Welcome to Ninny's House, Wherwell
Welcome to Ninny's House, Wherwell
A new setting built on fourteen years of experience.
Opening in September 2026, Ninny's House, Wherwell brings everything families already know and love about Ninny's House into an inspiring new village setting.
Nestled within the heart of Wherwell, our new setting has been thoughtfully chosen to provide children with exceptional opportunities to learn through nature, creativity and exploration. Here, just as at St Mary Bourne, the environment is the classroom. Woodland, open spaces, the nearby river and the changing seasons become part of children's everyday learning, encouraging curiosity, confidence and a lifelong connection with the natural world.
Whilst the surroundings are new, our philosophy remains exactly the same. Children are given the time, freedom and encouragement to explore, discover and develop through meaningful play, supported by practitioners who know every child as an individual.
What makes Wherwell special?
What makes Wherwell special?
🌿 A curriculum centred around outdoor learning through play, where nature provides endless opportunities for exploration, discovery and adventure
🌲 Dedicated Forest School experiences that develop resilience, confidence and practical skills through real experiences in nature
🌊 Regular exploration of the nearby river, inspiring children's understanding of wildlife, the changing seasons and the world around them
🎨 A purpose-designed Art Barn, where creativity, imagination and messy play can flourish in every season
🌱 A child-led gardening area, designed, developed and cared for by the children themselves, encouraging ownership, responsibility and sustainability
⚽ Dedicated, age-appropriate sports sessions that promote physical development, confidence and teamwork
🤝 Strong partnerships with families from the very beginning
🏡 A beautiful village setting where children become part of the local community
⭐ Experienced, highly qualified practitioners delivering the trusted Ninny's House approach
💚 The same nurturing ethos that has defined Ninny's House for over thirteen years
Learning at Wherwell
Just like St Mary Bourne, no two days at Wherwell will ever be quite the same.
Children's interests, the changing seasons and the surrounding environment all shape the experiences we provide. One day may see children building dens in the woodland, carefully observing life along the riverbank or working together to develop their own gardening area. Another might be spent creating large-scale artwork in the Art Barn, preparing food together, taking part in an age-specific sports session or following a question that has sparked their curiosity.
Learning happens naturally through exploration, conversation, creativity and play. The rich outdoor environment offers endless opportunities for children to solve problems, take managed risks, build resilience and develop a genuine understanding of the world around them.
Rather than following a rigid timetable, our practitioners carefully observe children's interests and use these to shape meaningful learning experiences, ensuring every child feels known, supported and inspired to learn.
The Ninny's House Difference
Although Wherwell is a new setting, it is built upon everything we have learned over the past fourrteen years.
Families can expect the same thoughtful settling-in process, the same child-led approach, the same experienced practitioners and the same commitment to working in genuine partnership with parents.
The surroundings may be different. The philosophy remains exactly the same.
Growing Together
The children joining us in September 2026 will become part of the very beginning of Ninny's House, Wherwell. Alongside their families, they will help shape a new village community while becoming part of the continuing story of Ninny's House.
We'd love to welcome your family
Choosing a nursery is one of the most important decisions you'll make for your child, and we understand how important it is to find a place where they will feel happy, secure and inspired to learn.
Whether you're considering St Mary Bourne or Wherwell, we would be delighted to help you discover more about Ninny's House, answer your questions and, when available, arrange a visit to the setting that best suits your family.
We look forward to welcoming your family to Ninny's House, where children are encouraged to grow through nature, learn through play and enjoy the very best of childhood.
ROUTINE
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Afternoon
After our lunch our younger children settle down in our dedicated sleep areas for an afternoon nap.
This provides a valuable opportunity for our older children to play and interact in more 'grown up' activities such as Lego and board games.
All children come together for a snack at around 3pm and those children who are staying for tea, sit down at our tables for 4.30pm.
Keep up to date with all the latest goings on at Ninny's House by following our Instagram account by clicking on any image.
FAQs
What are your opening times?
We are open 7.30 - 18.00, Monday - Friday.
Attendance depends on personal requirements, but sessions are generally a whole day or half day (8.30 - 13.00) or a school day type session (9.00 - 15.30/16.00). This can all be discussed on an individual basis.
What happens when it rains?
The vast majority of the time, the children will don their all in ones (which they usually are already wearing!), pop up their hoods and keep going - after all, what could be more fun in the rain than to splash in unexpected puddles or to get out our drain pipes and water toys for an impromptu play?! If the rain is torrential (which is no fun for any of us!) we will take shelter indoors and keep ourselves busy there, keeping an eye out for when we can get back to the outdoors.
Do you provide meals and snacks?
Yes, we provide breakfast, morning snack, hot lunch, afternoon snack and high tea.
All food is healthy, fresh, home cooked and prepared from scratch, with menus changing every week. Food is charged at £4 per day.
Children are allowed to select their own breakfast and are offered a choice of cereal, toast, fruit, yoghurt, boiled or scrambled egg, or toasted crumpet or pancakes. Indepedence is always promoted and children will pour out their own cereal and milk, for example.
What are the fees?
Unlike other nurseries, we charge by the hour – this allows us to tailor flexibly to each child and family’s needs. We do not demand a minimum attendance or a certain number of days, although I strongly recommend that children attend for at least two sessions per week to allow them to settle properly.
We offer full, half and ‘school’ day routines, with a variety of start and finish times available; we recommend contacting us to talk through the different options available to best suit you and your child
Our hourly fees are either £8.50 per hour for a full time (year round) contract, or £9 per hour on a term time contract, with no retainer charged for the school holidays. Included in our hourly rate are all nappies, wipes and creams and suntan lotion; all activities, including Forest School sessions for the older children, cookery, yoga, French and gardening club. We charge a £4.50 food charge per day, which covers a buffet breakfast, a home cooked hot lunch and homemade pudding, high tea and morning and afternoon snack.
Do you offer funded hours?
We offer both 15 and 30 hours funding for children of eligible working families, as well as the universal 15 hours funding currently offered for all children in the term after their third birthday.
These hours can be used on either the standard offer, of up to 15 hours for 38 weeks of the year, or the stretched offer of up to 11.25 hours per week for up to 50 weeks of the year.
To check whether your child is eligible for the funded hours, please visit www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
Do you provide nappies, wipes and bedding?
Yes, nappies, wipes and bedding are all provided.
What age are the children?
Our children range in age from 4 months to 4 years old.








































































































