Stoke Hill Pre-School & Day Nursery

A six-child baby room, a secret garden with a pond and cooking with home-grown produce give Stoke Hill Pre-School & Day Nursery a clear identity. This purpose-built Exeter setting combines spaces for different ages with opportunities for children to explore beyond their own room. The smallest children's room has its own outdoor deck. That is a useful detail for parents weighing the baby provision.

At its June 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Outstanding overall. That judgement belongs to the inspection date, while the current offer includes care for children from birth to five and capacity for 28 children in total. The whole-setting capacity is a different measure from the individual room capacities below.

Family involvement is a practical part of the offer. Each child has a designated adult through the family links system, and parents can contribute interests, help with activities and take part in the management of the setting. This is an option for families who want to participate in nursery life as well as receive updates.

Rooms and Ages

Little Boots caters for children aged 0 to 2, with a maximum of 6 children and a decked area of its own, giving the youngest children a smaller base with outdoor space attached. Bigger Boots accommodates 28 children aged 2 to rising 5, with room for exploration and a separate decked area.

Children can use spaces beyond their own room. Inside, craft and group activities share an open-plan area, while dressing up, themed role play and sand, water and painting give children different ways to play. The arrangement allows a change of activity rather than keeping the day within one room.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage shapes the day through play and activities that develop language, movement, relationships, early reading, writing and mathematical understanding. These are the foundations of early-years education; Stoke Hill organises its activities around children's interests, capabilities and individual needs.

A termly theme connects visits with imaginative play, construction and art. Permanent indoor and outdoor activities continue alongside it, so the theme adds a thread to the day rather than replacing familiar choices. Children also cook, sometimes choosing recipes themselves and using produce grown at the nursery. This connects food preparation with learning about ingredients and nutrition.

In June 2022, learning about frogs at the pond was supported by books, while conversations introduced unfamiliar vocabulary. Stories, singing and shared reading appeared in both smaller groups and whole-group activities. The practical point is the connection between an experience and the language used to understand it.

During that same month, older children practised letter shapes with different tools and used counting to solve everyday problems. Younger children chose objects for nursery rhymes that introduced subtraction. These examples show how early literacy and number work sat within play rather than being confined to a separate lesson.

Outdoor and Community Life

Both rooms have access to a large garden, including the secret garden and pond. A climbing frame and slide, wooden play house, sand pit and wheeled toys provide different kinds of outdoor activity. Hard-surfaced and grassy areas give the grounds more than one kind of play space.

In June 2022, children also visited an allotment and families joined celebrations at the setting. These were opportunities to connect learning with people and places beyond the nursery rooms. They are dated examples, rather than a promise of a particular outing schedule today.

Relationships and Communication

Family links gives each child a designated adult who communicates with their family. Parents exchange information about interests, needs and progress, and receive regular developmental updates. The relationship works in both directions: what a child enjoys or needs at home can inform activities at nursery.

Participation can be hands-on. Parents may help during sessions, share an interest with the children or contribute to making and maintaining play materials. Families choose how they participate, which makes involvement possible at different levels rather than dependent on taking a formal role.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the June 2022 inspection, Ofsted found effective safeguarding and excellent progress, with staff identifying additional support needs early and working with families and outside agencies. Those are dated judgements about practice, rather than assurances based on the nursery's policies.

Current collection arrangements include a password system for adults collecting children, and the grounds are enclosed by a tall fence. Medication requires parental permission on a form; staff may also ask parents to demonstrate its administration. These are concrete procedures for everyday care.

The nursery offers a vegetarian menu and publishes a nut- and peanut-free policy. Milk and water are provided, while parents supply baby milk where appropriate, along with nappies or trainer pants, wipes, cream and labelled suncream.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is 183a Mincinglake Road, Stoke Hill, Exeter, EX4 7DS. Opening hours are 7.45am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, with an all-year opening schedule. Those hours describe the operating window.

Enquiries can be made by telephone on 01392 426 898, by email at admin@stokehillpreschool.co.uk or through the contact form. Staff also prepare children for Reception, while encouraging them to use the nursery's different spaces. This is preparation for the next stage, rather than a claim about admission to a particular school.

Funding and Paid Extras

Stoke Hill accepts early-years funding for children aged 9 months to 5. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation. The funding arrangement is a useful part of the decision for families balancing childcare with work or other commitments.

Nappies, wipes and cream, where needed, and labelled suncream come from home. They also bring labelled spare clothes, wellies and suitable shoes for gym activities. Packing these items is part of the daily routine, especially for children who need changes during their time at nursery.

• The youngest children's space. Little Boots has a six-child cap and its own outdoor deck. On a visit, ask how babies use that space and how movement into other areas is managed.
• Food allergies. The vegetarian menu sits alongside a nut- and peanut-free policy. Families affected by allergies should confirm current preparation and serving practice for their child's needs.
• The attendance and funding arrangement. Opening runs from 7.45am to 6pm across the year, and funding is accepted from 9 months. Ask which booking pattern and funded-hours arrangement would fit your family, including the treatment of meals and additional hours.

Stoke Hill suits families seeking baby-to-preschool care with a smaller youngest room, substantial outdoor play and opportunities to take part in nursery life. Little Boots, the pond garden and cooking with home-grown produce give parents concrete features to weigh.

The Outstanding judgement from June 2022 adds an important dated assessment. The strongest current reasons to consider the nursery are its physical spaces, family links and play-based day; the attendance arrangement remains a practical decision to settle alongside those strengths.