Happy Days Nursery & Pre-School, Poole

Blackberry paint and brushes made from leaves and sticks give this Creekmoor nursery a memorable character. In July and August 2025, children used these homemade materials in the Wild Garden, turning outdoor discoveries into creative play. Nature supplied both the subject and the tools.

Ofsted graded the nursery Good at its July and August 2025 inspection, with group activities needing better organisation to keep every child involved. Happy Days Nursery & Pre-School, Poole accepts children aged 3 to 60 months and has 90 places in total.

The early years foundation stage sets the framework for learning, development and care: children learn through play, conversation and everyday routines. In July and August 2025, babies explored textures and listened to stories supported by objects, while older children investigated creatures using magnifying glasses and reference books. These examples show how practical exploration and language worked together.

During the same inspection period, children also went on bug hunts and made flower crowns. Children met care home residents and took part in fundraising, extending their experiences beyond the nursery. The purpose-built premises had indoor and outdoor areas that children could move between during their play.

Physical activity took different forms across the ages. At that time, babies practised climbing and sliding, while older children ran and rode wheeled toys. The guessing activity What's in the box? encouraged younger children to request a favourite game and talk about a hidden object. Number songs for babies developed into challenges involving quantities and shapes for older children; floating and sinking experiments added opportunities to test ideas.

During July and August 2025, staff also turned children's emerging interests into play opportunities. A garden café gave children a setting for make-believe connected to experiences at home, and staff helped them act out favourite books. This brought storytelling into children's own games, giving them ways to explore familiar ideas through action as well as listening. Children often stayed absorbed in their chosen play for sustained periods.

Relationships between children mattered too. During that period, children showed consideration for one another through patience, kindness and empathy. Safety learning was practical: staff helped children handle scissors responsibly, while visiting professionals introduced road and water safety. For parents, these examples connect nursery learning with everyday situations, from sharing play with another child to learning how to use a tool carefully.

At the July and August 2025 inspection, Ofsted found effective safeguarding arrangements and praised support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, including prompt identification of needs and work with other professionals. Families also had monthly drop-in clinics, opportunities to meet therapists and resources for learning at home. That gave parents practical support alongside their child's nursery experiences.

During that period, staff handled care routines respectfully and maintained regular contact with parents. Quiet spaces and yoga helped children manage their feelings, giving the day opportunities for calm as well as movement.

Independence featured in ordinary routines. Babies practised feeding themselves, while older children served food and washed up afterwards. These were useful opportunities to practise doing things for themselves. Preparation for school also included vocabulary development, with objects helping babies understand stories and more complex words introduced to older children.

The address is Happy Days Day Nursery, Creekmoor, Poole, BH17 7FF. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, with closures for bank holidays and Christmas. Those closures matter for families arranging childcare around work throughout the year.

In July and August 2025, the nursery provided funded early education. Families planning to use funding should consider the attendance arrangement and the complete cost together, rather than treating opening hours as a funded booking pattern.

• Keeping children engaged. In July and August 2025, some group activities lasted too long or offered too little challenge, and children sometimes lost interest. During a visit, ask how staff adjust activities for children who need a different pace or level of challenge.
• Funding and attendance. Funded early education formed part of the offer in July and August 2025. What would a written quotation for your intended attendance include for funded hours, additional paid hours, meals and consumables?

Happy Days Poole suits families who value outdoor investigation, creative use of natural materials and opportunities for children to practise independence. Its July and August 2025 experiences give those priorities substance, from blackberry painting to serving food. The qualification is clear: group activities did not consistently hold every child's attention. The weekday opening window will also matter to working parents weighing its practical fit.