Discovery Day Nursery

A sound garden, creative cove and mud kitchen give Discovery Day Nursery a recognisable outdoor character. Based at Iddesleigh House on Heavitree Road in Exeter, it combines spaces for exploration with an emphasis on stories, early number play and children developing their own interests. The physical setting matters here: learning spaces extend across two floors and three gardens.

At its December 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and judged safeguarding effective, while identifying uneven teaching and a baby-room routine that needed to respond more closely to children. Those reservations deserve attention alongside the outdoor offer.

Discovery welcomes children from 3 months to 5 years and has 85 places in total. Flexible sessions and wraparound care form part of its attendance offer, alongside government-funded hours for eligible children.

Rooms and Ages

Four main rooms share the building with a dining area. Outdoors, the sound garden, creative cove and large mud kitchen give children different spaces to explore, rather than making outdoor time depend on a single play area. For families who value messy play and time outside, that is a substantial part of Discovery's appeal.

Each room has its own daily rhythm, with routines changing each term in response to the children attending. That makes the organisation of the day an important consideration, especially for babies whose interests and comfort can change quickly.

Learning and Activities

The EYFS is the statutory framework for children's learning, development and care: in daily life, this includes practising communication, movement and relationships alongside early learning. Discovery's own approach adds learning invitations, storytelling and playful encounters with numbers. Books help children explore ideas; playful experiences with numbers introduce children to early problem-solving.

In December 2024, babies practised communicating their needs through simple signs. With older children, adults introduced vocabulary and gave them thinking time before answering questions. These are concrete examples of how language learning can happen during ordinary exchanges, including for children who are not yet ready to express everything in speech.

Physical activities also connected everyday tasks with developing coordination. In December 2024, babies were practising feeding themselves with spoons, while older children tackled balance challenges on obstacle courses. Cutting and handling baking ingredients exercised smaller hand movements. The activities addressed different stages of development rather than relying on one shared task.

Outdoor and Community Life

Discovery describes its approach as drawing on Forest School principles, meaning hands-on exploration in natural surroundings with room for children to make discoveries themselves. Its emphasis is on adopting aspects of that approach. Families should distinguish this from assuming a particular programme of sessions or outings.

The branch also carries the group's emphasis on outdoor play, including gardening and beach and forest school-style learning. These sit alongside Discovery's all-weather approach and muddy exploration. The practical attraction is the opportunity to encounter nature as part of nursery life, with the gardens providing an immediate setting for that exploration.

Relationships and Communication

In December 2024, children had both a main key person and a second practitioner sharing that responsibility. Staff exchanged information about children's development and care, reducing reliance on one adult's knowledge. For parents, the value lies in continuity when the usual contact is occupied or away.

Daily conversations also connected home routines with nursery care. In December 2024, staff discussed toilet learning with parents and adjusted reminders during the day accordingly. This was a practical exchange about what a child needed, rather than communication limited to a general account of activities.

Discovery's current approach places communication, shared events and partnership with families alongside its learning offer. That gives parents a role in the nursery's account of each child's interests and development.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the December 2024 inspection, Ofsted found that staff identified learning gaps, involved parents and worked with external agencies on support that helped children progress. This provides a dated example of how additional needs were addressed, rather than a blanket assurance about every child's future experience.

In December 2024, adults used words from children's home languages and recognised the cultures represented among families. Children also practised naming feelings, explaining disagreements and finding ways to resume playing together. These experiences linked communication with getting along, making emotional learning part of ordinary interactions.

The baby-room findings were more concerning. In December 2024, adult-directed activities and fixed routines sometimes took precedence over babies' responses: some wanted to return indoors but remained outside, and some spent extended periods sitting with little interaction and became distressed. Teaching across the nursery also varied because individual staff development and the sharing of training were insufficiently consistent. These were substantive weaknesses in the experience of the day.

Sessions and Attendance

Discovery is at Iddesleigh House, 97 Heavitree Road, Exeter EX1 2ND, close to the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. Flexible sessions and wraparound care allow families to consider attendance around their own routines.

The nursery operates across the year, closing for bank holidays and two weeks over Christmas. Those closures matter for families arranging work and childcare over the festive period. Enquiries can be made by telephone on 01392 459336 or through the nursery's contact form.

Funding and Paid Extras

Government-funded hours are offered to eligible children from 9 months old. Eligibility remains a condition of that offer. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

• Babies' daily routines. In December 2024, some babies remained in activities despite showing discomfort, and periods with little adult interaction caused distress. On a visit, ask how staff now respond when a baby wants to stop, rest or change activity.
• Consistency between practitioners. The December 2024 findings identified differences in teaching and weaknesses in sharing training. Ask for a concrete example of how staff agree and follow an individual child's next learning steps.
• Outdoor expectations. Discovery has three gardens and an all-weather approach, while its Forest School emphasis draws on aspects of the philosophy. Ask how outdoor experiences are organised for your child's age and what clothing they need.
• Funded attendance and extras. Funded hours start from 9 months for eligible children, alongside flexible sessions and wraparound care. Before committing, ask how your proposed attendance uses funding and how meals and non-food consumables are handled in the quotation.

Discovery suits families seeking flexible sessions or wraparound care who value outdoor exploration, books and play with numbers. Its sound garden, creative cove and mud kitchen give that offer a tangible setting.

The December 2024 Good judgement sits alongside clear concerns about babies' routines and consistency between practitioners. For parents of the youngest children, responsiveness during the day should carry as much weight as the gardens. The decision turns on both the learning spaces and the care children experience within them.