Happy Bunnies Pre-School
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Southampton for children from birth to 8+, open 08:45 to 16:45, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in June 2024. Open since 2010, with 32 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 Southampton
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Southampton 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
SO19 8FJWhat 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, 4 June 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children arrive happily. They know the routine and place their lunch boxes on the trolley and find their name pegs to hang their coats on. Staff know the children incredibly well and place a strong focus on their happiness. They form good relationships with them. As a result, children are confident, independent and explore freely.
Staff provide a broad curriculum and an exciting environment, inside and outside, that is planned to meet the children's needs. For example, staff actively encourage children to explore wildlife in the garden. Children are inquisitive and handle snails sensitively, while being guided by the staff. Children's physical development is well supported. Staff provide a range of opportunities to enhance these skills, including the use of rockers and stepping stones outside. They have high expectations for children's behaviour. On occasion, when children struggle to share, staff sensitively step in to support them in their play.
Staff promote children's communication and language skills very well. As a result, children are confident talkers and communicate effectively with each other. For example, children announce they are making 'popcorn' and 'hot dogs' in the mud kitchen and set to work to create their 'food'. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and English as an additional language, make good progress from their starting points.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- review and improve the organisation of large-group times so that all children fully benefit from the experience.
- 4 June 2024Good
- 20 May 2019Good
- 7 January 2016Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Happy Bunnies 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.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.