Talbot Park Day Nursery

Play, conversation and outdoor activity give Talbot Park Day Nursery its character. Music & Movement brings dance into the timetable, while Tapestry, a secure online learning journal, gives parents a way to follow and contribute to their child's development. This family-managed Bournemouth setting combines a structured day with opportunities for children to choose their own play.

At its 17 November 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good overall. The main improvement concerned the organisation of transitions: some children waited too long while others washed their hands or staff prepared the next activity. That is a useful distinction for parents assessing how the day works between its planned activities.

The nursery has 32 places in total, with a current age range of 36 to 60 months. All-day, morning and afternoon sessions provide different attendance options across the year.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage shapes learning through play, covering language, physical development, relationships and emotions alongside early reading, writing, mathematics and exploration. Here, planned activities sit alongside spontaneous play. Children can investigate materials and use resources independently, rather than spending the whole day following adult instructions.

The timetable makes that balance concrete. Tabletop activities include construction, mark making, maths and an art corner; other periods allow children to move between indoor and outdoor activity. Music & Movement combines listening to music with dance, and Circle Time provides practice in speaking and listening. Story sessions add songs and rhymes. These repeated opportunities give language a place throughout the day, rather than confining it to a single activity.

In November 2023, children explored early maths by sorting toy bears according to colour and size. Building with bricks prompted conversations about their models, while counting steps brought number work into the garden. These examples connect early learning to things children can handle, build and discuss. The emphasis was practical.

Preparation for Reception also runs through everyday experiences. Free play provides opportunities to negotiate with other children, while meals, personal care and physical activity contribute to independence and social skills. Learning to manage clothing is part of this approach: easy fastenings and spare clothes support children practising dressing and toilet training.

Outdoor and Community Life

Outdoor play takes place in all weathers, with waterproof clothing and suitable footwear forming part of the daily kit. The timetable includes outdoor games and periods of free movement between indoors and outdoors, so outdoor activity has a regular place in the nursery day.

In November 2023, the garden included a pirate ship for climbing, steps for balancing and a birdhouse for watching birds, alongside opportunities to rear chicks. Pieces of wood and guttering became materials for construction and experimenting with moving balls. The physical setting supported both movement and investigation, with children able to explore how their constructions worked.

Short local outings are planned when opportunities arise and require parental permission. Possible destinations include the fire station, supermarket and library, alongside park activities and nature walks. These are opportunities to connect nursery learning with everyday places; they are not a fixed weekly trip programme.

Relationships and Communication

Free settling sessions are tailored to each child and family before the official start date. A familiar comfort item can accompany a child for a short period. Together, these arrangements allow the first nursery experiences to be introduced gradually rather than making the start date the child's first encounter with the setting.

Tapestry records observations of children's learning and allows parents to add comments and their own observations. Meetings with the key person take place twice a year, with conversations also welcome between those meetings. An initial About me questionnaire helps staff begin with information from home, and subsequent records inform the child's next steps. Parents have a continuing part in that process.

In November 2023, key persons knew individual children and supported new starters alongside their parents. The Colour Monster book and soft toys helped children explore feelings through colours and characters. Children also helped one another with coats and invited others into their play, providing everyday examples of cooperation alongside the planned emotional learning.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the November 2023 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and SEND support proactive, with the special educational needs coordinator working alongside other professionals to help children meet their goals. Current support arrangements include consultation with parents, individual education or behaviour plans where needed, and links with the Bournemouth Early Years SEND advisory team.

There are practical conditions attached to specialist support. Where a child needs a one-to-one practitioner, funding approval and a practitioner in place are required before attendance can begin; if the need emerges later, attendance may pause while those arrangements are made. Emergency medication can also require staff training through the Children's Community Nursing Team at Poole Hospital, potentially delaying a start or requiring a temporary pause.

All-day children have a rest period with quiet music or a story. Parents supply nappies when needed, while the nursery supplies wipes and nappy sacks. The food provision includes a breakfast bar, snacks with milk, hot lunch and high tea, with drinking water accessible throughout the day.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is 32 Talbot Road, Bournemouth, BH9 2JF. Opening hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, and the booking options are all-day sessions from 8am to 6pm, mornings from 8am to 1pm and afternoons from 1pm to 6pm. This gives families a choice between a whole day and either part of the day.

Full-time and part-time attendance operate across the year. Closures include bank holidays and a week each at Easter, in August and at Christmas, so families need to account for these breaks when planning childcare. Enquiries can be made through the contact form, telephone or email.

Getting There

Talbot Road has double yellow lines, and the nursery's two driveways are intended for brief collection and drop-off stops. Nearby parking options include Osbourne Road, Berkeley Road and Sedgeley; neighbouring driveways and the pavement must be kept clear.

Funding and Paid Extras

Early Education Funding is accepted for two-, three- and four-year-olds, with funded hours stretched across the year at 11.5 or 23 hours according to entitlement. Private childcare is also offered through the full-time and part-time attendance options. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

Families using nappies supply their child's own, including spares for each session. Local outings using public transport carry no additional transport charge.

• Transitions between activities. In November 2023, children sometimes spent too long waiting between parts of the routine. During a show-around, ask how handwashing and preparation for the next activity are organised now.
• Specialist support before attendance. One-to-one support depends on approved funding and a practitioner being in place, while emergency medication may require additional staff training. Discuss these arrangements before agreeing a start date.
• The full childcare cost. Funding is stretched and parents supply nappies. Ask for a written quotation separating private hours, food and other consumables so the cost matches the attendance pattern you intend to use.

Talbot Park suits families seeking either all-day attendance or morning and afternoon sessions across the year, with play-based learning, regular outdoor activity and a practical route for sharing learning through Tapestry. The transition delays identified in November 2023 deserve attention, and specialist support may affect when attendance can begin. Its strongest appeal is the connection between everyday independence, conversation and hands-on activity, supported by a timetable that makes those experiences tangible.