Otters Nursery School
Good★ 5.0 on GoogleBirth to 5Long established
A day nursery in Basingstoke for children from birth to 5, open 09:00 to 14:45, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in July 2025. Open since 2025, with 56 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 Hampshire
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Hampshire 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
RG25 2JSWhat 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, 22 July 2025 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children demonstrate that they feel happy and secure at this enabling and nurturing setting. They arrive excited for their day and are pleased to see their friends. They are confident, settle well and show they have strong, loving bonds with staff. Even the youngest of children are familiar with the routines. For instance, babies excitedly toddle over when circle time begins. They independently select nursery rhymes and delight in singing alongside staff and their peers. They enthusiastically shake and bang musical instruments and explore different sounds.
Toddlers show good self-care skills. They wipe their noses and pop tissues in the bin. They look in mirrors and take pride in washing their faces after their lunch.
Staff place a strong focus on children's independence, social and emotional development. They are respectful, kind and encourage children to identify feelings, such as when they are happy or sad. In addition, they use quiet corners and sand timers to help children explore and regulate their emotions. Children play well with their peers. Older children demonstrate this as they share their ideas and discuss the ingredients they need to make a mud pie. Together they explore their natural environment and excitedly collect resources from around the garden. Staff praise children for their achievements, which boosts their confidence and self-esteem.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- support all staff to consistently recognise opportunities that arise from children's immediate interests to fully extend their learning n expand the opportunities for younger children to engage in a broader range of physical activities, to further support their development and skills n strengthen communication with parents so that all parents have information about their child's next steps in learning and how they can support their child's development at home.
- 22 July 2025Good Safeguarding: Yes
Still missing for Otters Nursery 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.