries as part of the core nursery offering.
- Forest School & Outdoor Learning Program
- Healthy Eating & Meal Programme
- Extra-Curricular Activities
- Staff Training Programme
Quantifiable outcome
- Ofsted 'Good' rating across all operating nurseries
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Little People
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Little People technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Little People partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- Fulham Football ClubminorLittle People Nurseries partners with Fulham Football Club to provide outdoor football coaching sessions for children at the Fulham and Fulham Palace nurseries. Trained coaches from the club deliver football sessions as part of the extra-curricular programme.
- The London Dance SchoolminorThe London Dance School provides specialist ballet lessons for preschool children at Little People nurseries. Classes are designed to build both confidence and creativity, with structured movement, music, and expressive activities appropriate for young children.
- Abel & ColeminorOrganic fruit and vegetable supplier for all Little People nurseries. Fresh organic fruit is supplied twice daily morning and afternoon, changing seasonally. Tinned fruit in natural juice is also sourced, with beans being low salt and low sugar varieties.
- Mackens' Butchers (Chiswick)minorAward-winning butchers in Chiswick providing all meat for Little People nurseries. All meat is Free Range, naturally fed, and outdoor reared, with Aberdeen Angus Beef sourced. All eggs are Free Range.
- National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA)minorLittle People Nurseries is a member of the NDNA, the UK's largest voluntary membership body for day nurseries. Membership provides access to industry resources, training, and best-practice frameworks.
- Quality CountsminorLittle People is Quality Counts certified, an early years quality accreditation scheme that assesses and recognises quality in childcare settings.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Little People competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Little People social profiles
Digital presenceLittle People compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Little People financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Little People leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Little People funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Little People M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Little People
What does Little People do?
Little People Nurseries operates four Montessori-based childcare nurseries across London (Fulham, Willow Vale/Shepherds Bush, Hampton, and Fulham Palace), providing full-day care and early years education for children from 3 months to 5 years. The offering combines the Montessori curriculum with EYFS framework and Forest School outdoor learning, complemented by a wide range of extra-curricular activities (yoga, football, ballet, swimming, gymnastics, Spanish, music, art) and freshly prepared meals using organic and free-range ingredients.
Is Little People a public or private company?
Little People is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Little People founded?
Little People was founded in 1978. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Little People based?
Little People is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Little People make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Nursery Fee Revenue is the primary driver. The others are government Childcare Funding.
Does Little People have an API?
No public API is recorded for Little People.
What industry is Little People in?
Little People's product category is Early Childhood Education & Nursery Care. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDACACAD, Full-Day Nursery Programs, with a secondary code of EDACABAC, Montessori Preschools. Its NAICS code is 62441 and its SIC code is 8351.