Davey Day Care

A Grade II Listed Farmhouse, an Old Dairy barn conversion and gardens with an orchard give Davey Day Care a recognisable rural character. At Quinton Green Farm in Northampton, walks through the surrounding farmland and visits to horses extend children's experiences beyond indoor play. The buildings matter too: younger groups use the Farmhouse, while preschool children have their own base in the Old Dairy.

Davey Day Care has capacity for 100 children, with an accepted age range from birth to five. Its named groups take children through babyhood, toddler development and preparation for school, with separate sleeping spaces for the youngest children and outdoor access for older groups. Those are useful distinctions for families comparing what their child will actually use, rather than judging the whole setting by its total size.

At its 3 July 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated Davey Day Care Good, judged safeguarding effective and found that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities had their needs met through cooperation with parents and other agencies. That is a dated assessment. The July 2023 priorities for improvement concerned the organisation of baby transitions and children's learning and independence during meals.

Attendance can be arranged across the year or through a term-time contract, with full-day, half-day and extended sessions among the options.

Rooms and Ages

Yellow Chicks (0-1 Years) uses the Farmhouse's Nest, combining sensory and pretend play with reading spaces, a sleep area away from play and a Key Worker who follows the baby's home routine.

Pink Piglets (1-2 Years) occupies the upstairs Farmhouse, where active exploration, creative play and make-believe are supported by quiet spaces and separate rooms for sleep.

Red Foxes (2-3 Years) has a downstairs Farm House base, with construction, imaginative play and early number and literacy experiences alongside easy access to the Farm House garden.

The Pre-schoolers, for children aged three to four, uses the Old Dairy's open-plan barn conversion, where creative work, building and early literacy sit alongside a Large Soft Play Zone, its own outdoor area and practice in managing clothing and belongings.

These stages give parents a useful way to compare the environments their child will move through. Sleep and play are physically separated for the younger groups; later, independence becomes a more explicit part of the day. The preschool emphasis includes listening, taking turns and following instructions, as well as the practical business of looking after personal possessions.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care: in everyday terms, play and exploration help children build communication, physical and social skills. Davey Day Care's room arrangements translate that into different experiences as children grow, from sensory materials and pretend play to building, gardening and managing daily tasks.

In July 2023, babies used simple signs alongside sounds and words, while preschool children explored descriptive vocabulary as they mixed play dough. Low shelves enabled babies to choose books, and older children selected their own wellington boots for outdoor play. These examples make independence tangible: it starts with choosing something to use, rather than waiting for an adult to make every decision.

There was also a practical connection between nursery and home in July 2023. Children composed letters for their families and took them to a local post box. That gave writing a purpose and connected an indoor activity with something children could do beyond the nursery.

Outdoor and Community Life

The Farm House and Old Dairy Gardens add substantial physical variety. An Orchard, vegetable plot, mud kitchen and climbing framed area sit alongside a large grassed space. Children can investigate growing things, use materials imaginatively and practise movement, with preschool activities also including wildlife exploration and outdoor problem-solving.

Surrounding fields provide opportunities for walks, including visits to horses behind the Farmhouse. This is rural childcare with actual outdoor experiences attached to the setting, rather than countryside serving only as a backdrop.

Family events bring another rhythm to the year. The yearly summer BBQ combines food with games, while the annual Christmas carol service takes place in the Farm House garden. Preschool children have an annual graduation ceremony attended by their parents. Fundraising days can involve mufti or fancy dress; occasional themed activities include cinema days and pyjama days. Families receive notice of these events by email or through the nursery's closed Facebook page.

Relationships and Communication

Each baby in Yellow Chicks has a Key Worker who works with parents around the child's routine at home. Key Workers also support children in the later groups, so care has an identified point of contact as needs change. Parents can raise concerns about development, daily routines or home life with their child's key worker, rather than treating nursery and home as separate conversations.

A computerised parent system provides access from a smart device to children's profiles, contracts, policies, medication entries and accident records. Parents can send messages and contribute comments to the profile. Its practical value is the combination of everyday communication and access to important care information in one place.

