Open all year round
Open 7.30am - 6.30pm
Ofsted ouststanding
Outdoor learning
The team at hdc Dartmouth is a close-knit family. Following the Hygge approach, which emphasises finding well-being and contentment in the simple pleasures of everyday life, we pride ourselves on our home-from-home atmosphere and familiarity. Our warm and friendly staff respond to children’s individual needs with affection, as demonstrated in the ‘Outstanding’ Ofsted report.
Located near the vibrant and historic harbour on the River Dart, and Britannia Royal Naval College, children can join us in visits to the RNLI visitor centre and learn about water safety during visits to Dartmouth Leisure Centre. Our children’s day nursery offers flexible childcare hours and is ideally located to welcome military and non-military families to tour our setting.
At hdc Dartmouth, we believe in the power of outdoor exploration and hands-on learning. Our open plan rooms and free-flowing access to outside areas enable children to choose activities and follow their natural curiosity and individual interests in a safe and supportive environment.
Children at our day nursery love to forge relationships with elderly members of the community by attending a memory café at Dartmouth Caring Health and Wellbeing Centre organised by local charity, Dartmouth Caring. They play games, sing songs and share stories which creates meaningful and lasting relationships between generations.
View Ofsted report
The Brighter Learning Approach (BLA) is unique to The Old Station Nursery group and is our advanced approach to the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum and core pedagogy. It differs from traditional nursery teaching methods by providing real-life opportunities to enhance children’s natural curiosity, with emphasis on hands-on experiences, child-led learning, and whole development.
The six core areas promote active engagement and critical thinking whilst encouraging exploration, creativity, and collaboration. Each child learns at their own pace and is challenged and extended at appropriate times.
The best place to see the BLA in action is via our local nursery Facebook page, where each post explains which part of the curriculum the children are working on. Our parents also receive updates on the Parent App too.
Championing children's holistic health and laying the foundations for a happy, healthy and successful life.
Helping the future generation of global citizens to understand the world they live in and to believe they can make a difference.
Enabling early experiences in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics (STEAM). Nurturing our next generation of investigators, inventors and innovators.
Enticing children to develop a life-long love of books and reading through engaging and interactive storytelling experiences. Building strong literacy skills while sparking imagination and creativity.
Engaging children in meaningful mathematical learning. Developing knowledge, building skills and exploring concepts, through purposeful play and plenty of practice.
Developing confident communicators by engaging in quality conversations with children every day, in a language rich and communication friendly environment.
The free-flow activities at our Dartmouth nursery offer a safe place for your little one to learn, play, and grow at their own pace.
We use our outdoor learning environment whenever possible, and children can enjoy putting on their wellies and discovering the world at their fingertips.
We hold a variety of themed activities and clubs as part of our Brighter Learning Approach, our bespoke programme to enhance the Early Years Statutory Framework.
Our children love nothing more than when the team calls time for meal preparation or works with the children to produce a teatime dessert or baking morning. The children learn so much in these activities including measuring, counting skills and following instructions.
At Dartmouth nursery our Budding Movers dive into a variety of activities including dance, sports, and beyond. These engaging experiences are adored by both children and practitioners, seamlessly integrating movement with structured learning to enhance coordination, build confidence, and foster a sense of joy at nursery.
Come rain or shine, we tend our vegetable plots, teaching the children about the different stages of growth cycles and exploring the different tastes and textures of the produce.
As Budding gardeners, children learn about the environment and gain lifelong sustainable growing skills and enjoyment, which they will carry with them throughout their lives.
Babies, toddlers, and preschool children at our Dartmouth day nursery benefit from engaging weekly music classes. External visiting professionals from Rhythm Time deliver fun and multi-sensory activities that are age-appropriate and specially designed to support speech, language and physical development.
Art is a firm favourite of children at HDC Dartmouth Nursery. We use it as an opportunity to learn and understand the world and environment around us. After collecting plastic waste, the children work together to create a collage. The messier the art project, the better at our nursery, and we take the opportunity to discuss different types of materials, what we can recycle, and why it is so important to our planet.
Early years education is fun, and children enjoy hands-on activities and exciting experiments as part of our science club. From creating imaginative potions to biology chatter during a bug hunt with magnifying glasses, our young scientists ask questions to understand how and why things happen, fostering a love of learning and discovery.
