Explorers Childcare Group
GoodBirth to 8+Long established
A day nursery in Swanage for children from birth to 8+, open 07:30 to 17:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in November 2024. Open since 2017, with 49 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 Dorset
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Dorset 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
BH19 2PWWhat 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, 19 November 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children respond very positively to the friendly, caring staff and enjoy their gentle humour. Children recognise the established daily routines, such as when they sit together and enjoy sociable mealtimes, which helps them feel settled. Children learn to use good manners and begin to say or sign 'please' and 'thank you' from a young age. Older children show concern for their friends and go to comfort them when they are upset. They show kindness to their friends, such as giving them a toy to play with.
Staff have a clear vision to help children achieve. They get to know children's individual learning needs very well and provide a well-balanced curriculum that helps each child make good progress through their play. Staff have a clear focus on supporting children's personal, social and emotional skills within the curriculum.
Children develop a good sense of self. For example, they like to look at photos of their families and friends and talk about them with staff. Children gain confidence and develop very good independence skills, such as with their self-care. They attempt to put on their coats and boots from a young age. Babies begin to use spoons independently to eat their meals. Babies enjoy exploring different textures, such as dried pasta, flour and shaving foam. They look with interest at the marks they make and like pushing toy cars or trains through to see the tracks they make.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- review the organisation of activities during some parts of the session to fully support all children's concentration and participation consistently well
- 19 November 2024Good
- 7 February 2019Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 2 graded inspections.
Still missing for Explorers Childcare Group
- 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.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.