The nursery also gives parents support resources on sleep, toilet training, separation anxiety, weaning and preparation for school. These sit alongside direct conversations with staff. They provide starting points for issues that can affect both the nursery day and family routines, rather than replacing individual discussion.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the July 2023 inspection, Ofsted found affectionate staff-child relationships and suitable supervision, including checks on sleeping children, but identified weaknesses in baby-room transitions and missed opportunities to develop learning and independence at meals. The concerns were specific. Babies could become unsettled while waiting between activities, so the organisation of movement between rooms mattered as much as the resources within them.

In July 2023, preschool children used stories and conversations to recognise feelings and approached staff when they needed help. Quiet activities and places to rest were accessible. Adults also helped children think through the risks of climbing and jumping, while babies received encouragement as they practised using stairs. The emphasis was on supported attempts and reassurance.

Current room arrangements provide separate sleeping spaces for Yellow Chicks and Pink Piglets. For a baby or young toddler, that separation matters: a nap has a different physical setting from active play. School preparation later includes independence with dressing and belongings, while the annual preschool graduation gives families a shared occasion to mark the move on.

Sessions and Attendance

Davey Day Care's address is Quinton Green Farm, Quinton Green, Northampton, NN7 2EG. Enquiries can be made by telephone on 01604 864281 or by email to daveydaycare@yahoo.co.uk; nursery tours can also be booked through the customer care team.

Opening hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, with earlier care from 7.30am carrying an additional charge. Extended sessions run from 7.30am to 6pm. Full-day and half-day bookings are offered, and the minimum attendance requirement is two half-day sessions or one full-day session. This gives families a choice between shorter attendance and a whole-day booking, while still requiring a minimum commitment.

Across-year contracts cover 51 weeks. The Christmas closure comprises five working days, which are not charged, and the dates can be spread rather than forming a complete week. Bank holidays are also closure days and remain chargeable. Christmas dates are communicated in January, allowing families to plan care around the shutdown.

Term-time contracts follow the Northampton county council calendar, including teacher training dates. Attendance on a teacher training date requires a separate email request and depends on availability. This detail matters for families whose working calendar differs from the nursery's term-time pattern.

If a child cannot attend, parents are asked to telephone by 9am. Families delayed at collection should contact the nursery promptly, and collection after the booked session attracts a late charge. The charge structure and current prices belong in the nursery's written quotation and the fees and sessions information.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered through the 15 and 30 hour funding arrangements, with universal and extended funding stretched over 51 weeks rather than confined to term time. Private childcare is also offered. A term-time contract and a stretched funding arrangement are separate decisions, so the contract needs to match the family's intended attendance.

For funded care, the Basic package allows families to opt out of a consumable charge; the Exclusive package includes opting in to that separately charged element. The choice matters to the overall bill. It should be considered alongside any privately paid attendance and the additional charge for an earlier start.

Snacks, lunch and tea are included in the childcare fees, and children receive hot food at lunchtime and in the afternoon. Food preparation arrangements differ between descriptions: one identifies an external specialist caterer, while another identifies an onsite chef.

• Baby transitions and mealtimes. July 2023 improvement priorities concerned waiting between baby activities and opportunities for independence during meals. During a visit, ask how these parts of the day are organised now, including support when a child is tired or ready to eat.
• Food preparation. The catering arrangements name both an external specialist supplier and an onsite chef. Clarify who currently prepares the meals so dietary discussions reach the person responsible for the food.
• Funded package choice. Basic and Exclusive packages differ over opting into a consumable charge. Ask for an itemised explanation of what each package covers, including the meal arrangements for funded attendance, before choosing between them.
• Term-time attendance. The term-time calendar includes teacher training dates, and attendance on those dates needs a separate request. Compare the contract calendar with your working days, rather than assuming every school closure follows the same pattern.

Davey Day Care suits families seeking rural outdoor experiences alongside either full-day and extended attendance or shorter half-day bookings, with term-time contracts adding another option. The Farmhouse and Old Dairy give its age groups different physical settings; separate baby sleeping areas, gardens and practical preschool preparation give parents concrete features to weigh.

Its July 2023 Good judgement is balanced by clear improvement priorities around transitions and meals. For a family considering this nursery, the most useful next step is to understand how those everyday routines work alongside the chosen attendance and funding package.