Nemo's Nursery and Pre-School

Separate sleeping spaces for babies, a library for older children and tomatoes grown for the kitchen give Nemo's Nursery and Pre-School a recognisable character. Based in a large Victorian house in Canford Cliffs, Poole, it cares for children from three months to five years. The appeal is practical: different spaces support rest, quieter play and hands-on activity rather than expecting everything to happen in one room.

At its January 2026 inspection, Ofsted judged achievement, behaviour and routines, welfare, curriculum and teaching, inclusion, and leadership to be at Strong standard, with safeguarding standards met. This is a report card with separate judgements, rather than a single overall grade. For parents, the detail beneath those judgements matters: communication, independence and adaptations for individual children received substantial attention.

Full-day attendance and baby-room morning or afternoon sessions serve different family routines. The age-dependent minimum bookings are an important part of that choice.

Rooms and Ages

Baby Rooms cater for children from three months to two years, with views across the treetops, separate spaces for sleep, individual bedding and cots, and a separate room for eating. Keeping these functions apart gives babies somewhere to rest away from active play and a different space for meals. Exploration can proceed at the child's own pace.

Around two, children move into the 2-5 years room, where independent and shared activities take place inside and outdoors, alongside a library, a quiet space, messy play and kitchen access for baking. That combination allows older children to switch between sociable activity and something calmer. Books and cooking have physical space in the day, rather than being occasional additions to a general playroom.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the framework for care and learning, with children's language and development supported through play and everyday interactions. It is the common foundation for nursery education. Here, concrete additions include Cooking club and Gardening club, both weekly activities with clear links to what children do and make.

Cooking club combines kneading and rolling with descriptive vocabulary and basic mathematics. Making afternoon snacks or treats to take home gives children a practical reason to use hands, words and numbers together.

Gardening club connects growing with eating: children tend herbs and tomatoes in Nemo's Garden for use in meals. Caring for flowers and other plants also makes looking after living things part of the routine.

In January 2026, staff brought number, size and time into play and everyday routines. Activities for younger children were placed on tables and in trays so that standing to play also exercised balance and coordination. These examples show how a familiar activity can carry more than one learning opportunity, with physical development and conversation woven into the task.

Outdoor and Community Life

Both age groups use the garden in the morning and afternoon each day, including in different weather conditions. Outdoor time therefore has a regular place in the routine. Weekly outings extend children's experiences to the beach, woods, park and local library, with woodland storytelling, sandcastle building and books among the activities.

Sports sessions also happen weekly, delivered internally or with visiting agencies. Balance bikes, dance, football and athletics give children different ways to practise movement. Alongside daily music and movement, arts and crafts and messy play, these sessions make the nursery day varied in concrete ways: children can grow, bake, move and explore beyond the house.

Relationships and Communication

In January 2026, babies formed close relationships with their key staff, while children who preferred to watch an activity could join when ready. Children could also choose a story group according to the book being shared. These are useful details for a parent of a cautious child: participation was encouraged while allowing room for personal preference.

Daily photographs and updates include information about eating and sleep. That gives parents something specific to connect nursery life with the evening at home. In the September 2021 plans, observations were intended to help key workers identify and support children's next learning steps.

A September 2021 update set out plans for a progress catch-up every six months and monthly Focus week observations on the Parent Portal. These were intended to bring together a child's interests, achievements and challenges in discussion with their family. The distinction matters: a daily update describes the day, while a developmental conversation considers what is changing over time.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the January 2026 inspection, Ofsted found that settling arrangements were tailored to individual children, visual aids supported children who could not yet express their needs verbally, and staff worked with families and external professionals to adjust support and review its effect. For a family seeking additional support, the useful detail is the mechanism: identify the need, adapt the experience and revisit whether the adjustment is helping.

The Wellcomm speech and language toolkit was also part of the September 2021 update, described as a way to identify possible speech or language difficulties early and work with parents. It adds a specific language-support tool to the picture, rather than a general promise about communication. Children preparing for school also benefit from the older rooms' emphasis on becoming ready for that next stage.

The team includes study in childcare and education and a degree in Education Studies. In January 2026, targeted staff guidance and training addressed children's additional needs. In January 2026, leaders were tasked with sustaining standards and making a greater difference for children facing barriers to learning or wellbeing.

Home-cooked lunches include dishes such as tomato and thyme cod with cous cous, alongside fruit in the morning and an afternoon snack. For babies, the separate eating room complements the dedicated sleeping spaces, giving care routines their own places within the nursery.

Sessions and Attendance

Opening hours are 8.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday, across 51 weeks of the year. Baby-room bookings include a morning session from 8.30am to 12.45pm, an afternoon session from 1pm to 5.30pm, and a full day from 8.30am to 5.30pm. The minimum baby-room commitment is one and a half days each week.

For children in the 2-5 years age group, the full day runs from 8.30am to 5.30pm, with a two-day weekly minimum. These are different booking commitments, so the baby's session options should not be assumed to carry over when a child moves rooms. A family planning attendance over several years needs to consider both stages.

Getting There

The address is 4 The Grove, 25 Forest Road, Canford Cliffs, Poole, BH13 6DQ. Enquiries can be made on 01202 757563 or through info@nemosnursery.com. Visit booking is offered.

Funding and Paid Extras

Government funding is accepted from nine months, including funding for three- and four-year-olds. Private paid sessions are also offered; current prices come in the nursery's written quotation. The age-dependent session commitments make the attendance pattern as important as the price when comparing arrangements.

Meals and snacks are included in the full-day fee, the morning session includes lunch and a snack, and the afternoon session includes a snack. The rates page sets out the session structure and minimum attendance commitments.

• Attendance changes with age. Baby-room bookings have a one-and-a-half-day weekly minimum, while the older age group has a two-day minimum. At a visit, discuss how a planned pattern would work when your child changes rooms.
• Language and individual support. Wellcomm and the January 2026 examples of visual communication support make this a useful area to explore. Ask how observations, family input and developmental discussions would come together for your child.
• Funded attendance and everyday supplies. Funding is accepted from nine months and food is included by session type. Request a written breakdown for your intended funded pattern, including how food and non-food consumables are handled.

Nemo's suits families who value separate spaces for babies' care routines and practical learning for older children. Weekly cooking, gardening, sports and outings give that learning a clear shape. Baby-room morning and afternoon sessions serve shorter attendance needs, while full days serve families needing the complete opening window.

The January 2026 findings provide a strong basis for considering the nursery, especially where communication and individual support matter. The main practical decision is whether the age-dependent minimum bookings fit the family's routine, including the move into the older rooms.