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Why choose Partou Bumpkins Day Nursery & Pre-School in Whaddon?
Situated in a beautiful rural setting in the village of Whaddon, Partou Bumpkins Day Nursery & Pre-School provides Outstanding Ofsted-rated early years childcare and education for families across Royston, Bassingbourn, Meldreth and the surrounding Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire border. The nursery operates across two sites within the village, with our babies and two year olds based at our Bridge Street site and our pre-school children based a short walk away on Meldreth Road. Both sites have parking available, making drop-offs and pick-ups straightforward.
Having two separate sites means each age group benefits from an environment designed specifically for them. Our youngest children enjoy a calm learning and development space and our toddler room includes physical equipment designed to support gross motor development. They also have their own garden to explore and enjoy which supports them in building physical and social skills through early years outdoor learning. Meanwhile, our pre-school children have their own self-contained setting where the focus is firmly on building the confidence, independence and early years learning skills they need for school. Families regularly tell us how happy their children are, how quickly they settle and how much progress they make in speech, confidence and independence during their time with us.
The real standout at Partou Bumpkins is our forest school, Nature Rangers, which was shortlisted for Outdoor Learning Environment of the Year at the 2024 National NMT Nursery Awards. Pre-school children have free-flow access between the nursery and Nature Rangers throughout the day, which means outdoor learning isn’t a one-off session but a natural, everyday part of their experience. The space includes a cabin classroom, a large sandpit, firepit area, mud kitchen, bug houses, herb garden, mud mound, obstacle course and a bird lookout house. It covers all seven areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage and is designed to build confidence, creativity and a genuine connection with the natural world. Daily forest school sessions give every child the chance to explore, take managed risks and develop physically, socially and emotionally in ways that are hard to replicate indoors.
Food is taken seriously at Partou Bumpkins. Our chef has been with the nursery for 10 years and is currently assisting with the accreditation for Partou’s company-wide menus, which reflects the level of expertise and commitment she brings. Children enjoy healthy, nutritious meals freshly prepared on site from a seasonal rolling menu, and mealtimes are treated as an important part of the day where children develop social skills and learn about food together.
If you’re looking for a nursery near Royston with an Outstanding Ofsted rating, exceptional outdoor learning and a dedicated team rooted in the local community, we’d love to welcome you to Partou Bumpkins Day Nursery & Pre-School.
Facilities
Age-specific playrooms, creating the perfect environment for children to receive the care and attention they need
A nursery team that boasts strong relationships with parents and children throughout the local community
Healthy and delicious meals from our seasonal menu, freshly prepared at the nursery
Large outdoor facilities, fully equipped for children to enjoy come rain or shine
An exciting experience that reflects the individual needs and interests of the children we care for
Funded childcare places available
Nursery fees
| Full-day (2 sessions) |
Weekly rate | Early drop off session | Morning session | Afternoon session | ||
| Session time | 8.00am-6.00pm | 8.00am-6.00pm daily | 7.30am-8.00am | 8.00am-1.00pm | 1.00pm-6.00pm | |
| Care | £73.50 | £330.75 | £5.55 | £44.10 | £44.10 | |
| Meals & snacks | £9.85 | £49.25 | £7.55 | £2.30 | ||
| Consumables | £3.15 | £15.75 | £2.40 | £0.75 | ||
| Total | £86.50 | £395.75 | £54.05 | £47.15 |
Upon registration, you will be asked to pay a £75 registration fee (non-refundable) or a £75 registration deposit to reserve your child’s nursery place (see terms and conditions for eligibility).
What’s included in our fees?
Our full fees are clearly broken down into care, meals & snacks and consumables fees for full transparency.
Care fees include: trained, qualified team members taking care of your child, regular updates about your child and their progress at nursery, a wide range of indoor and outdoor activities tailored to the needs of your child, and use of the nursery building facilities.
Meals & snacks fees cover the cost of all food and drinks whilst your child is in our care. Meal and snack times are a very important part of Partou nursery life, learn more about how we make food and nutrition enjoyable and educational for children in our care.
Consumables include; important daily care items needed such as nappies, wet wipes and sun cream.
Discounts
Only one discount can be applied at any time:
- 5% discount for eldest child for siblings.
- 5% discount for Blue Light Card holders.
Other key information
- We’re closed on Bank Holidays.
- We’re closed between Christmas and New Year
- Charges apply across 52 weeks of the year, including Bank Holidays.
Funded childcare
Partou Bumpkins Day Nursery & Pre-School is proud to offer funded childcare places
Funded childcare is a government incentive fulfilled by Local Authorities which aims to provide financial support for eligible families accessing childcare at an OFSTED registered setting. Partou Bumpkins Day Nursery & Pre-School work with Cambridgeshire Local Authority to apply childcare funding for eligible families.
Funding typically covers 15 or 30 hours per week for the 38 term weeks of the year across a maximum of 10 hours a day which will be applied in different ways depending how many weeks of the year your child is in childcare:
- Children who are in year-round childcare will receive “stretched” funding. This means that their 15/30 hours over 38 weeks will be stretched over 51 weeks of the year so children accessing year round childcare at Partou Bumpkins will receive 11.17/22.35 hours of funded childcare per week.
- Children who have term-time only childcare places will receive 15/30 hours funding per week over 38 weeks of the year. Term-time only places are limited and are subject to availability.
Government funding for childcare only applies to the care fee (as described above). Meals & snacks and consumables fees are fully chargeable for all sessions including funded.
Many families are eligible for government funded childcare, see our childcare funding guide for more information.
