Happy Hedgehogs

Nursery and Pre school

Welcome

Nursery-home

Welcome to Happy Hedgehogs

We are an Ofsted registered Pre School/Nursery situated in the peaceful and rural village of Appleby Magna. We hold our sessions at the Sir John Moore Foundation. We are open every weekday between the times of 7.30am until 6pm. We offer the government funding from 9 months, including all of our sessions.

We offer a breakfast club from 7.30am, after school club 3.30pm - 6pm each weekday, we also offer a holiday club during school holidays for children up to the age of 12 years. Our aim is to provide a happy, caring and secure environment where all children will learn and develop as valued individuals. Happy Hedgehogs currently have 9 members of staff who are all highly qualified with a number of years’ experience between them.

Our Family, Your Family

Meet the passionate educators dedicated to your child’s growth

The Hedgehog Way

Nurturing big strides through gentle steps and play-based learning.

Prepared for Play

Everything you need to know for a comfortable first day with us.

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Opening Hours

Monday - Friday 7:30am- 6:00pm

Excluding Bank Holidays and the Christmas period.

What our parents say about us

Our 3 year old daughter has been going to Happy Hedgehogs for around a year and a half now.
Since starting she has thrived in learning/developing new skills and creating new friendships.
We love to see the daily photos of what she and her friends have been up to on the days that she attends.
There is always a great variety of activities/ways to learn, whether it be indoors or outdoors.
The staff are all so lovely, all are very much approachable with any queries we may have as parents.
We would highly recommend Happy Hedgehogs to anyone who is looking for a nursery/preschool setting for their children.

Beth&Craig (Nancys parents)

Happy Hedgehogs is a great nursery and a great place for little ones to grow and develop. My daughter loves coming here and has many friends and enjoys making things and having fun.

All the staff are lovely, a shout out to Sasha, Marie and Eileen. My little one has grown so much in her time at nursery and we see her learn new things every day thanks to her time at Hedgehogs

Happy Hedgehogs is an absolutely wonderful nursery. From the very beginning, it's been clear that the team is very committed to creating a warm, supportive environment where children feel safe, valued, and importantly free to be themselves.

What I particularly love is how they encourage each child to pursue their own interests, allowing their personalities to shine while still gently guiding them to learn about the world around them. There's a perfect balance between play, exploration, and learning, which really helps build confidence and curiosity.

The nursery also goes above and beyond when it comes to celebrating events throughout the year. There are always activities and special occasions that make the experience exciting and memorable for the children.

They looked after my 5-year-old until she started school, and I couldn't have asked for better preparation, she transitioned smoothly and confidently thanks to the strong foundation they gave her. Now, they care for my 2-year-old, and he absolutely loves it there too.

The team are always friendly, approachable, and genuinely caring.
It's clear that they put the children at the heart of everything they do. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Happy Hedgehogs to any parent looking for a supportive, enriching, and joyful nursery environment.

Tallula has been at the nursery for 8 months now and her speech, confidence, her social skills, everything has come on in leaps and bounds. Millie and Marie are always kind and caring and Tallula loves them both. Sasha and all the staff there are 110% dedicated in every way.

Thank you to everyone at Happy Hedgehogs for helping my little girl grow she loves nursery.

Small Steps.. Big Strides!