Doddiscombsleigh Pre School
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A pre-school in Exeter for children from birth to 8+, open sessions in term time, often mornings. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in January 2025. Open since 1992, with 16 places.
What you might pay
This setting does not publish its fees, and no national dataset holds them. This is what childcare costs across the council, as a starting point for the call.
What childcare usually costs in Devon
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Devon from the Department for Education's 2025 provider survey. No national data holds what an individual nursery charges, so ring and ask.
Places, hours and the day
Who they take, when they are open, and what a day there includes.
Where it is
EX6 7PRWhat the inspector found
One grade is one visit. A run of them tells you whether it has been good for years or has only just got there.
Ofsted inspector, 30 January 2025 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children arrive happily and quickly engage in activities of their choosing. They experience a curriculum that is ambitious and promotes a love of learning. This supports all children to make good progress in their learning. Children make choices about their play and develop their ideas. They explore the environment, sharing and taking turns with others. For example, children imagine a deserted beach where 'pirates dig for treasure' in the sand as they play. Children are expressive and create paintings. They are eager to describe them to staff. Staff enthuse about children's masterpieces, and children feel proud. Children share books with friends and giggle at pictures as they use them to tell stories. Their early reading skills blossom.
Staff encourage positive behaviour, and children make good choices. They show respect and kindness towards each other. Children share toys and take turns with support and praise from staff. Staff have high expectations of the children and know them well. They support each child's character and uniqueness to flourish.
Staff promote independence, and children show good levels of perseverance. Staff provide reassurance and help to children as needed. Children play outside daily and develop coordination, balance and core strength. Children relish the many opportunities to be active.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- provide more support to help those children that need extra help to develop familiarity and confidence in daily routines and activities n support children's communication skills to enable them to share their needs and wants effectively n provide children with the support they need to develop their listening and attention skills during adult-led activities.
- 30 January 2025Good Safeguarding: Yes
- 28 March 2019Good
- 10 May 2016Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Doddiscombsleigh Pre School
- What it costs
- Funded hours
- Youngest age taken
- Meals
- Nappies
- Waiting list
No dataset holds any of this. Two parents telling us the same thing puts it on the page for whoever looks next.
What to ask them
None of this is in any national dataset and this setting has not published it, which is exactly why it is worth asking.
- What does it cost, all in? What is on top: meals, nappies, late pick-up, and what happens if you are late.
- Can I use my funded hours here? Whether they stretch them over the year, and the minimum days you have to book.
- Is there a place for my child's age? Baby rooms fill first and waiting lists are common.
- Who would my child's key person be? And how long have the staff been there. No dataset holds this and it matters more than anything above.
- Can I visit at a busy time? Mid-morning on a weekday tells you far more than an empty room after hours.