Term duration and dates
The 2025/2026 terms dates set by Cambridgeshire Local Authority for Partou Bumpkins Nursery & Pre-School are below so you can see which term dates funding is applicable for:
|
|
Autumn Term | Spring Term | Summer Term |
| Term Duration | 14 Weeks | 11 Weeks | 13 Weeks |
| 1st Half Term Dates | 8th Sept – 24th Oct | 5th Jan – 13th Feb | 13th April – 22nd May |
| 2nd Half Term Dates | 3rd Nov – 19th Dec | 23rd Feb – 27th March | 1st June – 17th July |
Please note that when you access funding in the term can impact the hours you are eligible for within that term period.
Our team will be able to assist you with any funding and term questions you may have.
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Bumpkins
Day Nursery
& Pre-school
01223 208777
Mon - Fri, 7.30am to 6.00pm (excl. bank holidays)
2 Bridge Street, Whaddon, Royston, SG8 5SQ
View on map
What do families say about Partou Bumpkins Day Nursery & Pre-School in Whaddon?
Overall rating
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Andrew W
31 March 2026
Bumpkins has been fantastic for our son since he joined in June 2025. The team are always finding new exciting activities for him and we've seen such a jump in his development. He's had a key worker throughout who provides daily feedback, works with you around your requirements for your child and wha...
M R
31 March 2026
My son has attended Bumpkins for a year now and we have been really happy with the care provided. Staff are always friendly and happy to give you a moment to talk about your child, even at busier times. I think all the staff come across as very caring but certain staff also offer a good understandi...
E T
31 March 2026
My daughter has attended Bumpkins from 11m old to 3yr old. She has loved every single day at this nursery! The staff are very caring and considerate of the child's needs. The activities are interesting and stimulating for the children. The food prepared is fresh and varied. Only minor negative is th...
Nina L
31 March 2026
My daughter has attended Bumpkins since August 2024 and has loved every minute. She has great relationships with staff and has formed some lovely friendships. They offer a safe, loving and nurturing setting and she is so happy there each day which is the best part. The teams have been wonderful in su...
V W
31 March 2026
Our son is so happy at Bumpkins and we couldn't recommend them more highly. The staff are really caring and kind and it's wonderful to see that our son has made strong, positive bonds with all staff members. Care is clearly very personalised and staff are dedicated to helping each child develop perso...
H A
31 March 2026
The team at Bumpkins made our settling journey seamless and comforting. They're always responsive and give detailed updates at the end of the day. My child is happy at pick up time which is very reassuring. It's been lovely seeing her get comfortable with the staff at the nursery.
Olivia D
12 March 2026
My daughter Aurora is very happy to be dropped off each morning, there is always a welcoming and friendly person for me to leave her with. She eats and sleeps well and always comes home in good spirits. As a first time mother I have lots of questions which the team are very patient and helpful when a...
Hayley S
11 March 2026
We are so pleased our son was able to get a place at Bumpkins, as we have used them in the past for our older son. The staff are wonderful and have really helped our son in so many ways, have always gone above and beyond and most importantly he seems so happy when he is there which speaks for itself....
Davina C
30 January 2026
I've been part of the Partou Bumpkins Day Nursery family since 2022 as both a staff member and a parent, and I couldn't recommend it more highly. My daughter attended from 6 months old until she was 3, and the care she received was amazing. The staff are kind, supportive, and truly dedicated to the ...
S B
26 November 2025
Our daughter has been coming here since she was 11 months old, and watching her relationships develop with the wonderful staff and how much they support her learning and development has been amazing. The staff genuinely care about each child, and she absolutely loves coming here.
S G
26 November 2025
Bumpkins has been fab for our daughter. We feel very supported in her settling and she loves all the many varied activities. Each week the children have lots of new experiences which we love hearing about. Staff are diligent, caring and kind.
Lee G
26 November 2025
Very happy with the progress my son has made, everyone has really helped him settle in well. He is very happy to come in the morning.
Anne-Cecile
26 November 2025
My daughter has been with Bumpkins for 1 year and 2 months. She is thriving and receives great support from her key workers and the staff in general. We are very satisfied with the level of service and care she has received. Thank you!
Emma C
26 November 2025
My child always seems to have had a great day and does a variety of activities. I would like more updates on the app regarding photos and progress (EYFS). But every day the range of activities and end-of-day report is positive and full of activities. The range of food available is excellent.
M B
13 October 2025
My daughter absolutely loves going to this nursery! She asks for her key worker all the time and has made some lovely little friends. It's been amazing to see how much she's learning - her speech is really coming along, and she's turning into such a confident, happy little girl. We couldn't be happie...
Why Partou?
For us at Partou, childcare isn’t just a job, it’s a journey – one where every child leads us in a unique new direction.
As part of the Netherlands’ largest childcare group, we’ve access to world-leading expertise in learning and development, so you can be confident your child will benefit from an experience as unique as they are.
Of course, care is as much about empathy as education, and ours is a child-led approach that emphasises building confidence and curiosity – so that every child in our care has the freedom to flourish.
Reassurance for you and your little one
Care
We’re more than just a team; we’re a close community driven by our passion for childcare, and our commitment to each individual child’s development. We know that by working together, we’re stronger.
Compassion
In our community, compassion isn’t just a word; it’s our way of life. By embracing our differences, we make our community more diverse and vibrant. We build strong, supportive relationships with the children and each other, based on trust and understanding.
Continuous learning
We believe strongly in development, for the children in our care and for ourselves. Through continuous learning, we help our team and our children reach their full potential. Together, we make a positive impact, in our communities and across wider society.
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Working Family Childcare Funding Explained
From 1st September, more families than ever will be eligible for the government’s expanded “30 hours free childcare” scheme. Our guide explains what working family childcare funding is, who qualifies, how it’s applied, and the steps you need to take to claim it. Whether you need term-time ...