Our nursery group is passionate about the link between home and nursery; the nursery experience is as much about the parent as it is for the child.
hdc Dartmouth Nursery commits to verbally updating you about your child’s day at pick-up time and via digital updates on the parent App. We are here at any time should you wish to call us or want to discuss any area of your child’s care.
We aim to look after our parents as well as our children so you can carry on with your day, work and career with a sense of peace.
First and foremost, you and we need to know that your child is safe. Before we can deliver the excellent curriculum that makes our nurseries so special, robust policies and procedures are followed to meet the exacting standards of Ofsted, building and fire regulations, food safety standards and staff DBS background checks and references.
Our staff are trained in numerous areas and we offer further training opportunities for staff who have an interest in a particular area. For example, some of our nurseries have attained Millie’s Mark, an accreditation gained by having 100% of staff on site trained in paediatric first aid.
We have a kitchen on-site at our day nursery where our cook prepares a variety of hot meals with fresh ingredients that we rotate seasonally.
We take dietary preferences and food intolerances seriously to ensure the needs and safety of the children in our care.
Every child has a nursery key person who knows them best and who will be the child and parent’s main contact. Your key person at our nursery will update you about your child’s day and is there to answer your questions.
When your child moves to the next age group room, we hold several settling sessions with a new nursery key person. We encourage our parents to view the new room too, and we will work with you to discuss the new routines, just like we did when you first started nursery.
It is wonderful to nurture and see our children graduate to primary school. Part of the unique offering of HDC Dartmouth Nursery is our focus on the next stage of your child’s learning journey.
We prepare the children through school activities, teacher meet and greets and graduation ceremonies. Our commitment is to support our parents too by providing child learning journey updates, parents evenings or one-to-ones and home link learning kits to enhance the link between nursery and home.
All our nurseries follow the Brighter Learning Approach, our bespoke version of the Early Years Statutory Framework. Within this, each nursery chooses extra clubs, activities, and enhancements suitable for their space.
Our proactive approach to early years education means hdc Dartmouth Nursery children can enjoy a variety of extra-curricular clubs.
We also hold open days where parents and carers are encouraged to come along and meet other parents to build their own personal friendships and networks ahead of primary school.
hdc Dartmouth Nursery commits to providing a simple fee structure so you can manage your nursery costs.
At this nursery, we provide private and government-funded sessions for eligible parents. Contact us for the nursery fee that is correct for your individual circumstances.
Our youngest learners start in our orchard room, using natural and sensory resources to discover and learn. Offering a calm yet stimulating environment, children enjoy singing and reading in a free-flowing environment.
This enables them to explore at their own pace while adjusting to nursery life with support from key carers. Fresh air and the outdoors are easily accessible and encouraged with a dedicated decking area.
Progressing to a new room is a smooth transition at our Dartmouth day nursery because we foster an environment of familiarity with all staff members.
Following a series of settling-in sessions into a new room to get to know their new peers, the Meadow Room and its natural feel follows the curiosity approach that enables children to develop their natural inquisitiveness with various resources and objects to get to know the world around them.
The forest room for our pre-schoolers is stimulating and vibrant. ‘In-the-moment planning’ means that staff observe ‘teachable moments’ and know when to intervene in a child’s play for educational purposes.
Outdoor activities and trips out are frequent, and speech and language skills are developed through discovery and excitement in things that children are interested in.
The new funding term is starting again in January and it’s important to understand the different kinds of funded childcare available to you and when you need to apply before the deadline closes on 30th November.
We have online experts who are on hand to answer any questions you may have via a web chat service, whether you’re a new or existing nursery parent.
Find out how you can save money on nursery fees through funding.
“Children flourish in our care here at hdc Dartmouth. We are fortunate to have beautiful surroundings where we regularly venture out to visit and explore. Child-centred learning and practitioners focussing on the interests of our children means that they start their early year's education in an encouraging and supportive environment.”
Natasha Slade, Nursery Manager at hdc Dartmouth Nursery
Local nursery hdc in Dartmouth has received an ‘Outstanding’ Ofsted grading, following their recent inspection.
Please note that this is not a confirmation of your tour. One of our nursery team will endeavour to get back to you ASAP to confirm your date and time. Thank you.
If you are looking to arrange a tour within the next 48 hours, we recommend calling the nursery directly.
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