Hurly Burly Day Nursery

A meadow garden, vegetables grown for cooking and outdoor access from each classroom give Hurly Burly Day Nursery a clear character: learning extends well beyond the rooms. On the Petroc College site in Tiverton, it combines this outdoor emphasis with separate provision for babies, toddlers and preschool children. The youngest children have a separate sleep room; older children move towards more structured routines.

At its 15 February 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and found safeguarding effective. The assessment also set two practical priorities: more ambitious number work for older children and better use of everyday conversation to develop vocabulary. Those points deserve attention alongside the outdoor offer.

Children are accepted from 3 months to 5 years. An all-day booking option sits within weekday opening hours, with the attendance detail below.

Rooms and Ages

The baby room accepts children from 3 months, combining sensory activities, messy play and music with resources positioned within babies' reach, a soft play corner for early movement and a separate sleep room. That separation gives naps their own space rather than making the main activity room do every job.

For toddlers aged 2 to 3, role play and creative activities share space with a physical play corner and free-flow outdoor access. Bug hunts in the meadow garden give their outdoor exploration something concrete to investigate. Messy materials include shaving foam and mud, so the day is hands-on rather than confined to table activities.

The pre-school provision, for ages 3 to 5, introduces more organised learning, registration and carpet time alongside reading, writing and French. Baking and counting remain part of the day. The emphasis changes with age: familiar routines help children practise participating in a group while practical activities keep learning connected to things they can do.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the framework for learning through play and children's development. Here, play includes sensory exploration, small-group activities, singing and music, with more adult-led routines in the preschool years. These are different ways for children to practise communication, movement and working alongside others.

Forest School adds outdoor learning in a dedicated nature-garden area, with daily lessons and further activities in the meadow garden. French provides another strand for preschool children. Both complement the EYFS through outdoor exploration and language learning.

In February 2024, children acted out restaurant scenes, with staff taking their pretend orders. Another activity used oversized tooth models and toothbrushes to introduce dental care. Yoga involved practising poses and balance. These examples connect imaginative play, health and physical movement rather than treating learning as a succession of worksheets.

Number work needed more stretch at that visit. Counting featured in routines, but opportunities to compare collections and attempt simple calculations were too infrequent. For older children, the question is how everyday counting develops into understanding quantities and what happens when those quantities change.

Outdoor and Community Life

A large meadow garden supplements individual room play areas, and each classroom connects to the outdoor space. Children spend a substantial part of the day outside, with activities adaptable between indoors and outdoors. Outdoor learning is therefore part of the daily arrangement rather than an occasional change of scene.

Growing vegetables links the garden to homemade cooking. For families who value practical experiences, that connection gives children a tangible relationship between what grows outdoors and what reaches the table.

Termly parents evenings and individual online learning journals give families two ways to follow their child's learning. Staff and parents also set learning goals together, making communication about development part of the relationship rather than restricting it to general updates.

At the February 2024 inspection, Ofsted found effective support for children needing additional help, with the special educational needs coordinator seeking early assistance and staff working closely with external professionals. That is a dated judgement about the support in place then, rather than a blanket promise about every child's future experience.

In February 2024, babies' conversations were supported through books and the naming of objects. Older children practised independence by serving their own drinks and clearing food from their plates. However, lunchtime conversation needed to extend beyond discussing the meal so that routine care could also build vocabulary.

The baby routine includes sleep, meals and regular nappy changes, while the separate sleep room supports rest away from active play. Food provision comprises three home-cooked meals and two snacks each day, with vegetables grown at the nursery also used in cooking.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Petroc Site, Bolham Road, Tiverton, Devon, EX16 6SH. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, across 51 weeks of the year. The Petroc setting occupies a purpose-built building with a dedicated sensory room as well as its outdoor areas.

An all-day booking carries one price for the day. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation. Opening hours describe the operating window; they do not establish separate morning or afternoon booking options.

Visits can be arranged by telephone on 01884 251972. This gives families a direct route to see the setting and discuss joining.

Funding and Paid Extras

In February 2024, the nursery received early-education funding for children aged two, three and four. Families considering funded attendance should use the visit discussion below to establish how their proposed pattern would work alongside the all-day option.

• Older children's number work. In February 2024, comparing quantities and attempting simple calculations needed more frequent support. On a visit, ask for examples of how the pre-school day now develops these skills beyond counting.
• Conversation during care routines. The February 2024 priority included making lunchtime a better opportunity for vocabulary development. Ask how staff encourage discussion while children eat and practise independence.
• The all-day arrangement. The Petroc setting operates across 51 weeks, with one price for an all-day booking. Ask how funded attendance, meals and consumables would fit your intended days before agreeing a booking.

Hurly Burly suits families seeking an all-day nursery with frequent outdoor learning, practical play and a gradual move towards preschool routines. The meadow garden, separate baby sleep room and classroom outdoor access give that offer substance. Its February 2024 Good judgement provides a positive inspection position, balanced by specific work needed on older children's number understanding and vocabulary during everyday routines. Those are useful questions to take into a visit.