Dragonflies Preschool
GoodTakes funded hoursBirth to 5Long established
A day nursery in Axminster for from 2 years up to 5 year olds, open 08:45 to 15:30, 5 days a week. £6.50 an hour for 2 year olds, and they take the funded hours. Rated Good by Ofsted in November 2023. Open since 2015, with 24 places.
What it costs
Prices change without notice. Treat these as what to ask about, not a quote.
| Age | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|
| 2 year olds2y to 3y | £6.50Sessions not covered by childcare funding | |
| 3 & 4 year olds3y to 4y | £6.00Sessions not covered by childcare funding |
Extras
Charged on top of the session rate.
- £5.00 a session late pickupcannot be claimed under childcare funding
- £30.00 a term termly charge for consumablesincludes wipes, sun cream and other resources
Where this came from
The outlined line is the one the price was taken from.
Funded hours
15 hours Universal Early Years Education Funding (EYEF), 30 hours Working Entitlements, 2 Year Old (TYF) Funding.
Worth knowing. 15 hours funding is term time only. 30 hours funding requires a code from HMRC. 2 year old funding requires being in receipt of certain benefits.
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
EX13 5BEWhat 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, 7 November 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children benefit from the very welcoming and nurturing environment. They arrive happy and keen to attend, settle well and feel safe and secure. Staff provide comfort when children need additional reassurance, such as looking through their family photo album together. Children develop positive attitudes and behaviour.
They play kindly, make friends, listen well and learn to resolve disagreements. Staff are good role models and help children to learn what is expected of them through consistent messages.
Staff deliver a broad and interesting curriculum with a focus on outdoor learning.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- provide time and opportunity for children to think and respond to questions to strengthen their thinking and communication skills even further.
- 7 November 2023Good
- 6 February 2018Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 2 graded inspections.
Still missing for Dragonflies Preschool
- 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
Some of this is above, from the setting or from parents, and it can go out of date. The rest is in no dataset anywhere. Either way it is worth ten minutes on the phone.
- Is £6.50 an hour still the rate? What is on top: meals, nappies, late pick-up, and what happens if you are late.
- How do you apply my funded hours? Whether they stretch them over the year, and the minimum days you have to book.
- Do you have a place for a child of my age now? 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.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.