Humpty Dumpty Childcare
Outstanding★ 5.0 on GoogleBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Dartmouth for children from birth to 8+, open 07:30 to 18:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted in February 2023. Open since 1994.
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
TQ6 9HWWhat 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, 2 February 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children flourish in this highly stimulating and nurturing setting. They run into the arms of warm and friendly staff, who respond affectionately. Children's well-being is high. Dedicated staff meet their individual needs consistently and are evidently passionate about ensuring that all children reach their full potential. Children feel safe and secure. They have excellent bonds with their key person, who provides them with tender care.
Staff plan an exciting curriculum, ensuring that children build on their existing skills and make excellent progress in all areas of development. They use funding effectively to ensure that children make the progress they are capable of within an inclusive environment. Staff adapt babies' routines to meet their needs so that active learning can take place. Babies learn to feed themselves and try new foods through an effective weaning process, which is designed by the setting's on-site nutritionist. Toddlers learn to use a fork and scrape their food leftovers into the bin and place their dirty plates into the sink. Older children are equally independent.
They prepare and serve themselves food. They develop strong concentration skills as they carefully manipulate china crockery to pour their own drinks.
- 2 February 2023Outstanding
- 5 July 2017Good
- 19 March 2014Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Humpty Dumpty Childcare
- 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.