The Orchard Garden Private Day Nursery

Donald and Daisies, two toddler rooms and Chipmunks give this Derby nursery a clear progression from baby care to preschool. The Orchard Garden Private Day Nursery occupies Haig House on Green Lane and has capacity for 107 children aged two months to five years. Its practical appeal lies in that age-spanning provision, creative activities and a choice of attendance patterns.

At its October 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good overall and judged safeguarding effective, but required more precise planning for individual children's next learning steps. That judgement needs to be read alongside later action. In June 2026, Ofsted published findings from an unannounced visit on 29 May 2026 that identified unmet requirements and required action on environmental hazards, fire safety, changing facilities, behaviour support and planning for learning, development and safety. This later position carries more weight for a family's decision than the older grade alone.

Rooms and Ages

Donald and Daisies takes babies from eight weeks to two years. Dalmatians serves children aged two to three, as does Minnie and Mickeys; Chipmunks is the preschool room for ages three to five. These are age bands for named rooms, rather than statements about how many children share a group.

Sensory activities and an outdoor area form part of the premises. The room progression gives families a useful way to think about their child's time here: baby care, toddler development and then preschool are separately identified, rather than presented as one undifferentiated offer.

Learning and Activities

EYFS is the learning and care framework here: children's day brings together play, communication, physical development and growing independence. Arts and crafts, cooking, sport and messy play add concrete experiences to that framework. Cultural celebrations also feature, with children taking part according to their interest.

In October 2022, everyday play included building towers while talking about number, size and position. Staff responded to babies' sounds with expressive faces, giving early communication a back-and-forth character. These examples show how learning can happen during an ordinary activity, rather than requiring a separate formal lesson.

The same October 2022 account also exposed a weakness: individual learning targets were not consistently matched to priority areas, and new targets sometimes took too long to set. The issue was precision, rather than a lack of activities. For parents, the useful distinction is between a busy day and a day whose activities respond closely to their own child's development.

Outdoor and Community Life

In October 2022, outdoor activity happened daily, with a painted playground road for wheeled toys and blocks used for climbing and jumping. Staff helped children work pedals and supported younger children with jumps. Those physical details give the older account a recognisable setting and show the kinds of movement children practised.

Independence featured strongly in daily routines in October 2022. Children practised dressing, managing fastenings, pouring drinks and serving food, while adults allowed time for attempts and offered help. Mealtimes also involved children helping with tables and sharing water. These were practical opportunities to practise doing things for themselves.

During October 2022, staff worked with outside agencies and professionals to arrange early support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. An online system for information and assessment had recently been introduced, alongside conversations with families. These are dated mechanisms for support and communication, rather than a promise about today's arrangements.

The current feeding policy follows babies' individual routines through discussion with parents, supports expressed breastmilk and breastfeeding, and treats weaning as a joint decision based on what the baby is already eating at home. Daily written feeding records give parents a concrete account of that part of the day. The policy also provides for individual allergy plans and sharing dietary information with the staff handling food.

Menus follow a four-week cycle, while the food policy includes making sauces from raw ingredients and using herbs grown by the nursery. Its allergy arrangements include menu allergen information and individual dietary planning where appropriate.

Safety requires careful attention here. Following concerns in September 2023, the nursery reviewed outing safety and behaviour arrangements, provided staff training and monitored whether policies were being followed. The June 2026 action again addressed behaviour support, alongside obstructed fire doors, hygienic changing arrangements, environmental risk assessments and appropriate planning. Deadlines were 5 June 2026 for the first four actions and 26 June 2026 for planning; the published position was that the provider's response would be monitored. Those deadlines are past, and they do not establish completion.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Haig House, 87 Green Lane, Derby DE1 1RX. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6.15pm, Monday to Friday, with year-round operation except bank holidays. Enquiries can be made by telephone or through the contact form.

The 2025-26 paid attendance patterns distinguish younger children from preschool. For under-threes, a full day ran from 8.10am to 6.10pm, a short day from 8.10am to 2.40pm, a morning from 8.10am to 1.10pm and an afternoon from 1.10pm to 6.10pm. For preschool, the corresponding patterns were 8am to 6pm, 8am to 2.30pm, 8am to 1pm and 1pm to 6pm. Both age bands carried a minimum of two full days or three half days each week.

Funded-only patterns also separate the age bands. Under-threes have morning and afternoon options from 8.10am to 1.10pm and 1.10pm to 6.10pm across three days for the 15-hour offer, or 9.40am to 5.10pm across two days. The 30-hour pattern spans three days from 8.10am to 6.10pm, four from 9.40am to 5.10pm, or five from 8.40am to 2.40pm.

For preschool, 15-hour patterns cover three mornings from 8am to 1pm, three afternoons from 1pm to 6pm, or two days from 9.30am to 5pm. The 30-hour choices cover three days from 8am to 6pm, four from 9.30am to 5pm, or five from 8.30am to 2.30pm. These fixed combinations matter: funded attendance is organised into particular weekly patterns.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare and additional paid hours are offered. The entitlements include universal 15 hours for three- and four-year-olds, support-based 15 hours for eligible two-year-olds, and 30 hours for eligible working families from the term after their child turns nine months until they start school. Tax-Free Childcare payments are accepted.

Meals and snacks are included in day, morning and afternoon sessions; breakfast booked before the main attendance window carries a separate charge. A non-refundable registration charge and a deposit apply; the deposit is non-refundable if the place is cancelled. The funding-inclusive terms require a calendar month's written or emailed notice to change or cancel sessions, and describe the deposit being credited against the final invoice with four weeks' written notice. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

• The June 2026 safety action. The required work covered hazards, fire doors, changing facilities, behaviour support and planning. Ask to see the response to each action and any subsequent official outcome before making a commitment.
• Age-specific attendance. The 2025-26 paid patterns used different clock times for under-threes and preschool, with a weekly minimum. At a viewing, establish the applicable attendance agreement for your child's room and how a room move affects it.
• Feeding and allergies. The feeding policy provides for individual plans and daily baby-feeding records. Families managing allergies should confirm how their child's plan works in current practice, including food handling and mealtime seating.

Orchard Garden's age-defined rooms, sensory activities and creative play offer a concrete picture of nursery life. Its attendance model suits families seeking mornings or afternoons as well as full and short days, with funded-only weekly combinations adding another option.

The decision nevertheless turns on the later regulatory action. The October 2022 grade is historical reassurance with limits; the June 2026 requirements concern practical safety and children's daily care. Families should weigh the nursery's response to those actions before relying on the appeal of its rooms or attendance patterns.